All About Pocket Knives

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 11:51 pm This evening while out and about here, I fired up the Merlin app on my phone and laid it down to listen while I was working. To my surprise it detected a bird I have never heard of, the Sora. The app was unmistakably hearing a Sora, but I couldn’t see it. Looked it up and found it is a “shy secretive fairly small rail, found in 49 states throughout North America”, and “more often heard than seen”. “Fairly common”. Well you could a fooled me!

I never saw it, but here’s a couple of pictures from the internet. Anybody ever seen one?

Ken

Congrats on hearing. I have looked for them but have never seen one.

I don't recall ever seeing a Sora, good catch, Ken.

I don't usually see Brown Thrashers out in the open, but this one gave me a few seconds for a picture.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 8:36 pm I don't recall ever seeing a Sora, good catch, Ken.

I don't usually see Brown Thrashers out in the open, but this one gave me a few seconds for a picture.

Glad for you (and us) that he was a poser.

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 11:51 pm the Sora.
I never saw it, but here’s a couple of pictures from the internet. Anybody ever seen one?

Ken

I have seen exactly one well enough to identify. Most of my rail sightings are flickers of movement among the reeds.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 8:36 pm I don't usually see Brown Thrashers out in the open, but this one gave me a few seconds for a picture.

Have you ever noticed that Mockingbirds just hate the sight of a Brown Thrasher or Catbird? In my garden, if a Thrasher comes out of the bushes into the open, A Mockingbird will usually chase it back into cover.

Dinadan wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:21 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 11:51 pm

Waukonda wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 8:36 pm

Have you ever noticed that Mockingbirds just hate the sight of a Brown Thrasher or Catbird? In my garden, if a Thrasher comes out of the bushes into the open, A Mockingbird will usually chase it back into cover.

I don't usually have Mockingbirds around my yard, when I do, they seem to bully anything that moves!

Really happy to get some good looks at this Yellow Breasted Chat today. Usually, they stay in the brush, and I get a crappy picture or none at all.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 8:38 pm

Dinadan wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:21 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 11:51 pm

Waukonda wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 8:36 pm

Have you ever noticed that Mockingbirds just hate the sight of a Brown Thrasher or Catbird? In my garden, if a Thrasher comes out of the bushes into the open, A Mockingbird will usually chase it back into cover.

I don't usually have Mockingbirds around my yard, when I do, they seem to bully anything that moves!

Really happy to get some good looks at this Yellow Breasted Chat today. Usually, they stay in the brush, and I get a crappy picture or none at all.

That yellow pops! Great pics.

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Great pictures, Ike.

I had some “changing places” today, not in their normal feeders cuz I have no suet out.

Ike, Boji, excellent pics.

This fellow stopped by to say Hello a couple of days ago.
I hardly ever see them so was a surprise to look out the door and see him looking at me!

Boji wrote: ↑Fri May 16, 2025 4:05 am This fellow stopped by to say Hello a couple of days ago.
I hardly ever see them so was a surprise to look out the door and see him looking at me!
IMG_8973.jpeg

Glad for you Boji, we have lots around here. And do they ever love harassing hawks.

Thank you, Joe and Floyd.

Here is a tough one to get.

Cedar Waxwings have have a ritual of sitting sided by side and passing berries to each other. Althought their heads are somewhat obscured, this is shown below. The 1st pic shows the bird on the left plucking a Mulberry which is then passed to the bird on the right in the 2nd pic.

The Swainson's Thrush winters in South America and is a late migrant to breeding territory in Canada, and the very Northern sections of Minnesota and Michigan. There is also a population along the Northern Pacific coast. These aren't particularly good pictures, but I caught one moving through this area.

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Waukonda wrote: ↑Mon May 19, 2025 7:32 pm Cedar Waxwings have have a ritual of sitting sided by side and passing berries to each other.

That is a neat set of photos, Ike. I guess my Cedar Waxwings are gone. I am not certain of that, but I have not seen them in the Mulberry Tree for a few days now. Lots of bird activity in my garden this week. I am pretty sure that the Carolina Chickadees have fledged a brood.

Some absolutely wonderful birds you have in your part of the world gentlemen. I must dust off my camera and get out to take some more photo's of Austrlaian birds to show.

Bushfire wrote: ↑Mon May 19, 2025 11:33 pm Some absolutely wonderful birds you have in your part of the world gentlemen. I must dust off my camera and get out to take some more photo's of Austrlaian birds to show.

Please do!

We had a storm come through last night that dumped 2+ inches of rain, some pea-sized hail, high winds and lots of lightning. This morning was windy and humid but no more rain. Too wet to get any work done so I went down to the creek bottom, plopped down with my back against a big chinquapin oak, and turned on my Merlin app. It was great!

The app heard some birds I had not found before but I also couldn’t see most of them. Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, and Painted Buntings were the most commonly heard (not unusual here) but also picked up a Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Northern House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and an American Crow.

Not bad for 30 minutes! Walking back to the house I saw 3 Scissor-tail Flycatchers on the fence, a whole bunch of Cattle Egrets in the pasture, and a couple of Black Vultures gliding overhead. Next time I’m going to take binoculars in hopes I can see some of the birds in the trees, but my hearing isn’t as directionally accurate as it once was.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue May 20, 2025 12:06 am

Bushfire wrote: ↑Mon May 19, 2025 11:33 pm

and turned on my Merlin app. I

Ken

I just downloaded that app 3 or 4 days ago after you guys mentioning it. Yesterday when I was out, I was impressed that it identified a Pileated Woodpecker strictly from his drumming.

Cutting hay today, the Cattle Egrets were taking advantage and enjoying the insect feast. Sorry about the streaks on the picture - they are reflections from the tractor cab window.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 2:35 am Cutting hay today, the Cattle Egrets were taking advantage and enjoying the insect feast. Sorry about the streaks on the picture - they are reflections from the tractor cab window.

Ken

Ken, years ago, we tried to eat a couple Cattle Egrets. Even parboiled, they were tough!
Just like in your picture, they were always in the hay fields, feeding along with the cows and just about any time you put a piece of equipment in the dirt, they start showing up. One or two, then on the next round a few more and soon there would be everywhere the tractor moved. In addition to grasshoppers we've seen them with small snakes and mice in their beaks.
Sometimes they'll follow me around on the lawnmower in our yard.
Not for sure but they must migrate, we don't see them in the cooler months.
Treefarmer

I never thought about trying to eat one - you must have been hungry! We don’t see them here in the winter either. I suspect like other species whose diet is primarily insects they have to go where the bugs are most plentiful. They’re usually seen here around (and frequently on) cattle. They’re known to eat flies and ticks on livestock, in addition to grasshoppers etc.

Ken

Ike, your picture taking ability is a lot better than mine. You get some great shots. Occasionally I get lucky but most of mine are out of focus.

While I was having a late breakfast this morning we had a visit from a Roadrunner. It stayed around by the hen house and I managed to get a couple of pictures. When the Guinea fowl discovered it, they sent it packing. It’s interesting watching a Roadrunner hunt. They mostly stay on the ground, quickly run a few feet, then stand erect and still watching for something to eat. If nothing moves after a minute or so they do it again. When they see anything edible, an insect, lizard, small snake, etc they grab it in their beak and eat it.

Ken