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Chamale posted:Not sure if this is the right place, but can anyone identify this hawk? My abilities are limited to asking "does it have a red tail", and this time the answer is no. Taken in Calgary, Alberta. I think so? Looks good, especially with the banding on the tail. Do you know what it was eating? That might help give us some scale.
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May 15, 2015 04:44
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 15:32 |
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It's likely a merlin, but they're small, smaller than a magpie or a bluejay, a little bigger than a robin. If you heard it, a merlin makes very high-pitched, short repeated calls, kinda "EEEP EEP EEP EEP EEEEEP!" They fly with their wings held straight out from the body, flapping very rapidly but not moving through a long range of motion.
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May 15, 2015 05:48
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BetterLekNextTime posted:I think so? Looks good, especially with the banding on the tail. Do you know what it was eating? That might help give us some scale. A pigeon. So yeah, that's a small raptor.
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May 15, 2015 07:07
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Yep, that's a female Merlin. The only other North American raptor that gets white eyebrows like that is the Broad-winged Hawk, and that's not a Broad-winged Hawk.
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May 15, 2015 07:28
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Got a mockingbird PUA in my neighborhood that is hitting the nocturnal songs pretty hard lately, as you do, and it's been an interesting repertoire. Every once in a while he works in "car alarm goes like this" and "baby bird goes like this." Just heard him cover a tiny bit of "croaking frog," which is a first for my ears. I used to share an alley with a car lot and my backyard mockingbird at the time would work all the sounds from "Viper car alarm" into his routine. Anyone hear any other interesting mimicking you've encountered in your birding? This question is not limited to mockingbirds (although they pretty much rule--and know it.)
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May 19, 2015 06:59
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I had what I initially thought was a Cassin's Vireo singing a month or so ago. Quite early for my location though and it didn't sound quite perfect. I had recently seen some listserv chatter about Purple Finches singing Cassin's song and when I finally got on the bird it was indeed a Purple Finch. Crappy thing is that I was birding that same area a few weeks later and I had another Cassin's sounding bird. This was was in better habitat and sounded much better, but I couldn't shake the fact that it might be a Purple Finch. I never got a look at it one way or another. I'm in Charlotte for two weeks. I spent Sunday birding the Blue Ridge Parkway and nearby areas. Picked up 15 warbler species including Swainson's, Cerulean, and Worm-Eating.
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May 19, 2015 07:36
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Arriviste posted:Got a mockingbird PUA in my neighborhood that is hitting the nocturnal songs pretty hard lately, as you do, and it's been an interesting repertoire. Every once in a while he works in "car alarm goes like this" and "baby bird goes like this." Just heard him cover a tiny bit of "croaking frog," which is a first for my ears. I used to share an alley with a car lot and my backyard mockingbird at the time would work all the sounds from "Viper car alarm" into his routine. Once, ages ago before I got into birds, I watched a bird (retroactively identified from ancient memory as I think a brown thrasher) doing the "bleep bleep" sound of disabling a car alarm, the backup beeps of a large vehicle, and a little bit of firetruck klaxon. It was hiding in a bush next to a parking lot and firehall and equipment yard at the airport.
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May 19, 2015 08:00
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Can't see the bird I heard earlier, but now I think it may be a catbird. When the catbird MEW goes off it's full-hearted and LOUD. Much louder than the other parts of the repertoire.
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May 19, 2015 08:25
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C-c-c-COMBO POST Just saw an earful of cedar waxwings fly by.  I've spotted them only a few times in my life here in west Kentucky. My initial reaction is always "WTF was that?" Even in silhouette they look too exotic for this region.
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May 19, 2015 13:04
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Arriviste posted:
The ones in my neighborhood in California go through all sorts of calls- robin, flicker, acorn woodpecker, phoebe, frog, duck. Most of the neighbors want to kill it but I think it's the coolest thing. I don't know why this sticks with me, but I once heard a starling on a bridge over an inlet do an amazing copy of someone casting a fishing line (SZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz....) Sounded just like it. Heading to Spain next week- not much birding but hoping to see Flamingos!
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May 19, 2015 18:00
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Arriviste posted:Anyone hear any other interesting mimicking you've encountered in your birding? This question is not limited to mockingbirds (although they pretty much rule--and know it.) I just realized I heard a Mockingbird in Pasadena doing the normal horn of the Metro train, it's a quiet buzzing, not a normal full on train horn.
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May 20, 2015 15:31
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Years ago I lived in Vancouver, which is full of starlings. Walking up to the bus one morning I heard the call of a Red-Tailed Hawk, coming from the top of a nearby traffic light post. That starling had delusions of grandeur, I think. That same walk included the occasional raven. They make all sorts of strange noises, I've heard what sounded like "BONG!", like a grandfather clock, as well as the sound of a child randomly smacking a xylophone.
