Birding - A Civilized Pastime

[MisterCairo]

Obsessive birders are just like any obsessive type...a tad on the tedious side with a strong tilt toward arrogance. I try to avoid them.

Wild turkeys were pretty well eliminated up here until someone decided to reintroduce them. Now, they're pretty common. They sure do breed!

Careful, Dino, there are more than a few obsessives on this site! Make a negative comment on a type of hat or jacket and see the feathers fly (pun intended)!

Wild turkeys are common in my neck o' the woods. I hear they make good eatin', but as I don't hunt, I have to get mine from Hayter's Turkeys!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

"Hayter's", really? That's an unfortunate name!

 

[MisterCairo]

"Hayter's", really? That's an unfortunate name!

Unfortunate name, yes, damn' good tasting turkeys, YES!

http://www.haytersfarm.com/

 

[MisterCairo]

Grab your camera (or your shotgun, I hear these things taste like peregrine falcon) and head over to Nova Scotia:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/04/01/ns-rare-bird.html

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I saw my first Kildeer of the season on Sunday.

 

[blazerbud]

Woodpeckers is really what my specialty is.
It kind of started when I thought woodpeckers were pecking holes in the siding of my chimney years ago. Woodpeckers don't do that, it was nuthatches. Once I got a field guide and started reading, I was hooked. A dozen books later about woodpeckers, the roller coaster of emotions about the supposed ivory bill sighting, and the local legends and previous claims that imperial woodpeckers from Mexico had been found in Tennessee 70 years ago, and I am fascinated by them. It's a habit when you can recognize the species from just their drumming sound, or the marks left in a piece of fire wood.
I like to give binoculars and field guides as gifts.

 

[LocktownDog]

And there are several live webcams of bird nests. Particularly interesting during the hatching of eggs.

 

[Enough]

We're chest deep in turkeys too! They are aggressive as well. They stroll across the turnpike at a leisurely pace.

I wonder what is behind the turkey boom. Here in northern California I see turkeys several times a week now. When I first moved here 30 years ago I would occasionally see one a year.

 

[DNO]

Woodpeckers is really what my specialty is.
It kind of started when I thought woodpeckers were pecking holes in the siding of my chimney years ago. Woodpeckers don't do that, it was nuthatches. Once I got a field guide and started reading, I was hooked. A dozen books later about woodpeckers, the roller coaster of emotions about the supposed ivory bill sighting, and the local legends and previous claims that imperial woodpeckers from Mexico had been found in Tennessee 70 years ago, and I am fascinated by them. It's a habit when you can recognize the species from just their drumming sound, or the marks left in a piece of fire wood.
I like to give binoculars and field guides as gifts.

Owls and warblers became my focus eventually.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

In the last two days I we have had visit our feeders in no particular order:

Red Wing Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher, Red Breasted Grosbeak (male, female, & juvenile), Yellow rumped Warbler, & several others that I cannot recall that the moment.

 

[nulty]

My Ma has spent the last 10 years coaxing bluebirds into her yard from the field just beyond. She has around 15 nesting boxes over the course of about 50 yards. It has been a joy that helps to fill her days...you'd think blue birds, being the NY state bird would be more approachable but they actually are quite elusive and private....

 

[fortworthgal]

We love birdwatching in our backyard & around our city, although I am far from being an expert. My husband can identify most of the native birds & their calls, whereas I can only pick out a few. I'm learning, we have several good books for our area (north central Texas). We have a pretty large variety of birds in our neighborhood. Lots of the typical birds - crows, grackles (ugh), jays, cardinals, sparrows, starlings, vultures, but also lots of ducks (we live near a lake) and lots of hawks! Not too far from us is another lake where bald eagles have been spotted recently. I'd love to see those.

Recently we discovered the crows have apparently nested in one of our backyard trees. We (and the cats) can't venture out back without being cawed at incessantly & divebombed. :laugh: I have to sneak out to my clothesline because they have my face memorized. Looking forward to the baby crows moving on so I can hang my laundry without incident.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We currwntly have a half-grown House Finch with what appears to be Congjuntivitius at our feeders.

 

[Gingerella72]

I've become a sort of bird watcher recently. Never really paid much attention to them before, as we have SO many robins around and they're fairly boring to look at (only because I always see them, perhaps). But this year I've been noticing birds showing up that I've never seen in the area before. Or maybe they've always been here but I wasn't paying attention, who knows. My office window faces a large grassy area with a maple tree right outside it so I get lots of "nature shows". When one shows up I've never seen before I race to look it up online to learn what it is. It's quite fun.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I am up to 28 species viewed on or from my property. I thought that was impressive, except that someone did a Big Year in Acton and managed 130 species, and so I have a way to go!
Still, saw some interesting ones: Sharp-shinned Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Ruby Throated Hummingbird.... It's a start!

 

[Bushman]

I don't really participate in any kind of organized birding, but I do enjoy counting the species I've seen on my property, and figuring out how to attract more species. So far, I know I've counted at least 20 different species of birds on my property.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Nice, well done.
I'm not a member of any organization either. Not that I am opposed. For me, it is a relaxing laid-back past time.

 

[DNO]

I am up to 28 species viewed on or from my property. I thought that was impressive, except that someone did a Big Year in Acton and managed 130 species, and so I have a way to go!
Still, saw some interesting ones: Sharp-shinned Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Ruby Throated Hummingbird.... It's a start!

That's a great way to start birding. That's how my wife and I started birding several years ago. We just have a small backyard in a large urban area, yet we eventually had over 60 species of birds that had landed in our yard. We do have the advantage of being only 100 metres or so from Lake Ontario and on a pretty busy migration path.

We ended up becoming fairly active birders. We've tapered off over the years but we're still very conscious of the birds around us. We spotted an immature bald eagle overhead yesterday...they're migrating already. Most people are oblivious of the birds and are often shocked when I point out the occasional vulture or eagle. They really don't believe we 'get them' around here!

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Nice, bravo. We border conservation land and should see some migrants. I will be taking walks through the woods and the local wildlife refuges. Mt. Wachusset is along the raptor migration path and there is a count each year. I am planning on being there. It's nice to have a motivation to stroll.

 

[AmateisGal]

I love to bird watch. I have a feeder outside my kitchen window, and we've had quite a few cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, mourning doves, and black birds. Unfortunately, the squirrels in my yard climb on the bird feeder and eat most of the food or knock it to the ground. Then the family of rabbits that lives in the backyard comes and eats the spilled food.

My three cats are highly entertained by all of this, of course.