THE BIRD THREAD - Post birds, discuss birds or even sniff birds.

[Diet Coke 4 Life]

On the topic of turkey vultures, I'll simply state that you don't appreciate how enormous those birds are until you have to climb into a dumpster to rescue one. My last shore-duty, there's a huge flock of them that roosts on the berthings to catch morning thermals. Sometimes they dumpster dive. One time, one ate so much he/she was unable to escape the dumpster and the truck was inbound. Duty Chief to the rescue. Bird was fucking enormous!!

 

[anliteralidiot]

On the topic of turkey vultures, I'll simply state that you don't appreciate how enormous those birds are until you have to climb into a dumpster to rescue one. My last shore-duty, there's a huge flock of them that roosts on the berthings to catch morning thermals. Sometimes they dumpster dive. One time, one ate so much he/she was unable to escape the dumpster and the truck was inbound. Duty Chief to the rescue. Bird was fucking enormous!!

There was a bird rescue near me that had a group of them that liked to hang around. I even asked the lady if they were rescues, and she said no.

They justed like to hop around there.
Absolutely goofy guys, I love them.

I was visiting my mom, and learned that there's a band of hawks hanging around her. Does anyone know where to ask to get a good ID for them? I'm pretty sure they were one species, but we're not in their range.

They might be eating her unpenned chickens, too. Something for my favorite rooster, who couldn't crow.
Rest in power, big guy.

 

[BelUwUga]

Here's the barred owl that likes to hang out in my trees sometimes, I named him Darius:

 

[internet friend]

I saw a Peregrine Falcon today. I don't think the photos I took came out any good, but I still saw him. He was a cool dude.

 

[He's Ronald McDonald]

 

[Um...]

I was looking out my kitchen window the other day when a hummingbird flew by. I get tons of different birds that come to my feeders but I’ve never seen a hummingbird in all the years I’ve lived here.

So I went to Home Depot and got a hummingbird feeder, filled it and set it up outside my window

and in minutes I had my first little customer. They’re bright green, impossibly tiny and maneuver like tiny jet fighters, hovering over the feeder and shooting off sideways when they’re done. Highly recommend.

 

[BelUwUga]

I was looking out my kitchen window the other day when a hummingbird flew by. I get tons of different birds that come to my feeders but I’ve never seen a hummingbird in all the years I’ve lived here.

So I went to Home Depot and got a hummingbird feeder, filled it and set it up outside my window
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and in minutes I had my first little customer. They’re bright green, impossibly tiny and maneuver like tiny jet fighters, hovering over the feeder and shooting off sideways when they’re done. Highly recommend.

Hummingbirds are cool! In case you don't know, 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water is what the mixture is, it can save a bunch compared to concentrate. I have a question related to my hummingbird feeder if anyone can help: has anyone else dealt with sugar ants pillaging theirs? I just washed at least 50 off mine before refilling. Last time I refilled it I did a half-assed application of some diatomaceous earth to the string it was hanging from and the cap. It seemed to slow them down for several days but I guess it got moist enough it was no longer effective. This time around I was much more liberal in my application. Considering the humidity here I don't have high hopes for this lasting much longer than a week at best. Any solutions that will be more permanent? I am hesitant to use an actual poison as I am unsure if it will hurt the birds.

 

[SIGSEGV]

birds are not that important

 

[DOUBLE_WHEEL]

birds are not that important

The four pests campaign proves you wrong, birds are very important.

 

[AbyssStarer]

I was visiting my mom, and learned that there's a band of hawks hanging around her. Does anyone know where to ask to get a good ID for them? I'm pretty sure they were one species, but we're not in their range.

Identifying hawks can be fucking impossible, especially when most of them are the same spackled brown/white for their first year or two. You need to note a lot of tiny details and compare a few ID guides before settling. Things to remember is the shape of their tail, the stripes or lack thereof, specific beak shape/size, leg width, voice, where they are and what brought them there, as well as the other things to note when doing bird ID. Sometimes birds even occur outside of the ranges that books tell you, I've had that happen IRL. There's one tricky lil' red bastard that hangs around my place that isn't supposed to be here and I'm waiting to see if he leaves for winter.

It pays to own a couple bird books. One time I was only able to identify a hawk based off one line in my cheaper Birds of [State] book that wasn't anywhere else. If you only want one bird book I recommend Sibley. Pages look like :point down:, it's the best guide I've ever used. I also use the app Merlin to do audio recordings.

I also own two NatGeo guides, two of the Cornell backyard birds guides, Audubon (the little red outdated one), and a handful of more regional ones. I wanted to get a Birds of Europe guide too for the fun of it.

 

[Um...]

