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Post by biteybird on Jul 26, 2016 6:27:14 GMT -5
Hey Wayne, I'm really impressed by your interest in these birds and that you are willing to find out what is actually going on (in relation to their position in your environment).  |
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Post by beccilouise on Jul 26, 2016 15:01:37 GMT -5
Apparently, though, the proportion of quaker nests that cause fires is significantly low given other hazards and potential disruptors, but it certainly isn't a good place for them to build, for both our and their sakes, and I agree with easttex that better options should be provided for the birds and the power pylons should be made less attractive. The issue, I think, is that power companies don't just relocate, they decimate, and have been known to deliberately pick seasons and times of the day when birds are at their most vulnerable to destroy nests and kill babies. The birds are not doing this on purpose, they are only doing what comes naturally to them, and so should not be punished. It is human beings that are responsible for a) them being in north America in the first place (amongst other areas) and b) the power pylons being put up. So, I agree, they definitely should not be encouraged to nest on power pylons and nests that do end up their should be gently and humanely moved, but I certainly think that the way it is being done currently is not humane, clearly does not deter the birds from building nests in these dangerous locations and does not work for either the birds or the humans.  |
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Post by 11bravo on Mar 17, 2020 18:39:57 GMT -5
How about a looong absence, A lot has happened to this old guy. The last I posted was July 2016, well that September I lost my lady of 35 years. The best 35 years of my 73. Today I was talking on my cell to a buddy and looked in the back yard. Sitting on the electric wire was a pair of Quakers, I was shocked. Remember I'm a good 1/2 mile from the nests on the main road. Went for my camera (my flip phone don't cut it) but alias they had left. We have had a very mild winter this year and I hope they nest near by as they were without a doubt a pair.
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Post by cnyguy on Mar 17, 2020 20:14:29 GMT -5
Sorry for your loss, but it is good to welcome you back. Your flip phone camera must be comparable to the one I used to have. No matter what I took a picture of, it came out looking like a photo of a mud puddle. Keep watching for those naturalized Quakers and report back if you see them again.
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Post by 11bravo on Mar 17, 2020 20:30:11 GMT -5
I will keep an eye out for those green guys. Only today before I saw the pair I decided to end the winter feeding of the birds, now when I hit the food store more seed is already on the list. Every Sunday in the winter I'm up on the North shore shooting skeet (clay targets) and we have a resident hawk that is used to us being there and just sits in the tree watching while we try to break those clay's. Two weeks ago at the range a Bald Eagle flew over, the first I ever saw in the wild.
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Post by biteybird on Mar 18, 2020 5:11:36 GMT -5
Oh no! Sorry to hear your sad news. It is good of you to get back in touch. It must be amazing seeing the birds you describe. I am in Darwin now (moved up from Melbourne about 3 years ago) and we have a lot of kites up here (Whistling Kite, Black Kite and Brahmony Kite - AKA Sea Eagle), which are amazing to see, as I never saw them before when I was in Victoria. We also have eagles and a few small parrots (e.g., rainbow lorikeets). Also we have a TINY finch called the Double-barred finch, which has a face like a miniature owl. |
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Post by 11bravo on Mar 18, 2020 19:42:08 GMT -5
It is way off topic but since Australia was mentioned I must tell two stories about your country. In 1967 I was drafted into the Army and in 68 sent to Vietnam (hence 11Bravo). While there I had a R&R coming to me and I put in for Australia, I got my wish and had my orders for August 21st. On the 19th I was wounded and the company clerk used my orders and had a great time while I was in hospital. Months later I got my R&R but to Taiwan instead.
Fast forward to 1989 and my boss asked what I wanted as a Christmas bonus ( made him a bunch of money as a foreman). I was thinking about that missed trip to Australia and told him an all expenses trip for two weeks to visit Australia with a short side trip to New Zealand. I was in a international vintage motorcycle club and a fellow in Sydney had a bike ready for me. The plane tickets were bought and then he tells me I will be getting a tax statement for the trip. That means I would owe the Govt. money and that sure wasn't all expenses paid in my mind. At that point I told him to keep the tickets and started looking for another job. I was still in my 40s and my girlfriend was afraid I wouldn't come back, which may have happened. So I never got to visit.
Didn't see the Quakers today and had feed out, Morning Doves, Cardinals, and the sparrows were happy though.
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Post by biteybird on Mar 20, 2020 4:39:16 GMT -5
You have had a bad run as far as Australia goes! :0 That boss sounds like a royal a**hole - imagine behaving like that! You were sent to Vietnam the year I was born! My hubbie and I used to ride motorcycles (we had Kawasakis and Ducatis), but no more due to injuries. I would LOVE to see wild quakers! |
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Post by 11bravo on Mar 20, 2020 16:50:00 GMT -5
You have had a bad run as far as Australia goes! :0 That boss sounds like a royal a**hole - imagine behaving like that! You were sent to Vietnam the year I was born! My hubbie and I used to ride motorcycles (we had Kawasakis and Ducatis), but no more due to injuries. I would LOVE to see wild quakers! Your post gave me a laugh. Yes the boss was all you stated and more. One year alone I made him 6 million USD net profit doing a major revamp in Rockefeller Center, I only made union wages he just countered the money. Add to that he had heard I was seen having lunch with quite attractive ladies in Manhattan. The fat smelly slob had the nerve to ask me to set him up. I couldn't believe it and told him I wasn't a pimp for anyone and walked out. I did retell the story to all the female employees of the company though. The strange part about this fool is he trusted me doing the payroll and running the job (I was there 7 years) yet didn't trust me with a company charge card so if I visited a HVAC shop in Australia he could write off the trip in taxes as a company function.
As far as the bikes, I have been riding since I was 16, I still ride but smaller bikes and not as fast. Heck, I even have two vintage bikes in the dining room (also older than you LOL) sleeping for the winter (their house broke BTW). As far as injuries, nothing real bad and glad my two Sons never wanted to ride, smarter than Dad !
My camera is at ready if I see the Quakers again, I may drive over to the nesting area and see whats -what
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