|
Hobbies, Crafts, Interests Do you like to knit? Throw pottery? Go fishing? Camping? Have Pets? Make jewelry? Tell us about it here! |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
05-04-2010, 03:48 AM | #1 |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
Transgressive Male Preferred Pronoun?:
masculine Relationship Status:
hog-tied with love Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: beyond the never-never
Posts: 157
Thanks: 234
Thanked 311 Times in 91 Posts
Rep Power: 1671349 |
The Avairy-- aka Gone to the Birds
'allo All and welcome to the Avairy
Thought that I would start this back up-- For the birds, and those of us who love them. The songbirds that come and brighten our days in our gardens, the parrots that wake us here at dawn. The crows and blackbirds that we love, and the small finches that we put seed out for... Who are the birds in your life... who are the rare birds you look for, the ones you watch out for... This is our place to share our stories, questions, pictures... and overall love of birds... Welcome!
__________________
"Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." ~~ Da Vinci "If I were to think of and dwell on disastrous possibilities, I could do nothing. I throw myself headlong into my work, and come up again with my studies; if the storm within gets too loud, I take a glass too much to stun myself." ~~ Van Gogh |
05-04-2010, 04:17 AM | #2 |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
Transgressive Male Preferred Pronoun?:
masculine Relationship Status:
hog-tied with love Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: beyond the never-never
Posts: 157
Thanks: 234
Thanked 311 Times in 91 Posts
Rep Power: 1671349 |
Just a photo or two to help get things rolling:
Some Emu's-- NOT in a zoo, but just out alongside the road during a drive one weekend... they are amazing (and dangerous) and I got nervous once the male was within a couple of meters of me. (do remember that emu's are a little smaller than an ostrich and have huge talons that are about 6 inches long on the end of very muscular legs) These last ones are a mating pair of Wedgetail Eagles that we saw on another drive not far from home. They are among the largest birds of prey in the world-- reaching wingspans of 73-89 inches (6'1"- 7'5"), with a very distinctive wedge shaped tail.
__________________
"Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." ~~ Da Vinci "If I were to think of and dwell on disastrous possibilities, I could do nothing. I throw myself headlong into my work, and come up again with my studies; if the storm within gets too loud, I take a glass too much to stun myself." ~~ Van Gogh |
The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to StoneFinn For This Useful Post: |
05-04-2010, 05:43 AM | #3 |
Timed Out - Permanent
How Do You Identify?:
decidedly indifferent Preferred Pronoun?:
other Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Patrick Springs, VA
Posts: 2,812
Thanks: 9,247
Thanked 5,702 Times in 1,684 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
When we still lived in Charles City, the annual migration of cedar waxwings was always a great treat to catch. I referred to them as tiny bandits, as they would move from tree to tree stripping any berries or nuts hidden by squirrels and make off with them. Couple interesting notes: They will store food in their throats, like 30 berries at a time to feed young. They will also line up on a branch and pass food from one to the next down the line until one finally eats it.
Neat lil fellers! Thanks for the thread Finney Han! I'm a big old bird watching dork from way back! Last edited by Jess; 05-04-2010 at 05:46 AM. |
The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Jess For This Useful Post: |
05-04-2010, 09:46 AM | #4 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
Me Preferred Pronoun?:
He Relationship Status:
Unavailable Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Over the Rainbow in a House
Posts: 5,072
Thanks: 16,004
Thanked 5,249 Times in 2,216 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
I am another bird watching fan here! I even belong to a club called Birds & Bikes. You follow birds and ride your bike along nature trails. I really enjoy it. |
05-04-2010, 09:57 AM | #5 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
thank you.
stone finn, i have long loved your bird photography. thank you for starting this thread. here is a link on cranes, please:
http://www.savingcranes.org/ thinking about how connected we are all to birds- impacts/more thoughts: wind farms and flyways, backyard to remote habitats, oil spill and migration, endangered species, songbirds, raptors, pesticides, representation in history of art, spirituality, poetry/music, ornithologists, et c. stunning images- belle Last edited by violaine; 05-04-2010 at 10:03 AM. |
05-04-2010, 10:05 AM | #6 |
Infamous Member
How Do You Identify?:
Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status:
Happy Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic.
