Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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BlackwaterPark10
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by BlackwaterPark10 »

Down here in Florida with all our fun birds gone, it’s butterfly season for us. Have two enclosures coming in for my monarch and eastern swallowtail caterpillars
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Brown Thrasher lecturing me from Kwanza Cherry tree while I was working in the yard.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Black-crowned Night-Heron just after sunset near a pond. I saw one a couple years ago in the same spot this is the first one this year.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bla ... n/overview
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Great Horned Owl. Flew into a low branch on giant oak tree while I was out for my afternoon swim. May be a first year bird - didn't get a good look. They often get flushed out of their roosts by blackbirds. Not nearly as stoic as the adults.
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onthecusp
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by onthecusp »

Wife and I saw a hawk in the back yard on our swim yesterday too! It hopped around the tree branches for awhile but could not see it clearly enough to determine what kind.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by barber »

Last year we had a pair of Baltimore orioles that visited our grape jelly offering. This year we assume the same pair appeared and has been jelly feeding, along with the cat birds. Today we saw a youth oriole so we are pleased. Love that grape jelly.
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batpot
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by batpot »

went to the beach this weekend
Numerous Great Blue Herons
A couple Bald Eagles
Probably a juvenile bald eagle (very large and speckled)
An Osprey
And countless seagulls and common crows.

Also watched seals hunting salmon
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Yesterday I saw 2 juvenile Cedar Waxwings (adorable!)

Earlier in the week I saw a Great Blue Heron and a Cormorant.

Otherwise, the typical backyard birds with many Red-winged Blackbird fledglings who are fun to watch with their "begging behavior". Both females and males feed them. Also a lot of hummers and American Goldfinches. :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

This is the down-season around here. Most fledging is done (except Goldfinches who nest in July). Our Bluebirds fledged last week. I cleaned out the box in case a late brood popped up but no takers. I think they are done for the season.

Just a bit early for migration of shorebirds; they should start to trickle in around the end of the month on their way south.
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TxAg
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by TxAg »

Lots of Mississippi Kites around here this time of year. It's fun to watch them swoop in for cicadas.


Fun fact: copperheads are bad this time of year also. They congregate under oaks and eat the cicadas. https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2016/ju ... opperhead/
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

TxAg wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:20 am Lots of Mississippi Kites around here this time of year. It's fun to watch them swoop in for cicadas.


Fun fact: copperheads are bad this time of year also. They congregate under oaks and eat the cicadas. https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2016/ju ... opperhead/
Yikes! That snake photo looks really scary but so do the rattlers around here. :shock:

This wouldn't be something I would want to come across at any time of day (your article):

"Under cover of darkness, dozens of venomous snakes congregate in a stand of oaks located in a large, tidy yard. Snakes lurk amid the leaf litter, drape themselves from understory shrubs and coil at the base of larger trees. They are waiting, waiting for their prey to arrive."
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by InvisibleAerobar »

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:12 am Yesterday I saw 2 juvenile Cedar Waxwings (adorable!)

Earlier in the week I saw a Great Blue Heron and a Cormorant.

Otherwise, the typical backyard birds with many Red-winged Blackbird fledglings who are fun to watch with their "begging behavior". Both females and males feed them. Also a lot of hummers and American Goldfinches. :happy
Lucky you!

I was able to get in a few photos of Waxwings last year (suburban Philly). Didn't see too many of them migrating this year.

As for begging behavior, I personally find cardinal fledglings to be quite adorable. They beg loudly and incessantly, so much so, that one would think any aerial predator paying attention could easily spot them.

The local rail-to-trail, which I normally use for cycling, seems to be a not-so-bad spot for birding. Came upon quite a few small brown birds (smaller than a sparrow), a few swallows, and an indigo bunting (i'm pretty sure) while I was riding on Thursday.
TxAg wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:20 am Lots of Mississippi Kites around here this time of year. It's fun to watch them swoop in for cicadas.


