Birders' Nest

[Pohjolas Daughter]

A pair of the gigantic Dromornis stirtoni – one of the biggest birds of all time – wanders the landscape of the Australian Miocene with their attractively patterned chicks. Despite appearances, Dromornis and its kin – the dromornithids or mihirungs – are not closely related to other, similarly-shaped birds from the fossil record (like the gastornithids and phorusrhacids). They are instead allied to anseriforms – the wildfowl. This affinity would surely have affected some aspects of their life appearance.

Vegetarians, but at 12-14 feet tall, quite daunting. Many vegetarians are quite dangerous - rhinos, elephants, bull-type cows ... I wouldn't relish coming into their perceived-threat radius, if they were still around.

Hey, if they're trying to bring back the dodo....well?

PD

[steve ridgway]

A Swan on a Lake

[VonStupp]

How's Gus doing these days?

PD

Gus is good. As a green-cheek conure, he needs a lot of attention. Life and the holidays means he doesn't get out as much as I (and 'he') would like.

Since fall/winter allergies and illnesses come and go, he has imitated my cough and my daughters' sneezes. Too smart for his own good!
VS

[Pohjolas Daughter]

A Swan on a Lake

Looks like he/she is sitting on some ice--though I do see some sort of path behind it?

Gus is good. As a green-cheek conure, he needs a lot of attention. Life and the holidays means he doesn't get out as much as I (and 'he') would like.

Since fall/winter allergies and illnesses come and go, he has imitated my cough and my daughters' sneezes. Too smart for his own good!
VS

lol  Well, I'm glad that at least he is healthy!

PD

[steve ridgway]

Looks like he/she is sitting on some ice--though I do see some sort of path behind it?

Yes, it was only thin soft ice and the swan flew off a few minutes later.

[Szykneij]

A Swan on a Lake

My conception of swans being serene and graceful creatures changed drastically one snowy night when I tried to rescue one from traffic in the middle of a parkway. Out of the water, they have the proportions of geese with the same hissing dispositions (very much like icebergs, with the bulk of their mass under the water.)

This is the best picture I could get of what I believe to be a Cooper's Hawk that sometimes menaces my bird feeders.

[steve ridgway]

Yes, swans and dogs don't mix well. Good photo of the hawk in action!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My conception of swans being serene and graceful creatures changed drastically one snowy night when I tried to rescue one from traffic in the middle of a parkway. Out of the water, they have the proportions of geese with the same hissing dispositions (very much like icebergs, with the bulk of their mass under the water.)

This is the best picture I could get of what I believe to be a Cooper's Hawk that sometimes menaces my bird feeders.

Cool!  I know that it can be hard at times to watch nature in action, but remember that a hawk has to eat too. 

Hope that you didn't get pecked by the swan?  Nice of you to give it a helping hand! 

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

While I was chatting with a friend on the phone, I saw a red-tailed hawk fly towards and land on a branch in my neighbor's back yard.  Watched it for about half an hour.  It was a juvie (didn't have its red tail yet).  It was looking around (intently) at their yard.  At the end, it spotted something and flew off.  I couldn't see it well there due to terracing, but did see its wing appear (spread wide) at one point and then it flew off out of view.  I did see it clutching something--a chippie I believe.  Good job little juvie!

PD

[steve ridgway]

Corvids in need - crow and jackdaws.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Corvids in need - crow and jackdaws.

In need?  Problems with food resources?

I haven't seen a jackdaw before.  Lots of crows in my area.

PD

[steve ridgway]

In need?  Problems with food resources?

In need of cake .

[Pohjolas Daughter]

In need of cake .

Sorry, but I don't know what you are referring to.    Why cake?

PD

[steve ridgway]

Oh it's just that we were sat outside a cafe yesterday with all these birds getting nearer and nearer to get the crumbs. One of the jackdaws very nearly ate out of my wife's hand.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Oh it's just that we were sat outside a cafe yesterday with all these birds getting nearer and nearer to get the crumbs. One of the jackdaws very nearly ate out of my wife's hand.

lol  Hopefully they are also eating some healthier food?

PD

[steve ridgway]

Hopefully they are also eating some healthier food?

It was in a large country estate so plenty of natural food around.

[steve ridgway]

Some birds on the river today. From searching the web I think the first pair, which were diving under the surface, were Goosander, and the second pair, which were very nervous and kept flying off, were Eurasian Teal.

[steve ridgway]

Pigeons in the garden today.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Pigeons in the garden today.

Very pretty!  This one is common in our country--often seen in cities in large numbers.  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rock_Pigeon/

I used to confuse them with mourning doves which I often see in my neck of the woods.  Their call is very distinctive.

A few days ago, I went out to take a walk and could hear a red-tailed hawk nearby.  It was somewhere high up in a pine tree I think.  It was playing hide and seek with me.  As soon as I turned away (giving up on seeing it), it would make one of its call again.  That happened about three times 'til I eventually gave up!

PD

p.s.  Do you have any feeders up in your yard (if you have one--sorry, not certain whether you live in a house or in an apartment)?

[steve ridgway]

Oh yes, we have rock pigeons but I believe these were the domestic pigeons descended from those. The next door neighbours have feeders so the smaller birds go there and we look after the larger ones.