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Birdwatching:  Early birds?  |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:34:10 AM
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Anybody noticing early migrants this year?
The View From My Boots
www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
"The earth is your grandmother and mother, and she is sacred. Every step that is taken upon her should be as a prayer." - Black Elk, Lakota |
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westernhorse51
outthinking
6 Posts
michele
farmingdale
nj
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 5:28:51 PM
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| you know, I've been a bird person forever & geese are my thing, I just love them. Problem around n.j. anymore is there are so many resident geese it gets harder to tell which is which. I know their migrating paths in my area & I see them & what a sight it is, but the residents fly in huge numbers also. I think because of all the building they need to keep moving & the fact that city people move in & complain about the goose droppings. Stay in the cities PLEASE! |
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 04:24:12 AM
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from the land of the "snowbirds"= the early birds are the special discounts they give for coming to dinner before 5pm lol
we had a bald eagle hanging out, haven't seen him in the last week so he must have headed north.
I live on a flyway, on a barrier island along the Intracoastal, loads of birds.
Right now ya can here osprey squealing outside. Mom must be off fishing for breakfast for the tribe.
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marybeth
outstepping
146 Posts
Marybeth
Washington
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2007 : 9:02:08 PM
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I live above the Skagit River Valley in Washington and it is a wintering place for many birds. Snow Geese for one, I think the count this year was over 100,000. A huge bunch or flock or is it a gaggle. Trumpeter Swan also, the number here is in the thousands too. And Eagles,the whole Skagit River, upriver to down river. The upriver area is quite famous for the huge numbers of eagles in the winter, though we do a a lot of resident eagles. I know of 3 eagle nests close by and the eagles are in attendance. I love birding. We have numerous other rapters that are resicents and winter visitors. We have a huge heron rookery close by. One of the largest in the state. The farmers are over ready for the snow geese to go back up north they are so hard on the fields. I noticed the first of the snow geese on Oct. 8th of this winter and they should be going SOON. It is a ritual---when harvest is over the birds arrive and when the farmers are ready to get back out in the fields the birds have to take off. We have many different hawks and kingfishers and this year I saw a Northern Shrike which I guess are around only I had never seen one. I guess I could go on endlessly so I will sign off. MB
Being outside is being |
Edited by - marybeth on Mar 26 2007 9:04:11 PM |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2007 : 08:50:47 AM
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I'm missing the eagles in WA. They're here too, lots of them, but they mostly hang out on the big rivers. But, suddenly, there are so many new songs in the woods around me - spring is here! I'm going to take my bird guide & binoculars out to meet this melodious bunch of strangers. Will let you know what I find.
I'd almost forgotten how sweet the south sounds... |
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 3:35:25 PM
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Hey ::::::waving:::::::::MB!
Isn't it wild we are on opposite coasts with the same birds. My mom watched a pelican get his dinner stolen by an eagle just the other night. You are so good with that camera of yours, did you get a photo of the shrike?
I have kingfishers here that watch my pond. I love how patient they are. What kind of herons?
Dear Jen, Arkansas must be on the flyway north too. Have you seen the little finch and nuthatch? They have an cute song. |
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marybeth
outstepping
146 Posts
Marybeth
Washington
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 7:00:07 PM
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Ellen, the heron are Great Blue. There are so many in the valley. Sometimes I stop and try to talk to one and it will look and go "Gra-a-a-ak" and then slowly fly off about 40ft. and land again. We have a few showing up at our pond. We may have baby fish, or rather did, but so far I have the same amount of large fish. I forgot to mention the Dunlin. What fascinating sandpiper type of bird. They fly in huge flocks and turn and switch back and forth like venetion blinds. white to brown back and forth. They only winter here in our valley in the mudflats. I didn't get a picture of the shrike but followed it for a ways until it got too edgy. We have Brown Pelicans out on the ocean. Marybeth---waving back!!
Being outside is being |
Edited by - marybeth on Mar 28 2007 8:26:47 PM |
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marybeth
outstepping
146 Posts
Marybeth
Washington
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2007 : 9:36:40 PM
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The Red-winged Blackbirds are back at the pond. Every year we have quite a few babies. Last year it was quite comical to watch dad line up the babies on the ground and feed them. They were pretty big by then. The violet-green Swallows are back also. We have houses for them on the barn. They are fun to watch diving for bugs at the pond. MB
http/www.traveller2.deviantart.com
Being outside is being |
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 11:11:22 AM
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Dear Marybeth
We have the blue herons too... I had one with his baby out here for his breakfast. He is so used to me, even driving the truck right at the pond doesn't scare him off.
We had Chuck will widows mating last night. Do you get them or whipperwills? |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 7:04:04 PM
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Red-winged blackbirds are back here too! And LOTS of goldfinches twittering in the treetops. Can't wait to hear whippoorwills again! I once found one of these strange, beautiful birds on its nest on the forest floor - such an unusual sight.
Rescued an Eastern bluebird from our woodstove pipe on Friday. I nearly took the whole thing apart and used a fishing pole & lots of banging, but finally got the poor little guy to fall down into the stove so I could get him out. I had to give him a quick sponge-off to rid him of soot, but then he flew off no worse for wear! |
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Birdwatching: Early birds? |
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Early birds?
