All About Pocket Knives

Found a Towhee scratching around in some leaf litter outside my door yesterday. (Archival photo)
Robins have been coming thru regularly; at least a couple look to be staying around. Cardinals are evident year round.

QS, always love to see Towhees. We have both spotted and eastern here. They do make a ruckus scratching around in the leaves.

I know Texas is a great state for birding. Migrations must be impressive.

Garry I know your post said "Archival" but I'm wondering if those towhees were frolicking in the snow as it appears in your photos. I've had a couple visit my feeder but it was in much warmer weather.

Phil, yes we evidently had a bit of late snow. And with the one turning up yesterday on the 9th we might have had snow, tho we did not. These are the only Towhees I've seen here. Perhaps early Spring migrants? Handsome birds. I enjoy seeing them, unlike the Cowbird I saw a few days ago.

From September 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not pictures #1, #2, #3, #6, #8 & #9).

From September 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not pictures #2, #3, #5 & #7).

Regular Jay

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:50 pm Regular Jay

Is that a Stellers Jay Iman? Are they known as the camp robber?

A few pics from my bird walk this morning. The highlight was a Cinnamon Teal and a yellow warbler but they wouldn't pose.

Very nice "captures" doglegg.

doglegg wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:34 am

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:50 pm Regular Jay

Is that a Stellers Jay Iman? Are they known as the camp robber?

Definitely a Stellars Jay. Don't know about camp robber, they could be if you camp in their territory. And I'm sure its different in other locations, but there are some gray Jays around here in the foothills and mountains that will eat off your table, They will land on your outstretched hand and eat from it. They are not afraid to come into your camp or car if they think there's a snack to be had. These Blue Stellars will never do that. They will eat off of my feeder and off the top of my shop door here, and I'm sure they would grab something off your picnic table, but they are wary and sketchy and seem to like at least a 6-8 foot buffer zone between them and me. Never warm up to me like the gray camp robbers. But my guess is there are probably several different birds in different locals that will rob your camp if they get a chance. Thanks for the comments. And gorgeous pics of the birds and butterflies. Looks like professional photography. Top notch.

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:07 pm

doglegg wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:34 am

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:50 pm Regular Jay

Is that a Stellers Jay Iman? Are they known as the camp robber?

Definitely a Stellars Jay. Don't know about camp robber, they could be if you camp in their territory. And I'm sure its different in other locations, but there are some gray Jays around here in the foothills and mountains that will eat off your table, They will land on your outstretched hand and eat from it. They are not afraid to come into your camp or car if they think there's a snack to be had. These Blue Stellars will never do that. They will eat off of my feeder and off the top of my shop door here, and I'm sure they would grab something off your picnic table, but they are wary and sketchy and seem to like at least a 6-8 foot buffer zone between them and me. Never warm up to me like the gray camp robbers. But my guess is there are probably several different birds in different locals that will rob your camp if they get a chance. Thanks for the comments. And gorgeous pics of the birds and butterflies. Looks like professional photography. Top notch.

Thanks Iman
It is the gray Jay's that are the notorious camp robers thanks for the correction. And for the compliments .

Quick Steel wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:37 pm Very nice "captures" doglegg.

Thanks QS

Nice Towhee shots, QS, and Stellars Jay, Iman.

Looks a fun walk, Doglegg.

Dinadan wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:24 pm Nice Towhee shots, QS, and Stellars Jay, Iman.

Looks a fun walk, Doglegg.

It was, thanks Mel

From October 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not picture #1).

Pruned the ferns and found this underneath all of last years growth. Don't know the variety of bird, can only guess it's an Oregon Junko since they are low nesters and prolific around here. I see them on the patio all the time, they fly into our windows. Either that or maybe a Wren that I see in the low bushes regularly. Or one of Crowned sparrows, or Fox sparrows we have here. They all hang around in these ferns and bushes.

From October 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not picture #1).

From November 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not pictures #2 & #6).