Fun fact: copperheads are bad this time of year also. They congregate under oaks and eat the cicadas. https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2016/ju ... opperhead/
that's some real slim pickings. one would think they probably expend more energy hunting the bugs than what they derive from eating it
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

InvisibleAerobar wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:39 am one would think they probably expend more energy hunting the bugs than what they derive from eating it
If you watch raptors closely, they are pretty efficient. Around here they wait until mid-morning usually for the breeze and the thermals to develop. They flap very little. I've watched Osprey's circle for many minutes around our creek without moving their wings other than to adjust glide angle. What amazes me is how well they can see the fish from so high up.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Dorchester County today

American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Bald Eagle
Barn Swallow
Black-necked Stilt
Brown Pelican
Brown-headed Cowbird
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Canada Goose
Caspian Tern
Chipping Sparrow
Common Tern
Common Yellowthroat
Double-crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee
European Starling
Fish Crow
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher
Great Egret
Greater Yellowlegs
Herring Gull
House Finch
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Least Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Mallard
Marsh Wren
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Pectoral Sandpiper
Pine Warbler
Purple Martin
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Tree Swallow
Virginia Rail
Willet
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by LadyGeek »

Red-winged blackbird.

I haven't seen one at my bird feeder for many years and am wondering if the recent hot weather pattern is changing their flight path.
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LilyFleur
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by LilyFleur »

Hummingbirds. I saw what I thought were mice droppings on my chaise lounge on the patio. Finally figured out there was a hummingbird nest in my hanging plant. When COVID isolation hit me pretty hard, I had talked to the hummingbirds in sort of a very high birdlike voice, and they liked it. Maybe the mama hummingbird felt my patio would be a safe place. :mrgreen:
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Lots of hummingbirds which are really magical. I would love to see a nest sometime.

Also, yesterday I saw a flock of Bushtits on my suet which I enjoyed watching.

The rest have been the usual suspects but I always love the bright yellow of the American Goldfinches. :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by HomeStretch »

Do you have hummingbird feeder(s)? I am enjoying watching the hummingbirds on our feeders and plants.

Have you planted coneflowers to attract the American Goldfinches? It’s fun to watch them feast on the flowers when they go to seed.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MP173 »

Trying to attract Eastern bluebirds. We had them during winter and they moved 4 houses down. The owner feeds them meal worms (live) daily and she has 11 bluebirds.

We had 2 yesterday. I am putting mealworms out, but they do not seem interested. But, they do come around a couple times a week. We put a bluebird house up, but it was nested by sparrows.

Also - Cardinals, Robins, Tufted Titmouse, Chicadees, wrens, bluejays, sparrows....usual suburban birds.

Really want bluebirds....any suggestions?

Ed
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

Lots of red tail hawk activity this summer. I heard that for some reason, there are an abundance of chipmunks, which I can certainly verify from their chirping all around. The hawks have always been seen circling over our woods but they've become more common on branches right outside our porch. I walk outside and pretty often set a hawk to fly 50 yards to another tree branch. Now and then, I see them drop from above to grab something on the ground and fly away with it. I assume it's a chipmunk or mouse.

I did see a falcon do the same in the back yard, flying away with a small snake. Lots of "death from above" around me.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

HomeStretch wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 9:02 am Do you have hummingbird feeder(s)? I am enjoying watching the hummingbirds on our feeders and plants.

Have you planted coneflowers to attract the American Goldfinches? It’s fun to watch them feast on the flowers when they go to seed.
Yes, I have a feeder and a number of mostly-native perennials that both hummingbirds and goldfinches like (and butterflies and hummers love the Butterfly Bush). I don't know the name of one crimson-flowered perennial I have but the goldfinches love it, especially in the fall after it starts to seed. The bees like the coneflowers the best. 🌻

I also have a new purple-black salvia that the hummingbirds love - yesterday one was about 8 inches from me and didn't flinch. :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by BalancedJCB19 »

I was blessed to see a Jack finch red tip yesterday. I never thought I'd see one in my area.'

My dying wish is to see a yellow tip baker bird, but not sure that will every happen.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by livesoft »

MP173 wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 9:43 amReally want bluebirds....any suggestions?
Almost all the bluebirds that I have seen have been on a fence post or short dead tree on the border between a meadow or large open field and a forest of tall trees. Does that describe your yard or your neighbor's yard better?
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MP173 »

We are in a suburban environment with lots of trees with wide open yards. The trees basically provide privacy between property owners (built 25 years ago) so the privacy trees are good sized.

Obviously suburban blue birds!

They are in the neighborhood. The person who feeds them is very knowledgeable about bluebirds and HER bluebirds...knowing how many broods there have been this year (2) and how many total bluebirds there are (11). She feeds them live meal worms and suggested we do the same. I have placed a few meal worms out each morning along with the dead insects (packaged).

As stated above, the bluebirds were with us during the winter as we fed them the dead insects.

