Any bird watchers out there?

[HuncaMunca]

So I'm not an adamant bird watcher, I just always keep an eye open for something new. Anyone else ever pay attention to the birds they see?

Birds that I've seen in my area:
Pigeon-odviously
Sparrows-mostly house sparrows, maybe some other types I couldn't tell apart.
Crows
Scub jays
Stellar jays
Mallards
Canada goose
Coots
Double crested cormorant
Common merganser
Downy woodpecker
Northern flicker
Dark eyed junco 'oregon race'
Ravens
Mocking birds
Turkey vulture
Red tailed hawk
Bald eagle
Great blue heron
Sandhill crane
Great horned owl-I think, he was sleeing under a free way over pass- it was hard to tell
Ring billed sea gull
Cliff swallow
Robins
White pelicant
California quail
Mourning dove
Rufous hummingbird

Those are all I can remember right now, tell me about the differnent birds that live in your area!

 

[jorats]

My sister loves bird watching but like you, not a real hobbyist.
The other day, I saw a bunting flock...oh my, such beautiful little birds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snow ... ifehistory
We've got plenty of Blue Jays here, but it's always a treat to see them.
Mallards
American goldfinch
Black-backed woodpecker
Black-capped chickadee (had one feeding out of my hand)
Ring-billed Gull
Chipping Sparrow
all kinds of sparrows
Dark-eyed Junco
Great Blue Heron
Hairy Woodpecker
Mourning dove
Pigeons
Red-wing Blackbird
Ring-necked pheasant
Ruffed Grouse
Sandhill crane
Swans
Canada Goose
Common Grackle
European Starling
Robins
Cedar Waxing (raised one that had fallen out of his nest and released successfully)
Loon
American crow
Common raven
I'm sure I've seen more but I would need my sister beside me to identify them. lol

 

[Kimber]

My parents are more bird watchers than I am. The last interesting one that they saw was a sharp-shinned hawk. He swooped down at the bird feeder and stole a starling.....ate it right on the ground below the feeder and my parents stood in the window watching him for a few minutes before he took off with the rest of it.

 

[Zooy]

Here are my birdwatchers, they generally get to see grackles and seagulls

 

[Godmother]

I love watching birds, though don't have the time to do it seriously. We have a truckload of backyard feeders. I was happy to see a Barred Owl this winter while on one of my walks in the woods.

And, for the birders among you, watch this site for the progress of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds northward each spring:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

 

[HuncaMunca]

That's awesome Jorats! I'm in love with pheasants, but I've never seen one. And I totally forgot about starlings, I see them probably every day.
Do you're cats make those funny chirping sound while they watch birds Zooy? I think it's soo cute.

 

[theratlady]

i always have an eye out for critters hmmm to try and list all the birds ive seen in nova scotia
great blue heron
bald eagle
red tailed hawk
marsh hawk
kestrel
osprey
great horned owl
saw whet owl
cormorants
storm petrel(brought into the clinic)
loons

robins
chickadee
ceder waxwings
yellow finches
crows, ravens, starlings, grackles
blue jays
sparrows
downy, hairy and pileated woodpeckers
canada goose
mourning doves
pheasants
partridge
mocking bird
piping plovers
gray jays--i think they are called whiskey jacks
red winged blackbird

all i can think of at the moment

 

[temblabamomo]

We are currently inundated with Canadian geese. Soon we'll be seeing the little fuzzies hopping about after their parents :heart:

I'm terrible with bird names, but a few of the more common ones to this area that I can actually remember -
blue jay
cardinal
robin
chickadees (around here they are tame enough to take seed from human hands)
starlings
blue birds
night herons (not sure if that's their real name)
red-winged blackbirds
seagulls
blue herons
white herons
mourning doves
oodles of pigeons
wrens in the barn

We are also amazingly lucky here because at our local botanical gardens, there is a pair of bald eagles that nest every year and raise their chicks. A camera is always set up in a neighboring tree and we get to watch the little guys grow up. It's pretty neat.

 

[Moon]

My dad and I used to be fairly avid watchers. I'm not anymore, but we do have a HUGE Redheaded Woodpecker that attacks the dead tree next door. He sure does make a racket.

 

[Sorraia]

Its my job!

