wild birds, animals

[Tero]

Interesting links or your own experience. I was thinking mostly of wild animals.

Swedish birds
http://www.birds.se/
pretty much the same as Finnish.

[Tero]

It is an Eastern bird as you can guess from the text
http://ecoinf.uran.ru/content/2birds/m245.shtml

[Tero]

I threw some kitchen garbage out to the garage, left the bag on the floor. I was in my socks and someone had moved the big garbage can too far away. Of course the garage door got left open all night as well. The door to the kitchen was locked. But the raccoons got to the one bag. Torn to very samall pieces. They do not eat much. Once on a scout outing they tore open bags of bagels, did not eat any. :rolleyes:

[Leena]

Bagels? Without cream cheese? :rolleyes:
If I were a raccoon, I would not eat them plain either. :D

[Tero]

I don't remember if the cooler had cream cheese.

Sometimes I go on these scout outings and buy my own dinner (Subway) and breakfast, as it was not worth the 25 dollar fee. I camp for free. I must be a bit Lutheran..I mean cheapskate. ;)

[Tero]

http://gallery.opalcat.com/image%2dcache/Animals/Others/opossum2%5fdisp512.jpg

a mammal, not like us, a marsupial mammal

[Tero]

I have changed my bird from the Ani. See Yleistä and Mikä Lintu Olisit thread.They are not as democratic as I thought. It turns out that three pairs of Anis nest often in one nest. But the leading female drops out all the previous eggs and lays hers last. The other two females are sneaky and may add one more egg as all 3 incubate!

I like woodpeckers, and what is the point of being a bird if you can't eat bugs? Actually, nearly all birds do. Other than sea birds.

The Downy is a somewhat sociable bird, hanging out in mixed flocks in winter. Territorial disputes are resolved in inborn aggressive modes, which lead to no injury.
http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/DOWP/


Bigger woodpeckers are loners unless raising young. They do not hang out in groups.

I have not come accross descriptions where woodpeckers would kill other birds.

[Tero]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-chimps15.html

[Tero]

http://www.theowlcam.com/

muut kamerat
http://www.newyorkwild.org/webcams/webcams.htm

[Tero]

even Vesa would approve, perinteiset arvot
http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/article/1076152461474 ;)

[Tero]

Suburban birding has its own problems. You may not get stuck ankle deep in mud, but you need to watch out for cars. Especially when they back into the street.

You need some binoculars, waterproof is best. Then you can do your rounds rain or shine. In the spring and fall, a field guide may be of use for migrant birds (they only pass thru). People will invariably come and ask you what you are looking at. To adults, I say that I thought there was a nest in their tree. That way I don't need to explain much more. There was no nest. Kids will want to use your binoculars. Show them a cardinal or other colorful bird, because they do not know how to find birds.

Take care not to aim binoculars at people's living rooms. Walk around so that you aim at the tree and bird only. One guy accused me of being a snoop and taking pictures of his house. Did he not know that private investigators usually sit in parked cars and take pictures sneakily?

Avoid playgrounds, pools etc. where small kids are. You could be suspected of being a pedophile. Carry an ID and some money. I usually offer my drivers license to the most suspicious types. They never want to see it, though.

Some home owners are to be avoided. Learn those houses by memory.I walk on one side of a street to avoid an unpleasant person.

Birding skills not that difficult, unless you are doing a Christmas count. Learn two types of Chicadees. Learn House Finch female vs. other brown birds such as Song Sparrow.

In the US, cutting through peoples’ yards is not allowed for adults.

There are seasons of course in suburban birding. In January you can walk around and see what is coming to neighborhood bird feeders, many of which are visible to me. I also have two myself. In spring, migrant birds arrive. Soon after, you may see the the first pair of Mourning Doves with their copies of themselves, the first two clueless fledglings, on your lawn.

Nest building time is exciting, except for the sparrows that attempt to enter every tiny hole in the siding of my house. The first nest was interesting enough to follow, but they keep having more broods.

In early summer, lots of activity is to be seen. Perhaps a Blue Jay feeding on the remains of a featherless nestling. Mocking birds are prominent in my yard, and may sing at night. Robins nest in visible spots. You may get to rescue a nestling from the street to the side that you know the nest is on.

By late summer, things settle down. August may be a low point in lack of birds, except for prominent singing American Goldfinches, which nest late. To see birds, you have to get up early. Before work, if you wish to see them every day. Days get shorter, too. If you can think of someplace else to go on vacation, go now, as there is nothing here to miss. The birds may be hiding partly because they are moulting. Young grackles appear in a strange mix of brown and black feathers.

Fall improves things in that leaves fall, and you can see the birds better. But then the migrants leave. Juncos and White Throated Sparrows arrive, maybe Waxwings too. Daily birding becomes more difficult due to eight hours of useable daylight. Noon birding may be best in some areas. Saturday mornings work for me.