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May 21, 2015 01:05
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ExecuDork posted:Years ago I lived in Vancouver, which is full of starlings. Walking up to the bus one morning I heard the call of a Red-Tailed Hawk, coming from the top of a nearby traffic light post. That starling had delusions of grandeur, I think. Ravens make such excellent noises. Especially if you catch one in a tree quietly mumbling to itself.
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May 21, 2015 01:48
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Hey there bird enthusiasts. Was hoping someone could help me with an inquiry of mine on what bird makes this sound(quote from the Critterquest thread):Captain Invictus posted:Critterquesters, I'd like your help. My favorite bird call that I hear all the time is "EEWEE!" "EEWEE!" What bird makes this sound? It's a kind of a whiny call. I live in Massachusetts, outside Boston. I thought it was a Mockingbird, but I'm not sure. Try making the EEEEEEE sound of a mosquito with your mouth, but then say "EEWEE". That's exactly the sound they make, nasally whine and all. Hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about. 
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Jun 19, 2015 15:57
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Captain Invictus posted:Hey there bird enthusiasts. Was hoping someone could help me with an inquiry of mine on what bird makes this sound(quote from the Critterquest thread): Catboid? e: For Bostonians, I guess it would be Catbaahrd. Also, check out the "Mew" call in the link above. Arriviste fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Jun 19, 2015 |
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Jun 19, 2015 16:21
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Could also be an Eastern phoebe whose song is a "FEE-BEE" as two distinct syllables. They are all over the place in Mass and NH. If you see one, it's really easy to identify as it's perched it flicks its tail up and down. It also makes mossy nests in the crooks of buildings.
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Jun 19, 2015 16:35
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Captain Invictus posted:Hey there bird enthusiasts. Was hoping someone could help me with an inquiry of mine on what bird makes this sound(quote from the Critterquest thread): If you can make a recording with your phone (most phones have a voice note app or similar) we could probably nail it, assuming neither of the two suggestions above is it.
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Jun 19, 2015 17:35
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Captain Invictus posted:Hey there bird enthusiasts. Was hoping someone could help me with an inquiry of mine on what bird makes this sound(quote from the Critterquest thread): Have a look at this guy: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Wood-Pewee/sounds Their song sounds like what you describe, and I can see how it could be a favourite.
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Jun 19, 2015 22:14
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Arriviste posted:Catboid? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXGHKKnzQvk Thanks a lot!
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Jun 20, 2015 02:46
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Saw a pileated woodpecker this afternoon on my way in to work. Was making the hike from the parking lot to the office when I heard a loud THUNK THUNK THUNK, like someone hitting something with a wooden mallet. Looked around for the sound and it was a pileated high up on a pine tree wailing away. No mistaking a crow-sized woodpecker with a red crest for anything else, and wish I had my camera on me.
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Jun 23, 2015 20:39
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A grouse (Spruce Grouse? I think so) and I surprised each other when I was hiking up a ridge in the foothills / Rocky Mountains transition area. After taking a few quick pictures, I turned it to video in time to capture his (her?) attempt to drive me away. That attempt was successful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-Tj5unsHp4
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Jun 23, 2015 23:08
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This thread reminded me of the Asian Koel I used to hear all the time when I lived in Singapore. I didn't actually remember the name, just had to search "loud Singapore bird" to find tons of angry posts about it. I'll admit it annoyed the hell out of me too for a while, but now I really miss it  .Birds are cool.https://youtu.be/_EZ66v4T7Zw
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Jun 26, 2015 20:02
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Hi goons, I took a boat trip around the Bass Rock which is off the coast of Scotland. It is home to the largest colony of gannets in the world. I saw so many birds my head nearly exploded.  The island looks white from a distance because so many birds nest on it.  Holy gently caress!  Gannets chilling in their nests.  Guillemots  Puffin
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Jun 28, 2015 14:32
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Oh my god, that gannetsplosion is mind-boggling. Getting a close-up look at a male Wood Duck has been on my to-do list for a long time. I noticed that one of my local friends posted a picture of one in Sequoia Park's duck pond a few days ago, so I went by to check it out and found out that there's a whole family of them there.  wood-duck-drake1 by Redwood Planet, on Flickr  duckling-pounce by Redwood Planet, on Flickr  duck-poofs by Redwood Planet, on Flickr  woodduck-mother-child by Redwood Planet, on Flickr
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Jun 30, 2015 20:56
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Hello bird thread! I'm pretty sure I found some owl pellets in by backyard yesterday I think owls are totally awesome animals, and I've never seen one in the wild that I can recall. Is there a good chance I might see it if I watch for it, or are they unlikely to visit the same areas in the short term?