I monitor endangered Least Bell's Vireo and California Least Terns. Also have to pay attention to a number of other "target" species, and like to note everything I see and hear just to keep my skills sharp. My observations include (but not all): (we'll see what kind of birders you are if you know what these stand for! hehe )

HOFI
HOSP
LEGO
AMGO
LAGO
CLSW
NRWS
BARS
TRES
EUST
BHCO
BRBL
GTGR
MALL
AMWI
GADW
GWTE
CITE
RUDU
BUFF
NORS
NOPI
KILL
MOUP
CAQU
ANHU
ALHU
RUHU
BCHU
YWAR
YRWA
BTYW
NAWA
YBCH
WEBL
MOBL
CAGO
ATFL
WIFL
BLPH
EAPH
SAPH
WEKI
CAKI
NUWO
DOWO
BAEA
GOEA
AMKE
RSHA
RTHA
OSPR
COHA
MERL
WTKI
NOHA
LAZB
BUOR
HOOR
COYE
SOSP
HOWR
BEWR
MAWR
NOMO
BUSH
OCWA
SPTO
CALT
PHAI
CEDW
HUVI
WAVI
LBVI
WCSP
RCKI
NOFL
GBHE
GREG
GRHE
CAEG
BRPE
CLGR
EAGR
PIGR
WODU
DCCO
BCNH
SNEG
TUVU
COMO
AMCO
CGDO
ROPI
BTPI
GRRO
WESO
BANO
GHOW
BEKI
ACWO
WEWP
PSFL
WESJ
AMCR
CORA
HOLA
OATI
BGGN
CAGN
WREN
AMRO
CATH
AMPI
WIWA
LASP
SAVS
SAGS
LISP
DEJU
BHGR
BLGR
RWBL
TRBL

 

[littledevils]

I'm obsessed with the pair of bald eagles nesting a block away:
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/index.ph ... eEagleNest

I'm also near the Hastings Park Conservancy... Being lazy and put a link up to the species we can see: http://hastingspark.ca/node/36
You certainly don't see all of them every day but I've seen quite a few for sure.

For some reason I see red tailed hawks ALL THE TIME yet I'm one of a few people in the neighborhood that seems to notice them.

Some of the pics I took in the past 2-3 months:


Juvenile Bald Eagle by recycledrats, on Flickr
Juvie bald eagle (NOT one of the nesting pair, just visitor)


Urban Eagle by recycledrats, on Flickr
Bald eagle.. Part of the nesting pair


The chase is on by recycledrats, on Flickr


Tag! You're it! by recycledrats, on Flickr

Red tailed hawk in pursuit


Seagull by recycledrats, on Flickr

I know.. just a seagull.. but I adore them!

And finally.. just crows... I'm quite fascinated with them, so so smart!


Crow by recycledrats, on Flickr


Happy Couple by recycledrats, on Flickr


Cold Shoulder by recycledrats, on Flickr

I also get a kick out of bushtits (stupid name!)... so itty bitty! They are on my list of "Things to photograph"

 

[Godmother]

Loving this thread! Sorraia, I can only figure out some of those bird names. We don't get all of them up here. But I bet you don't find CORE in your back yard at the feeders!

littledevils, I envy you being so close to a Bald Eagle nest. We have eagles here, but it is much easier to see an Osprey nest. I love looking out for them in the spring and then following the progress of the eggs, chicks, & fledglings.

 

[HuncaMunca]

Very cool pictures littledevils, I've only seen a bald eagle once where I live, but I've seen them a few times in northeastern california where my grandparents live.
And I really like the seagull on the lamp post, I have always wanted to paint that, I guess I just like how familiar it feels.

That must be a rewarding job Sorraia (at least compared to what I do lol), I could only guess a few though.

 

[Sorraia]

Now that I'm home (and not at work on my lunch break lol) I can post a few of the pictures I've been able to take...

Burrowing Owl:

Mourning Dove:

Great-horned Owl:

Least Bell's Vireo:

California Least Tern:

At my house (not on the job), I've so far seen: House Sparrow, House Finch, Bullock's Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Common Ravens, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Cooper's Hawk, White-crowned Sparrow, Oak Titmouse, Mountain Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, European Starling, California Towhee, Northern Mockingbird, Western Scrubjay, and I know I'm forgetting a few but can't think of them...

