Thursday I was soaking my bones in a tub of hot water and soap. Looking out the window at the neighbor's roof and a patch of sky. BIG bird flew over low, prob goose at 30-50 feet. 10-15 min later another largish bird flew over low, this one with rounded wingtips like a hawk or buzzard. Both rare occurrences.
Point being that if you are confined to a wheelchair, if you are flat on your back in bed, as long as you can see and have a window you can observe birds. If you can only hear and the window is open, you can listen to bird song.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Beak Evolution
More on dinosaur to bird evolution, especially with regard to beaks. http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/22/health/dinosaurs-that-lose-teeth-china-trnd/index.html
The key being a small dinosaur individuals of which lost their teeth and developed a beak at about 12 years.
The key being a small dinosaur individuals of which lost their teeth and developed a beak at about 12 years.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Birding Walk January 7, 2017, Lubbock Arboretum
Anthony Hewetson, area bird expert extraordinaire, will conduct a birding tour on the walkways of Lubbock Arboretum starting at 9 a.m. Bring binoculars and a field guide if possible.
The Arboretum of course joins Clapp Park where many bird observations are recorded online.
I imagine this will be around a quarter mile with a lot of standing. The fenced-in Arboretum does not cover a big area. If you want more, you can go outside the fence and circle the lake. Clapp area is close to 1/2 square mile and you can spend half a day there just peering at birds.
I advise a floppy hat, that can be used to shade the eyes when looking toward the sun -- especially helpful if you look through glasses and binoculars. Who knows what the weather will be, rain or snow or sun, and anywhere between 15 and 80 degrees if the past is any guide. Bad weather and it will be cancelled.
Since some small birds are attracted to an area where there are bushes next to walkways close to the Garden and Arts Center, I suggest bringing close-focusing binoculars. You'd be surprised what you can see within 30 feet if you take a park bench and sit quietly.
While most of my binoculars will not focus closer than 14-25 feet, I have three pair I would rank as close-focusing. These are my Nikon Monarch ATB 8X36s at <8 feet, Habicht 8X30s at about the same, and some Pentax reverse porro-prism 10X24s at 6 feet. I don't think closer focus than 20 feet is absolutely necessary for birding, but especially for those of us with aging eyes looking at backyard birds it is a nice feature to have.
Where you absolutely need close focus is for looking at butterflies. Many birders are also butterfly watchers as well.
The Arboretum of course joins Clapp Park where many bird observations are recorded online.
I imagine this will be around a quarter mile with a lot of standing. The fenced-in Arboretum does not cover a big area. If you want more, you can go outside the fence and circle the lake. Clapp area is close to 1/2 square mile and you can spend half a day there just peering at birds.
I advise a floppy hat, that can be used to shade the eyes when looking toward the sun -- especially helpful if you look through glasses and binoculars. Who knows what the weather will be, rain or snow or sun, and anywhere between 15 and 80 degrees if the past is any guide. Bad weather and it will be cancelled.
Since some small birds are attracted to an area where there are bushes next to walkways close to the Garden and Arts Center, I suggest bringing close-focusing binoculars. You'd be surprised what you can see within 30 feet if you take a park bench and sit quietly.
While most of my binoculars will not focus closer than 14-25 feet, I have three pair I would rank as close-focusing. These are my Nikon Monarch ATB 8X36s at <8 feet, Habicht 8X30s at about the same, and some Pentax reverse porro-prism 10X24s at 6 feet. I don't think closer focus than 20 feet is absolutely necessary for birding, but especially for those of us with aging eyes looking at backyard birds it is a nice feature to have.
Where you absolutely need close focus is for looking at butterflies. Many birders are also butterfly watchers as well.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Feathers on a Dinosaur's Tail!
It's official! Some dinosaurs had feathers! http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/08/health/dinosaur-tail-trapped-in-amber-trnd/index.html
At least, coelosaurians of 99 million years ago.
Btw, I loved the close of Spielberg's Jurassic Park, with the paleontologist looking out the window at a flight of birds.
At least, coelosaurians of 99 million years ago.
Btw, I loved the close of Spielberg's Jurassic Park, with the paleontologist looking out the window at a flight of birds.
Bird Issues
Coupla bird issues. About 2-3 weeks ago I was looking out the kitchen door near midday at a pair of white winged doves. Spotted a flash of green on the side of the neck just below the black streak. Looked more closely with 8X36 binoculars and saw a scattering of individual green feathers among the gray, on both sides of the necks of those two birds.
Nothing in my books about that. Looked at doves since and no green. Would like to document it because it might be a new observation. New subspecies. New ... something.
Nothing in my books about that. Looked at doves since and no green. Would like to document it because it might be a new observation. New subspecies. New ... something.
Another issue. A little twitchy bird has been bugging the heck out of me for over a year now. It's olive green above, yellow below, with a white patch on the belly. It's call is a lot like a cardinal's "chk ... cnk ... cnk" pr "Tnk ... tnk ... tnk" but definitely not piercing like the cardinal's call. Unless it was different birds I've misidentified it as a yellow breasted chat or nashville warbler.
What I saw today is not a chat. No dark patterns, just olive green above and yellow below. And white on the very bottom. As I said, twitchy, nervous, furtive.
I heard the call a bit ago and saw movement in my now naked pecan tree across the street. It was pecking at the nut clusters. Got 10X42 binoculars. Took long shaky looks at the bird. Except for a small eye ring there is nothing distinctive except the colors I described. What the hell is it?
Not a vireo, has to be a warbler. According to my Natl Geo guide, an immature Nashville Warbler. But immature so long?
My life list has a lot of question marks on it.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Green display feathers on necks of white-winged doves
About midday I was out in the yard with my 8 X 36 monarchs hoping for an overflight of geese, or the little bird that showed up yesterday for a few minutes, but found only doves to look at. So I looked at doves. White winged doves, at under 20 feet.
Saw a dash of green on the side of the neck just below and a little to the rear of the black neck marks. Saw the same on another dove that seemed to be paired with that one.
Looking closely, it was a spray of individual feathers that had that bright green cast. Similar to the gorget of certain hummingbirds but smaller in area. Individual green feathers in a field of gray feathers, that gives a green shimmer when the light is at the right angle.
Gonna check my books to see if this has been reported.
Saw a dash of green on the side of the neck just below and a little to the rear of the black neck marks. Saw the same on another dove that seemed to be paired with that one.
Looking closely, it was a spray of individual feathers that had that bright green cast. Similar to the gorget of certain hummingbirds but smaller in area. Individual green feathers in a field of gray feathers, that gives a green shimmer when the light is at the right angle.
Gonna check my books to see if this has been reported.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Catching Up Time
Got some catching up to do. Nothing spectacular seen, mostly the changes of the seasons and slight shift in bird life.