Posts: 9,234
Thanks: 9,840
Thanked 34,656 Times in 7,653 Posts
Rep Power: 21474860 |
I put up a couple of pretty handpainted birdhouses on my deck for decoration a couple of years ago. A sparrow couple set up housekeeping and have never left! They are very sexually active and give birth 3-4 separate times each season. Fascinates me when it is time for the little buggers to venture out of the nest.
Thankfully, they are used to my being there now and no longer dive bomb me when I step foot out the door. We also have a pair of hawks which are awesome to watch until they swoop down on the chipmunks for a snack. Cardinals, yellow finches, chickadees, titmouses.....sometimes I sit there with the Birds of North America book trying to figure out who is visiting me.
__________________
|
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Kobi For This Useful Post: |
05-06-2010, 12:16 PM | #7 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
today is already quite warm in indiana. visiting the feeding stations today are the following birds-
sparrows, grackles, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, jays, and on the ground- mourning doves, american robins, crows [my favourite], & late afternoon/early evening ducks. the red-winged blackbirds take over the feeding stations, and make a shrill sounding * chreeeeeep- chreeeeeep* during a walk, i'll see all of the birds listed at the feeders plus- finches, woodpeckers, turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, cooper's hawks, great blue herons, ducks, geese, crows, and great horned owls. cornell lab is a wonderful place i am very fond of ornithologist kevin mcgowan, and he's why i became a supporter of the field work/research he's done over the years with florida scrub jays and crows. i've made his acquaintance, and while some people may become star struck over actors, i'd much rather meet ornithologists/primatologists and so on ! http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/index.html http://www.princetonol.com/groups/ia...le/animals.htm the first link is to kevin/cornell, and the second has tons of information on history of art/animal symbolism. Falcon / Hawk byk - The sacred bird of the falcon-headed solar god Horus, it was also regarded as his Ba. The falcon was a bird that had protective powers, and was frequently linked with royalty, where it was depicted as hovering over the head of the pharaoh, with outstretched wings. The falcon was also sacred to Montu, god of war, and Sokar, god of the Memphite necropolis. The bird of prey was sometimes associated with Hathor, 'The House of Horus'. The son of Horus, Qebehsenuef who guarded the canopic jar of the intestines, was a falcon-headed god. The human headed ba-bird was sometimes given the body of a falcon. Heron bnw - The bnw-bird was represented as a heron, and was thought to be the original phoenix - it was a bird of the sun and rebirth, the sacred bird of Heliopolis, closely linked to the primeval mound. It was also thought to be the Ba of both Ra and Osiris. Ibis hb - Regarded as the reincarnation of Thoth, the sacred ibis was sacred to the god of knowledge, who had the form of an ibis-headed man. The Akhu, part of the soul, was written with the sign of a crested ibis, known as the Akhu-bird. Ostrich nyw - Ma'at, the personification of order, was shown as a seated woman wearing an ostrich feather as her headdress or as the feather itself. Vulture nrt - sacred to Nekhbet, goddess of Upper Egypt and Mut, mother goddess. The vulture often holds the shn symbol of eternity in its talons, offering eternal protection to the pharaoh. As such, the vulture is closely linked to rulership. happy day birding to you all- belle |
05-06-2010, 08:58 PM | #8 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
i started two albums for here- one is called aprilOwls, though it contains hawks. the other album is crows [which only has a few rather far away images, but i like them anyway!] http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/a...rilOwlOwletts/ Last edited by violaine; 05-06-2010 at 09:02 PM. |
05-06-2010, 09:05 PM | #9 |
Just a guy.
How Do You Identify?:
Just a guy Preferred Pronoun?:
male Relationship Status:
Sparkle's consort Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: MA
Posts: 1,458
Thanks: 807
Thanked 3,778 Times in 958 Posts
Rep Power: 21474852 |
Avid birder here
I'm hitting my favorite birding spot next weekend in northern Michigan, hoping I am not too late for the spring migration. Michigan is blessed by being located in a major fly-way. We see lots of cool birds here in the spring. A few years ago, my best bird was a Lewis' Woodpecker, normally only seen in the desert out West. It was blown off course and was spotted at Whitefish Point in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I happened to be in the area and drove over to the area and I ended up spotting it in the scrubby pines. It was amazing!
