Did a little bird watching today and thought about SwampSniper.

Bird of the day ^ | 2 FEB 16 | Islander7

[Islander7]

Hey there! Been missing your bird threads. Looked out the window this morning and saw several doves fighting over the bird feeders. Inspired me to ease up the road a bit to an osprey nest I've been keeping an eye on.

The pair there have raised their fledges for at least the past four years. This is likely their time using this nest as the rotting pine sways precariously in even the slightest breeze.

At any rate, I thought about you. Hope you are well and able to get out.

Enjoy!

[Islander7]

Here in south Florida, the power companies place poles with nesting platforms on them for the ospreys. Keeps them off the power poles (usually). They're very common here.

My favorite bird here is the Sandhill Crane and the Crested Caracara. The canes are easy going and quite approachable.

The Caracara is shy. Took me weeks to get a decent shot of one.

[Islander7]

If only I didn’t have to work for a living.

[Islander7]

OK....I’ll start a birding ping list. Couple of caveats, I work, a lot. So, I can’t promise a regular, i.e., weekly thread. I’m not a bird expert; just a guy hooked on photography with a love for all God’s creatures. So questions about identify, etc. will need to addressed by others. (Hint flycatcher)

Having said that, ping me to be added to the list.

[fidelis]

That would be great! Any effort you can make would be appreciated. We're all busy, but even having an occasional thread like this would be really fun. Count me in!

[Ditter]

My favorite is the Redheaded Woodpecker. They are handsome birds, Pileateds are kind of goofy looking. We see both of those fairly often. We see Cardinals, Titmouse, Chickadees, House finches, Blue Jays, Sparrows and White winged Doves almost every day. You have a wonderful job!

[tacticalogic]

My favorite is the Redheaded Woodpecker. They are handsome birds, Pileateds are kind of goofy looking.

We've had a pair of those hitting the feeders this year. The can make short work of a suet block on a cold day!

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

Nice pic. Birds are such graceful creatures. When I was younger I used to do a lot of bird sketches.

Like you, I have noticed that Swampsniper has posted anything lately and I hope he is ok.

[Flycatcher]

The second pic of Gorush's post #16 is, of course, a red-headed woodpecker.

Nice pix, Gorush!

And, yes, I do love my job!

[stylecouncilor]

Great post! I’ve been missing SwampSniper too.

[Flycatcher]

Definitely add me to your bird ping list.

Like you, I work a lot, but I'll always try to respond to a ping as soon as I can.

Thanks!

[Islander7]

You’re first on the list.

[Ditter]

I have never put out suet for the birds, maybe I should try it. I have one feeder outside my kitchen windows. The squirrels were tearing it up until I put safflower seeds in it. I saw the first squirrel that came up about 3 minutes after I put it out, he took a bite, spit it out and never came back! I loved it!

[BluH2o]

Lived in CT for many years, then southern Ohio, in both areas we lived on wooded properties. In Ohio we were within a half mile of a large nature preserve. Pileated woodpeckers were in evidence in both CT and southern Ohio.
Cardinals were in evidence as well ... we now live in western CO and cardinals are not part of the birdscape. They have been observed in western Nebraska near McCook but haven't made it to the front range of the Rockies. Miss my cardinals.

[Hot Tabasco]

Having said that, ping me to be added to the list.

I'm in, thanks

[patriot08]

http://www.caller.com/news/corpus-christi-keeps-title-of-americas-birdiest-city-ep-362985961-316685201.html

[Flycatcher]

Haha!

Well I was close...

[patriot08]

Yes, you were close. :)
See my ‘about’ page. There’s a photo of the rare, spectacular whooping cranes who migrate near here.

[EinNYC]

My birding has been seriously curtailed by the aftereffects of Hurricane Sandy on Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, which resulted in a breach of the trail. The birding damage was greatly augmented by Sen. Kirstin Braindead Gillibrand having ramrodded a "Come onto Federal land and kill all the Canada geese there!" bill through a couple of years ago, resulting in about 800 or more Canadas being murdered/year here. Hurricane Sandy's breach allowed the ocean to enter the freshwater pond and thus turned the freshwater pond into a saltwater pond and is STILL not repaired, due to various libtard "environmental" groups arguing over the best way to fix it: Not fix it. Build a bridge over breach. Do the sensible thing and just repair the breach, pump out the salt water pond and restore the freshwater pond. Dear oh dear oh me, it takes years to figure out the obvious for braintard libs.

The not-fixed status means that you walk all around the formerly freshwater pond and then have to turn back and go back the way you came rather than be able to finish the oval and head back for the park building or the parking lot. The not-fixed status also means that many of the freshwater loving species formerly seen at the park are now not seen. So it's not worth the drive to JBWR or the walk to see a few species vs. many.

I certainly miss stealing a few hours from chores on nice Sundays to come here to my local version of Eden.

[FamiliarFace]

Add me please! Thank you!

[Flycatcher]

Wow! What a great home page. You love Texas. Nothing wrong with that!

And, yes, the pic with the whoopers and the steer is great.

I'm guessing somewhere near Aransas NWR.