My list earlier is answered here:
HOuse FInch
HOuse SParrow
LEsser GOldfinch
AMerican GOldfinch
LAwrence's GOldfinch
CLiff SWallow
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
BARn Swallow
TREe Swallow
EUropean STarling
Brown-Headed COwbird
BRewer's BLackbird
Great-Tailed GRackle
MALLard
AMerican WIdgeon
GADWall
Green-Winged TEal (may have gotten that abbreviation wrong...)
CInnamon TEal
RUddy DUck
BUFFlehead
NORthern Shoveler
NOrthern PIntail
KILLdeer
MOUntain Plover
CAlifornia QUail
ANna's HUmmingbird
ALlen's HUmmingbird
RUfous HUmmingbird
Black-Chinned HUmmingbird
Yellow WARbler
Yellow-Rumped WArbler
Black-Throated graY Warbler (that one has a really weird abbreviation)
NAshville WArbler
Yellow-Breasted CHat
WEstern BLuebird
MOuntain BLuebird
CAnada GOose (messed up that abbreviation, actually supposed to be CANG)
Ash-Throated FLycatcher
WIllow FLycatcher
BLack PHoebe
EAstern PHoebe (might have that abbreviation wrong)
SAy's PHoebe
WEstern KIngbird
CAssin's KIngbird
NUttall's WOodpecker
DOwny WOodpecker
BAld EAgle
GOlen EAgle
AMerican KEstrel
Red-Shouldered HAwk
Red-Tailed HAwk
OSPRey
COoper's HAwk
MERLin
White-Tailed KIte
NOrthern HArrier
LAZuli Bunting
BUllock's ORiole
HOoded ORiole
COmmon YEllowthroat
SOng SParrow
HOuse WRen
BEwick's WRen
MArsh WRen
NOrthern MOckingbird
BUSHtit
Orange-Crowned WArbler
SPoted TOwhee
CALifornia Towhee
PHAInopepla
CEDar Waxwing
HUtton's VIreo
WArbling VIreo
Least Bell's VIreo
White-Crowned SParrow
Ruby-Crowned KInglet
NOrthern FLicker
Great Blue HEron
GReat EGret
GReen HEron
CAttle EGret
BRown PElican (may have gotten that abbreviation wrong)
CLGR (ugh... can't remember now... this is what I get for making such a reply when I'm at work and in the right context! lol)
EAGR (ugh... can't remember now... this is what I get for making such a reply when I'm at work and in the right context! lol)
PIGR (ugh... can't remember now... this is what I get for making such a reply when I'm at work and in the right context! lol)
WOod DUck
Double-Crested COrmorant
Black-Crowned Night-Heron
SNowy EGret
TUrkey VUlture
COmmon MOorhen
AMerican COot
Common Ground-DOve
ROPI (ugh... can't remember now... this is what I get for making such a reply when I'm at work and in the right context! lol)
BTPI (ugh... can't remember now... this is what I get for making such a reply when I'm at work and in the right context! lol)
GReater ROadrunner
WEstern ScreechOwl
BArN Owl
Great-Horned OWl
BElted KIngfisher
ACorn WOodpecker
WEstern Wood-Pewee
Pacific Slope FLycatcher
WEstern ScrubJay
AMerican CRow
COmmon RAven
HOrned LArk
OAk TItmouse
Blue-Gray GNatcatcher
CAlifornia GNatcatcher
WRENtit
AMerican RObin
CAlifornia THrasher
AMerican PIpit
WIlson's WArbler
LArk SParrow
SAVannah Sparrow
SAGe Sparrow
LIncoln SParrow
Dark-Eyed JUnco
Black-Headed GRosbeak
BLue GRosbeak
Red-Winged BLackbird
TRicolored BLackbird

 

[HuncaMunca]

Saw a few interesting things last week. While at work on friday I watched a turkey vulture flying around 40 feet over some houses, and watched him find a thermal and start corkskewing up and up. He went up so fast that in about five minutes I could hardly see him. I'm huge vulture fanatic, everytime I see one I get excited! Though not many people share my enthusiasm for them lol.
Then on sunday my son and I were walking to the park and watched around twenty crows mob a red tailed hawk. He was carrying something, which I guess might have been a baby crow considering how many of them were attacking him. They were coming from all directions. I did see a nest in a tree, but it looked to small to be a crow's. It was crazy see them work together to scare him off, but it seemed he already got the baby. I've seen a couple of crows pestering hawks before, but not on this scale.

 

[Sorraia]

I had a new bird today at work!!! A Black-and-white Warbler!!!! They are rare out here, and I've never seen one before. Almost though it was a woodpecker until I got it in my binos.

 

[temblabamomo]

@ Sorraia - I spent way too long trying to figure out the birds from your original list, I'd completely forgotten about how hardcore birders list their sightings. Quite the challenge!

All the usual Canada geese couples were out yesterday morning as I was leaving for work, but for the first time this year some of them had little fuzzy chicks with them. So cute :heart:

 

[jorats]

Wonderful pics Simone and Nicole!

 

[Sorraia]

@ Sorraia - I spent way too long trying to figure out the birds from your original list, I'd completely forgotten about how hardcore birders list their sightings. Quite the challenge!

:lol:
I have to because of my job, but it really saves a lot of time too. I should scan in pictures of my data book! :cheeky:

Now if I were REALLY doing it correctly... I would have listed them in phylogenetic order too... I'm not that good. :mrgreen:


And to keep on track.... I had an awesome day at work today. No new species sightings, but I did find 3 new LBVI nests and the 2 I already knew about had 3 eggs and 4 eggs. Yay for LBVI!
(and slightly off topic - also found two san diego coast horned lizards, PHCO)

 

[RatsForever]

Love the pics here!

I love watching birds! I use to be a very avid birder but I don't have the time to do serious birding anymore, :sad3: The only birding I do now is around my home (I use travel all over the place just to birdwatch). Lately, I've spotted mourning doves, pileated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, gray jay, chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, American goldfinches, robins, belted kingfisher, and white-throated sparrows.