I just posted because there is a screech owl calling in my decidedly semi-urban “yard”. I think that screech owls are so much more ubiquitous than people realize. They are just so stealthy and tiny. I think they get overlooked a lot
Did some bird surveys this week, and while I didn’t really see anything out of the ordinary (brown creeper was the highlight), I did observe copulation between a number of species including red-shoulder hawk, Carolina chickadee, and red-bellied woodpecker. I’m also beginning to wonder if white-throated sparrows and dark-eyed juncos are just going to say fuck migrating and stay down south all year. Got my hummingbird feeder out this week too, patiently awaiting my first arrival.
If the Merlin app can be trusted…I’ve had a dark eyed junco and white throated sparrow up here in the past few weeks
White throated sparrows and juncos still around, the more southerly ones still move through here (NYC area) in April. Some of the white throated are looking pretty sharp in breeding plumage.Had a junco two years ago in may. I know the west coast folks here have them all the time, but anecdotally seem to have noticed a lot more white-crowned sparrows here. Used to be a pretty rare, seeing them with greater frequency the last few years. Goose, if you go out to the more rural parts of Hamilton county or further northeast there are a lot of wintering horned larks, and an occasional Lapland longspur. I think they may be gone now, but if you ever get up to Pickaway county, they are an extraordinary number of short-eared owls and harriers that winter there. Ohio winter bird rant over. I think many non-super nerds, think of migration as things that come here in the summer, but it also goes the other way. That red-flanked blue tail is still hanging around. Bonkers bird, just saw they split that species in two species. I think it’s the Finland/scandavia one. I think every power nerd on the east coast saw it. Pretty incredible, most rarities are not long for this world. I ticked a rock wren in a parking lot a few years ago, it was clearly not going to make it, so lost. That bluetail looks pretty healthy, wonder if it can fly back across the ocean? I hope so, birds are cool. Can’t wait for the warblers coming back. Just yellow-rumpled and a single pine so far. Soon it will be on, usually see a few palms very soon
Oh and the woodcocks are going off here. Really a great thing you should see if you are reading this thread
Decided to drive 120 miles to this Oasis-like spot near Joshua Tree yesterday morning. No regrets, saw lots of great stuff. Finally got a real shot of a lit up Anna's Hummingbird gorget. Vermillion Flycatcher in the parking lot. Cooper's Hawk nest. Hooded Orioles are back. I know their calls really well now. Ruby-crowned Kinglet's are still hanging around. Gambel's Quail.
Tufted duck this AM. Didn’t find it. Some dude Drew did. My second one in North America. I don’t know if I mentioned, but my parents are both from Europe so I’ve seen them over there, but thats a pretty solid bird for New Jersey. also the Pine warblers and palm warbler are starting to move through right now. that Vermillion flycatcher picture is really fucking good. Your pictures are great by the way
Just got back from a trip to the tidewater part of Virginia, Chincoteague, and then Bombay hook in Delaware. Last couple days were super rainy. Again, I’m a birder- just have a bridge camera. My pics are NOT nearly as good as some in quality, but I get out a lot. sooo, I saw the weirdest thing I may have ever seen this weekend. A fish crow, not even an American crow, killed and ate a flicker. Flickers are not small woodpeckers. It was crazy. edited because I meant to say NOT nearly as good, you guys pics are great.
A few others, was guiding so couldn’t take many photos. And the last two days it was pouring awful light. huge eagle nest, they just keep building on functional nests year after year. I guess this one in Jamestown VA is like 15 years old now killdeer snowy egret In breeding plumage
A few more, how do I spoiler? If you see a banded bird, like that oystercatcher, you should repot it to https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/index.cfm. It’s great for data and will even get a little thing telling you where it came from, how old etc. cool when egrets get that green around their eyes and the plumes swallowing a bid fish the Ipswich subspecies of the Savannah Sparrow. Much lighter bigger bird. The way the splitting is going these days, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a new species soon. This was at Chincoteague and they winter on the beaches in the NE/mid Atlantic American oystercatcher Foresters tern
Yesterday was at Bombay hook in delaware, awesome place. Was pouring and pics were rough. Fortunately most of it is an auto wildlife loop so we birded from the cars most of the time. 33 bald eagles and 150 or so avocets among other things, was still good. a very very wet eagle Avocet, not really out of focus, was just pouring. Cleared up a bit at the end, still awful light.
Hope I’m not spamming the thread! Also apologize for my disjointed posts, phone and voice texting. What I MEANT to say earlier- is my pictures are no where near the quality of the excellent ones in this thread. I am, however, out in the field a lot. Trying to document that. My absolute favorite birds are the warblers, so I am eagerly anticipating their arrival up here in NY/NJ, and many bad photos. Down in southern Virginia this week the yellow-throated were there in force, pines (also overwinter there), yellow rumpeds(winter in huge numbers even here), and palms. A single black-throated green and a yellowthroat signs of things to come! No flycatchers(later a few weeks, than the first warblers) outside a lot of phoebes. A single blue-headed vireo, those should show up soon too. Ducks and waders are one thing, those passerines are tough! Anyway, happy birding and be well Female pine male pine phoebe Hermit thrush. Also an overwinter or migrant, rest of them come later too Later all, be well.