I have a question related to my hummingbird feeder. Has anyone else dealt with sugar ants pillaging theirs? I just washed at least 50 off mine before refilling. Last time I refilled it I did a half-assed application of some diatomaceous earth to the string it was hanging from and the cap. It seemed to slow them down for several days but I guess it got moist enough it was no longer effective. This time around I was much more liberal in my application. Considering the humidity here I don't have high hopes for this lasting much longer than a week at best. Any solutions that will be more permanent? I am hesitant to use an actual poison as I am unsure if it will hurt the birds.

You can get an ant moat to hang above your feeder, like this:


Just hang it above your feeder and keep it filled with water. The ants get drownded before they get to it. I can’t post links that work for some reason but google ‘ant moats’ and you’ll get a bunch of choices.

(No insecticides/poisons, please!)

 

[Diet Coke 4 Life]

Finally got a decent bird feeder that's effectively warded off the devilish fuzzy treenagers (damned squirrels) and preventing seed theft from the bastards.

Unfortunately, they're now destroying my blueberry bushes. Can't win.

But hey, even the brown thrashers have learned to use the new feeder. Chickadees have no problems, nor do summer tanagers, cardinals, house finches and wrens.

The stupid doves that hit my yard every day still prefer to pick at the ground like tards. Whatever.

 

[mannic]

 

[Cats]

 

[internet friend]

Sadly, the Peregrine Falcon I saw didn't come out the best in photos

Spoiler: Boo

But in order to make up for this, I present to you fine folk some other cool birds I've come across last weekend! (Although these are the second-tier photos, not the ones I publish)

Olive-Backed Oriole



This excellent little fluff was singing his god damn head off while trying to hide in the trees, but eventually he was spotted, posed for a while, ate a berry then flew off.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater



Small, fast and highly uncooperative. These little fellas zip around the trees at hyperactive speeds and refuse to stay still for longer than a couple of seconds. You really gotta sit and wait to get a good look at them.

Royal Spoonbill


He's got a big old spoon shaped bill (sadly not pictured) which he uses to grab fish and look mad. Very cool.

Rainbow Bee-eater


Colourful, fast and eats bees. What more could you want? The two elongated tail feathers are for 5G reception.

 

[Unnecessary Surgery Land]

Sadly, the Peregrine Falcon I saw didn't come out the best in photos

Spoiler: Boo

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But in order to make up for this, I present to you fine folk some other cool birds I've come across last weekend! (Although these are the second-tier photos, not the ones I publish)

Olive-Backed Oriole
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This excellent little fluff was singing his god damn head off while trying to hide in the trees, but eventually he was spotted, posed for a while, ate a berry then flew off.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater
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Small, fast and highly uncooperative. These little fellas zip around the trees at hyperactive speeds and refuse to stay still for longer than a couple of seconds. You really gotta sit and wait to get a good look at them.

Royal Spoonbill
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He's got a big old spoon shaped bill (sadly not pictured) which he uses to grab fish and look mad. Very cool.

Rainbow Bee-eater
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Colourful, fast and eats bees. What more could you want? The two elongated tail feathers are for 5G reception.

These are fucking excellent!!! Especially the extra fluffy oriole.

Thank you for sharing these!!! Made my night

Stunning.

 

[internet friend]

These are fucking excellent!!! Especially the extra fluffy oriole.

Thank you for sharing these!!! Made my night

Stunning.

I was gonna save it for later on in the thread, but here's a Pied Cormorant drying off just for you:

 

[Unnecessary Surgery Land]

I was gonna save it for later on in the thread, but here's a Pied Cormorant drying off just for you:

DUDE. THIS. IS. FUCKING. BEYOND. RAD.

BLESS YOU!! This cormo has no business being this fluffy!

Made it my wallpaper!!! Little guy is out there not knowing I'm just creeping on him forever now.
THANK YOOOU!!!!

 

[Cats]

The woman rescued and adopted an owl while out in the wild. The owl is energetic at night, and is adored by the woman's daughter, who it plays with every day. The daughter shares her food with the owl, and the owl willingly helps the little girl. Whenever someone greets them, the owl runs over immediately, giving the daughter a cute companion.

 

[Anonitolia]

idk how the fuck I didn't find this thread before. fuckin love birds. the smart ones are always the most interesting. I've got a bunch of really pretty (and loud) ones around where I live, but I haven't got a personal camera so I don't really take any photos unfortunately. Does not help that the dog likes to chase them off before I can get anything decent anyways lol.

There is this one asshole crow and his small gang of grackles at the local pool though. Motherfucker stole my potato chip bag one time. He's a sneaky bastard surrounded by sycophants and he's by far the most entertaining part of that place. Planning on catching him in the act the moment I get a decent video-recorder.
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I took the quiz as an initiation ritual. Don't think the answer's very accurate lol. Last thing I'd describe myself as in most situations is "calm and focused"...