Birders' Nest

[owlice]

Better for them to be eaten vs. being eaten by them.

K

Oh, that one could choose the mosquitoes' fate!

[Elgarian Redux]

hahahahaha, I am definitely not an expert! I've seen a lot of birds and photographed some of them, true, but expert I am not.

So you mean ... we're all duffers, bumbling about, hardly knowing what we're doing?
Well, strike me on a matchbox and knock me into fits (as my grandfather used to say).

[Iota]

I can't let you carry on believing that! You almost certainly have as much knowledge as I have, or more. I'm very much a casual Sunday birder, and the knowledge I once had, 50 years ago, is all but rusted up. Owlice is the expert here!

I have to dissuade both you and owlice of any trace of a notion that I might share the extensive knowledge you have. I have seen on here that I clearly do not.
Despite loving having birds around, seeing them, hearing them etc, I am in no way a birder. I've never owned a book about birds, I can only identify the birds that everyone can, and maybe not even some of them, I rarely talk about birds with friends and family, unless one hops/flies into our lives as we are talking, I could go on ..
But I have loved witnessing what I have on this thread, it's a thoroughly enriching experience, and am very glad/grateful that you've both shared your encounters with the world of birds so vividly here.

[Elgarian Redux]

I have to dissuade both you and owlice of any trace of a notion that I might share the extensive knowledge you have. I have seen on here that I clearly do not.
Despite loving having birds around, seeing them, hearing them etc, I am in no way a birder. I've never owned a book about birds, I can only identify the birds that everyone can, and maybe not even some of them, I rarely talk about birds with friends and family, unless one hops/flies into our lives as we are talking, I could go on ..
But I have loved witnessing what I have on this thread, it's a thoroughly enriching experience, and am very glad/grateful that you've both shared your encounters with the world of birds so vividly here.

So now we have established that indeed we are all duffers. That's sorted then. But I believe we have also established that a bunch of duffers can sustain many fascinating discussions about birds! I admit I am loving these conversations. Thank you to everybody.

[owlice]

I, too, am enjoying these conversations!

No matter what one's experience is, there is always (always always) more to learn.

I feel a bird is in order... let me go find one....

[Elgarian Redux]

I feel a bird is in order... let me go find one....

Wondering what it will be ...

[owlice]

Ah, here we go... Common Mergansers (in North America) or Goosander (in Eurasia), taken two years ago on this date (hence the reason for its selection) in Michigan...


Little peep!!!

Pic from earlier this year (also in Michigan) to show the male's striking breeding plumage:


And a photo from Sweden, only because I like that the reflections in the water echo the color palette of the bird:

[Elgarian Redux]

Ah, here we go... Common Mergansers (in North America) or Goosander (in Eurasia), taken two years ago on this date (hence the reason for its selection) in Michigan...


Little peep!!!

Pic from earlier this year (also in Michigan) to show the male's striking breeding plumage:


And a photo from Sweden, only because I like that the reflections in the water echo the color palette of the bird:

Wow! I actually know this bird! We've occasionally seen goosanders on the river nearby, and also at Leighton Moss (the RSPB reserve) near the Cumbrian border. That last (Swedish) photo is exquisite. Thank you.

[owlice]

Wow! I actually know this bird! We've occasionally seen goosanders on the river nearby, and also at Leighton Moss (the RSPB reserve). That last (Swedish) photo is exquisite. Thank you.

The date wasn't the only reason this bird was selected... 

I'm delighted you know it!

I wish the photo from Sweden were sharper, but I do love the colors.

[Elgarian Redux]

The date wasn't the only reason this bird was selected... 

Am I missing something here? Is there a puzzle to solve?

[owlice]

Am I missing something here? Is there a puzzle to solve?

No! It was that the bird occurs both in the US and in Eurasia! I was hoping you and others of the UK persuasion might know it, too.

Since countries that start with S and rufous coloring have been mentioned, is it okay if I share this Eurasian Red Squirrel in Switzerland, just for general cuteness, even though it's not a bird?

[Kalevala]

Ah, here we go... Common Mergansers (in North America) or Goosander (in Eurasia), taken two years ago on this date (hence the reason for its selection) in Michigan...


Little peep!!!

Pic from earlier this year (also in Michigan) to show the male's striking breeding plumage:


And a photo from Sweden, only because I like that the reflections in the water echo the color palette of the bird:

Love the one from Sweden in particular!  Were you there long?

K

[owlice]

NO! I take that back!!

Here's a bird-related entry in the squirrel division:

Squirrels gotta squirrel! Eastern Fox Squirrel

[Elgarian Redux]

No! It was that the bird occurs both in the US and in Eurasia! I was hoping you and others of the UK persuasion might know it, too.

That's a relief. I was under pressure there for a moment ...

Since countries that start with S and rufous coloring have been mentioned, is it okay if I share this Eurasian Red Squirrel in Switzerland, just for general cuteness, even though it's not a bird?

Speaking purely for myself, please post any photographs you like if they're even half as cuddlesome as this.

He looks as if he's about to address an assembly of fellow squirrels on the Nut and Acorn Crisis.

[owlice]

Love the one from Sweden in particular!  Were you there long?

K

No; I was there only for a week, for a conference/meeting. I arrived a day early, however (as I often do when I travel), so spent Sunday birding with a wonderful, kind, and very knowledgeable chap I'd found on Birding Pal. He picked me up before dawn and dropped me back at the hotel after sunset; the weather (rainy/grey) could have been better, but the company was aces, as was the birding! I had a half-day after the conclusion of the event to bird, too, and went with one of my fellow conference-goers, as we have done several times when we're attending the same events/in the same vicinity.

[Elgarian Redux]

NO! I take that back!!

Here's a bird-related entry in the squirrel division:

Squirrels gotta squirrel! Eastern Fox Squirrel

"Deer Mum. Doo not wurrie. I ave runn off to join the sercus to be an akrobatt.
Love,
Nutkin Junior"

[Kalevala]

No; I was there only for a week, for a conference/meeting. I arrived a day early, however (as I often do when I travel), so spent Sunday birding with a wonderful, kind, and very knowledgeable chap I'd found on Birding Pal. He picked me up before dawn and dropped me back at the hotel after sunset; the weather (rainy/grey) could have been better, but the company was aces, as was the birding! I had a half-day after the conclusion of the event to bird, too, and went with one of my fellow conference-goers, as we have done several times when we're attending the same events/in the same vicinity.

Wow!  How kind of the "stranger"!  Glad that all worked out well!  May I ask, do you work in the natural sciences area?

K

[owlice]

He looks as if he's about to address an assembly of fellow squirrels on the Nut and Acorn Crisis.

hahahahaahahaha!!! (Someone must speak out on this important topic!!)

Squirrels are often part of birding. I was in Switzerland for a gathering and learned that one of my fellow gatherers is into birding, so of course we went walking through the woods to see what we could see, and that Eurasian Red Squirrel was one of the things we saw. Also saw this sweet little birb:

European Pied Flycatcher
I love them!

[owlice]

Wow!  How kind of the "stranger"!  Glad that all worked out well!  May I ask, do you work in the natural sciences area?

K

Going out for the full day was his idea; I was thrilled to bits, and it was clear he was really enjoying himself. He had been a guide in a couple of other countries so this is what he really loved to do.

I am happily (ecstatically!) retired from a career in information technology. (I liked what I did, but retirement is the best fun!) I've always liked animals, though; my family had various wee beasties and such when I was growing up.

[owlice]

"Deer Mum. Doo not wurrie. I ave runn off to join the sercus to be an akrobatt.
Love,
Nutkin Junior"

He's a natural! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFZFjoX2cGg