I'd love it if birders would post their lists in here of things they seen on their birding days. It would be cool to read what others are seeing in their part of the world. Jake |
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Hack For This Useful Post: |
05-06-2010, 09:18 PM | #10 |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
Femme Relationship Status:
rainbows! Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 466
Thanks: 303
Thanked 2,529 Times in 412 Posts
Rep Power: 12032609 |
I'm not an official birder - but I love birds.
One day 10 years ago, I was sitting in a friend's garden looking at the pigeons lined up on the telephone wires above. And there, in the midst of their grayness, was a bright bold green parrot. There's actually a colony of parrots living in a large cemetery not far from my house. Here's a link: http://blogs.discovery.com/nerdabout...ts-of-nyc.html |
05-07-2010, 09:02 AM | #11 |
Mentally Delicious
How Do You Identify?:
Queer High Femme, thank you very much Preferred Pronoun?:
Mme. Relationship Status:
Married to JD. Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 10,446
Thanks: 5,995
Thanked 42,843 Times in 7,833 Posts
Rep Power: 21474861 |
We have some pretty interesting birds here in Arkansas and Jack saw her first Cardinal and Bluejay when we moved here!
We do have some funny little ones running along the ground. At first I thought they might be actual RoadRunners but they have a bluish-back and a reddish-belly. They are FAST too! We also have a lot of Killdeer (I think that's what they are called?) that build their nests in rocks on the ground and then if you get too close to them, they will act like they have a broken wing to lead you away. Oh, and did I mention that some kind of bird has built its nest on the downspout right outside our living room window? I expect to see little hungry heads popping up any day now
__________________
. . . |
05-07-2010, 01:16 PM | #12 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
not just a cartoon character- carnivorous bird
medusa,
roadrunners are very cool birds with an impressive ground running speed and diet. i am having a hard time thinking of all the marine environment, birds in need of human intervention, and habitats - plant/animal. long-term ecological effects of the oil spill nightmare have me feeling beyond sad today. |
05-07-2010, 01:45 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
How Do You Identify?:
The Gardner Preferred Pronoun?:
Ummmm Relationship Status:
Nah Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Sunshine State, State of Sunshine
Posts: 2,616
Thanks: 1,577
Thanked 3,890 Times in 1,155 Posts
Rep Power: 21474853 |
Get a hair cut.
they are taking hair cuttings from all over the U.S to fill stockings with which in turn will help in cleaning up the oil spill. There's an article but I'm too lazy to post the link.(it's actually worth looking up) I did however donate as much hair as I had yesterday
|
The Following User Says Thank You to MrSunshine For This Useful Post: |
05-10-2010, 08:52 AM | #14 | |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
Transgressive Male Preferred Pronoun?:
masculine Relationship Status:
hog-tied with love Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: beyond the never-never
Posts: 157
Thanks: 234
Thanked 311 Times in 91 Posts
Rep Power: 1671349 |
Quote:
I am a pretty avid birder and bird photographer-- in my early 20's I was lucky enough to be the naturalist for one of the Audubon Society Reserves in the US for a while. Even before then, when I was small my Mum was a vet tech, also in the States, and I was able to do things like raise a set of orphaned ducklings, and even an orphaned great horned owl at home. The ducks, we eventually released ourselves, though the owl went to a Raptor rehab center after a while. I also was also lucky to have a large raptor nest right next to my side of the house on the farm growing up-- so birds have always been a huge focus of mine. I started working on photographing them with that nest-- running out with my kodak 110 insta-matic trying to get decent snaps of the ospreys or the owls. Since that time, I have traveled all over North America, and now also parts of Southeast Asia, into New Zealand (to see the Albatross specifically), and live in Australia. I have even been lucky enough to stand within a couple of meters of the Little Penguin-- an Aussie native penguin-- in the wild down in the Melbourne region. Thank you everyone for posting and sharing your stories and photos! Keep them coming every one makes me smile, and I love being able to share some of the birds that I see that others might not ever be able to... and seeing birds that I might never be able to travel to see myself My partner has become used to me doing things like suddenly stopping the truck, grabbing the ever present camera, and me running off somewhere, chasing after something... usually all she hears is "BIRD!" as I jump out... LOL She has an eternal patience with me, especially when it comes to this-- her only "rule" is that I don't run the truck off the road, into another MV or off a cliff because I am too busy looking at a bird. I think that is fair. Otherwise-- I am hoping for the safety and well being of all my and our feathered (and scaled and non-scaled and so on) friends up in the Gulf of Mexico.... will close with a couple more photos tonight... A **small** flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos in NSW One of the ducks (that I am still working on an ID for) at one of the local park ponds.
