Bird Migration and Misc Birding Thread
- Thread starter Kinch
- Start date
Had a window strike from a sharp shinned hawk this week. It unfortunately died. I assume it was chasing a songbird from our feeders.
Was leaving to go seek an owl in fall leaf color photo and had to pause and shoot this Cooper's Hawk in my own yard. It flew from my maple to adjacent white oak and perched just long enough for me to grab my camera before it flew off.
Saw a pair of Great Horned Owls in a local park on Sunday and finally scratched my itch for an owl in fall foliage color. Wish it had open eyes but you can't have everything. And the closed eyes did sort of reassure us we were not disturbing it. Very urbanized pair but you still don't want to disturb them too much just to get a look and a photo. It's mate was in an adjacent oak, sleeping.
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Went back for more fall color owl, or falling back on my old plant materials classes from 50 years ago
at ISU, a Bubo virginianus in a Quercus alba.
Owl was a awake and preening some so got open eyes.
at ISU, a Bubo virginianus in a Quercus alba.
Owl was a awake and preening some so got open eyes.
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Pelicans?
White.
In the spring they pop up like ghosts floating in the air. It's awesome.
What are you usually near?
I only see pelicans when we cross the mile long bridge near Polk City. They’re white.
Any tips/tricks to attracting more than just a **** ton of house finches to your feeder? Finally got a blue jay for the first time yesterday so that was exciting.
Slow shoreline cruise Sunday. IL ....East of St Louis. 
What are you using for seed? I haven't had anything out since the damn deer knocked my feeder over. I was putting out mostly black sunflower seed and got finches, cardinals, chickadees and some nuthatches.
Thought I had done well to mostly baffle out the tree rats and raccoons but than the deer decided join the anti-bird team. Can't put winter bird water out either, deer drink it immediately.
To draw blue jays I put out peanuts in the shell. To draw woodpeckers I use shelled peanuts and suet. Sunflower hearts and corn draw a wide variety of birds in my neighborhood.
I put out a wide mix. In the shell peanuts, shelled peanuts, black oil sunflower, nyjer seed, a fruit/nut mix, safflower, suet, meal worms, humming bird and oriole nectar. I get other stuff but also a **** ton of house finches.
Obviously not shots from my feeder but a couple good ones today.
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I will also say I typically go way over the top on any hobby and I doubt the variety I have is necessary.
My wife mocking me for only being mid 30s and already being serious about feeding my birds helps to keep me in check.
It's how it starts. Old girlfriend who I am still friends with is a world traveler and her world list is of birds is HUGE. I asked her recently when she got into birding so much (I haven't seen her since 2000). Answer was when she lived with me decades ago and I had feeders out at my house. And she would have been 30-something than so you are right on track!
I'll be honest I'm 48 and I mock myself internally for being into this.
Posted an image of this screech owl earlier but this photo from a couples of weeks ago with the owl awake is better. Near sunset and we waited around for about an hour for it to come mostly out of it cavity. It only casually paid us any mind and this is a moment where it actually bothered to eye us. We left shortly after that so it could continue it's pre-dusk prep for an evening of hunting.
Per morning observation: The local turkey rafter, aka The Gang of 17 (up from The Gang of 13 last year), is now The Gang of 21.