I did see a clay-colored sparrow in the backyard back in September. Will add a photo or two here when I have the time. I did get some photos, mostly not sharp because it was an active little sparrow hopping along in the shrubs.
Couple of weeks ago saw a white crowned sparrow, white quite vivid to the unaided eye from 25 feet, and the black stripes also were vividly black. Saw the same bird twice, once hopping among low shrub branches and then again within an hour or so at my low platform feeder.
From my backyard near downtown on Nov. 16, I saw two geese, presumably canada geese but might have been another variety. Haven't been to the playa lakes and so am dependent on what appears overhead at the house and yards.
Saw the first junco of the season today in the buddleia branches in the front yard this morning. Saw a male purple finch and a male house finch too, both eyeing a feeder and wary of the watching cats.
Since late spring finches have been rare. I don't think I saw one the whole summer.
I said nothing spectacular. Not quite true. One morning in October I was out after 9 a.m. looking at birds and started in, when over distant trees to the SW there was the outline of a huge bird. It flew almost directly at me and over, pretty low, I'd guess at under a hundred feet. With my 1985 Swift Audubons I clearly saw the red naked head. Not at all unusual out in the country, but a rare sight inside city limits.
Which brings up another buzzard sighting. I was driving to the dentist when at the lip of the canyon opposite the Windmill museum there were 7 vultures circling. Something dead obviously. Some hours later a human body was found at the east end of Jim Bartram/Dunbar Lake about a mile away as the buzzard flies. Unrelated presumably, but not a common occurrence in the city.
Back in October I saw 3 strange birds at the Wearever gallon stewer I keep on the platform for watering birds in relative safety. I put the glass on them and saw a strange broken white eye ring. Excited at finding a new and possibly very rare bird I went to my copy of the Natl Geographic guide. Robins. I never looked a robin through binoculars before. Red face.
I did see a clay-colored sparrow in the backyard back in September. Will add a photo or two here when I have the time. I did get some photos, mostly not sharp because it was an active little sparrow hopping along in the shrubs.
Couple of weeks ago saw a white crowned sparrow, white quite vivid to the unaided eye from 25 feet, and the black stripes also were vividly black. Saw the same bird twice, once hopping among low shrub branches and then again within an hour or so at my low platform feeder.
From my backyard near downtown on Nov. 16, I saw two geese, presumably canada geese but might have been another variety. Haven't been to the playa lakes and so am dependent on what appears overhead at the house and yards.
Saw the first junco of the season today in the buddleia branches in the front yard this morning. Saw a male purple finch and a male house finch too, both eyeing a feeder and wary of the watching cats.
Since late spring finches have been rare. I don't think I saw one the whole summer.
I said nothing spectacular. Not quite true. One morning in October I was out after 9 a.m. looking at birds and started in, when over distant trees to the SW there was the outline of a huge bird. It flew almost directly at me and over, pretty low, I'd guess at under a hundred feet. With my 1985 Swift Audubons I clearly saw the red naked head. Not at all unusual out in the country, but a rare sight inside city limits.
Which brings up another buzzard sighting. I was driving to the dentist when at the lip of the canyon opposite the Windmill museum there were 7 vultures circling. Something dead obviously. Some hours later a human body was found at the east end of Jim Bartram/Dunbar Lake about a mile away as the buzzard flies. Unrelated presumably, but not a common occurrence in the city.
Back in October I saw 3 strange birds at the Wearever gallon stewer I keep on the platform for watering birds in relative safety. I put the glass on them and saw a strange broken white eye ring. Excited at finding a new and possibly very rare bird I went to my copy of the Natl Geographic guide. Robins. I never looked a robin through binoculars before. Red face.
Monday, October 31, 2016
The Common Swift: Airborne for Months!
Common swifts are observed to not light or perch for up to 10 months of the year. http://www.morningticker.com/2016/10/this-bird-is-doing-something-that-is-astonishing-scientists/
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Bewick's Wren
ID'ed a Bewick's Wren Friday Thursday morning. My first wren!
Was in the kitchen and glanced out the back storm door. Saw a strange little bird hop off it's perch on some lumber I have leaning there going toward the ground.
That's the territory of the blue-eyed cat! Out of concern for the risk-taking bird and curiosity as to what it was I went out. Bird flew to a branch while I fumbled with my Swift audubons that don't close-focus well. But I saw the bird! Tail poking up like the flag of an invading country, speckled along the side and spotty underneath.
When I first glimpsed the bird I thought it looked like a dark-eyed, slate gray junco. Did not see the white eye streak.
Most of my new bird IDs follow a double-take, corner of the eye glimpse.
Was in the kitchen and glanced out the back storm door. Saw a strange little bird hop off it's perch on some lumber I have leaning there going toward the ground.
That's the territory of the blue-eyed cat! Out of concern for the risk-taking bird and curiosity as to what it was I went out. Bird flew to a branch while I fumbled with my Swift audubons that don't close-focus well. But I saw the bird! Tail poking up like the flag of an invading country, speckled along the side and spotty underneath.
When I first glimpsed the bird I thought it looked like a dark-eyed, slate gray junco. Did not see the white eye streak.
Most of my new bird IDs follow a double-take, corner of the eye glimpse.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Monday Morning 8-9 a.m.
A good Monday morning for birding! Went out before sun-up to feed cats and saw little Smokey (a 3-4 month old part-siamese kitten) take a flying leap off the porch onto a jasmine bush, flushing a largish bird that flew at me and over, don't know if it was in the bush or the tree above. Owl, otherwise unidentified.
After feeding cats I put out bird seed into 3 feeders and after putting some stuff on the stove to heat went back out with binoculars, choosing my Swift Audubon 8.5 X 44s. Was looking among the house sparrows for something not a house sparrow, because yesterday two other sparrow species showed up and I was not able to ID them.
Started back in the house when a mustard yellow little bird (some kind of warbler?) lit in my arbor vitae tree across the street and disappeared into the foliage. (Damn little yellow and green birds do that often, disappear on me) 80 feet away. I went back in for more optical horsepower.
Came back out with Nikon 12 X 50s. Nothing. Did see a grackle land on a branch with something long and winged in his beak. (OMG, did he catch a hummingbird? Apparently not, the wings -- and the grackle plucked them off as he ate -- were translucent and there were several -- big dragonfly most likely.)
Went in to check on stove. Nothing burning. Went back out with the Swifts again, made 1977 but the sharpest binoculars I own -- just got them off eBay, previously owned by a little old lady in Pasadena, literally, seller said they were his grandma's -- and with a wide field of view compared to the 12 X 50s and the roof prisms (except for the little 8 X 36 Nikon Monarch which is comparable to the Swifts in field of view but not as sharp and without the huge stereo view that porros give).
