All About Pocket Knives

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat May 16, 2026 4:41 am Reminds me of a couple of roosters!
Ken

It's true.

I interrupted this Eagle enjoying some roadkill for breakfast, he flew to a nearby perch and waited for me to pass.
They have become quite common here in the last few years and I see them nearly every day.

Great pictures, Ike.

We see eagles here on rare occasion.

FRJ wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2026 11:30 pm Great pictures, Ike.

We see eagles here on rare occasion.

Thank you, Joe!

Waukonda wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2026 4:03 pm I interrupted this Eagle enjoying some roadkill for breakfast, he flew to a nearby perch and waited for me to pass.
They have become quite common here in the last few years and I see them nearly every day.

We have a few here in DFW. Knice pics

Had a new visitor this morning. Female Scarlet Tangier. And fly by of a Gooldfinch

Boji wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2026 7:35 pm Had a new visitor this morning. Female Scarlet Tangier. And fly by of a Gooldfinch
IMG_9322.jpeg

Congrats Boji. Beautiful!!!

Beautiful bird, Boji. Probably a male, or immature male summer tanager (The scarlet tanager male has black wings.) The females of both species are yellow/green. We have both scarlet and summer tanagers here during the summer months. Occasionally will see one, or a pair, at one of the feeders, otherwise they’re hard to spot.

Momma bluebird has been hard at work. Five eggs now in the nest. Unusual though - two eggs are sky-blue and three are blue-green. Don’t recall seeing that difference before in a single brood.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2026 9:55 pmtwo eggs are sky-blue and three are blue-green

The color of bird eggs is primarily driven by genetics, diet, and the presence of a natural pigment called biliverdin. I guess they weren't all laid together

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2026 9:55 pm Beautiful bird, Boji. Probably a male, or immature male summer tanager (The scarlet tanager male has black wings.) The females of both species are yellow/green. We have both scarlet and summer tanagers here during the summer months. Occasionally will see one, or a pair, at one of the feeders, otherwise they’re hard to spot.

Ken

I agree it is a Summer Tanager. I didn't do any research before! That makes it rare to see here in extreme northern Iowa.

Interesting, an Iowa bird watching group on Facebook had 5 first time spotters the same day. Most of Iowa is not their normal range.
Today these 2 ladies stopped by for an early lunch. 1st time I was able to get a picture of a female cardinal. The Red Wing blackbirds are constant visitors, both male & female.

Boji wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2026 4:57 pm Interesting, an Iowa bird watching group on Facebook had 5 first time spotters the same day. Most of Iowa is not their normal range.
Today these 2 ladies stopped by for an early lunch. 1st time I was able to get a picture of a female cardinal. The Red Wing blackbirds are constant visitors, both male & female.
IMG_9323.jpeg

The temps have dropped about 35 degrees from yesterday and these 2 Doves are all fluffed up in response. I got within about 20' to take this pic and they just looked at me.

A couple of my more visible backyard residents.

Had a nice morning of birding out my kitchen window, while cooking some breakfast had to run get my phone cause we don't see the redheads visit the feeder very often.

bighomer wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 7:38 pm had to run get my phone cause we don't see the redheads visit the feeder very often.

You ran? What happened to that bad knee?

Great pileated pictures!

bighomer wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 7:41 pm 1000011697.jpg

Great pics bh!.

Ike should have said shuffled as quick as a ole fart nearing 81 could. Knee is about well, twinge every now and then to let me know it's still there. I've not gotten a picture but I've had Rebellies and Hairy's feeding their babies at the suet feeder this morning.

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Waukonda wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2026 3:12 pm.

Ike.

What’s the bird sitting in the chain link fence?

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2026 4:01 pm

Waukonda wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2026 3:12 pm.

Ike.

What’s the bird sitting in the chain link fence?

Ken

I think just a House Sparrow. Was it you that made a post a couple of years ago about the "bread trap" for them? They normally don't bother me too bad, but I have 1 pair that is insisting on using a garage vent for nesting.

Yes. I have a sparrow trap - somewhere I may have loaned it out and never got it back. I’ll have to look around the barn for it.

We had a lot of house sparrows several years ago. I bought a trap. After a couple of weeks there were no sparrows remaining, and we have not had a problem since then. Basically it’s a wire cage with a wire funnel built into the top. It’s about 2 ft x 2 ft, but only a few inches deep. Put it on the sidewalk or driveway covering some bread crusts. The sparrows want the bread so they enter the trap via the funnel, then they can’t figure out how to get out. After several were trapped I submerged it in water with the trapped sparrows in it. Sparrows are poor swimmers and cannot breathe under water.

A couple of days of that, and no more sparrows. Other birds aren’t attracted to bread so they’re not trapped.

Ken

Edit: there’s one similar for sale on Amazon. Price has gone up since I bought one but they effective in my experience.

Caught a Great Blue Heron and an Egret on the wing in the same photo.

We were walking laps around this pond. These two stayed within ten feet of each other like they're bird homies, but kept flying to the side of the pond opposite us when we'd get close.