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Jul 6, 2015 18:08
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stubblyhead posted:Hello bird thread! I'm pretty sure I found some owl pellets in by backyard yesterday I'd definitely guess owl pellet on that as well- not impossible it's some other type of large bird but owl seems really likely. Owls can definitely use habitual roosts for a while, so it might be worth checking perches right above where you found the pellet. If there's a dense tree, it could be a day roost and the bird could be hiding out there, but if it's something they use more dusk/night, you may have to get lucky and see it fly in at dusk. Note that Great Horned Owls at least can be pretty active during the day when they are feeding their big babies, so keep an eye out in your neighborhood and maybe you'll find them.
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Jul 6, 2015 18:32
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stubblyhead posted:Hello bird thread! I'm pretty sure I found some owl pellets in by backyard yesterday Keep an eye out for "white wash" on nearby trees or foliage (where they poop). That's usually a good candidate for a roost. They can be super hard to see in a tree unless they're big and and there aren't too many Edit trees=leaves Finger Prince fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Jul 7, 2015 |
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Jul 6, 2015 21:43
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Thanks for all the info. I found it right under a good sized dogwood, so there's definitely a good perch nearby, but not an especially dense one. I'll see if there's any concentration of bird poop around there and watch for owls in the evening. There's a couple bedroom windows nearby I could watch from, so I'll try to be stealthy and see what happens.
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Jul 6, 2015 22:28
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Good luck! It's always a treat to see an owl in the wild, no matter how many you've seen.
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Jul 7, 2015 02:24
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Organization of North America's bird species: List updated Biologists have made several major updates to the organization of the North America's bird species. The updated work groups birds into genera, families, and orders based on their evolutionary relationships, and some of the most significant changes in this year's work involve the tanagers, family Thraupidae. Full text of the 56th Supplement The Checklist of North and Middle American Birds -- up to Supplement 55.
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Jul 8, 2015 18:11
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This is the birdwatching thread and I want them for watching birds, so I thought I'd ask -- does anyone have a recommendation for decent binoculars that aren't hugely expensive? We're in the middle of huge pastures which means a lot of birds, and I'd like to be able to see them in more detail when they're far off.
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Jul 8, 2015 19:47
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Tendai posted:This is the birdwatching thread and I want them for watching birds, so I thought I'd ask -- does anyone have a recommendation for decent binoculars that aren't hugely expensive? We're in the middle of huge pastures which means a lot of birds, and I'd like to be able to see them in more detail when they're far off. Nikon Monarchs are a good bet- 8x are usually recommended unless you have used binoculars a lot in the past and/or have really steady hands in which case 10 x wouldn't be too wobbly. There are a lot of good brands in about that price range ($2-300)- there's a slightly old ranking at Cornell's site. If you can get to a Cabela's or Wild Birds Unlimited or somewhere with a selection, never a bad idea to try out a few and see which ones feel best in your hands. Just don't look through any expensive ones or you may have a hard time living with your entry-levels...
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Jul 8, 2015 23:40
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That would be a huge temptation if I tried them, the number of birds here in northern NM is staggering, especially since we got an unusual amount of rain so far this summer. Geese in the pond, Mountain Bluebirds in the trees, swallows nesting under the eaves of our roof. It's all very dramatic. Thank you for the link and information! The variety available online is kind of huge.
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Jul 8, 2015 23:48
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If portability isn't as much of a concern you might look into spotting scopes as well.
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Jul 8, 2015 23:50
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Oh, good idea. It's not something I'm going to be carrying too far, so I'll check those out as well.
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Jul 8, 2015 23:52
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Crossposting from PYF, a mama frogmouth and chick.    
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Jul 8, 2015 23:54
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Kenshin posted:If portability isn't as much of a concern you might look into spotting scopes as well. Speaking of which -- what do people use for tripods? On one hand the selection on amazon is positively overwhelming, on the other hand the only place I found locally that sells any is an Audubon outpost that has the choice of $300 w/o head, or $700 w/o head. For a meager Alpen scope I had hoped to get away with something in the $150 range plus maybe a $70 head. Any practical recommendation would go a long way.
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Jul 8, 2015 23:56
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Cythereal posted:Crossposting from PYF, a mama frogmouth and chick.
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Jul 9, 2015 00:12
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Tendai posted:I'm still not convinced that frogmouths aren't some elaborate, beyond-the-grave hoax of Jim Henson. They're such ridiculous-looking muppet birds. Where are they from, anyway? I'd never heard of frogmouths before seeing that post, but they look very similar to the whipoorwills we have here in the eastern US.
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Jul 9, 2015 00:50
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Alpens are great scopes, don't knock them. Most cheap scopes look janky when you zoom in. Alpens definitely punch above their weight. Maybe just my experience, but it's a lot harder to get a good value on binoculars than scopes. Those big glass elements! You might check out Eagle Optics- looks like they have a range of tripods as well as all the optics you could dream of. A few models in your price range. Maybe give them a call and see what they'd recommend based on your expected use. I've gone through them for work stuff and they're really helpful and I didn't get the feeling they were trying to push me towards more expensive stuff.
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Jul 9, 2015 01:07
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