Went across the street to my other back yard and scanned the trees for something new. Nothing. Blue jay landed in a top branch. Then a raptor flew over fast. Smallish, little bigger than a dove, no idea what it was, merlin, kestrel, cooper's, who knows. Started back in.
Whoa! Stopped in the middle of the street. HUGE wings to the SSW. Do we have condors?
Backed to the curb. Bird passed almost directly overhead, not that high, seemed like he was eyeing the neighborhood. Red naked head. Turkey vulture! Over 6 ft wingspread. First on Backyard Bird List. Did he know we had old people and dogs ready to kick the bucket? He know something about me? Time will tell and the vultures are waiting.
Note about vultures. Living in Lubbock, Texas, is not like being out in the country. We rarely see vultures or raptors out in the neighborhoods. Close to two weeks ago, however, I drove near our canyon greenbelt and saw about 7 vultures circling overhead near the road, a clear indication that something or somebody was dead. A rare sight! We do get geese here, both overhead and at the hundred or so playa lakes within city limits.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Life Goes On (until it doesn't)
The magic is gone, the joy is gone, but some birds are still here. This morning there was a black-chinned hummingbird sticking its darning needle-like bill into the ponciana blooms.
Could have taken a pic if I hadn't used my D3100 in the dark on other settings that I could not change in time. I use a 300mm Nikkor lens from the 1970s coupled with a 1.5X teleconverter on my late model digital camera. This means all settings are manual including focus, and I have to guess at exposure. Example, f/8 @ 1/640 @ ASA 1600.
In the last week or so I saw:
After hearing a strong-voiced call from the front yard I opened the door to find a cardinal, male, perched on a branch of the butterfly bush. Quite gray on the back so that I thought at first it might be a female. But there was a distinct though small black patch around and below the beak. May have seen ths one before at the feeders in the back yard, but this was not the cardinal that repeatedly visited starting with the late December snow.
A little gray bird with no markings, smaller than a house sparrow, was high in a bush singing as I was in the alley. Never heard the like. Chirping, musical notes, churring, chirping. No idea what it was. I was under 15 feet away but my glasses were dirty and my eyes less than at their best. Pretty sure there were no markings other than darker gray above, lighter gray below.
A female pyrrhuloxia dropped by very briefly at an empty feeder a couple of days after the other one was killed. Did not see her or any pyrrhuloxiaa again.
I'm going to rig up a bird bath from a plastic trash can lid on top of a plastic drum. For years I've been furnishing water to birds, cats, stray dogs, whatever, in a gallon pan placed well away from cover in short clipped grass. Safer that way, so birds can see a cat stalking them.
Could have taken a pic if I hadn't used my D3100 in the dark on other settings that I could not change in time. I use a 300mm Nikkor lens from the 1970s coupled with a 1.5X teleconverter on my late model digital camera. This means all settings are manual including focus, and I have to guess at exposure. Example, f/8 @ 1/640 @ ASA 1600.
In the last week or so I saw:
After hearing a strong-voiced call from the front yard I opened the door to find a cardinal, male, perched on a branch of the butterfly bush. Quite gray on the back so that I thought at first it might be a female. But there was a distinct though small black patch around and below the beak. May have seen ths one before at the feeders in the back yard, but this was not the cardinal that repeatedly visited starting with the late December snow.
A little gray bird with no markings, smaller than a house sparrow, was high in a bush singing as I was in the alley. Never heard the like. Chirping, musical notes, churring, chirping. No idea what it was. I was under 15 feet away but my glasses were dirty and my eyes less than at their best. Pretty sure there were no markings other than darker gray above, lighter gray below.
A female pyrrhuloxia dropped by very briefly at an empty feeder a couple of days after the other one was killed. Did not see her or any pyrrhuloxiaa again.
I'm going to rig up a bird bath from a plastic trash can lid on top of a plastic drum. For years I've been furnishing water to birds, cats, stray dogs, whatever, in a gallon pan placed well away from cover in short clipped grass. Safer that way, so birds can see a cat stalking them.
Friday, April 15, 2016
gone
The magic is gone. For four months my days were brightened by a female pyrrhuloxia that would beg for food outside and whose tiny chirp from unseen places made the days bearable. Yesterday I found a pile of reddish feathers in the grass.
I think I know the perpetrator, a black cat with white feet that showed up several weeks ago. Haven't decided what I'm going to do. There are other cats, semi-feral, that have hung around for upwards of 10 years, that are better fed and being white are more visible; I don't think they were responsible.
Still put feed out today but now it is an empty gesture like throwing bread crumbs out at an indifferent universe. I must learn to embrce the indifference.
I think I know the perpetrator, a black cat with white feet that showed up several weeks ago. Haven't decided what I'm going to do. There are other cats, semi-feral, that have hung around for upwards of 10 years, that are better fed and being white are more visible; I don't think they were responsible.
Still put feed out today but now it is an empty gesture like throwing bread crumbs out at an indifferent universe. I must learn to embrce the indifference.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Update
Rich florid song from the top of a utility pole this morning and it wasn't a mockingbird. It was a curvebill thrasher. Hadn't seen them lately, but there it was.
Two houses away there was some kind of medium size bird with red on it high in a tree. Went to get binoculars and found it gone. Possible robin. Did see a robin last week on Ave. Q.
Monday at 7:30 pm I saw a flock of those smallish black birds over University Ave at Broadway heading low to the Tech campus. They DO go east in the morning and west in the evening. Looked like they might be headed to roost in the TTU trees, as low as they were. This morning at 7 I was in the kitchen doors and windows closed and heard a ruckus outside. It was those birds flying over, headed east.
The female pyrrhuloxia is quite demanding about seed, flying over near me whereever I am and making her presence known. I am not trying to make her a pet, but she is sometimes within 2 feet of my hand when I put the seed in the feeder.
The dove population is way down from the 25-30 birds that came around late summer and fall. Now there are fewer than 10 and rarely more than 5 at a time. about half white-wing doves.
Two houses away there was some kind of medium size bird with red on it high in a tree. Went to get binoculars and found it gone. Possible robin. Did see a robin last week on Ave. Q.
Monday at 7:30 pm I saw a flock of those smallish black birds over University Ave at Broadway heading low to the Tech campus. They DO go east in the morning and west in the evening. Looked like they might be headed to roost in the TTU trees, as low as they were. This morning at 7 I was in the kitchen doors and windows closed and heard a ruckus outside. It was those birds flying over, headed east.
The female pyrrhuloxia is quite demanding about seed, flying over near me whereever I am and making her presence known. I am not trying to make her a pet, but she is sometimes within 2 feet of my hand when I put the seed in the feeder.
