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You can tell it's a Vesper Sparrow because it's sitting on a fence post.  I have never seen one anywhere else.
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Sep 24, 2013 19:27
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I've heard 'Owl Prowl' used for that sort of thing, but I don't know how common it is.
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Feb 27, 2014 13:09
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I'm not familiar with the western half of the continent, but I think they're probably swallows of some kind? Barn Swallows have nests like that but the birds you're describing sound less colourful.
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Jul 17, 2015 04:04
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Maybe they're tree swallows?
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Jul 28, 2015 20:21
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I think it might be a Great Kiskadee?
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Sep 23, 2015 15:44
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How is it decided where a species is divided? The other day I was at an event and the leader of our hike was telling us about how the golden-winged warbler was in decline because they were interbreeding with the blue-winged warbler, and the resulting offspring sometimes backcrossing further. Either bird might learn the other's song, too. But, like, if the two species can successfully breed and the hybrids are fertile and they live in the same spaces and share songs, aren't they the same dang bird? Is this a matter of species conservation or bird eugenics? While I'm at it, are we sure that Empidonax flycatchers are actually different species or is it just kind of a prank on new birders? Also while I was there we saw, among other things, Sandhill Cranes with a chick, and two Piping Plovers hooking up.
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May 31, 2016 01:56
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I figure if I can think that, say, hawks are cool then I can also be okay with cowbirds. Because while laying your eggs in someone else's nest is not neighborly behavior, it's still friendlier than eating them.
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Jun 14, 2016 22:03
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Cythereal posted:I have one in Florida. It's 50% squirrels, 20% cardinals, 20% blue jays, 9% woodpeckers, 1% titmice. I know squirrel repellent feeders can be hit-or-miss but if you get the kind that spins them off you'll double your entertainment. There's also ones that prevent birds over a certain size from having feeder access, but I don't know how invested you actually are in bird feeders. What kind of seed are you using?
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Jul 27, 2016 18:04
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There's probably eight or so different types of bird seed, all of which attract different bird combinations, but Mom swears by safflower seeds to keep the squirrels at bay. They also do not care much for Nyjer seed, which is the preferred seed for goldfinches. If you're really determined, some people mix in just a little bit of hot pepper flakes in their seed mixes, which squirrels dislike and birds are physiologically incapable of tasting. (*Please note that this is all second hand knowledge, I don't live in a feeder friendly area myself but Mom has five or six different feeders at any given time so I assume she knows what she's doing)
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Jul 27, 2016 18:31
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Certain birds are more or less inclined to visit feeders based on diet/habits etc, a bunch of the birds you mentioned are either insect eaters or very shy of people. You might be able to get some if you put out water but attracting those sorts of birds is less of a 'buy a thing' job and more of a 'remodel your backyard for strategic shade and foliage, planting specific fruit trees and shrubs' sort of thing. Also it can take a while for birds to figure out that you have food, some will pass by at the start of the season and if you didn't have anything, they won't check back until next year. Hmm, I know orioles like fruit and nectar (with apparently a preference for oranges?) but their bills don't fit in most hummingbird feeders. Cedar waxwings also like fruit and blossoms, I once saw an entire flock mob and strip an apple tree. Pileated woodpeckers are HUGE and shy, I don't know if they'll go for a suet feeder, you might have to give them a whole dead tree. Gold finches prefer Nyjer and thistle seed, but I think their breeding season just ended so it might be a little late for them? Actually that might be a factor, I don't know what seasons birds are active in down in Florida, like right now I'm pretty sure half your birds are up north with me right now. If I ever manage to dig up my bird book again I'll get back to you on that one. On the bright side you apparently have tufted titmice in your backyard, which are the cutest loving birds on the planet and if I ever saw more than a few a year I might die of joy.
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Jul 27, 2016 20:10
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Chelb posted:Texas Birds I'll take a stab at it, but I'm not familiar with Texas birds and am making educated guesses from a field guide.  This is probably a Great Kiskadee.  The bad news is that a small brown bird in fall in Texas could be Literally Anything. Migratory bottleneck and all that. The good news is that you got a perfect shot of its yellow butt, and the Yellow-Rumped Warbler is the only bird so famous for having a yellow butt that it's named for it.   This is a Cormorant, or possibly an Anhinga. I don't know enough about either to make a call, but they are related birds and they're sorta weird.  Ooh ooh I know this one! That's almost certainly a Great Egret! E: well I'm soundly beaten but my guesses match so
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Nov 23, 2016 03:07
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I'm not certain on your mystery bird, but I'm guessing that it's an off-season/nonbreeding Magnolia Warbler. They're quite striking in the spring!
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Jan 13, 2017 00:06
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Maybe an Inca Dove? It's a long shot, but when I hear 'dove sized thing yelling at my window' the culprit is usually a dove.
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Jan 15, 2017 03:56
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I like how it takes three degrees of madness before the bird names sound implausible. (Dibs on Forest Tern)
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Dec 15, 2017 02:19
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I love Grosbeaks, they always make me think of an Oreo dipped in strawberry jam.
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May 5, 2018 03:52
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Is it a great horned owl, or is it a dude imitating a great horned owl because he thought there was one in the area and is trying to track it down?
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Jul 11, 2018 05:18
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I love wrens, they're ten pounds of yelling in about half an ounce of bird.
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May 7, 2019 22:19
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Orange crowned warblers definitely don't have a bill like that, maybe a young Lawrence's Goldfinch?
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Oct 27, 2019 22:27
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When a songbird fails to migrate south for the winter, is there anything you can reasonably do for it or do you just put out extra seed and pray? My mom's been having a chipping sparrow at the feeder for the last few days and we're in Southwestern Ontario. He should not be here.
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Dec 19, 2019 19:41
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BeastOfExmoor posted:You sure it's not an American Tree Sparrow? They look similar and that would be more likely in Ontario in winter. I won't say I'm 100% sure, but Mom's pretty reliable on bird IDs and this didn't have a chest splotch or a two toned bill and the eye stripe was too dark. And I guess there's not much I can do about it either way. I get that it's kind of how nature works, but I still have this basic 'oh no he looks cold  ' reaction when I see poofed out little sparrows at -12°C.
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Dec 20, 2019 06:15
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This is the dumb/obvious suggestion, but could it be a Mourning Dove?
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May 3, 2020 05:22
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That's how mammals get you! Last week mom and I took a detour because we thought we heard a grebe and instead we found the world's loudest chipmunk.
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May 4, 2021 12:50
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 04:34 |
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I think the Vortex Diamondback is a really solid set of binoculars, I've had mine for nearly a decade and they've done a marvelous job.
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Aug 26, 2021 00:08
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