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Archive through July 10, 2006

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2007 ~ Mar. 2007: Hairball Haven: Birds (ARCHIVES): Archive through July 10, 2006 users admin

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Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 10:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I have a fondness for the pest birds!! I've always loved crows and ravens and fell in love with the grackles in Texas. I was there when my company was moving offices to Irving, TX and they sent a bunch of us there to convince us to relocate, complete with giant screen speech from the Anne Richards(?), line dancing lessons, food, nice hotel, free flight and two long days with our own real estate agent if we'd be buying a home. I settled in on the McKinney area, but anyway we'd be driving along and Priscilla, the agent would say "there's your birds!" when we'd see large flocks of grackles. (later the company decided not to move our particular part of the operation and with great tact and class (NOT) they just sent us a mass email to let us know.)

I also like Mockingbirds, even though they drove my dad to distraction with their early morning frenetic serenades.

I love the hummingbirds here (we have Anna's hummers) and finches, herons, egrets, mockingbirds, crows. I'm not crazy about doves but we have them.. they are fine if they aren't cooing near where I'm trying to sleep.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 11:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
MsMonkey you are too funny! How can you compare the soft coo of a morning dove to the screechy, raspy, loud, unharmonious scraping grackle noise? ROFLMAO They're okay most of the time. It's when they congregate and make a tree look like it's sprouted black leaves all calling that gurgling asthmatic rale that we don't look forward to.

Yankee_in_ca
Member

08-01-2000

Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 6:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Yankee_in_ca a private message Print Post    
Well, the news for the youngest ducklings isn't good. I'll leave it at that. It does seem to be a matter of the mothers (of the other broods) attacking them.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 6:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
{{{Yankee}}}

I've just never like cooing! Cawing, yes! Crazy Mockingbirds, yes!

I think black birds are gorgeous, love my black caat and the majority of my labradors were also black..

Another bird considered a nuisance if they live in your area would be swallows. Despite the romantic "when the swallows return to Capistrano" (that is one of the calif missions.. people go to great lengths to prevent them from putting their mud nests in the eaves because once a nest is in place/use it is illegal to disturb it. Same with peacocks. I had a friend who lived in Arcadia, CA, and it was illegal to mess with one of their nests, so people would work hard to keep the birds from settling in their area. They make an unearthly screaming sound, for one thing. First time I heard a peacock scream (when I moved to Modjeska Canyon) we thought someone was being murdered, out there in the deep dark (no street lights there).

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 7:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
Help! Help! (Peacock talk)

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 12:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
There were peacocks on the farm across the road from my house, growing up. I don't remember them being that loud, but maybe I confused them with the Guinea hens.

Oh and I know grackles can be noisy and overbearing but they do have those beautiful iridescent feathers! They do look and act a lot like starlings, don't have the speckles though.

I'm sorry about your baby ducklings, Yankee. Nature can be cruel. And I just saw a coyote this morning, thought it was a dog. But then I stopped to see the new German Shepard puppy at the place behind our office (the same place that has the ponies & donkeys, etc. - until they move soon, that is :-( ), he said it must have the coyote that's been hanging around.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 5:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Yes, the male grackles are beautiful shiny black, the boattail on these make them even more regal as they strut around. The female is a very plain mousy brown inquisitive strutter, with an ordinary looking tail. She cocks her head from side to side as she hunts for bugs and worms in the grass.

Yes, the strong get stronger as they rid the territory of the younger & weaker. Nature takes care of it's own and provides according to what is necessary. Hope the older cheepies grow up and come back next year, Yankee.

Good thing they have donkeys, Calamity. The coyote will usually stay clear of the other animals with one around.

Yankee_in_ca
Member

08-01-2000

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Yankee_in_ca a private message Print Post    
All the cheepies from Friday are gone.

The 2 moms of those broods are hanging out together. Apparently, one of them has a broken leg (according to a neighbor).

The other group of 5 older ducklings & mom are still around.

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 11:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
Oh dear, Yankee. You're stronger than I am. I'd be a wreck by now if I had seen all that. I'm sorry. Dare I ask how the injured duck is doing?

