Birds

Post Reply New Topic

Is anyone else really into birds and birdwatching? What are your favorite species? How do you engage with birds? Do you watch, catalogue, memorize, research, imitate?

Yes, another bird person here. The Rough-winged Swallows returned last week to the local river.

We don't have those here (I live in Texas). What are their migratory patterns?

They aren't rare, but only really occur along streams and rivers, so they don't return until the bugs come out in the spring. So they are a sign that spring is here in this little neighborhood.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_ ... ed_swallow

And a Carolina Wren singing today at the local cemetery.

The only birds I really pay attention to are the Candian Geese flying overhead. When you see a gaggle flying in v-formation over head it is best to have an umbrella handy. There is also a flock of wild turkeys that wander around my back yard from time to time. My wife and I think of them as our pet dinosaurs.

I have just recently started to take an interest in birds. We have a lot of interesting ones in our local area, and I never paid them much attention before. A friend enjoys birdwatching and mentioned it one day when I was visiting her house - I spent a bit of time looking to her garden whilst she pointed some birds out, and when I got home I decided to pay more attention to my own garden.

I think amongst the most interesting things I've seen have been a kestrel, just once, and a partially leucistic blackbird which I see very frequently. There are also a lot of finches and other smaller birds that are absolutely beautiful but harder for me to get a close look at. And I really enjoy the flight of the pied wagtail, which is a common sight roughly 20 minutes from my house.

In addition I have a Wetlands membership and really enjoy visiting the water birds. I have a soft spot for the Common Eider, but my favourite bird of all has to be the Cape Barren Goose.

Chipping Sparrows singing today.

The Kingfisher returned to the river yesterday.

I like birds. Cardinals are my favorite.

Kingbirds back at the river today.

I live in Monroe Township, NJ and we have flocks of wild turkeys roaming in our wooded and grassy areas. Wild Turkeys are rather handsome birds. Ben Franklin once suggested that the Wild Turkey be the national bird of the U.S.

There is a group of four or five Wild Turkeys who like our backyard for some reason or another. We like watching them and we refer to them as our pet dinosaurs. The Wild Turkeys resemble the velocoraptors of Jurassic Park somewhat.

Wood Thrush singing in the local woods today -- a late spring and summer sign.

I like studying all animals. I don't know much about birds or where to start with birdwatching, though. I've got some books on local species and I'd really like to go out and do it this summer. My favorite bird used to be a harpy eagle but now it's probably the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Most of the summer residents have arrived and are settling in these days. Catbirds and Yellow Warblers singing in the thickets along the river bank, Rough-winged Swallows skimming over the water, Kingbirds enthroned on the tops of the trees.