__________________
"Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." ~~ Da Vinci "If I were to think of and dwell on disastrous possibilities, I could do nothing. I throw myself headlong into my work, and come up again with my studies; if the storm within gets too loud, I take a glass too much to stun myself." ~~ Van Gogh |
|
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to StoneFinn For This Useful Post: |
05-10-2010, 11:38 AM | #15 | |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
TOWANDA! Preferred Pronoun?:
Queen Bee Relationship Status:
Good 'n married. Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Eastern Canada. But if I make a wrong turn at the lights I get stopped by a border guard.
Posts: 1,499
Thanks: 2,355
Thanked 2,759 Times in 820 Posts
Rep Power: 16450091 |
Quote:
__________________
"Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind." -Albert Schweitzer |
|
The Following User Says Thank You to suebee For This Useful Post: |
05-13-2010, 08:48 PM | #16 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
catbird-
http://www.avianweb.com/greycatbirds.html
i hear them every time i walk, and they sound exactly like a meowing possibly quite hungry cat! was able to photograph one- although he or she did give me the stink eye. they are elusive creatures- or else quite bold- so i've read. i think, in my own experience, more of the former! |
The Following User Says Thank You to violaine For This Useful Post: |
05-13-2010, 08:52 PM | #17 | |
Member
How Do You Identify?:
TOWANDA! Preferred Pronoun?:
Queen Bee Relationship Status:
Good 'n married. Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Eastern Canada. But if I make a wrong turn at the lights I get stopped by a border guard.
Posts: 1,499
Thanks: 2,355
Thanked 2,759 Times in 820 Posts
Rep Power: 16450091 |
Quote:
Saw three or four crows chasing an eagle away from - I assume - their nest this afternoon. The great hunter chased away by the great crowers. It never ceases to amaze me - the protective instincts of animals.
__________________
"Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind." -Albert Schweitzer |
|
The Following User Says Thank You to suebee For This Useful Post: |
05-13-2010, 09:18 PM | #18 |
Just a guy.
How Do You Identify?:
Just a guy Preferred Pronoun?:
male Relationship Status:
Sparkle's consort Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: MA
Posts: 1,458
Thanks: 807
Thanked 3,778 Times in 958 Posts
Rep Power: 21474852 |
I will be in the field Saturday all day and Sunday morning. I cannot wait! I will post my list back here when I have a minute.
|
05-13-2010, 09:22 PM | #19 |
Timed Out
How Do You Identify?:
atypical Preferred Pronoun?:
plague words and phrases Relationship Status:
love wise guys of the avian world Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: wekiva springs basin
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 9,934
Thanked 3,294 Times in 1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 0 |
Hack wrote: I will be in the field Saturday all day and Sunday morning. I cannot wait! I will post my list back here when I have a minute.
i hope you have a great time! sue, catbirds are beautiful birds, and i'm not surprised about the crows mobbing eagles, hawks, or owls. in turn, crows are mobbed by smaller birds. |
05-13-2010, 10:28 PM | #20 |
Joy Seeker
How Do You Identify?:
Smartly-Flavored Preferred Pronoun?:
Goddess Relationship Status:
Mrs. Syzygy 1/9/14 Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Joyville, NM (aka Land of Enchantment)
Posts: 10,140
Thanks: 13,636
Thanked 28,125 Times in 6,414 Posts
Rep Power: 21474861 |
I am mad for birds. I've owned and bred birds. I'm an avid bird watcher.
StoneFinn, could that be a Garganey or an Australian Wood Duck? It's hard to tell because it's a black and white. My third guess is the Pacific Black Duck. I love playing the "id this bird" game, by the way. Wildest bird I've ever seen was when I was very young. It was a Sunday morning in Monroe, LA (southern United States). Our neighbor came knocking on our door to "Come see." In his live oak tree sat a HUGE white bird. It was a Snowy Owl who'd apparently taken a heck of a wrong turn somewhere. She or he was gorgeous. I've seen some other unusual birds in my day. I want to get a birding book and do some serious, binoculars-in-hand, early-freaking-morning birding. |
|
|