The dove population is way down from the 25-30 birds that came around late summer and fall. Now there are fewer than 10 and rarely more than 5 at a time. about half white-wing doves.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Mysterious Sunrise Bird Flights
Observed -- or heard -- more of these strange flocks or flights in the days since my last post. Here's what I know:
1. Did not see them until March of this year.
2. The flocks or flights may be low at treetop level but are usually high, so high that the birds will be heard but not readily seen. This morning I was out at sunrise and twice heard but didn't see them.
3. They have been observed above my place flying pretty much due east. Never saw any flying back west at the end of the day or at any other time. Could this be part of a vast migration? I've been assuming the birds were resident.
4. The time is right before the sun comes up or very shortly after.
5. While the usual flight is a wave of birds extending north-south, last week I saw a north to south roiling wave heading east and then 10 minutes later, a roiling wave west to east in the eastward direction of flight.
6. The birds are small, dark and loud. Their individual flight is erratic and darting within the wave, and this causes that roiling appearance. They are spaced out some but are a definite flock or wave. Sounds like swallows, huh. Could they be Purple Martins? I didn't know we had Purple Martins at Lubbock.
1. Did not see them until March of this year.
2. The flocks or flights may be low at treetop level but are usually high, so high that the birds will be heard but not readily seen. This morning I was out at sunrise and twice heard but didn't see them.
3. They have been observed above my place flying pretty much due east. Never saw any flying back west at the end of the day or at any other time. Could this be part of a vast migration? I've been assuming the birds were resident.
4. The time is right before the sun comes up or very shortly after.
5. While the usual flight is a wave of birds extending north-south, last week I saw a north to south roiling wave heading east and then 10 minutes later, a roiling wave west to east in the eastward direction of flight.
6. The birds are small, dark and loud. Their individual flight is erratic and darting within the wave, and this causes that roiling appearance. They are spaced out some but are a definite flock or wave. Sounds like swallows, huh. Could they be Purple Martins? I didn't know we had Purple Martins at Lubbock.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Saw the wave again this morning before the sun was up. This time it was a twisting mass spread out along the line of flight -- to the east. Birds were low, housetop to treetop level. Only a block away to the south but I couldn't see what they were.
I suppose they are nesting in trees in town and then going east either to the canyon lakes where there is plenty of water, or heading out to feed on grain in a field somewhere. Grackles seem to do that, fly west in the evening and east in the morning, but do so in smaller numbers and often as single birds.
And this morning on a limb outside the kitchen door window, two curvebill thrashers by a feeder. I took them more food. One bird let me come to within two feet to put in seed. Haven't seen them together like that before.
The male and female pyrrhuloxia have been coming to eat at about the same time, which may indicate that they too are pairing off.
The doves are always paired off and horny.
I suppose they are nesting in trees in town and then going east either to the canyon lakes where there is plenty of water, or heading out to feed on grain in a field somewhere. Grackles seem to do that, fly west in the evening and east in the morning, but do so in smaller numbers and often as single birds.
And this morning on a limb outside the kitchen door window, two curvebill thrashers by a feeder. I took them more food. One bird let me come to within two feet to put in seed. Haven't seen them together like that before.
The male and female pyrrhuloxia have been coming to eat at about the same time, which may indicate that they too are pairing off.
The doves are always paired off and horny.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
I am so excited! In dusk at 7:30 pm a male cardinal came to the feeder, joined for a minute by a female cardinal. My 1st ever sight of a female. Went for camera but when I got back the female had flown and the male was munching away.
The female looks bigger than the pyrrhuloxia and with a glowing red-pink beak that is plainly conical, unlike the curved scoop beak of the pyrrhuloxia.
The female looks bigger than the pyrrhuloxia and with a glowing red-pink beak that is plainly conical, unlike the curved scoop beak of the pyrrhuloxia.
Friday, March 11, 2016
My Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 12-14, 2016
The Great Backyard Bird Count was forgotten about at my digs until the final day.
Too much trouble to come up with hard and fast numbers. So I didn't post guesses on eBird.
The most common bird here are house sparrows, and they form a seething mass of boiling feathers around the feeders. Very hard to count. Plus birds come back to gorge; they don't just eat and run, which means if you have a count over a period of time, say 30 minutes or an hour, you'll count the same bird several times. I think what happens is that the birds fill their crops and lay off eating for a spell and come back for more if there is any more.
But, objections voiced, here's my guestimate count.
House sparrows. A lot. 25-40.
House finches. 10-15.
Eurasian collared doves. 10 plus. There were more back in the fall than now.
White winged doves. 4-6. More than back in the fall.
Pyrrhuloxia. 3, 1 male & 2 female. 1M & 1F regulars.
Curve-billed thrashers. Saw only one at a time. Mighta been 2.
Cardinal. One, came by Saturday. Not a consistent visitor unless the weather is cold.
Dark-eyed, slate-colored junco. 1. On ground, not at feeder.
Sparrow as yet unidentified, 1-2. Gonna have to ask for help from the bird forum on ID. Heard one "churr" first time yesterday. Not chirp like house sparrows. And they scratch like chickens.
Ruby-crowned kinglets, 2 seen yesterday. In evergreen trees, not at feeders. Tiny boids, just over hummingbird size.
Starlings. Rarely come to my yard. See them perched on utility wires in alley. 2-3 this weekend.
Great-tailed grackles. Many pass overhead or perch in the hood, whistling or scraping. Saw one for the first time perched in the backyard close to a feeder. No feeding behavior observed. Don't much go for seeds.
Blue jay. One has been coming by the front yard, Heard but not seen.
Canada geese. Saw two groups fly overhead in v-formation, total 22 birds.
Mockingbird. One. Started singing this weekend from LP&L pole.
Too much trouble to come up with hard and fast numbers. So I didn't post guesses on eBird.
The most common bird here are house sparrows, and they form a seething mass of boiling feathers around the feeders. Very hard to count. Plus birds come back to gorge; they don't just eat and run, which means if you have a count over a period of time, say 30 minutes or an hour, you'll count the same bird several times. I think what happens is that the birds fill their crops and lay off eating for a spell and come back for more if there is any more.
But, objections voiced, here's my guestimate count.
House sparrows. A lot. 25-40.
House finches. 10-15.
Eurasian collared doves. 10 plus. There were more back in the fall than now.
White winged doves. 4-6. More than back in the fall.
Pyrrhuloxia. 3, 1 male & 2 female. 1M & 1F regulars.
Curve-billed thrashers. Saw only one at a time. Mighta been 2.
Cardinal. One, came by Saturday. Not a consistent visitor unless the weather is cold.
Dark-eyed, slate-colored junco. 1. On ground, not at feeder.
