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Birding

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raison de arizona
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Re: Birding

#426

Post by raison de arizona »

I was posting this off-topic in the trump spawn thread, but it occurred to me that we have an actual bonafide bird thread, so here it moves.
neonzx wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 12:50 pm Ken doll sayz what?
Off Topic
We have an asshole hummingbird that has adopted our feeder. I guess they are very territorial? We previously had two or even up to four floating around, but this prima donna has run them all off. It sits in a nearby tree, and whenever some other hummingbird comes near the feeder, he swoops in and chases them off.

We were thinking of names for him, and I suggested Ken, because he would clearly like to speak to the manager. I'm thinking Jared might be a good alternative though, since the wife ixnayed Ken for some reason.
Here he is in his tree, surveying his domain:
► Show Spoiler
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pipistrelle
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Re: Birding

#427

Post by pipistrelle »

Hummingbirds are extremely territorial. Not being an arse, just a normal hummingbird.
Edit: The behavior you describe is common. People complain about it frequently. Also, I’ve seen females attack a female on the nest. In one case we thought the nesting female had been killed. She survived but was banged up.
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raison de arizona
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Re: Birding

#428

Post by raison de arizona »

pipistrelle wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:16 pm Hummingbirds are extremely territorial. Not being an arse, just a normal hummingbird.
I suppose so, I just liked it better when we had a crew.

Hay, do you think if we were to put up another feeder on the other side of the yard he would claim it as well, or not?
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Re: Birding

#429

Post by pipistrelle »

raison de arizona wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:17 pm
pipistrelle wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:16 pm Hummingbirds are extremely territorial. Not being an arse, just a normal hummingbird.
I suppose so, I just liked it better when we had a crew.

Hay, do you think if we were to put up another feeder on the other side of the yard he would claim it as well, or not?
You could try.
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sugar magnolia
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Re: Birding

#430

Post by sugar magnolia »

raison de arizona wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:17 pm
pipistrelle wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:16 pm Hummingbirds are extremely territorial. Not being an arse, just a normal hummingbird.
I suppose so, I just liked it better when we had a crew.

Hay, do you think if we were to put up another feeder on the other side of the yard he would claim it as well, or not?
We have them about 4' apart across the front porch and get lots of visitors.
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Re: Birding

#431

Post by raison de arizona »

sugar magnolia wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 3:38 pm
raison de arizona wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:17 pm
pipistrelle wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 2:16 pm Hummingbirds are extremely territorial. Not being an arse, just a normal hummingbird.
I suppose so, I just liked it better when we had a crew.

Hay, do you think if we were to put up another feeder on the other side of the yard he would claim it as well, or not?
We have them about 4' apart across the front porch and get lots of visitors.
Thanks, I think we’ll try that!
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Re: Birding

#432

Post by Greatgrey »

It was two weeks ago. Wednesday and Thursday were windy and rainy, very nasty outside. Friday was better, clear and a nice sunny day. So in the morning I started to take our dog Hitch out to the grass runway behind us for a stretch and some raspberries.

As we approached the back gate, Hitch stopped and picked up a fuzzy ball. Immediately the trees behind me erupted in a cacophony of angry Robins. The fuzzy ball was a fledgling. Hitch dropped the "ball".

Image

Momma Robin was very angry. I gave the little one a quick look over, and it looked like he had an injured wing. We watched the little one very carefully over the weekend, other than the wing he was healthy, and on a mission. He kept wanting to go to the other corner of the back yard, had to navigate his way thru the raspberry bushes and roses. Eventually he made it to the opposite corner.

Momma Robin was just great. She had another fledgling on the other side of the house, and she escorted it to some trees across the street. She never stopped looking in on our new guest, coming back every 15 - 30 minutes with a new worm for him. The only time she stopped was for a 3 hour period after she crashed into a window. She shook that off and kept coming back.

On Monday I called the bird rescue folks. The vet told me about Robins learning to fly "from the ground", and to give the little guy a few more days.

So for the next few days were were checking on him from 5am to 11pm to see where he was, we looked in on him as much as his momma. He came up with another mission, he wanted to go to another corner about 100 feet away. Like I said, he was healthy and he could walk & hop just fine, so it didn't take him long to do that, and he took up residence on a pile of rocks left over from some landscaping.

Image

The good weather didn't last, and the next couple of days were again rainy & windy. So I named the bird 'Stormy'. And we got very emotionally attached to him.

At the end of 7 days of injured bird watching I couldn't stand it anymore, and I took him to the rescue folks. Had grown so much in that week.

The day after dropping him off I went to check on him. The vet and I took seats outside and she told me that yes, his wing had been broken but because he was so young and growing so fast it had already mended, although not straight. And she said he had a leg injury. I think he got a foot caught between the rocks and hurt himself pulling it out. In any event, the rescue people put him down,

So now he's gone, all that's left is little white bits of bird poop that the rain is slowly taking care of. Stormy was shipped to U of Alaska Fairbanks for DNA collection, part of their wild bird study project.

I was/am so sad about the whole thing. Robins fledge about 13 days after hatching, and Stormy lived just a week beyond that. Poor little guy who's only fault was looking like a fuzzy ball. He never had a chance.