Yesterday two were feeding and then perched on our garden fence near the bluebird house. I checked the house today, no sign of nest being built.

Ed
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

We have a couple of boxes on our property. We generally fledge anywhere from 5-15 depending on how aggressive some of the competitors (mainly House Sparrows and House Wrens) get in trying to displace the BBs.

This is one of the better resources I've found on Bluebirds

http://sialis.org/index.html
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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LilyFleur wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:51 pm Hummingbirds. I saw what I thought were mice droppings on my chaise lounge on the patio. Finally figured out there was a hummingbird nest in my hanging plant. When COVID isolation hit me pretty hard, I had talked to the hummingbirds in sort of a very high birdlike voice, and they liked it. Maybe the mama hummingbird felt my patio would be a safe place. :mrgreen:
Yeah, I talk to the wildlife just like my mom did. Blue Jays, Cardinals, Chipmunks and squirrels all talked too.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

"BalancedJCB19 » Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:57 am

I was blessed to see a Jack finch red tip yesterday. I never thought I'd see one in my area.'

My dying wish is to see a yellow tip baker bird, but not sure that will every happen."



I looked up the "yellow tip baker bird" but Cornell's site didn't show one. Is it known by another name?

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by GuayaquilEcu »

From San Antonio TX

Quite a few painted bunting sightings today
They come right next to my office window and are really fun to watch.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

GuayaquilEcu wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:11 am From San Antonio TX

Quite a few painted bunting sightings today
They come right next to my office window and are really fun to watch.
Wow! Those are so beautiful. :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by CardinalRule »

Odd thing that happened on Wednesday. It had been years since we had seen an American Goldfinch in our Pacific NW neighborhood, even though it is our state bird.

My wife saw one on the bushes in the backyard and she came over to tell me to come and look. By the time I came quickly downstairs to see it, it was gone. :(

Later that afternoon, I was back upstairs in my home office, and I opened up the shades to get a little more light. The little bird was literally sitting on the window ledge looking in. I just had to laugh. I was able to take a quick snapshot with my phone. The image was through a screen, and not very good, but the incident with the little yellow-and-black bird made my day. :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by mickeyd »

Just noticed that barn swallows are now hatching the second brood of the season. Not fledged yet.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Brewman »

My wife and I have had the pleasure to watch a family of Barred owls over the past few months raise two youngsters. See them almost every time we go walking and if we don't see them we hear the youngsters calling for their parents. It's been great to see the little ones get bigger and bigger!

If I could figure out how I would upload a great picture of one of them! LOL
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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^^^ Sorry, the site owners don't permit attachments. You can upload the great picture to a file hosting site and share the link.

See the wiki: Posting images in the Bogleheads forum
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Brewman »

Image


Thank You as always Lady Geek!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MrBobcat »

CardinalRule wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:47 am Odd thing that happened on Wednesday. It had been years since we had seen an American Goldfinch in our Pacific NW neighborhood, even though it is our state bird.

My wife saw one on the bushes in the backyard and she came over to tell me to come and look. By the time I came quickly downstairs to see it, it was gone. :(

Later that afternoon, I was back upstairs in my home office, and I opened up the shades to get a little more light. The little bird was literally sitting on the window ledge looking in. I just had to laugh. I was able to take a quick snapshot with my phone. The image was through a screen, and not very good, but the incident with the little yellow-and-black bird made my day. :happy
Those are pretty birds. We've had a number of them at our feeders this year though not as often as I'd like.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MrBobcat »

LadyGeek wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:41 pm Red-winged blackbird.

I haven't seen one at my bird feeder for many years and am wondering if the recent hot weather pattern is changing their flight path.
Interesting, I haven't seen one in my feeders until this year and I see them almost daily now. I have expanded the food variety and added several more feeders so that might be why too.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MrBobcat »

I have actually seen several new to me birds this year at my feeders.

Lazuli Bunting
Black-headed grosbeak
Evening grosbeak

My wife enjoys them but thinks I've gone a bit overboard with all the feeders, we easily go through 20-30# of birdseed/week plus 4 suet blocks.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Brewman wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:55 pm Image


Thank You as always Lady Geek!
Great photo! :beer
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by MP173 »

Interesting observation today.

We have a sunroom with patio door. The screen door was removed for repair and the main door left open.

DW was in the family room this morning reading paper and commented about birds flying up to the family room windows and attaching to the screens.