Sparrow as yet unidentified, 1-2. Gonna have to ask for help from the bird forum on ID. Heard one "churr" first time yesterday. Not chirp like house sparrows. And they scratch like chickens.
Ruby-crowned kinglets, 2 seen yesterday. In evergreen trees, not at feeders. Tiny boids, just over hummingbird size.
Starlings. Rarely come to my yard. See them perched on utility wires in alley. 2-3 this weekend.
Great-tailed grackles. Many pass overhead or perch in the hood, whistling or scraping. Saw one for the first time perched in the backyard close to a feeder. No feeding behavior observed. Don't much go for seeds.
Blue jay. One has been coming by the front yard, Heard but not seen.
Canada geese. Saw two groups fly overhead in v-formation, total 22 birds.
Mockingbird. One. Started singing this weekend from LP&L pole.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Two Short African Bird Videos
National Geographic Story
A little bit scary.
Don't miss the video at the end of the article, featuring one ostrich egg, one mammal, and three other birds.
A little bit scary.
Don't miss the video at the end of the article, featuring one ostrich egg, one mammal, and three other birds.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
So What's in My Yard?
Considering I've been feeding consistently since late summer, there hasn't been a lot of variety. I'm sure some species that came around I just haven't seen, and there have been glimpses of species I just haven't been able to identify. I'll dedicate a post to the unidentified ones later.
House sparrows. 30-40 show up, recently enough to look like a feathered boil around the feeders.
Eurasian collared doves. In early fall I was getting close to 30 of these. With winter it's been more like 10-20.
White winged doves. Very pretty birds, with blue around the eye, often bluish bill, an irridescence on top of the head and back, and some variety in shade, with the smaller ones dark gray. Back in the summer I considered these rare, and once saw four close together. As fall wore on into winter, there was one that showed up regulrly. In late December there have been more including several smaller darker ones. I'd guess at least four show up some time every day.
House finches. Probably a dozen,counting both male and female. I'm not sharp on separating house finches from purple finches. I think some were purple finches but no positive ID. And the male house finches vary in the amount of red they show; some are red only on head and throat, and in some the red color goes down the belly. I've seen raspberry shades; those may have been purple finches, can't say.
Curve-billed thrashers. A pair has been resident here since at least 2013. Raised at least one brood last year. Accustomed to my presence and come to within four feet when hungry. When hungry, one of them has conditioned me into bringing out food when it perches on a branch in front of the kitchen door. All the cholla and prickly pear cactus is a likely reason why they hang around; their nest(s) are in cholla cactus.
Last October I identified my first pyrrhuloxia, a male. Then in December a female showed up. In late December-early January another female came by. I have seen three pyrrhuloxia at one time, and perhaps another skinnier male too, but usually it's just the fat female (fat from having easy pickin's here for a couple of months) and one male. I've read that pyrrhuloxias flock together, but from what I've seen they don't like each other. Some chasing observed.
In the heavy snow of December 30, 2015 (heck, it was something like 8" here, hardly significant in half the USA), a single male cardinal showed up. He was a consistent visitor while the snow was on the ground, and occasionally afterward. Haven't seen him for a few days. Possible the swarm of house sparrows has driven him away. I have never seen and identified a female cardinal.
A dark-eyed junco, slate gray variety was seen, November 19 and again during the December 30 snow and after. Feeding on the ground, never on or in a feeder, though it did pick up spilled seeds below a feeder.
The above are the most regular visitors. Some birds in the hood do not come by the feeders, such as starlings (3-4 hang out next door) and great-tailed grackles. When I threw out part of a pizzaa, that brought a couple of grackles. The resident mockingbird doesn't come to the feeders.
Birds more rare are:
Ladder-back woodpecker observed spiraling around a dead tree October 11, 2015.
Rufous-sided towhee (spotted towhee) seen a couple of days beginning October 13 foraging in the short grass.
Common nighthawks flying overhead, plentiful through September, then disappearing in October.
Vesper sparrow seen October 16 in grass and perched on limb.
White-throated sparrow feeding on seeds on the ground October 17.
January 3 in the snow, American goldfinches and also 1-2 yellow-rumped warblers were seen at the low platform feeder.
In January, several visits by 1-3 sparrows that are, after 3 weeks, still unidentified.
Today, Feb. 2, I saw a ruby-crowned kinglet around the arborvitae evergreen trees in front, sometimes hovering like a hummingbird to peck at something in the evergreen leaves. Since the kinglet is an insect eater, it must have been insects, but in the winter? I had seen the kinglet a couple of months before. Today I was leaning against a porch post, and the little bird came to within 4 feet. Saw the hovering behavior twice.
House sparrows. 30-40 show up, recently enough to look like a feathered boil around the feeders.
Eurasian collared doves. In early fall I was getting close to 30 of these. With winter it's been more like 10-20.
White winged doves. Very pretty birds, with blue around the eye, often bluish bill, an irridescence on top of the head and back, and some variety in shade, with the smaller ones dark gray. Back in the summer I considered these rare, and once saw four close together. As fall wore on into winter, there was one that showed up regulrly. In late December there have been more including several smaller darker ones. I'd guess at least four show up some time every day.
House finches. Probably a dozen,counting both male and female. I'm not sharp on separating house finches from purple finches. I think some were purple finches but no positive ID. And the male house finches vary in the amount of red they show; some are red only on head and throat, and in some the red color goes down the belly. I've seen raspberry shades; those may have been purple finches, can't say.
Curve-billed thrashers. A pair has been resident here since at least 2013. Raised at least one brood last year. Accustomed to my presence and come to within four feet when hungry. When hungry, one of them has conditioned me into bringing out food when it perches on a branch in front of the kitchen door. All the cholla and prickly pear cactus is a likely reason why they hang around; their nest(s) are in cholla cactus.
Last October I identified my first pyrrhuloxia, a male. Then in December a female showed up. In late December-early January another female came by. I have seen three pyrrhuloxia at one time, and perhaps another skinnier male too, but usually it's just the fat female (fat from having easy pickin's here for a couple of months) and one male. I've read that pyrrhuloxias flock together, but from what I've seen they don't like each other. Some chasing observed.
In the heavy snow of December 30, 2015 (heck, it was something like 8" here, hardly significant in half the USA), a single male cardinal showed up. He was a consistent visitor while the snow was on the ground, and occasionally afterward. Haven't seen him for a few days. Possible the swarm of house sparrows has driven him away. I have never seen and identified a female cardinal.
A dark-eyed junco, slate gray variety was seen, November 19 and again during the December 30 snow and after. Feeding on the ground, never on or in a feeder, though it did pick up spilled seeds below a feeder.
The above are the most regular visitors. Some birds in the hood do not come by the feeders, such as starlings (3-4 hang out next door) and great-tailed grackles. When I threw out part of a pizzaa, that brought a couple of grackles. The resident mockingbird doesn't come to the feeders.