I made a plaque and attached it to a fence post above the rock pile. Never gonna forget that guy.

Image
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
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Re: Birding

#433

Post by Foggy »

Oh man, GreatGrey, that's horrible. I was halfway through the story and hoping like hell for a happy ending. I admire you for trying to save Stormy. Hugs and love to you and your partner. :bighug:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Re: Birding

#434

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/features/wallofbirds/
About the Mural

WALL OF BIRDS

The mural, titled "From So Simple a Beginning," is a one-of-a-kind celebration of the world of birds. Envisioned by Cornell Lab ornithologists to showcase biodiversity and evolutionary change, the project features species from all surviving bird families alongside a select group of extinct ancestors. It takes a big painting to do justice to the phenomenal history and diversity of birds. The Cornell Lab and Ink Dwell studio have combined efforts on the mural covering about 3,000 square feet (280 square meters) of wall space in the Lab’s Visitor Center.

Meet a bird from each taxonomic family
The mural gives you the chance to meet an outstanding representative of each of the bird families of the world. Each of the 243 representatives is meticulously painted in life-sized, colorful detail to showcase the unique character of the species. Explore the map and click on any of the birds to get to know them better.

See where each bird species lives
A foot of each bird touches the world map at a point where you can find that species. For a more complete picture of their ranges, browse to the dynamically-updated eBird (ebird.org) sightings map provided with each description.

Listen to birds from around the world
Each species has a distinctive voice—some musical, some comical, and some startling. Listen to a host of extraordinary voices by playing embedded field recordings from the Cornell Lab’s Macaulay Library
"Mickey Mouse and I grew up together." - Ruthie Tompson, Disney animation checker and scene planner and one of the first women to become a member of the International Photographers Union in 1952.
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Re: Birding

#435

Post by Uninformed »

That’s wonderful. Thanks.
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Re: Birding

#436

Post by Phoenix520 »

I follow this guy on twitter and you should too. Chinese birds are wild!!

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Re: Birding

#437

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Gorgeous. The name sounds like a Southern Belle in a novel.
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Birding

#438

Post by RVInit »

There's a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality.
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Birding

#439

Post by AndyinPA »

Cool!
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Birding

#440

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... alth-study
Bird and birdsong encounters improve mental health, study finds

The study, led by academics from King’s College London, also found that everyday encounters with birds boosted the mood of people with depression, as well as the wider population.

The researchers said the findings suggested that visits to places with a wealth of birdlife, such as parks and canals, could be prescribed by doctors to treat mental health conditions. They added that their findings also highlighted the need to better protect the environment and improve biodiversity in urban, suburban and rural areas in order to preserve bird habitats.

He added that the positive effect of bird encounters on people with depression was significant because many “interventions that help so-called ‘healthy people’ don’t work for individuals with mental health issues”.

Mechelli said: “We know exercise makes everyone feel better. But it’s incredibly challenging to motivate someone with depression to exercise. Whereas contact with bird life is something that, perhaps, is feasible.”
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Birding

#441

Post by Chilidog »

My son, the future ornithologist
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Brown Trasher



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American Redstart
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Birding

#442

Post by northland10 »

Tiredretiredlawyer wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 10:49 am https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... alth-study
Bird and birdsong encounters improve mental health, study finds
Mechelli said: “We know exercise makes everyone feel better. But it’s incredibly challenging to motivate someone with depression to exercise. Whereas contact with bird life is something that, perhaps, is feasible.”
It's incredibly challenging to get me, who does not suffer from depression, to exercise. Still, I do find watching the birds around here to be a way to lift the stress and strain of work. This is one advantage where working from home is much better. The office has a wonderful view, but it is hard to watch birds from the 17th floor (and at a desk not by a window). My biggest calming activities to take part in during the day are watching the birds or going to the keyboard and playing music (which sometimes is soft and soothing and other times loud and obnoxious and fun).

I have tried to have a conversation with chickadees in their language. I don't think it was all that successful. I don't know what I'm saying, and I'm pretty sure they don't either.
101010 :towel:
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Birding

#443

Post by northland10 »

Watching my feeder, I think I may need to start a fat bird week contest. They be eating me out if house and home.
101010 :towel:
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Birding

#444

Post by northland10 »

I got a new toy (a camera with a wonderful zoom).
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I made this one my avatar so as to confuse folks who got used to the dog for 11 years.
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101010 :towel:
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Birding

#445

Post by northland10 »

I got a new toy, part II, the chatty female red-bellied woodpecker (she has had a lot to say lately). A male one has been around as well.
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101010 :towel:
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Birding

#446

Post by AndyinPA »

Really nice! :thumbsup:
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Birding

#447

Post by Volkonski »

AndyinPA wrote: Tue Nov 29, 2022 8:08 pm Really nice! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Birding

#448

Post by Phoenix520 »

Très Cool, Northland.
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Birding

#449

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Encore, N10! Encore!!!!!
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Birding

#450

Post by RVInit »

Tiredretiredlawyer wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:37 am Encore, N10! Encore!!!!!
:yeahthat:
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