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Post by julianna on Jun 6, 2016 16:40:12 GMT -5
Being spring time here, there are numerous birds outside all trying to take care of their babies. This morning I saw an awesome site. There are at least 100 sparrows flying around trying to catch whatever bugs are in the air. Love those guys.
But this morning, they were all lined up in a field behind my house that has been mowed by the City, and they were flying approx. 4 inches from the ground side by side... they were fluttering their wings in an upward motion to disturb whatever bugs might be hiding in the grass. They would go back and forth and work together clearing the field of moths, etc. It was truly amazing to watch.
Of course the robins are everywhere, fighting to see who will be the rightful owner of my garden worms. Poor momas... they look beaten up but that is because they have a brood to feed and it is raining. They land on the rail of my balcony and Oscar gets the best view. I am surprised that Oscar hasn't started talking like them yet.
I love nature... I love the birds. It is only because of good fortune that I get to see nature... at it's worst.. and at it's best.
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Post by Caseysmom on Jun 6, 2016 22:10:30 GMT -5
Nature is beautiful, it would be neat to watch them all feeding in the field At night we watch the bank swallows at the lake zooming around clearing the air of bugs. I go out most days taking bird pictures. I have 5 day old baby downy woodpeckers in my backyard. The parents were around all winter at my feeder along with a pair of Hairys. The downy male spent three weeks building the nest before Mom moved in. So far I just have pics of the parents coming back with bugs and I can hear the baby peeps... I can't wait till they stick their heads out. Nature can be cruel we put a nest in for the red necked grebes, they were due to hatch this week butsometime in the night last night the nest overturned and the eggs lost. We flipped it back tonight for them... Hope the second time works. Like you I love watched all the babies quaking their wings begging to be fed. The last two days baby sparrows have been on my feeder waiting for dad to fill them up. You probably have birds up there that pass through here. I had evening grosbeaks at my feeders for a week but they moved on.
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Post by julianna on Jun 7, 2016 12:34:58 GMT -5
Wow... the woodpeckers sound awesome to watch. The grosbeaks are everywhere... it seems them come in herds and love to take all the flowers off my apple trees... then they scoot off.
I love spring. Lately (in this area) I have seen 3 black bears, 3 moose and a rabbit in my neighbours yard. The Canadian geese of course are all over the place and so are the ducks. Two mallard ducks have found comfort sleeping on my lawn... silly things.
That rabbit better not come over to my garden that I just planted. grrrrrrr
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Post by Caseysmom on Jun 7, 2016 20:35:08 GMT -5
I can do without the Bears, though there was one near here a couple of summers ago. There is a pair of rabbits in my yard too, they had babies hidden under an old log in the garden, thankfully my dogs don't bother with them. I put my veggies in raised pots now, to keep them from the rabbits. I've got raccoon babies in the tree out front.... The parents should bring them down soon and teach them the art of prying open garbage cans! Many nights I smell the skunk... I am ways making noise and turning on lights before I take the pups out in the dark.
Lake Ontario fills with lots of different migrants in each season, there have been some neat shore birds passing through lately. I would love to see a big flock of grosbeaks I just had one pair for about a week and I thought they were cool. Goldfinches are here year round.... They are pretty to watch, especially in summer plumage.... Lol I could go on... Birds and all wildlife are fun to watch!
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Post by biteybird on Jun 8, 2016 3:33:06 GMT -5
Wow, Caseysmom, I've never seen a skunk in real life, let alone smelt one! I wonder what I'm missing out on...(probably not much).
It sounds like you and Julianna live in a nice area with lots of natural habitat around you. I am in Melbourne, Australia in the northern suburbs. While we do get some local wild birds, one has to go for a drive to really see the fantastic variety of birds and wildlife. Where I live there are a couple of bird species - mainly Noisy Mynahs and magpies - that dominate and drive out other bird species, unfortunately.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 8, 2016 4:29:42 GMT -5
Biteybird, you should move states. We see lots of birds, even in suburbia. I move in about 5 weeks time so am getting out my bird identification book to see what I can expect to see in the new area. The birds will have their own room (and it is the best room in the house). Shah is flying again and now does circuits of the rumpus room and flies back to land on my hand. He is very impressed with himself. Now I don't know whether to clip his wings or leave them alone. He will be offered a lot more freedom in the new house but the cockatiels are flighted and they will be out of their cage most of the time. They wont be able to escape him if he can fly. Decisions, decisions  |
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Post by Caseysmom on Jun 8, 2016 8:45:53 GMT -5
Biteybird, almost all of my neighbours dogs have been sprayed by the skunks... Not only do they smell but it burns too, my friend touched his face accidently while trying to help his dog, his eyes were on fire. It would be so much work getting the smell out of my guys fur... And it always happens right before bed when everyone is tired....the dogs that get sprayed are trying to catch them... My guys don't bother with small animals so hopefully won't be seen as a threat. Fingers crossed! I took some nice skunk pics a few years ago... I would have to remember what date that was... We have oppusums too, the only North American marsupial. I got a pic of a mom on my fence a while back. ive only been to Australia once and then just to the Sydney area... I will look up Melbourne ... Too bad the bigger birds drive out the others. We had a red tailed hawk trying to nest and it actually got driven away by blue jays. There are big crows though, that at this time of year you see flying away with babies from other birds nests.... |
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 8, 2016 20:49:46 GMT -5
Once you've smelled a skunk, it's an aroma you're not likely to forget.  Now and then, one passes through the grounds of my apartment complex, and their presence is never a secret. There are lots of rabbits around the grounds, and more squirrels than I can count. Before the property next door was developed, there used to be lots of wildlife there-- foxes, pheasants, raccoons and deer. Clearing the land and putting up houses changed all that. |
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Now and then, one passes through the grounds of my apartment complex, and their presence is never a secret. There are lots of rabbits around the grounds, and more squirrels than I can count. Before the property next door was developed, there used to be lots of wildlife there-- foxes, pheasants, raccoons and deer. Clearing the land and putting up houses changed all that.