New_Windsor_NY,
Skip, your post from March 10th about the pigeon's flight time reminded me of a happening a little over 50 years ago.
The statute of limitations will protect the guilty involved in the escapade that I am about to relate here on the Ornithology (Bird) Thread.
My wife's family had a ranch in central Florida. The gate to the property was about 5 miles from the nearest paved road across several other properties with gates over an old road that was originally traveled by folks heading east from of Orlando. The road name still exists and is near its original location. It is known as the Curry Ford Road. I have no knowledge of the name Curry, but it was the name of the ford on the Big Econlockhatchee River, a tributary of the north flowing St. Johns River. The ford was a mile or so east of the camp house at the family ranch.
One Saturday my wife and I were going out to the ranch and we found "gate keepers" at all the locked gates. The "gate keepers" were some of the old aunts and uncles of the family. Our question to them revealed what was going on as normally we would unlock the gate, drive the truck through, get out and relock the gate and continue down the old two trail Curry Ford Road. They told us that my wife's uncle was conducting a "pigeon shoot" and they were to open and close the gates as the invited guests drove to the ranch. (Gates were closed because of the cattle on the different properties and of course the security needed even back in those days, think cattle rustlers.) News to us, we had no idea about a pigeon shoot.
We traveled the distance to the ranch and when we got within sight of the camp it looked like a circus was going on! After entering the first gate the "guests" were directed to turn off the Curry Ford Rd. and follow a powerline R/W that had a good sand road that passed a couple of hundred yards north of the camp. The circus turned out to be big motor homes of the professional "pigeon shooters" and cars and trucks of local participants. When we parked at the camp, we found out what was going on.
We knew my wife's uncle had "connections" and was always into let's say "interesting things". His "connections" led him to order 10,000 pigeons from New York City. They were trapped by the City, because of over-population and sold to interested parties around the country. The pigeons were shipped by rail. We knew about clay pigeons and skeet shooting,etc but this was live pigeon shooting. Bottom line there was some pretty heavy gambling going on, I have no idea how it was set up but when the professionals were up to bat, things got fairly intense.
This activity was held for several seasons, only a one-day affair. Then they would move to another ranch or property in another county, a circuit if you will. The range was shaped like a fan, the base was where a person known as the trapper was stationed. I can't remember but I'll assume the shooter's station was on either side of the trapper, left or right-handed preference. hmm:: In the fan shape were a series of traps that held an individual pigeon. The procedure was then for the shooter to call for a pigeon to be released, it was a very proper and polite exchange, "Is the trapper ready?" "Is the shooter ready?" I do remember there were dice rolled to determine which trap was released. The bird was then released from the mechanical trap that was spring loaded, the rules state the "shooter" had to fire twice at the pigeon, even if it was already dead on the ground. The 1st year at the ranch the traps were operated with a series of pull cords, the next year the traps were released electrically.
Fancy superposed double guns were seen in the hands of the professional shooters, the local "guests" were mostly shooting side by sides, pumps or semi-autos. If y'all remember low brass shot shells were rather cheap 50 plus years ago, probably less than $2 per box. The rules of this "live pigeon shoot" required the shooters to purchase the shells from the sponsor of the shoot, Miss Joy's uncle. Shells were $5 per shell. Do the math. Uncle did tell us the pigeons cost $1.00 each delivered. Don't know about entry fees or any of the other financial arrangements but each of the 10,000
pigeons were shot at twice with a $5 12 ga. shot shell! That makes sense, still don't know about the gambling part. I don't know what they did with all the dead pigeons.
Just a bit of memory from the deer woods before Disney.
Treefarmer

From November 1955, New York newspapers.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not pictures #1, #3, #7, #8 & #9).

Came within 12 feet while I was splitting wood....

TripleF wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:06 pm Came within 12 feet while I was splitting wood....

He is doing a little wood splitting too. Great pic Scott. We don't have those in DFW.

From a December 1955, New York newspaper.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE (Not picture #1).