BIRDS

[HemlockKing]

It’s good therapy feeding the birds lol . If I’m feelin a bit grouchy or whatever I can get distracted pretty quickly by interacting with the wildlife.

[Hilltop366]

I don't see the grey jays around home, only when I head inland and not every time just once in a while. This guy seemed to like peanuts. Mostly seemed to be putting as many as possible in it's mouth and stashing them somewhere.

[HemlockKing]

Here's another shot I got that's probably better than the first I had posted


 

[HemlockKing]

Anyone ever seen a potoo bird?

Check it out, pretty creepy/cool https://m.youtube.com/shorts/nX0hz18QiP0

[HemlockKing]

That guy looks like he needs a long nap or cup of coffee !

[Chuck White]

We have been seeing up to 5-6 Orioles at the feeder, at the same time, off and on all day up until about 5-6 days ago, now I only put feed out once a day!

I went through 5 jars of Grape Jelly, so we had lots of Orioles!

Must be that now the little ones have hatched and flown the nest (they came to the feeder with mom and dad) and most of them have scattered!

[thecfarm]

No orioles at my place.  :(  Last year I had to put another feeder because 2 would be there at the same time, never saw more than 2 at one time.
Wife saw one the first of June. Put out the feeder, it never came back.
They are around. I work at a hardware store, we sell bird seed. I ask customers and some have them.

[Hilltop366]

Seen a few of these while out paddling down the river yesterday.

After some looking on line I'm thinking it is a Solitary Sandpiper.



 

[Ron Scott]

RE:  MANAGING FOREST FOR TIMBER & BIRDS
 
Guild Gathering in Lake States: Simultaneously Managing Forests for Timber, Birds, and the Future
3 & 4 August, Ford Forestry Center
More Information
Register ($50, $25 for students)
 
Location: Michigan Technological University's Ford Center (Alberta, MI), with field tours throughout Houghton County
 
Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society Continuing Education Credits will be available – amounts TBD

[KEC]

Hilltop, Yes, I think it is a Solitary Sandpiper. Many shorebirds that nest in the arctic are heading back South in July. As soon as their young are old enough to fend for themselves the adults head back South. Those young birds head South a little later and do not have the benefit of going with the experienced adults. They rely on instinct to know when to migrate and where to go.

[Hilltop366]

Thanks KEC, the bird would stay at least hundred feet or so ahead of us flying from rock to rock, once it landed it would dip it's head down every 5 to 10 seconds.

[Ianab]

Many shorebirds that nest in the arctic are heading back South in July. As soon as their young are old enough to fend for themselves the adults head back South

Some of those birds migrate from Siberia / Alaska all the way to NZ, and back every year. Seems excessive, but that's what they deal with. 

[KEC]

There is a shorebird called the Bar-tailed Godwit that nests in Siberia and Alaska and winters in New Zealand. It migrates North to Asia and up through Korea and that area to Siberia and some cross the Bearing Sea to Alaska. They nest and as soon as the young are able to fend for themselves the adults go back to NZ, the young are on their own to fiqure out when to leave, where to go and how to get there. A researcher a few years ago caught one in Alaska, put a GPS unit on it, and released it. Very shortly after, the bird started winging its' way to NZ, straight line over the pacific. Mind you, GPS can track its' exact location and travel route, etc in real time. That bird flew non-stop for 11 days averaging ~25 MPH through several prevailing winds zones (had to compensate for wind drift), no stops and touched down in New Zealand. A distance of over 7,000 miles. All this ability is in its' genes.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I have been watching bluebirds light on the TV cable behind the house for weeks but today i spotted one going in the birdhouse on the gatepost there so today I checked it.


 I hung this birdhouse last year. I already removed one nest earlier this year from a bird that had already nested there.

Hard to see in the shade but there are 4 featherless baby bluebirds in the nest right now. Hopefully they will have time to raise another clutch of eggs after this one.

[HemlockKing]

Nothing much to report on bird sightings, haven’t put out bird seed lately as the chipmunks are making a comeback  after reducing their numbers already. They find it really fast, squirrels and chipmunks take cues from where the birds are, where there are birds singing there is likely food, and especially squirrels are curious buggers.

[HemlockKing]

The chickadees still show up and I will hand give them a small fist full of seed but that's about it for awhile lol . Blue jays were getting carried away too. Best let the birds live reality every now and then so they don't forget how to find food for themselves lol

[WV Sawmiller]

 

 The 4 little bluebirds are nearly fully fledged now but I can't see the distinctive colors on them yet. I guess they will be leaving the nest box in a week or so.

 Here's dad taking a break on the cable line since dive bombing me several times. He'd swoop within 6" of my ear while I photographed the kids.

 Meanwhile out at the barn in a feed sack I hung next to the feed box and filled with old haystrings a Carolina wren has established a nest. About half the time when I open the feed box to get the horse his dinner the wren flies out past my right ear.

[KEC]

I recently found an Eastern Kingbird nest in a roadside hawthorn tree. They incorporated some strips of blue tarp plastic in the nest.

 

[HemlockKing]

I've been noticing bats recently around just before dark each night

[WV Sawmiller]

I looked out in the front yard early afternoon and we had a great blue heron in the nearly dry creek about 35 yards in front of the house. He was cleaning up the chubs, minnows and crawfish in the deeper pools where I catch my fish bait. I opened the window and my wife got a picture or two then before i could get my camera ready he had walked upstream and was below the bank out of sight. I love to watch them fishing.

[Hilltop366]

I seen one on Monday while out canoeing, it was hard to get a decent picture of it from the canoe.

 

[Ron Scott]

Missouri
Round 2 of Nuthatch Reintroduction to Begin This Month (MO)
News Tribune, Aug. 17, 2021
Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation said the Brown-Headed Nuthatch was likely made extinct in Missouri in the early 1900s following removal of shortleaf pine woodlands across the Missouri Ozarks. Millions of acres of pine woodland existed in the state prior to widespread logging in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today's regenerated forest is dominated by oaks and hickories that replaced pines after their removal. Following extensive restoration of pine woodlands in the Mark Twain National Forest, the necessary habitat now exists for Brown-Headed Nuthatches to live in Missouri.

READ MORE

The E-Forester

[HemlockKing]

I'm seeing a group of birds lately that I haven't a clue what species. They are mostly on the ground and feed on flying insects and such, they do crazy maneuvers to catch them in the air, much like a thrush, they twitch their tail feathers quickly when perched. They are the size of a chickadee roughly and their peep calls sound like a chickadees, they have a creamy yellow chest and underbelly with a brown top/head and wings, any ideas thank you.

[KEC]

HemlockKing, Just based on the fact that the birds you are seeing occur in a flock and spend a lot of time acting like flycatchers, the bird that comes to mind is Cedar Waxwing. Look it up and let us know if it's a match. They especially like to catch insects over water at a pond, lake or stream. They also eat a lot of berries.

[HemlockKing]

KEC, that is not the one unfortunately, beautiful species of bird though! 

I tried getting a picture but I couldn’t get close enough to make them out, when I get one I will post