Amateur Audubon - A Thread for Birders

I think I've got a Pink-sided Junco in my yard. Have never seen one here.

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Our first winter residents are beginning to show up, as I’ve had golden-crowned kinglets and a hermit thrush in the yard today. Surprisingly no yellow-rumped warblers yet.

 

Being from Texas, my first thought when I read your first sentence was old people in RV's

 

Brown-rumped Boomers.

 

White-throated sparrow today. Apparently there’s an irruption of pine siskins in Georgia/the southeast right now. If I don’t have any show up at the feeders I might have to go looking, as that should be an easy lifer.

 

Have thistle out?

 

I’m going to get a sock after work. Have sunflower and safflower in the tube now.

 

If they're around they'll show up for thistle. That's the only thing I've ever had them come to

 

Got my camera working again, was borrowing my buddy's far superior Nikon P900 (which is fantastic for beginners and has 83x zoom).

Great Blue Heron with a fish on the LA River.




Snowy Egret





Osprey

 

Looks like the great blue nabbed a pleco. Awesome shots as usual, Popovio.

 

Sounds like an Oriole if it's hanging

 

Could be a vireo as well

 

My Dad saw a super rare bird last week. They don't breed in North America, and this one flew to where he was at from Eastern Siberia most likely.

Eurasian Widgeon.

 

Went to check on my big green egg around 8:00 last night, and as I was coming down the steps, I habitually shined my headlamp around and lo and behold one of the barred owls was perched on top of one of the feeders, maybe 8’ away at eye level. Scared the absolute shit out of me, but once that subsided I turned on the red light and just chilled with it for about 10-15 minutes before it decided our time was up. Super cool experience.

 

Why red?

 

Don't know the science behind it, but it is an unobtrusive way to illuminate something. It is not blinding when in your face like a traditional white light. About half of my flashlights have a single red led (?) for this.

 

I thought this was Owsley replying and I was blown away when he said "don't know"

 

You can fuck an owl up by shining a bright light in its eyes. Red isn't as intense and wont temporarily blind it

 

I was in the military and understand light discipline as it pertains to the human eye. Thought he might have more insight into bird eyes.

 

It's the same deal. Their eyes are made for extremely low light conditions so keeping an LED on to look at then would've been a bad plan. It'll temporarily blind them and it can cause them to panic. I've done spotlighting for owls for work and it's dangerous to keep a light on them for longer than a second or two

 

Have a spot light with a red/orange lense thats nice for stuff like night fishing or looking for owls etc.

 

central Arkansas, had a yellow bellied bird of some kind fly in front of my vehicle today. Based on my Merlin results I'm thinking Eastern Meadowlark. Didnt see the V on the chest, but it was in some large ranchland.

 

I think this is another young Cooper's Hawk.

 

It is. The rounded tail feathers are a good indicator here. They’d be flat/straight in a sharpie.

 

Thanks .

Now, back to being enemies for the next two and 1/2 hours.

 

Hope it’s a 5-5 draw.

 

Been getting teased by the wife, for wanting bird feeders, since moving downtown. So many bird varieties in the area & already have what I think is a finch hitting suet within minutes of setup.

Will be upgrading / swapping out a few feeders soon.

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Open to suggestions... seem to have a wide variety of birds in the area.

 

Looks like a nuthatch

Get a feeder with sunflowers in it. The one you have with the yellow balls (millet) won't attract too many. I usually scatter that seed on the ground for sparrows. Get a thistle sock too.

 

Done.

 

Had a Carolina Wren? as well

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That’s right

 

Got myself a job as an assistant manager for a wetland management district. Can't wait to see ducks everywhere again

 

Tufted Titmouse

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Nice load of suet.

 

Happened upon this guy/girl in Central New Jersey today. I took the pic from behind the dash of my car. Its clearly a hawk or falcon of some kind but not like anything I've seen (at least from this close) so I'm curious as to what it may be?

Anyone know?

 

This is a Cooper’s hawk.

 

I apparently have a problem... added a peanut feeder, a tray for mealworms, a thistle sock (not pictured) & have another suet feeder w/ tail prop for woodpeckers otw

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Next step is to get more stands to spread the stuff out so you can get more birds at once

 

Yup. Already transitioned several to another area, hanging from a tree. I will likely get another stand in the back yard

 

Didn’t work from home today, but yesterday saw a yellow-throated warbler & what I think was a palm warbler... along with about 4 tufted Titmouse & eastern bluebird feeding from the stand

 

You in Florida?

 

Yeah, Jax

 

Yes he is

 

Almost final setup... pending arrival of a covered tray feeder. Also mastering iPhone photos through binoculars, until I get telephoto lens (yellow throated warbler pictured)

Apparently I live in Tufted Titmouse territory, as they hit the feeder non-stop.

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That warbler is gorgeous Jorts. Jacksonville is a fantastic birding area with a really great Audubon society. Are you on ebird yet?