Birds

AMKuska

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
2,216
Reaction score
5,366
Points
317
Location
Washington
I keep seeing absolutely stunning birds in my garden. I can't believe there are so many.
IMG_2753.JPG

A Red Breasted Sap Sucker hanging out on the kid's swing
chickadee.JPG

Black Capped Chickadee
flicker.jpg

Flicker
hawk.JPG

Vicious Chicken Killing Murderer
robin.JPG

Robin
sickstarling.jpg

Starling with a Bug
IMG_1161.JPG

Song Sparrow
Towhee.JPG

Spotted Towhee
unknown2.JPG

A Fat Bird
unknown3.JPG

Also a Fat Bird (ID'd as Song Sparrow by DigitS)
 
Last edited:

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,728
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Better than my "Roger Tory Peterson:"
:D



Steve
likes to see the Towhee around
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,953
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
I belong to a group on facebook that lets members post pics of sites in the state that they find attractive. It is amazing how many Missouri homeowners have Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, even a few Painted Buntings at their back yard feeders. I guess they are on a migration route. We don't see many exotic birds like that here, though, in my area.
 

AMKuska

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
2,216
Reaction score
5,366
Points
317
Location
Washington
My neighbor just saw a Western Tanager drinking at a puddle! Apparently they usually stay up in the canopy so while they're common, you just don't see them. As I get better at birding, I'm actually starting to realize my backyard is FULL of birds. There are tons of different types of birds in every possible description that live in my yard. My son and I are going to buy a big fat notebook soon and start drawing and writing about every species we see in the yard.
 

ducks4you

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
11,150
Reaction score
13,824
Points
417
Location
East Central IL, Was Zone 6, Now...maybe Zone 5
Better than my "Roger Tory Peterson:"
:D



Steve
likes to see the Towhee around
You have GOT to help me identify a bird that has been hanging around this Spring. It has a very pretty song...I could write it out in music...can't find any site that will let me id it without spending hours on the internet. Any suggestions as to where to go?
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,728
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Hmmm, I used to think that for weed ID that Virginia Tech was an easy choice. As they have (presumably) put more information online, it is now more complex and time-consuming to use. That is especially for me since I don't have a good vocabulary for plant parts ...

Asking someone who has severe hearing loss about identifying birds by song? I'm noticing that yet again this year, the robins seem to have changed their song. I've been trying to practice identifying song sparrows by their silhouette and flight pattern as they fly over me in the blue sky ...

Write it out as music?!! See, you have a "vocabulary" that I couldn't possibly have, @ducks4you ! Know that Cornell has audio song recordings. I have fun listening to them :). I bet that you will quickly be able to identify the songs. It helps to have some idea of the bird family to check. Then, look at their range maps.

Catching sight of the bird that is doing the singing may be necessary. Realize that most birds "mark territory" by singing. That means, that they are often traveling around, sing here and there and there, and over there. I've often thought how the person listening might think that it's all a pretty song. Meanwhile, the bird is thinking it's saying, "Boy, you come over here and you are in Trouble!" Or, he might be saying, "Sheesh, this constant attention to DW and the nestlings is really getting tedious. I'm about to go nutz!!!"

Steve
 

Latest posts

Top