Went into the sunroom and there was a bird in there. I escorted to the open door and it happily flew away.

The birds flying to the family room window stopped.

The neighbor had mentioned a similar story when a cardinal got trapped and other birds swarmed his window, not only Cardinals, but other birds.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Ed
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Yes; they are typically looking for insects. Sometimes just reacting to reflection in glass behind the screen.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

jebmke wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 4:25 pm Yes; they are typically looking for insects. Sometimes just reacting to reflection in glass behind the screen.
Interesting!

On a somewhat related topic, my vet told me she knows an ornithologist who uses painters tape in the shape of an "X" on his windows to avoid bird/window strikes. Can be applied inside or out. I know there are other commercial products you can buy for this.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Miriam2 »

The photographs of birds and their habitats that have been posted in this thread have been simply delightful to view :D
Thank you everyone!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by livesoft »

MP173 wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 4:23 pmWent into the sunroom and there was a bird in there. I escorted to the open door and it happily flew away.
We had wrens wintering in a Christmas wreath on our front door. I guess it was warm. One year, we opened the door and the wrens flew into the house. It took a while to get them out.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by LadyGeek »

I've never seen this before. I have a butterfly bush near my hummingbird feeder. Nobody was visiting the feeder, but there was one hummingbird happily feeding on the butterfly bush flowers. My guess is a female ruby-throat.

In any case, the butterfly bush was also busy with tiger swallowtail butterflies feeding - what the butterfly bush was for. The hummingbird took exception to someone encroaching on her turf and chased the butterfly off the bush. The butterfly was bigger than she was. Then, the hummingbird chased off a bee to protect her bush.

I watched for a few minutes. The hummingbird got close enough to me that I could hear the buzz of the wing flaps. Yes, they do rest. She was perched on one of the branches and chased after any butterfly and bee that got too close.

My cellphone was in the house or I would have tried to capture this small-scale battle. I'll keep my eye out for future turf wars.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

^LOL, that is so funny. Hummers can be pretty aggressive.

I've been seeing a lot of hummingbird activity; they especially love a new Salvia plant I have and fly within 12 inches of me to get to it. They love it more than the Butterfly Bush or even the feeder. I also have been getting quite a few Swallowtails at the Butterfly Bush! :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by RetiredAL »

At the 'perc ponds' park where I often walk, about a month ago I discovered a Killdeer nest with 4 eggs in it. Their nests are ground nests and this was in a area of chipped wood ground cover, so pretty much in the open, but you had to be within 10' to find it. The clue that a nest is around is the mom is someplace many feet away acting injured. I checked on it every time I visited the park, 2 or 3 times a week.

A week ago, the nest was gone and after I looked around, I found the 4 babies huddled down in an adjacent lawn area, each about the size of a thumb. As of yesterday, all 4 were doing well, and a 100 yards away I saw another family with 2 babies.

They are a lot (75 to 100) of Canadian Geese (city type) in the grassy areas, and the baby Killdeer's are unfazed when a goose walks within a couple feet of them. City Geese are not afraid of people, sometimes you nearly have to nudge them with your foot to get them to move off the path you are walking on.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Johnfmh »

Saw a ruby throated hummingbird in my neighbor’s mimosa tree. Glad someone’s enjoying these invasive trees ubiquitous in Northern Virginia.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Miriam2 »

Saw two Moorhens (Gallinule galeata or common gallinule or purple gallinule) in my backyard. They were chasing each other :D

Image

Image

http://www.wildflorida.com/florida_birds.php
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Miriam2 wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:13 am Saw two Moorhens (Gallinule galeata or common gallinule or purple gallinule) in my backyard. They were chasing each other :D

Image

Image

http://www.wildflorida.com/florida_birds.php
Nice! Cool looking birds.

One thing I love about this thread is that I learn about new bird species from people in other parts of the country. :happy
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Miriam2
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Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:51 am

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Miriam2 »

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Nice! Cool looking birds.

One thing I love about this thread is that I learn about new bird species from people in other parts of the country. :happy
Yes, I agree, it's fun to learn that others have such diverse bird populations where they live.

Today I was in my kitchen looking for food :mrgreen: and I kept hearing the call of a bird I didn't recognize. Then :idea: I checked my link to the Moorhen (Gallinule) bird sound and found that yes, it was the call of the Moorhen I was hearing. I live on a Florida waterway/canal and we have all kinds of water birds.

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species ... troduction
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