Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[Steve Warden]

Awesome owl buddy Biggy .

Not too rub it in too much Steve, here was a fine friend that dropped by one spring evening...



Woot woot, .

That's not just rubbing it in, Willy, it's salt in the wounds!!

[bighomer]

Very nice owl, Homer! I have not sen an owl this year. They just do not seem to live in my neighborhood. I miss hearing them at dusk. I have never seen a Barn Owl. They are supposed to be in this area. But considering just how rare it is for me to see any owl, I guess I have just not spotted one yet.

It's been awhile for me to see a barn owl., that old tobacco barn that the great horn owl is sitting own had vents on top of it, about 3' square, they had a floor that you could open to vent the smoke when you was firing dark fired tobacco, anyway long after we quit raising tobacco, one stayed in one of the vents for a long while may have even nested there. I've only saw one screech owl in my life and would never have seen it except for I was cutting a tree down for firewood and disturbed him and he flew to another tree and lit.

[cudgee]

Very nice owl, Homer! I have not sen an owl this year. They just do not seem to live in my neighborhood. I miss hearing them at dusk. I have never seen a Barn Owl. They are supposed to be in this area. But considering just how rare it is for me to see any owl, I guess I have just not spotted one yet.

It's been awhile for me to see a barn owl., that old tobacco barn that the great horn owl is sitting own had vents on top of it, about 3' square, they had a floor that you could open to vent the smoke when you was firing dark fired tobacco, anyway long after we quit raising tobacco, one stayed in one of the vents for a long while may have even nested there. I've only saw one screech owl in my life and would never have seen it except for I was cutting a tree down for firewood and disturbed him and he flew to another tree and lit.

How long ago did you stop growing tobacco, and what did you grow to replace growing tobacco? We stopped growing tobacco over here about 20 years ago.

[bighomer]

Very nice owl, Homer! I have not sen an owl this year. They just do not seem to live in my neighborhood. I miss hearing them at dusk. I have never seen a Barn Owl. They are supposed to be in this area. But considering just how rare it is for me to see any owl, I guess I have just not spotted one yet.

It's been awhile for me to see a barn owl., that old tobacco barn that the great horn owl is sitting own had vents on top of it, about 3' square, they had a floor that you could open to vent the smoke when you was firing dark fired tobacco, anyway long after we quit raising tobacco, one stayed in one of the vents for a long while may have even nested there. I've only saw one screech owl in my life and would never have seen it except for I was cutting a tree down for firewood and disturbed him and he flew to another tree and lit.

How long ago did you stop growing tobacco, and what did you grow to replace growing tobacco? We stopped growing tobacco over here about 20 years ago.

cudgee, dad guit raising it when I was about 15 years old so that was 60 years ago. We still owned the base and rented it out for years, when I bought the farm the base was transfered me and then a few years ago the government (i.e. taxpayers ) bought up all the allotments or bases as we called them.
To answer the 2nd question we tried our hand at raising a few head of cows, but it was mostly a 4H/ FFA project for me, my cow died having a calf and that done me in.

[Dinadan]

I've only saw one screech owl in my life and would never have seen it except for I was cutting a tree down for firewood and disturbed him and he flew to another tree and lit.

I have seen several screech owls in my life: not a lot. I think that every one that I have seen was in a bird box. I try to always have an over size nesting box with a hole at least three inches in diameter just for flickers if any happen along. Screech owls like those boxes to roost in. I could tell when a Screech owl was in the box because Blue Jays would be making a ruckus around the box and the owl would be inside looking out the hole. If you know you have owls on your property, try putting up a box with a 3.5" hole that you can see from your porch.

[doglegg]

A few pic's from our recent trip to Seattle and area. Also saw an osprey, an eagle, a gold finch and a first for me a Western Tanager. Of course I either didn't have my camera or they were too quick for a pic. The Tanager was absolutely stunning. But I did have my camera for a few ducks and steller jays and a crow bathing.

[jmh58]

Kool pics Floyd!! And congrats on the Eagle sighting.. Every time I see one it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!!!
John

[doglegg]

Kool pics Floyd!! And congrats on the Eagle sighting.. Every time I see one it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!!!
John

Thanks John, me too. The osprey was exciting as well, it was hovering. But oh the Tanager!!! Brilliant red head and yellow body. Breath taking.

[Quick Steel]

All fine shots Floyd. I've told the story before but I once bought a property because an eagle flew over low and slow at the moment of decision. Took it as a sign.

[doglegg]

All fine shots Floyd. I've told the story before but I once bought a property because an eagle flew over low and slow at the moment of decision. Took it as a sign.

Cool story QS. Also glad you and your sister are good. Haven't heard anything about your friend with alzimers lately.

[Doc B]

Great pictures Doglegg!!! Tough to return to this Texas heat

[Steve Warden]

Great pictures Doglegg!!! Tough to return to this Texas heat

Ditto on the pics!

Sure don't get how you boys deal with that heat. Anything over 65 starts getting too warm for me!
Just got in from getting the grills set up for tomorrow. 95 out there and I was sweating like a pig within 3 minutes.

[doglegg]

Thanks Doc and Steve. While I was in Washington the daily highs were lower than the daily lows in Dallas/Ft Worth.

[Quick Steel]

doglegg, I appreciate your asking. The situation is as sad as it usually gets. Cannot recognize wife, son, etc.

[doglegg]

doglegg, I appreciate your asking. The situation is as sad as it usually gets. Cannot recognize wife, son, etc.

I was afraid that would be the answer.

[TPK]

A few pic's from our recent trip to Seattle and area. Also saw an osprey, an eagle, a gold finch and a first for me a Western Tanager. Of course I either didn't have my camera or they were too quick for a pic. The Tanager was absolutely stunning. But I did have my camera for a few ducks and steller jays and a crow bathing.DSCN6405.JPGDSCN6406.JPGDSCN6407.JPGDSCN6408.JPGDSCN6411.JPGDSCN6413.JPGDSCN6503.JPGDSCN6403.JPG

Great pictures Floyd!

[doglegg]

Thanks Tom.

[Quick Steel]

I shouldn't even post this awful shot but it was the only one I could get of a visiting Brown Thrasher.

[doglegg]

Cool QS is that what this one is?

[Quick Steel]

No dog, that would be a Red-Shafted Flicker. Probably a female.

[doglegg]

Thanks QS, pictures also taken in Seattle but last year. Great place for birding up there.

[Steve Warden]

Mom and Dad's back yard - Eastern Phoebe

[treefarmer]

Here's an unintentional shot of a Mourning Dove coming in to get a few kernels of deer corn:

Click on pic for a better view

Treefarmer

[stumpstalker]

Has anyone used a night vision monocular for observing wildlife? Do you recommend it?

Are there suggestions for a relatively inexpensive one, say a couple hundred dollars; not the thermal-imaging ones that go for thousands?

[Mumbleypeg]

Can’t give any advice on night vision for monitoring birds or other wildlife. Maybe ask the question over in the Outdoorsman thread?

All the bluebird boxes here are now vacant. I happened to see the last fledgling vacate the nest. This little fellow (or maybe it was a fella ) happened to fly out of the best box and land a few feet away in the grass as I was driving by in my truck. I stopped, got out and walked over to where it was sitting in the grass. Got very near it, thinking maybe it still could not fly. But it awkwardly flew about 20 feet, never getting over a couple of feet off the ground, and landed in a nearby low bush. I took this picture of it.

Then it flew about another 20 feet into the lowest branch of a tree where it sat for a few seconds. Then it took off and flew about 50 feet into the middle of a big elm. I figure it had the flying thing figured out!

Ken