Had an awesome morning, one of those days where the photo opportunities were everywhere. This really is the best fucking time of year; still have winter holdouts, spring migrants arriving all the time. Spoiler Song Sparrow Osprey Bullock's Oriole Great Blue Heron Downy Woodpecker Western Bluebird
Assumed they were around, as Merlin had picked up their song, but first time seeing a Northern Parula. Sadly, I only had time to get it with my iPhone
I love parulas song. Almost as good as a prairie warbler. Hey, if you want to nerd out, this is a beautiful story he’s a beautiful man. https://thisislovepodcast.com/episode-22-prairie-warbler/
Migration is here! hey-another great resource from the folks at Cornell. Not nearly as good as Merlin in accuracy, but a cool thing to trace if you want. https://birdcast.info/ It’s way worse, and the variables there are intense. But that’s fun thing to check every night. Louisiana waterthrush(on territory and singing), palm, pine, black throated green, yellowthroats. Blue-headed and white-eyed vireos. Phoebe galore. Had tree, barn, and A BANK AND CLIFF, and a Martin. I’m partial, but the greatest movement of wildlife on earth are the neo-tropic migrants. so pardon me being annoying, but mostly sharing my joy, my abject joy, with you that would like-hope you would like. i’ll probably put down the camera(kinda) that I just took up for a little bit, and just watch. So 15-35 days I’ll just post words, and not many pictures. I’m not ready to take a photo of a Connecticut warbler or a Philadelphia video in spring(they do that circular loop where they migrate up the central flyway and come back down the Atlantic flyway in fall). listening for the nocturnal fly notes now, as are all normal people. And that’s a lie, I’m watching tv and have a parabolic mic directed at the sky
Saw 50 species in like an hour and a half at this tiny park yesterday. Lots of migrants. Super cloudy, so light was terrible for photos. Western Tanager Lazuli Bunting Really good look at the orange crown on an Orange-crowned Warbler. Almost impossible to see under normal circumstances.
Something got into our bird box, snatched the eggs & it’s been vacated. A bit confused by this as we have a raccoon baffle & it’s located 15” from any tree/structure. I can only assume wrens got them… sucks, as they’d be hatching this week.
I obviously don’t know the size of the baffle, so you may be correct. If it were any other intruder, there would likely be evidence of the crime still in/around the box, though. A large (4’ +) rat snake is a very adept climber with immense upper body strength. Stinks either way, but nature gonna nature.
Jorts another random thought would potentially be a kestrel. They can use their feet to pluck nestlings out of boxes.
Raised the baffle a bit closer to the top, in hopes it makes it more difficult & likely swapping out the box that housed the murder
Nature gonna nature: Eastern Bluebird pair prepping nest in same box Hopefully the baffle adjustment works
Definitely seen a few first-timers. Need to start carrying a camera when I walk the dogs, as I could have gotten a black & white warbler on frame this morning.
Went up to Bear Divide this morning. It's one of 2 reliable migratory funnels in California, and we saw 1200 birds fly over. Ended the day with this Vermillion. Good start to the weekend.
Obviously, Owlsey is a way better herper than I. I could offer an alternate Bird solution other than a kestrel(which is possible, also). Do you have any house sparrows there Jorts? They will straight up, take little bluebirds without a trace. You should and can kill those motherfuckers by the way. Popovio. I’m a little bit north of you and way further east but it’s about to really go down here in like 10 days probably. Had like my first great crested flycatcher, a white eyed vireo. Lots of palm, yellow rumpled Louisiana water thrush (on territory breed on the stream near me). Had my first male hooded they also breed in the hills right near me one of my favorite birds on earth. Hope everyone is doing well in this thread. Thanks for the nice pictures.
There are House Sparrows in the area (they are everywhere, aren't they?), but have never seen them at my home or around our feeders. Tons of Chipping Sparrows though. Pretty confident it was a snake, as there was noting disturbed & the Chickadee eggs hadn't hatched.
Ghosts of the Prairie I'm a casual birdwatcher, but I do walk my dogs 2.5 miles per night in the plains of Colorado near Denver, so I'm used to seeing the usual suspects of birds like Eagles, Swainsons Hawks, Great Horned Owls, Meadowlarks, Robins, Killdeer etc. Was walking my usual route Sunday night and heard an abnormal racket in the field I was walking past. Looked over and saw a group of birds that looked like this photo below (not my picture, didn't have my phone). Stood for awhile watching them as they called out to each other, probably about my presence along with two dogs. I don't recall ever seeing these before on my walks in the 10 years we've lived here. Since I hadn't seen these before, I started looking around the Colorado prairie bird sites, and it appears they were Mountain Plover. Their numbers are dwindling, so they are pretty uncommon. There is a town Southeast of my home that has a festival for birdwatchers to come see them, and their nickname is Ghosts of the Prairie. They do winter in California, so they may have been passing through on their way to the rangeland to the East of me. Closer up photo - not mine.
First good day at the GOAT warbler trap that isn’t Toledo stuff or point pelee. ovenbird, Louisiana and northern waterthrush, b+w warbler, nashville(early), yellowthroat, parkland, yellow, palm(a shitload),pine,yellow-rumbled (like 50), prairie, black throated green oh my first NJ blue grosbeak of the season!! no pics I was just chilling with my nerd friends and talking that I haven’t seen since last year at this spot.
Oh yeah, mountain plovers are definitely really cool. Duck Smoker. They’re impossible to see where I live, but I’ve done a little bit of shit out there, but probably seen less than you have in your whole life. But you gotta go with what you know they’re like killdeer, Black bellied, plovers or golden plovers(American or pacific). One of my stupid things if you want to scroll up, they’re just more vertical than the other shorebirds which are mostly horizontal
Oh the best warbler trap on the East Coast is not cape may. I don’t really care if I’ve not told you this before because I talk about it with so many people but there’s a place called Garrett Mountain mountain in Patterson. And one of the worst neighborhoods in the United States that has the most incredible warbler stuff ever for about 15 days. It’s not only the best warbler trap ever but you actually sit like on 100 foot cliff and can look at the treetop warblers eye level
I’ve never really taken pictures on my own. Because you can take treetop stuff at that height. that is my picture that I took. I’m Not pictured, with my phone