Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[Quick Steel]

Pigstikr, Could you tell us what part of the country you live in? If you don't want to mention the state for some reason, perhaps the region.
Thanks.

[Paladin]

Pigstikr, Could you tell us what part of the country you live in? If you don't want to mention the state for some reason, perhaps the region.
Thanks.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, QS. It is one of my crusades to get our folks to include that info in their profile, or whatever it is called.

Ray

[PigStikr]

I'm North east side of lower peninsula..Iosco County ten miles west of Lake Huron...this is Huron National Forest on this side of the State..I live in what is known as Sand Lk. not a Township or City but is known to locals as The Lake there are seven lakes here in five sq. miles oak ridge around them all I live between Bass & Big Island lk.

[jmh58]

Pigstikr, Could you tell us what part of the country you live in? If you don't want to mention the state for some reason, perhaps the region.
Thanks.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, QS. It is one of my crusades to get our folks to include that info in their profile, or whatever it is called.

Ray

[PigStikr]

Sand Lk.
Floyd Lk.
Little Island
Big Island
Round Lk.
Indian Lk.
Bass Lk.
and Chappel lk. that's eieght
have the Ausable River just a couple miles to the north that is the water they claim Jimmy Hoffa was dupmed in

[Quick Steel]

Thank you Pigstkir. That is certainly specific. Only lacking the coordinates of your house.

[Mumbleypeg]

Mama bluebird is working on her second brood this year in this birdhouse. First one had five eggs also but only four hatched.

Ken

[Steve Warden]

[WillyCamaro]

Wonderful birds Philco, Pigsticker, and Ken . Keep em' coming, especially showing off your flock Biggy .
Round here we got pigeons, black birds, regular sparrows, doves, bunch of robins, red tail hawks, a few eagles from time to time, ravens, crows, yellow buggies, and barn swallows i'm waiting for to show up. Not to mention a whole host of different species rotating through-out spring, summer, and fall. Hopefully i'll be-able to get some nice pics, throughout the year. Only problem is, whenever I pull the camera out, they all seem to vanish, except for stupid blackbirds making fun of my bad luck .
Willy

[Doc B]

Very cool, Ken! I don't think we have any of them, down here.

[doglegg]

Mama bluebird is working on her second brood this year in this birdhouse. First one had five eggs also but only four hatched.

Ken

Very cool Ken. One year I was able to see Eastern (here) Western (Wyoming) and Mountain (New Mexico). Not been that lucky again. Great pics.

[Paladin]

Mama bluebird is working on her second brood this year in this birdhouse. First one had five eggs also but only four hatched.

Ken

Very cool Ken. One year I was able to see Eastern (here) Western (Wyoming) and Mountain (New Mexico). Not been that lucky again. Great pics.

The closest I have seen a Bluebird to my area is when I saw one near the little town of Hamilton, Texas. It is about 100 miles north of here as the bluebird flies.

Ray

[doglegg]

Mama bluebird is working on her second brood this year in this birdhouse. First one had five eggs also but only four hatched.

Ken

Very cool Ken. One year I was able to see Eastern (here) Western (Wyoming) and Mountain (New Mexico). Not been that lucky again. Great pics.

The closest I have seen a Bluebird to my area is when I saw one near the little town of Hamilton, Texas. It is about 100 miles north of here as the bluebird flies.

Ray

[Mumbleypeg]

Most of the habitat maps I can find for the Eastern Bluebird look like their year-around range in Texas generally follows along a line east of I-35/and north of I-10. But their winter range extends to south of the Rio Grande and west into mid- New Mexico.

Most sources say the Eastern Bluebird population declined significantly during the 20th century due to destruction of nesting habitat (cavity trees), serious competition from non-native species (European Starlings and English sparrows) and severe snowstorms in the South which “kill them in great numbers”. However the increase in birdhouse boxes have helped recovery, “especially those with proper hole sizes and predator guards.”

