Birders

[Dave (in MA)]

The removal advice I'm seeing includes hummingbird feeders.

There's still no sign of it here in MA, but the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife suggests that people take down their bird feeders and bird baths, although they say that hummingbird feeders are OK--hummingbirds don't appear to be affected anywhere. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ma...ads/ar-AAMbJJP

[Shadow]

All of the birds dip their beaks into the same source

That might be true for hookers, but bird baths as well.

[Firth]

That might be true for hookers, but bird baths as well.

[loshammeros]

I saw a gray heron yesterday

[progmatist]

^^ I've seen the occasional heron, and pelican in and around Tempe Town Lake. The lake is basically a normally dry river bed, with a dam built to retain the water. The birds are clearly lost here in the Sonoran Desert.

[Firth]

^^ I've seen the occasional heron, and pelican in and around Tempe Town Lake. The lake is basically a normally dry river bed, with a dam built to retain the water. The birds are clearly lost here in the Sonoran Desert.

Aren’t you having a monsoon now?

[progmatist]

^^ We get a monsoon every summer. High pressure over the 4 corners region pulls in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, over northern Mexico. That combined with our heat triggers severe thunderstorms.

[ronmac]

So, I'm outside talking with my neighbor. A couple of goldfinches fly past.

Me: "I haven't seen many of those at all this year."

Him: "Oh yeah, I've been seeing them in my birch trees. I've also been seeing the purple martins flying around."

Me: "Really??!! I've always wanted to see purple martins, but never have."

Him: Yep, they really stand out. I see their blue wings and orange breast."

Me:


This is the same guy who always refers to goldfinches as "wild canaries."

FFS

[ForeverAutumn]

Him: Yep, they really stand out. I see their blue wings and orange breast."

Is he referring to Eastern Bluebirds? Because I've always wanted to see one of those!

[ronmac]

Is he referring to Eastern Bluebirds? Because I've always wanted to see one of those!

Yes, I have two couples in my yard. I never saw them until a couple of years ago. Now, we have them in a house right in front of my house and an old tree in the back yard.

bluebird.jpg

[ForeverAutumn]

Yes, I have two couples in my yard. I never saw them until a couple of years ago. Now, we have them in a house right in front of my house and an old tree in the back yard.

bluebird.jpg

Lovely! We get the odd one here in Ontario. There is a protected meadow a kilometre from my house and I know that some of the people who frequently go birding there have spotted them...I've seen the photos...but I've never been lucky enough to spot one.

[Firth]

It’s weird that I have seen so many bluebirds here in Maryland is the last month. Also saw a team of three red headed wood peckers flying thru the forest. Then I saw a 3 pack of black headed woodpeckers.

[Firth]

At a friends house, early in the morning I go out on the patio and have birds flying all around me. One lands on the glass doors. I shine a flash light and capture this:

That bluebird post reminded me of this.

[progmatist]

I seem to recall Blue Jays being here in the desert for a short time.....when Toronto was playing the D-Backs.

[Duncan Glenday]

I seem to recall Blue Jays being here in the desert for a short time.....when Toronto was playing the D-Backs.

Yep - I've see Blue Jays and Orioles mixing it up on the same field, many times.

[Firth]

Great bird video:

[ForeverAutumn]

I seem to recall Blue Jays being here in the desert for a short time.....when Toronto was playing the D-Backs.

Yep - I've see Blue Jays and Orioles mixing it up on the same field, many times.

HA! Migration from Buffalo back to Toronto starts on July 30.

There was a real Blue Jay at my feeder earlier today. We haven't seen very many of them this year.

[ronmac]

^^ Did you know that blue jays actually have no blue pigment? We just perceive it that way.

[Duncan Glenday]

Not a rare bird, nor a rare sighting, but certainly a first for my immediate area:

Carolina Wren.

Tiny, cute little bird with a huge voice and a variety of calls. It's hard to understand how such a small creature can be so loud

We still have house wrens, which have always been in the area.

[Firth]

Not a rare bird, nor a rare sighting, but certainly a first for my immediate area:

Carolina Wren.

Tiny, cute little bird with a huge voice and a variety of calls. It's hard to understand how such a small creature can be so loud

We still have house wrens, which have always been in the area.

[Dave (in MA)]

"germany, germany, germany" and "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" are the way the wren's call is sometimes described.
We had a nest under the porch back in May, in a bucket that I had some stuff stored in.

[Duncan Glenday]

Nice audio - playing one of the Carolina Wren's songs. They seem to have a variety.

[markwoll]

Over the years we have had several 'families' of wrens living in or near our yard.
At one point there were 2 distinct sets of calls and over time one has gone away and has been replaced by a new one.
When I walk through the park near our house there are a couple of other distinct 'call groups'.
Very cool. I love wrens. They are fun to watch.

[progmatist]

Not a rare bird, nor a rare sighting, but certainly a first for my immediate area:

Carolina Wren.

Tiny, cute little bird with a huge voice and a variety of calls. It's hard to understand how such a small creature can be so loud

We still have house wrens, which have always been in the area.

The Cactus Wren is the Arizona state bird.

[ronmac]

We have Carolina wrens every year. In fact, I have a new family that just hatched in a bluebird house (the squatters!) in my garden. Dad makes a ton of noise to keep me away.