Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[Steve Warden]

We've got a killdeer roaming the property.
An interesting bird. They nest on the ground and will feign injury in order to draw predators away from their nest.

[doglegg]

Fun to watch Steve. A wonder that any survive with foot traffic, lawn mowers and predators.

[Quick Steel]

Usually observe one or two in the field but just quick visits, no nesting.

[FRJ]

We've got a killdeer roaming the property.
An interesting bird. They nest on the ground and will feign injury in order to draw predators away from their nest.
20190501_175133.jpg

I witnessed this many time as a kid in the fields around Spokane with our socks loaded with "cheat grass" seeds.
They would drag a wing and try to get you away from their nest.

[philco]

This panhandler approached me in the parking lot looking for a handout.

[Mumbleypeg]

Not the best picture, but here’s Poppa Bluebird guarding the house. He and mom have been keeping busy feeding babies.

Ken

[doglegg]

Phil, sometimes they beg and sometimes they demand. Years ago I worked on a freight dock and the bosses were always on to the forklift drivers for tearing the corners of dog food bags on pallets. Well one day I was there during the day and to my amusement I saw a big old crow glide onto the dock, find the closest skid of dogfood and proceed to tear a hole in the bottom corner bag and let a little food fall out. Ate a few morsels and carried one off as he flew away. It turns out that the poor old forklift drivers were getting a bad rap.

[doglegg]

A nice guardian to get to watch. Glad for you M.

[bighomer]

gonna get me a bug.

[doglegg]

BH, I bet it will have no problem finding one.

[treefarmer]

An observation concerning the Killdeers that Bro. Steve Warden mentioned. Years ago most of the school buildings at the local vocational school were flat gravel covered built up roofs. The HVAC equipment was usually located on the roof. During service work we would run into Killdeers nesting on the flat roof, no nest, just eggs laying among the gravel. When we would get close to the eggs the Killdeer would do as Steve described. Later the district got smart and moved all the A/C to the ground as the constantly leaking flat roofs were covered with metal trusses and metal roofing and the "Killdees" had to get back on the ground.
When I was a kid, the old timers used to drop the "R" and used the name Killdee for those Plovers.
Treefarmer

[bighomer]

When I was a kid, the old timers used to drop the "R" and used the name Killdee for those Plovers.
Treefarmer[/quote]
Never called them them nothing else farmer , I think the "r" is silent. They used to raise in my back yard but I've not had one in several years. The first year they raise there I had dug a fist sized rock out of a slight raised area and one made it her spot and nested there for 2 or 3 years. I've had them raise in the driveway also. When I was a working man right beside my Dowtherm generators was a railroad spur and they raised in the gravel there. When I'd make my rounds they'd put me on a show. One Time a little one was inside the rails and couldn't get out to his mother on the outside ,so I caught the little beggar and put it outside and he pooped in my hand for thanks .
Some folks don't like crows but the boss and l lov'em we buy day ole bread and bacon fat to feed them. They also like the suet that the woodpeckers knock off the feeders.

[doglegg]

Kelldee was what I heard growing up. Crows are interesting to me as well. Those big old ravens in the western states really fascinate me as well.

[Quick Steel]

Crows are fascinating and highly intelligent. I saw a video in which a crow took a long straight wire, then bent the end into a hook so that he could reach inside a bottle and pull out the food inside. Several generations will stay together e.g. father and mothers with kids, cousins etc.
When one dies they usually gather around quietly, staying with the body for a while.

[Paladin]

Crows are fascinating and highly intelligent. I saw a video in which a crow took a long straight wire, then bent the end into a hook so that he could reach inside a bottle and pull out the food inside. Several generations will stay together e.g. father and mothers with kids, cousins etc.
When one dies they usually gather around quietly, staying with the body for a while.

They also have trials where the offender is executed at the end.

Ray

[Quick Steel]

Ray is that true? What would be the felonious crows crime? The only thing I can think of is if a stranger crow attempted to move in on another's mate.

[Paladin]

Ray is that true? What would be the felonious crows crime? The only thing I can think of is if a stranger crow attempted to move in on another's mate.

It is true. I saw one but didn't know what I was witnessing. A reliable friend witnessed one. There was a lot of squawking (loud cawing) and at the end they all ganged up on the guilty party and pecked him, or her, to death.

Ray

[Mumbleypeg]

Several years ago I had planted the sweet corn in my garden. The day after the seeds germinated and little corn plants about an inch tall had emerged, I watched a crow go down the row, pull up the plants in succession and eat the still-present seed from which the plants were emerging. After I got over being fascinated at what it was doing, I chased it away. But it was more patient than me - after I left it came back and ate every single one. I had to re-plant.

Ken

[philco]

I'm not the only bird watcher at my house.

[doglegg]

Phil, there is a cat that sometimes mistakes my bird feeder for a cat feeder. My dog has to explain to her the difference.

[Steve Warden]

[bighomer]

This little heifer came a bit ago for a fill up.

thought she was hiding from me I got her picture anyway

[doglegg]

Very cool BH.

[Steve Warden]

Funny about turkeys.
Reading about turkey hunting in Outdoor Life and Field and Stream in my younger days, I always figured the turkey to be an extremely shy, wary bird that avoided any kind of human presence.
Now I live an a very developed area, almost a suburb of Philly, and turkey sightings, to include flocks of 6-8 birds, no less, are not uncommon.

[bighomer]

These guys are having a little cake for dessert after eating up all the fat trimings.

Hard to believe that they are the same color as this little feller. This is the first time I ever got a picture of one, they very seldom visit my yard and most of the time I don't have my phone with me. Beautiful bird don't you think.