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 1:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
Had eight, count 'em, eight babies with one (frazzled) adult raccoon on my back porch last night. A couple of the little ones were swinging in the hanging feeder, four were splashing in the bird bath...it was chaos and so fun to watch. I've seen two adults around so I'm guessing they must be a pair of mamas and they're sharing childcare responsibilities.

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 2:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
I've been feeding two nursing mama raccoons. As in other years, I'm sure they will bring their babies by before long.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 4:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
This morning I saw a hummingbird out by the feeder, BUT it was drawing nectar from the flowering bush not the feeder!

Something is wrong?

The bees have discovered it, too. I took off the bee shields, and that is why the finches are enjoying it. Should I put them back on?

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Friday, June 16, 2006 - 11:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
Oh I think that great news! They need the nutrients from the flower nectar so that's okay. I'm sure it will come to the feeder eventually. But if there are bees swarming it, they might bother the hummingbird so you might want to put the guards back on.

I saw three hummingbirds last night. Two were buzzing and dive-bombing each other and I swear I saw the one sticking a really long tongue out. I never thought about it before, do they have they long tongues or was it my imagination (not asking, I'll just look it up myself, lol)? Only saw two adult raccoons though, and the black cat.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 10:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Gracie, that is super, means you have flowers that will draw hummers and you are providing the nectar as well. They also get protein from tiny bugs that get caught in the nectar.

They do have long tongues!

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 12:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Observed one tiny hummer drinking from the feeder this morning before the rain. Yippee!

Merrysea
Member

08-13-2004

Friday, June 23, 2006 - 7:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Merrysea a private message Print Post    
I found a baby bird in my backyard Tuesday, but I couldn't find a nest to put him in. Does anyone know what type of bird this is?

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Friday, June 23, 2006 - 7:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
Merrysea ... I believe we're in the same area. Here's some numbers of people who can help you with this bird.

Solano County (Suisun City) Phone: 707-429-4295
Monique Liquori (director), Suisun Wildlife Center
monique@community.net

Solano County (Fairfield) Phone: 707-207-0380
Coleen Doucette (Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager), International Bird Rescue Research Center
ibrrccol@aol.com
Wildlife Species: waterfowl and aquatic birds only
Comments: IBRRC specializes in oiled bird rescue and rehabilitation and does extensive research related to oiled birds

Merrysea
Member

08-13-2004

Friday, June 23, 2006 - 8:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Merrysea a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Vacanick, I'll check with them. I see Monique even uses my ISP!

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 9:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
Okay, still having the eight little raccoons stop by from time to time, but there's always just the one adult with them. I don't know if they really are all her babies or what? But that's a lot for one poor mama!

Baby bluebirds finally left the nest box on Saturday. I waited a day and then cleaned it out, hope the parents have another batch.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 2:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
This may give you an idea about the baby bird, Vacanick:
Audubon in California

Merrysea
Member

08-13-2004

Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 2:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Merrysea a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Urgrace! We've determined she's a sparrow, and she is thriving so far. She has started to fly, but she's still being hand-fed. And although she's a female, my sons insisted on naming her "Captain Jack"!

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 4:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
Aw, give us a new pix of Cap'n Jack, please

Mama raccoon and one baby are out on my patio right now chowing down.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Friday, July 07, 2006 - 4:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
This blackbird looks a lot like your sparrow!

Yeah, the beak isn't right, is it. Captain Jack LOL

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, July 10, 2006 - 1:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I got a canary about four - five weeks ago. The breeder at a caged-bird fair said it was a male and would sing. It is summer, so it is molting though it is active and eating well. Probably just doesn't feel like singing. This morning it did a very brief, soft one-note trill. I'm hoping for more.

I ordered and it came today, a CD of canaries singing from A Song In the Air. It's great. No background music or noise -- just canaries singing. I'm hoping this will prompt live singing.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Monday, July 10, 2006 - 9:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
That is way cool, Cda! I hope it works. I'm tickled pink that a pair of red finches has adopted our yard this year. I also noticed a pair of yellow finches, too. It's a real treat, since we've never had finches stay around here for more than a few days while on their way somewhere else.

Good luck with the singing.

Moondance sent me a video that my cats adore watching.