I’ve had a bluebird trail of nest boxes for 30+ years, and a year around population. Some mornings we have 6 to 10 of them at a time at the birdbath, drinking and splashing in the water. It’s fun to watch the juveniles start coming to the birdbath after they’ve fledged the nest. The juveniles hang around and help feed later broods too.

Ken

[Quick Steel]

That is a great work you are doing Ken.

[Steve Warden]

Most of the habitat maps I can find for the Eastern Bluebird look like their year-around range in Texas generally follows along a line east of I-35/and north of I-10. But their winter range extends to south of the Rio Grande and west into mid- New Mexico.

Most sources say the Eastern Bluebird population declined significantly during the 20th century due to destruction of nesting habitat (cavity trees), serious competition from non-native species (European Starlings and English sparrows) and severe snowstorms in the South which “kill them in great numbers”. However the increase in birdhouse boxes have helped recovery, “especially those with proper hole sizes and predator guards.”

I’ve had a bluebird trail of nest boxes for 30+ years, and a year around population. Some mornings we have 6 to 10 of them at a time at the birdbath, drinking and splashing in the water. It’s fun to watch the juveniles start coming to the birdbath after they’ve fledged the nest. The juveniles hang around and help feed later broods too.

Ken

Way to go, Ken!

Speaking of birdbaths, I've noticed something a bit peculiar when it comes to birds and their bathing habits.
Curious, but sometimes they'll bathe in the water I have set out (just an upside down lid of a large tub, filled with water), other times their flapping around in a little depression in the dust.

[Mumbleypeg]

Birds use dust to kill mites. My chickens and guinea fowl take dust baths a lot. They have a couple of favorite spots for it. This works because the dust particles are abrasive and penetrate the exoskeletons of mites (and other insects) causing them to dehydrate and die. I assist the process by occasionally dumping a scoop of diatomaceous earth (DE) onto the depressions made by their dusting activities. The DE is just a more effective type of dust. And it’s cheap.

That’s why you see birds taking dust baths.

Ken

[Steve Warden]

So much more to learn 'round here than just about knives.
Thanks Ken.

[Mumbleypeg]

Mama barn swallow has raised another brood. I think there are six. Any day now the young’uns will be gone.
And the proud dad.

Ken

[Waukonda]

Mama barn swallow has raised another brood. I think there are six. Any day now the young’uns will be gone.
And the proud dad.

Ken
80BEDCA4-B1C1-4A99-A676-B2E355076FAC.jpeg

Great pics, really like the one of the 6 little ones resting their heads on the edge of the nest. They love those corner nesting sites, Carport? Covered patio?

[Mumbleypeg]

This one is under a covered porch, in a corner. I normally discourage them from nest building under the porch (they poop a lot which is messy on the floor under the nests) but this one was so persistent that after knocking the nest down several times only to have her try again and again, she wore me down. I have a couple of sheds and barns that they use also so I don’t know why she insisted on the porch. We used to have a bigger problem with them but several years ago we painted the porch ceilings sky blue, which has pretty much stopped them.

It’s kind of fun though to watch the progress. And whenever anyone comes and goes on the porch, they watch. They are pretty comfortable around humans and easily approached - if you can ever find one sitting still. Hard to get a picture of one perching anywhere - seems they’re always in flight. The aerobatics are amazing to watch. They catch insects in mid-flight.

Ken

[philco]

One thing I get a kick out of is when the barn swallows escort me as I mow the pastures. Often I'll have a small squadron of them circling and swooping to harvest the insects stirred up by the tractor and bush hog. They really put on a show.

[TPK]

Mama bluebird is working on her second brood this year in this birdhouse. First one had five eggs also but only four hatched.

Ken

Great looking birds! The barn swallows are also cool!

I have pigeons nesting in my car port for the second year. Last year they raised two youngins. They make a mess & crap on my cars but I still can't bring it over my heart to drive em out of there.

[Steve Warden]

Love the pics of the barn swallows, Ken

[Quick Steel]

Ken, your photos of the Barn Swallows are superb.