Birds more rare are:
Ladder-back woodpecker observed spiraling around a dead tree October 11, 2015.
I plan to leave most dead trees up, just to appeal to woodpeckers!
Rufous-sided towhee (spotted towhee) seen a couple of days beginning October 13 foraging in the short grass.
Vesper sparrow seen October 16 in grass and perched on limb.
White-throated sparrow feeding on seeds on the ground October 17.
January 3 in the snow, American goldfinches and also 1-2 yellow-rumped warblers were seen at the low platform feeder.
In January, several visits by 1-3 sparrows that are, after 3 weeks, still unidentified.
The most spectacular visitor was this one --
Cooper's Hawk (or possible sharp-shinned/Cooper's hybrid, since imo the head coloration is more like a sharp-shinned, while the tail feathers indicate a Cooper's/ Both are known to be drawn to feeders in search of prey. On Jan. 6, at about 11 a.m. I looked out the back door and saw this fellow perched between a swinging feeder (that pail in the pic) and a low platform feeder. Took the pics through the door window plexiglass and the storm door glass, both dirty.
Back in December I noticed a hawk flying high overhead, harassed by 3-4 smaller birds. Think it was a buteo.
And of course there are the Canada geese flying overhead. Saw seven flying low this day. Haven't identified any snow geese or brants overhead.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Bird & Birding Links for the City of Lubbock, Texas, West Texas, and the South Plains
I'll update this post from time to time. A collection of links can be very useful.
Local Bird Links: Lubbock & West Texas
Keep in mind that "West Texas" is NOT west-most Texas on the map. The real west Texas we call the Trans-Pecos region, west of the Pecos River, that includes the Big Bend and El Paso area, that are in the Mountain Standard Time zone while the rest of Texas is Central time. "West Texas" as commonly used refers to an area beginning somewhere west of Dallas/Ft. Worth [Dallas/Ft. Worth are in "North Texas" despite the fact that the panhandle of Texas including Amarillo is still farther north] west to the New Mexico border.
Lubbock is on the "South Plains" and the southerly part of the "High Plains." We also say that Lubbock and other South Plains locations are "on the Caprock," referring to the geology that puts us at around 3500 feet altitude. Both east and west there is an escarpment where the South Plains or Caprock falls off to lower altitudes.
"Llano Estacado" (Spanish for "staked plains") refers to a portion of the South Plains and the term goes back to about 1550 and the explorer Coronado who passed through this area in his quest for gold and the Seven Cities of Cibola, it being supposed that the Coronado expedition found the lack of landmarks confusing and resorted to putting stakes in the ground to mark their path, like the trail of breadcrumbs in the fairy tale or the string used by Theseus in the Labyrinth. OR, it may be that the High Plains escarpment looked from a distance like a palisade or staked wall. Spanish artifacts from that period have been found within 100 miles of Lubbock and are thought to mark campsites for the Coronado expedition.]
The "South Plains" includes a portion of New Mexico.
City of Lubbock website: https://mylubbock.us/departmental-websites/departments/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/birding
ABA Birding News: http://birding.aba.org/mobiledigest/TX#1003716 The hotline, the latest reports on what was seen where in Texas. Look for Lubbock area updates. In particular, check out http://birding.aba.org/mobiledigest/TX#1053728
Area bird checklists. http://www.bafrenz.com/birds/Region1.htm
http://lubbockcountybirds.blogspot.com/ This blog was started by expert local birders but went stagnant in 2013. Pity.
If you want up-to-date info on what is seen where, eBird is good (see link below) or ABA Birding News (link above)
The Llano Estacado Audubon Society Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/LlanoEstacadoAudubonSociety For a period of time before I started this blog the Llano Estacado Auduybon Facebook site was inactive. That is no longer true. They have meetings, give a monthly birding tour at Clapp Park, and respond to sightings and comments.
Permian Basin [Midland, Odessa, SE NM area] birds. https://www.facebook.com/West-Texas-birds-1117994948306150/
Local bird photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67238923@N03/
West Texas bird photos. http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/west_texas&page=all
Texas birds. http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/00texas_birds_2&page=all
Birdwatching Daily's info on Lubbock's Clapp Park: http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/hotspots/159-clapp-park-lubbock-texas/
National and International Bird Links:
iNaturalist is a worldwide nature observation site. Membership is free.
eBird is here: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ eBird has a lot of bird info but is primarily a clearing house for species counts. Want to look up your city and see where birders were counting birds and what they saw? Find the local hotspots? This is the place. Want to post your own observations? Set up a free account and post away!
Once upon a time local newspapers would publish the results of annual bird counts. Haven't seen that in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper lately. Years ago I'd clip the count info out and put it in my Peterson guides. Still useful because pre-internet bird counts are generally not available on the net and old bird counts show changes in bird populations.
For the hardcore birder, see http://birdingonthe.net/ for more links.
Bird forums: http://www.birdforum.net/forum.php http://www.whatbird.com/forum/
Birdwatching Daily: http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/
Various: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478 https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search/
Texas Parks & Wildlife species list: https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/nongame/listed-species/
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine's Checklist of Birds, available for download: https://www.tpwmagazine.com/birding/media/bird_checklist_texas.pdf
I think I saw a bird checklist for the South Plains from Texas P&W, but haven't been able to find the link.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Birding info: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/parks/things-to-do/birding-in-state-parks
AND of course, printed bird guides. Texas is in the middle between guides to the Eastern USA and Western USA. In 1960 Roger Tory Peterson published a guide to Texas birds, recognizing this fact. In general, a guide to Western USA birds will cover most of what you might see around Lubbock and the South Plains. But be aware, not always! While birders often prefer the Sibley and Kaufman guides, I love the Natl Geographic guide, and a 7th Ed came out late last year. And I'll use the 1966 Golden Guide occasionally and love its compact size.
Local Bird Links: Lubbock & West Texas
Keep in mind that "West Texas" is NOT west-most Texas on the map. The real west Texas we call the Trans-Pecos region, west of the Pecos River, that includes the Big Bend and El Paso area, that are in the Mountain Standard Time zone while the rest of Texas is Central time. "West Texas" as commonly used refers to an area beginning somewhere west of Dallas/Ft. Worth [Dallas/Ft. Worth are in "North Texas" despite the fact that the panhandle of Texas including Amarillo is still farther north] west to the New Mexico border.
Lubbock is on the "South Plains" and the southerly part of the "High Plains." We also say that Lubbock and other South Plains locations are "on the Caprock," referring to the geology that puts us at around 3500 feet altitude. Both east and west there is an escarpment where the South Plains or Caprock falls off to lower altitudes.
