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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)