Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[Steve Warden]

Thanks Mel. I enjoyed both the pics and the info.

[Dinadan]

I appreciate the comments about my Thrasher post. Here is one more photo. I think that the Thrasher's favorite food is Poke berries. When I was a boy growing up in the country Poke was considered a weed and I hoed plenty of it out of the garden. For the past several years I have allowed several Poke plants to reach their full size in my back yard. Poke can easily reach six feet tall and four feet across, at least in my climate. Many birds feast on the berries, chief among them being Mockingbirds, Cardinals, and Thrashers.

[Waukonda]

I was on a long walk with the dog and came across these Trumpeter swans. It won't mean much to you folks who live in the North and Northwest in their breeding range , where they may be a common sight. However, when they come down the Mississippi Flyway to spend a little time in the winter, it is kind of a big deal around here. They have come a long way, population-wise, in the last 20 to 30 years.
Crappy photo, I was zooming in with my phone but maybe you get a hint of the magnificence of these birds.

[Dinadan]

Very interesting, Waukonda. Where are you located? The terrain in that photo looks flat enough to be the Mississippi flood plain. I have never seen a Trumpeter swan - I do not know if my area was ever part of their winter range. Certainly not now.

[doglegg]

In years past when we visited Jackson Wy. I always enjoy the swans who hang around the warm ponds. Wonderful birds.

[Waukonda]

Very interesting, Waukonda. Where are you located? The terrain in that photo looks flat enough to be the Mississippi flood plain. I have never seen a Trumpeter swan - I do not know if my area was ever part of their winter range. Certainly not now.

Thanks for commenting, Mel. I am in Southern Illinois. The picture was not actually of the flood plain, but I live close enough that we see different species of ducks, geese, and other birds which use the flyway in winter. They make for a nice addition to the birds which stick around for the winter. Thanks for commenting and I always look forward to seeing the great shots that you post.

Floyd, those are some really nice swan photos!

[Quick Steel]

Great shots doglegg. Beautiful birds.

[doglegg]

Thanks Ike and QS.

[jmh58]

Nice shots Floyd!!!
John

[Quick Steel]

Had a brief visit this morning from a nice fat Fox Sparrow. Couldn't get a photo. According to a range map it was somewhat north of its usual winter range. Or maybe it was a late migrant heading south.

[doglegg]

Thanks John.
QS, always exciting to see something unusual or out of place.

[WillyCamaro]

I second that! Great shots of really beautiful birds doglegg .

[doglegg]

Thanks WillyC

[RobesonsRme.com]

As we have done for the past fifteen years, we spent Christmas Eve night with our son and his family.

I took our dogs out this morning at 0630 and these two were sitting in a tree in their next door neighbor’s yard.

Sun was not quite up, so it was low light and iPhone cameras have their limitations. This is the best I could do.

They definitely had some color on their breasts, a rusty red, I think.

They were calling when I went out the door. So, I was looking for them.

I have seen them multiple times before, but usually in flight. They hang around the neighborhood. Lots of squirrel nests around. I actually watched one take a grey squirrel off the side of a tree one day while sitting on the front porch.

I was on the porch, not the squirrel or the hawk. Thought I’d head off the snappy comments.

Charlie

[Doc B]

Very neat, Charlie! Hawks are amazing creatures!

[doglegg]

Sounds like a red shouldered hawk Charlie. At least those are as described around here. Congrats.

[RalphAlsip]

These might be ducks, but not sure what kind of birds these are. They are fairly large.

[Waukonda]

These might be ducks, but not sure what kind of birds these are. They are fairly large.

I would guess they are Pink Legged Egyptian Geese, at least, they sure resemble these in this picture I found. They are non-native to the U.S. I have never seen one, or heard of one, before just now. Unique looking

[RalphAlsip]

These might be ducks, but not sure what kind of birds these are. They are fairly large.

I would guess they are Pink Legged Egyptian Geese, at least, they sure resemble these in this picture I found. They are non-native to the U.S. I have never seen one, or heard of one, before just now. Unique looking

Waukonda, impressive research. I think you identified them.

[bighomer]

Here's a cooper or as we call'em chicken hawk, it came around yestiddy trying get one of my fat cardinals. He chased one under the bosses building but missed this time , he'll be back you bet.

[RobesonsRme.com]

My son showed me this video yesterday.

Apparently, the bird's wings are flapping at a rate that is in near-perfect sync with the frames/second rate of the surveillance camera.



Charlie

[doglegg]

Amazing Charlie.

[Steve Warden]

That's pretty cool!

[philco]

I'm going with another theory. That bird has learned to levitate.

[Quick Steel]

That would be worth sharing on YouTube. Remarkable video. Strange.