"Llano Estacado" (Spanish for "staked plains") refers to a portion of the South Plains and the term goes back to about 1550 and the explorer Coronado who passed through this area in his quest for gold and the Seven Cities of Cibola, it being supposed that the Coronado expedition found the lack of landmarks confusing and resorted to putting stakes in the ground to mark their path, like the trail of breadcrumbs in the fairy tale or the string used by Theseus in the Labyrinth. OR, it may be that the High Plains escarpment looked from a distance like a palisade or staked wall. Spanish artifacts from that period have been found within 100 miles of Lubbock and are thought to mark campsites for the Coronado expedition.]
The "South Plains" includes a portion of New Mexico.
City of Lubbock website: https://mylubbock.us/departmental-websites/departments/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/birding
ABA Birding News: http://birding.aba.org/mobiledigest/TX#1003716 The hotline, the latest reports on what was seen where in Texas. Look for Lubbock area updates. In particular, check out http://birding.aba.org/mobiledigest/TX#1053728
Area bird checklists. http://www.bafrenz.com/birds/Region1.htm
http://lubbockcountybirds.blogspot.com/ This blog was started by expert local birders but went stagnant in 2013. Pity.
If you want up-to-date info on what is seen where, eBird is good (see link below) or ABA Birding News (link above)
The Llano Estacado Audubon Society Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/LlanoEstacadoAudubonSociety For a period of time before I started this blog the Llano Estacado Auduybon Facebook site was inactive. That is no longer true. They have meetings, give a monthly birding tour at Clapp Park, and respond to sightings and comments.
Permian Basin [Midland, Odessa, SE NM area] birds. https://www.facebook.com/West-Texas-birds-1117994948306150/
Local bird photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67238923@N03/
West Texas bird photos. http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/west_texas&page=all
Texas birds. http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/00texas_birds_2&page=all
Birdwatching Daily's info on Lubbock's Clapp Park: http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/hotspots/159-clapp-park-lubbock-texas/
National and International Bird Links:
iNaturalist is a worldwide nature observation site. Membership is free.
eBird is here: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ eBird has a lot of bird info but is primarily a clearing house for species counts. Want to look up your city and see where birders were counting birds and what they saw? Find the local hotspots? This is the place. Want to post your own observations? Set up a free account and post away!
Once upon a time local newspapers would publish the results of annual bird counts. Haven't seen that in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper lately. Years ago I'd clip the count info out and put it in my Peterson guides. Still useful because pre-internet bird counts are generally not available on the net and old bird counts show changes in bird populations.
For the hardcore birder, see http://birdingonthe.net/ for more links.
Bird forums: http://www.birdforum.net/forum.php http://www.whatbird.com/forum/
Birdwatching Daily: http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/
Various: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478 https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search/
Texas Parks & Wildlife species list: https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/nongame/listed-species/
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine's Checklist of Birds, available for download: https://www.tpwmagazine.com/birding/media/bird_checklist_texas.pdf
I think I saw a bird checklist for the South Plains from Texas P&W, but haven't been able to find the link.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Birding info: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/parks/things-to-do/birding-in-state-parks
AND of course, printed bird guides. Texas is in the middle between guides to the Eastern USA and Western USA. In 1960 Roger Tory Peterson published a guide to Texas birds, recognizing this fact. In general, a guide to Western USA birds will cover most of what you might see around Lubbock and the South Plains. But be aware, not always! While birders often prefer the Sibley and Kaufman guides, I love the Natl Geographic guide, and a 7th Ed came out late last year. And I'll use the 1966 Golden Guide occasionally and love its compact size.
Monday, January 11, 2016
About Me
There's something about birds that attracts lonely men. Think Birdman of Alcatraz a/k/a Robert Stroud.. Color, freedom, song, What's not to like when your own life is drab and aimless and confined?
So it is with me. I won't go into the particulars of my life except to say that I fit the profile.
Actually I've been interested in birds some for over 50 years. Got interested in science as a preschooler. My grandfather taught at one-room schools back a hundred years ago and he along with his well illustrated Websters Unabridged taught me about science before I started school. Then in college I majored in biology.
Never got interested much in identifying birds though. Back 20 years ago I picked up an old Peterson field guide for a song at a used book sale. Last month I came across that Peterson's 1960 guide to Western birds and found that back in the mid 1990s I started a birding life list. Forgot seeing some of those species. I've not yet counted species I've seen. Not many; I'd guess well under a hundred, including some dubious IDs from 20 years ago.
Now, thanks to motivation (lonely man, drab life, etc.) plus available time plus having good field guides and good binoculars for once, I am in high clover peeping at birds. Get to play the voyeur. "I like to watch," as Peter Sellers said,
Backyard birds for now, because my movements are constrained. I dump seed in the feeders and when I can go out to watch or peek out with binoculars.
Good guides specifically being the National Geographic Guide 6th Ed that I bought new, plus a 1966 Golden guide that cost me $.50, and binocs mainly being Nikon Prostaffs, sharp enough and with sufficient eye relief to use with glasses.
I've accumulated more guides and binoculars than those, but none are as convenient and easy to use.
Maybe one day I'll number the birds on my life list. Or not.
So it is with me. I won't go into the particulars of my life except to say that I fit the profile.
Actually I've been interested in birds some for over 50 years. Got interested in science as a preschooler. My grandfather taught at one-room schools back a hundred years ago and he along with his well illustrated Websters Unabridged taught me about science before I started school. Then in college I majored in biology.
Never got interested much in identifying birds though. Back 20 years ago I picked up an old Peterson field guide for a song at a used book sale. Last month I came across that Peterson's 1960 guide to Western birds and found that back in the mid 1990s I started a birding life list. Forgot seeing some of those species. I've not yet counted species I've seen. Not many; I'd guess well under a hundred, including some dubious IDs from 20 years ago.
Now, thanks to motivation (lonely man, drab life, etc.) plus available time plus having good field guides and good binoculars for once, I am in high clover peeping at birds. Get to play the voyeur. "I like to watch," as Peter Sellers said,
Backyard birds for now, because my movements are constrained. I dump seed in the feeders and when I can go out to watch or peek out with binoculars.
Good guides specifically being the National Geographic Guide 6th Ed that I bought new, plus a 1966 Golden guide that cost me $.50, and binocs mainly being Nikon Prostaffs, sharp enough and with sufficient eye relief to use with glasses.
I've accumulated more guides and binoculars than those, but none are as convenient and easy to use.
Maybe one day I'll number the birds on my life list. Or not.
Bluejay
Don't see many bluejays around here. Last fall there were several squawking around the neighborhood like a band of juvenile delinquents trashing mailboxes. Jays move around a lot and don't come to my feeders. They prefer fancier food. And when I hear one, by the time I fetch my binoculars, it's long gone. Frenetic ADD bird.
