|
Post by luv2bird on Mar 12, 2015 12:41:53 GMT -5
That does sound promising, Lue!! Your birds sound so exotic to my northern ears! LOL Any of those would be lifers for me! The woodpeckers and nuthatches are definitely defending territories, though ownership of the feeder line is still a matter of hot debate; the redpolls and siskins are definitely moving north (last week we went through 60 lbs of thistle and this week I only have to fill the feeders every third day!); the purple finches are singing...but none of the migrants from the south are back. I think all that snow south of us is holding them up. Here, though, we're already in drought--only .7" of liquid precip in 2015, which puts us 1.34" below normal for the year already. OH Deer! Hope your get a substantial rain soon.
l2b
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Mar 12, 2015 17:50:14 GMT -5
last week we went through 60 lbs of thistle and this week I only have to fill the feeders every third day!); the purple finches are singing...but none of the migrants from the south are back. I think all that snow south of us is holding them up. Here, though, we're already in drought--only .7" of liquid precip in 2015, which puts us 1.34" below normal for the year already. I noticed, just today the thistle socks are less empty by afternoon - decided they must be heading north to the mountains of NM! The moisture issues are incredible - we are like 350% ahead so far this year! We should be around 1.25" by mid March and we've had 4.37"
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Mar 14, 2015 14:00:47 GMT -5
We've been so wet the past 2 years that we probably still technically have a surplus, but with planting season coming up, a little rain would be a boon. The fire season just started, too--something we're always watchful of since we live in a forest.
Where would a roadrunner be likely to nest, Lue? Do they nest in cacti, thickets...cavities?? They're fairly big, aren't they? (Yes, I'm too lazy to go pull out my Sibley to check. o.o )
The robins came back yesterday! And today I saw an American woodcock.
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Mar 15, 2015 17:26:02 GMT -5
Where would a roadrunner be likely to nest, Lue? D HRM - when we had "our pair" once they nested in a small oak tree about 6-8 feet off the ground. I've posted pictures of the young'uns in the past - I'll look for them again. It was printed in Birder's World (now Birding) magazine as a backyard photo/story I sent in. Anyway, that year was 2005, - I visited the nest every day and said "blessings roadrunner family". I think the youngsters and pair knew my voice, they would never fly away when I went outside and said "blessings". The male sits on the nest through the night because his body temp is higher. The next year was when the female was killed by a feral cat and the male mourned her for days - such a sad time and he 'cried' so much. They mate for life. They already had a nest with eggs! He tried to do the 24/7 thing for several days - I left corn and water near by to help out. They had nested in the brush pile that year - about 3 feet off the ground. But he eventually abandoned the nest. Since then we haven't had a pair around the house. So, to answer your question, mostly they nest in trees but take advantage of other options. And yes they are pretty big - about the size of a crow, a bit bigger.
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Mar 15, 2015 17:59:23 GMT -5
Aw, bittersweet memories, then... *hugs* I hope you can find the pics. Would love to see them! I talk to my birds, too, and have convinced myself that they know my voice. Don't know if they really do, but I tell myself that!
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 3, 2015 11:49:31 GMT -5
Finally the sparrows are beginning to show up! I've seen a solitary Song sparrow, a couple of American tree sparrows, 6 or 7 Red fox sparrows and dozens of juncos today. Also loads of Tundra swans. They were all quite low and coming up from the direction of the lake (about 3/4 of a mile away). I really wish I'd gotten up early and taken the camera down to the lake to check it out this morning! Our Red-winged blackbird male came back yesterday...unfortunately with the first Brown-headed cowbird of the year tagging along, and our Eastern phoebe showed up this morning! It's cold, though--not sure what it's going to find to eat. I've been putting out extra mealworms for the bug and worm eaters that are going to have trouble finding insects. The robins are gobbling them up as fast as I can lay them down!
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 3, 2015 21:45:09 GMT -5
Sounds like spring is there! At least the birds think so! Congrats on all those sparrow migrants!
Still working on the roadie pics - need to move/find them from old laptop to new laptop.
|
|
|
Post by luv2bird on Apr 4, 2015 10:07:34 GMT -5
Sounds like spring is there! At least the birds think so! Congrats on all those sparrow migrants! Still working on the roadie pics - need to move/find them from old laptop to new laptop. Looking forward to your Roadie pics. Lue.
l2b
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 4, 2015 13:55:45 GMT -5
Me, too!
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 4, 2015 17:56:58 GMT -5
Y'all will have to be patient - we'll be gone nearly a week (starting Wed.) for a week. Going to the big city of Austin to see friends and "find" the church bell my ancestors brought from the old country. Turns out it is now at Concordia University that also has acreage in a preserve that has the uncommon Golden-cheeked Warbler.... hmmm, it'd be nice if I could talk my guy and our 84 yr. old friend to let me wander away for a little bit... Here's a quote from Cornell's site "The rare and endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler nests only in the juniper-oak woodlands of central Texas." and here's the link www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-cheeked_Warbler/id
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 4, 2015 17:59:23 GMT -5
Scott's Orioles have returned as of today. No photo today - but here is a photo from last year to remind y'all of their beauty. Attachment Deleted
|
|
|
Post by luv2bird on Apr 5, 2015 17:56:18 GMT -5
Scott's Orioles have returned as of today. No photo today - but here is a photo from last year to remind y'all of their beauty. He is so beautiful Lue, wished one would make a mistake and fly up here; I'd be proud to have him on my life list.
l2b
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 5, 2015 22:45:51 GMT -5
They are gorgeous orioles, Lue! And I hope you find both the bell and the golden-cheeked warbler on your trip! Why, if I may ask, did your family bring a bell with them? And how did Concordia College end up with it?
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 6, 2015 20:10:11 GMT -5
Why, if I may ask, did your family bring a bell with them? And how did Concordia College end up with it? As I understand things, my family (and all Wends, I guess) were persecuted in the old country (Prussia/East Germany). The czar (or whoever) took their lands so they were without home and country for some time and wandered like gypsies. Then 500+ decided to come to the new world for religious freedom on a ship called Ben Nevis - got to an England port, came in contact with a cholera epidemic - survived that - eventually got to Galveston and the had to deal with yellow fever! About 360 survived the journey. The main issues for leaving their homeland was being forced to join the Evangelical Lutherans vs. keeping their sect of Lutheran Wends. Secondly they were forced to speak and use the German language and their names were Germanized vs. being able to speak Wend. How the bell ended up on the Concordia campus I am not sure. They brought it with them (preachers name was Rev. Jan Kilian) and when they landed in TX and bought land east of Austin, they built a Lutheran church and school on 95 acres they had set aside for that purpose. The town they started was named Serbin and they held Wendish church services there until 1921.
|
|
|
Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 6, 2015 20:10:38 GMT -5
Glad you both liked the Scott's oriole pics.
|
|