Starlings form great flocks in the area, but not so much in our suburbs. Grackles are more often seen in flocks a few times of the year.

Winter may bring some excitement with hawks, sitting there and after the smaller birds. A juvenile eagle may soar above, as we are not far from two major rivers.

Bird feeder activity resumes. On the coldest mornings, you may want to stay inside and just watch the feeder. You can write up your year list and prepare for January.

Suburbs that face fields, lakes, undeveloped areas have the best chance of having interesting birds. It is not unheard of to get a Pileated Woodpecker to come to a feeder in these types of areas.

[Jaana2]

Pakkasin tavaroita keittiön kaapeista ja sinne oli jäänyt :cry: yksi peruna pussiin. Tiedä kuinka kauan se on siellä ollut tavaroiden takana. Nyt siellä on toukkia, maggots, melkein oksetti. En avaa kaappia uudestaan, kunnes mies tulee kotiin....

[Tero]

Pakkasin tavaroita keittiön kaapeista ja sinne oli jäänyt :cry: yksi peruna pussiin. Tiedä kuinka kauan se on siellä ollut tavaroiden takana. Nyt siellä on toukkia, maggots, melkein oksetti. En avaa kaappia uudestaan, kunnes mies tulee kotiin....
Jaana found some maggots. From an old potato in a kitchen cabinet.

(English forum, Jaana)

[Jaana2]

Jaana found some maggots. From an old potato in a kitchen cabinet.

(English forum, Jaana)

Sorry...I wonder who reads this thread then :p

[Tero]

As far as I can tell, you, so far. ;)

[Jaana2]

Aren't you just too funny...anyone else? I meant English speaking folks...

[Tero]

I am sure the CIA and FBI are reading these pages, they could be dangerous unpatriotic sites, mostly in Finnish. :shock:

[Jaana2]

I see. They should be interested in wild animals anyway.

[Tero]

Ok, back to animals. Ravens have been observed by many to reason out problems

http://www.ravencues.com/whyraven.html

before they go and attempt to manipulate things, usually to get food, but also just to play. There are a few books on this. Other birds also solve problems, but more by trial and error. Then they memorize the solution.

Here is one book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736621946/qid=1094151101/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-6409993-1660934?v=glance&s=books

Heinrich does solve his riddle and Ravens do indeed share their food, or in the language of the study "they actively recruit". As to why, this involves the difference in behavior by juvenile birds as against adult pairs. It's juveniles that call others to the food and Heinrich offers his theory. "They are gregarious, joining other juveniles to roost and feast with, and to find an attractive mate. An unmated Raven finding food invites eligible singles to join him (or her?) at the feast, thereby not only gaining or maintaining access to the food, but possibly also increasing its status and demonstrating fitness as a future provider..." As Heinrich goes on to say it's a system clothed in "intricate detail and subtlety". It's only appropriate then that those words are most fitting in describing the book itself.

[Tero]

This one kind of sounds interesting
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1400033853/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/102-6397661-6736110?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER

however, if one of these books sound too sentimental and full of emotion, it loses something for me. I don't want to ignore emotional contact, but sometimes you need to step back and look at it more objectively.

[Tero]

Bird life is back, after a sleepy August and Sep. Saw two wild turkeys yesterday.

[Tero]

I have had a chance to walk thru some parks and suburbs. My own subdivision, with only one road winding thru it, all others dead ends, does not give us a good area to walk and bicycle in. But it does give wildlife a continuous large area, as we connect to a park on one side (that we have to drive around out of the subdivison to get to!, no foot path). We have lots of animals, including foxes and deer. So our birds are of more variety than the typical suburb with rectangular blocks.

There are even a few streams thru the area.

[Tero]

Managed to see a Fox Sparrow yesterday. They only go thru here for a few weeks in the fall.

[Tero]

Saw a bat the other day, 3-5 inches I would say. We have several bats here
http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/conmag/2000/03/40.htm

[Tero]

A snake made its way up a downspout to our porch. The down spout has a space between it and the wall. I pushed it down with a stick. The snake, not the downspout. It lives inside our retaining wall. The snake. A wall made of concrete blocks, holding back some dirt.

Meanwhile, Blue Tit nest
http://www.gardenwildlife.co.uk/birdboxlive.htm

great color live camera

[Leena]

No more plans visiting St.Louis this summer.:shock:

[Tero]

Oh but it could have been faster when it was still small. (http://www.livescience.com/animals/070606_trex_turning.html)
***

No more plans visiting St.Louis this summer.:shock:
Oh, I could have killed it, but live and let live, käärmeet ja perämiehet ja Vesan vekkulit.;)

[Tero]

Managed to see a Fox Sparrow yesterday. They only go thru here for a few weeks in the fall.

That was 2004.

I just looked at my list in 2004. It had taken me 2 years, a couple of states and canada to find 124 species. Now I can tag along with some people here and find 130 birds in one day, if I have the time and share some money for gas.