Jays are smart. Last week one lit outside on a branch of the butterfly bush and stayed there for maybe 5 minutes. Time enough for a pic.
I thought the jay was making like a woodpecker and probing the woody branch for bugs. Actually as the first photo shows he is holding a pecan between his feet and pecking at it like a pile driver to get at the nut meat. As I said, smart bird, The pecan presumably came from my tree 50 feet away or from a neighbor's tree in the next block. My pecan tree btw sprouted form a nut dropped there by a bird. I have two more seedling pecans, both volunteer, one of which likely sprouted from a pecan dropped by a bird.
It's said bluejays like peanuts, and if they can crack a pecan, they can sure shell peanuts. Maybe I'll put put some unshelled peanuts and see what happens.
I have seen them going after ripe grapes on the vine. I had a good crop of apples this year and didn't see jays molesting the apples. The fig crop this year was a bust because the plants froze back to the ground. Some birds go for apples or figs, not sure about jays.
Other pics taken the other day:
These photos were taken through the dirty glass of a storm door, and show glare where a bar was in front of the 70mm objective lens of my Nikkor 300mm telephoto. Badly underexposed because I had the lens & camera set for a sunny yard and not a shaded one; one of the shortcomings of using a 1970s vintage lens & teleconverter on a modern digital camera.
Jays are smart. Last week one lit outside on a branch of the butterfly bush and stayed there for maybe 5 minutes. Time enough for a pic.
I thought the jay was making like a woodpecker and probing the woody branch for bugs. Actually as the first photo shows he is holding a pecan between his feet and pecking at it like a pile driver to get at the nut meat. As I said, smart bird, The pecan presumably came from my tree 50 feet away or from a neighbor's tree in the next block. My pecan tree btw sprouted form a nut dropped there by a bird. I have two more seedling pecans, both volunteer, one of which likely sprouted from a pecan dropped by a bird.
It's said bluejays like peanuts, and if they can crack a pecan, they can sure shell peanuts. Maybe I'll put put some unshelled peanuts and see what happens.
I have seen them going after ripe grapes on the vine. I had a good crop of apples this year and didn't see jays molesting the apples. The fig crop this year was a bust because the plants froze back to the ground. Some birds go for apples or figs, not sure about jays.
Other pics taken the other day:
These photos were taken through the dirty glass of a storm door, and show glare where a bar was in front of the 70mm objective lens of my Nikkor 300mm telephoto. Badly underexposed because I had the lens & camera set for a sunny yard and not a shaded one; one of the shortcomings of using a 1970s vintage lens & teleconverter on a modern digital camera.
Incredible Mimicry
One of the ways that birds are the most incredible form of animal life is their song, and a most incredible form of bird song is mimicry. Check this out:
Consider the size of the bird brain. Consider the aural perception, memory and processing as well as the physical structures of the syrinx that made this mimicry possible.
A Lubbock Birdway
Imagine a continuous birdway across the City of Lubbock, with bushes, trees and other cover specifically provided for birds, along with feeders.
Friday, January 8, 2016
Today in Front and Back Yards
Birds in my backyards include male and female pyrhuloxia -- perhaps a second female, the two resident curvebill thrashers that have been here since 2013 or earlier, a dark-eyed slate-colored junco seen in the front yard, a blue jay seen in the front yard (both on the budleia bush), white winged doves and eurasian collared doves, house finches of both sexes, possibly a male purple finch, and plenty of house sparrows.
The blue jay I spotted doing a woodpecker imitation pecking at a thick branch of the butterfly bush but it turned out he was working on a pecan from my tree across the street some 70 feet away and not boring holes in the wood.
The cardinal has not been seen since the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 5, about the time most of the snow melted. And the day before this guy was spotted perching in my back yard right between two feeders:
The blue jay I spotted doing a woodpecker imitation pecking at a thick branch of the butterfly bush but it turned out he was working on a pecan from my tree across the street some 70 feet away and not boring holes in the wood.
The cardinal has not been seen since the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 5, about the time most of the snow melted. And the day before this guy was spotted perching in my back yard right between two feeders:
Probable Cooper's Hawk, though the cape on the head plus the tail feather markings might indicate a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Keep in mind that I live well inside the city limits albeit only a mile from yellowhouse canyon and have never in a half century seen a hawk on these premises or close overhead.
Here is the usual activity around that feeder behind the hawk:
Pecking order: curvebill thrashers are top dogs, the pushy little cardinal next up, the male pyrrhuloxia, the female pyrrhuloxia. The male does not tolerate the presence of femal pyrrhuloxia but chases when they come near.
This afternoon I glassed the fenceline in my yard across the street where there are cactus and shrubs and saw, through 8X bins at 70 feet a black bird amongst the house sparrows. So far unidentified. It was sparrow size and mixing with the sparrows and plain and dark except for some lighter texturing on the wing coverts. Possibilities are --male lark bunting (I did not see white on the bird when it flew, so that's doubful), a juvenile painted redstart (but we are out of the usual range), a black-faced grassquit (waaay out of usual range), a male gray bunting (waay out of its range), or a male blue bunting (waay out of its range). Keeping in mind I was a ways off when I saw this bird, best to suspend judgment, but I want to take a look at nearby e-bird sightings.
This was not the only unidentified bird I've seen. One sparrow-like bird I saw three times last fall with binocs at short range had a crest and upright stance and might possibly have been a lincoln's but there were problems with that ID.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Magic!
11:30 this evening I was outside and heard a sound and looked up: Eleven geese flew overhead, visible in the lights of the town.
Birds are magic! Ethereal. Otherworldly. Transforming to those of us who look at them and listen to them, creatures of color and song and motion.
Like us they tend to be visual, unlike our smell-brained ancestors. And the information packaged in their tiny brains is amazing!
Instincts by the gigabyte, and the ability to learn. Some birds are toolnakers, like those crows in New Caledonia that can manufacture tools. The African Gray Parrot can learn human words and, it seems, may even reason verbally with them. Their heads are like an advanced microchip replete with RAM and ROM, while we humans resemble early computers built out of vacuum tubes, piloting around clumsy massive bodies.
Birds are magic! Ethereal. Otherworldly. Transforming to those of us who look at them and listen to them, creatures of color and song and motion.
Like us they tend to be visual, unlike our smell-brained ancestors. And the information packaged in their tiny brains is amazing!
Instincts by the gigabyte, and the ability to learn. Some birds are toolnakers, like those crows in New Caledonia that can manufacture tools. The African Gray Parrot can learn human words and, it seems, may even reason verbally with them. Their heads are like an advanced microchip replete with RAM and ROM, while we humans resemble early computers built out of vacuum tubes, piloting around clumsy massive bodies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)