Backyard Birds - December 2015 in the Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum

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wildflowers

Dec 16, 2015 1:12 PM CST

Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!

I'm glad to say I've never heard of any gator sightings near here. I'm in the light green part on the map Lin linked.

But, yesterday saw a sighting of a Northern Crested Carcara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Yes, there has been sightings close to us...
http://txtbba.tamu.edu/species...

May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

| @wildflowers | Post #1009287 (1)

plantladylin

Dec 16, 2015 3:43 PM CST

Thread OP

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Christine, that is the coolest bird! Apparently they are found in Florida too: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabit... but the only time I ever saw one was in captivity at a wildlife exhibition.

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #1009391 (2)

flaflwrgrl

Dec 16, 2015 5:34 PM CST

Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)

plantladylin said:Christine, that is the coolest bird! Apparently they are found in Florida too: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabit... but the only time I ever saw one was in captivity at a wildlife exhibition.

Same here, never saw one in the wild. I have heard people who have cattle curse their very existence though. I won't even go into what was described to me that they do to living cattle. Gives me the shivers.

I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown

| @flaflwrgrl | Post #1009477 (3)

wildflowers

Dec 17, 2015 8:06 AM CST

Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!

Hmmm. Ann, we have more cattle living around us than people, will have to check into that.

This one was walking on the ground along the road, my dh saw it too. We thought it was a turkey buzzard at first, it was about the same size.

May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

| @wildflowers | Post #1009777 (4)

DavidLMO

Dec 17, 2015 9:36 AM CST

Name: David Laderoute
Zone 5B/6 - NW MO (Zone 5b)
Ignoring Zones altogether

Re: Northern Crested Carcara ... I have never seen one before at all. Interesting to say the least.

Seeking Feng Shui with my plants since 1976

| @DavidLMO | Post #1009830 (5)

jmorth

Dec 17, 2015 10:27 AM CST

central Illinois

I think I read Florida once was at the top, or close thereto of states that have high cattle populations/production. I was initially quite surprised when that tidbit was assimilated.

Nothing that's been done can ever be changed.

| @jmorth | Post #1009871 (6)

plantladylin

Dec 17, 2015 10:35 AM CST

Thread OP

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Yes, Florida has a large cattle industry:
http://www.freshfromflorida.co...
http://flcattle.com/
http://floridabeef.org/cattlei...

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #1009876 (7)

plantladylin

Dec 17, 2015 10:47 AM CST

Thread OP

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

flaflwrgrl said: I have heard people who have cattle curse their very existence though. I won't even go into what was described to me that they do to living cattle. Gives me the shivers.

Re: the Crested Caracara - Ann, that's interesting, I read at this site: http://www.peregrinefund.org/e... that they are one of the few raptors that hunt on foot and they pretty much eat anything they can catch but it listed small mammals, nestling birds, crabs, fish etc., and I think I heard sometime ago that they eat carrion like the vultures but never heard anything about them regarding cattle. Well, I just had to know about the cow hting so I went googling and found this: http://www.surbound.com/audubo...

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #1009892 (8)

jmorth

Dec 17, 2015 10:48 AM CST

central Illinois

Thanks Lin

Nothing that's been done can ever be changed.

| @jmorth | Post #1009895 (9)

plantladylin

Dec 17, 2015 10:49 AM CST

Thread OP

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Back to our normal birds ... only thing spotted here this morning were House Finches.

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #1009899 (10)

flaflwrgrl

Dec 17, 2015 12:42 PM CST

Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)

plantladylin said:
Re: the Crested Caracara - Ann, that's interesting, I read at this site: http://www.peregrinefund.org/e... that they are one of the few raptors that hunt on foot and they pretty much eat anything they can catch but it listed small mammals, nestling birds, crabs, fish etc., and I think I heard sometime ago that they eat carrion like the vultures but never heard anything about them regarding cattle. Well, I just had to know about the cow hting so I went googling and found this: http://www.surbound.com/audubo...

It was told to me right here on ATP. I don't think I could ever find the thread now as it was several years ago. It was someone in Texas I'm sure; who raises cattle & they had seen it with their own eyes but I don't know how many times. I just remember the description of the brutality. It went beyond what was described in that link.

| @flaflwrgrl | Post #1010002 (11)

mcash70

Dec 17, 2015 2:14 PM CST

Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)

That video was awful! I felt so sorry for that poor cow trying to protect her calf after just giving birth from those awful birds.

1 or 2 would be bad enough but a large flock like that was horrid.

| @mcash70 | Post #1010080 (12)

cliftoncat

Dec 17, 2015 3:03 PM CST

Name: Mika
Oxfordshire, England and Mento

We just got back from a holiday in the Caribbean, where I was hoping to get a photo of a hummingbird. Sadly no joy with that photo, although we did catch brief glimpses of a few. I did manage some pics of other birds by opening a sugar bag on our balcony - one looks like a sparrow:

one a sort of dove or pigeon (not seen in England):

The third is the one I like best because he looks so very angry - no idea what kind of bird he is but he made us laugh.

Perhaps somebody can tell me what kind of birds they are?

| @cliftoncat | Post #1010113 (13)

Claudia

Dec 17, 2015 3:13 PM CST

Greencastle IN (Zone 5b)

Think I will pass on seeing that! There has not been a lot going on here. In fact I had not unloaded my camera photos since November 25 since I had taken so few photos. So I finally did today and found something very interesting!

I had suspected I had maybe more than 1 male Pileated Woodpecker but was not sure. I was surprised to see I had gotten photos of 2 very different males and had a female too! Guess I should look more often at my photos.

Although there is at least 1 pileated here almost everyday I just do not always see look good enough to id which it is. They fly off if they detect any movement so if I see one out there I try not to disturb them if possible.

Female was here on Nov. 25

This male was also here on Nov. 25

Then this male was here on Dec.8. He is much bigger than the other male!

Flicker and a Hairy Woodpecker

Flicker and White-breasted Nuthatch

“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.”
- Alan Keightley

| @Claudia | Post #1010118 (14)

Tuckersmom

Dec 17, 2015 3:24 PM CST

Name: Patti
Wichita, Kansas (Zone 6b)

@cliftoncat. Oh my, now I have actually seen a photo of a grumpy bird.

Those are very good pictures. I only started to lurk here and so I'm just now learning about birds. Sorry I can't help ID.

@claudia. I love woodpeckers. There are those who understandably complain when they try to drill holes in the houses but I've never had that problem. I used to see quite a few flickers around. I haven't seen one in a long time. We do have some type of woodpecker drilling a tree one block over. At least I hope it's a tree. I wish I knew what type of bird it is. I have put out woodpecker food in the feeder but I've had no luck inviting one to my backyard so far. I love your photos too.

“In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don’t wobble.”
– Zen saying

| @Tuckersmom | Post #1010135 (15)

Claudia

Dec 17, 2015 4:06 PM CST

Greencastle IN (Zone 5b)

@cliftoncat Where specifically were you in the Carribean?

“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.”
- Alan Keightley

| @Claudia | Post #1010180 (16)

cliftoncat

Dec 17, 2015 4:26 PM CST

Name: Mika
Oxfordshire, England and Mento

Hi Claudia, we went on a yacht to five different islands - the bird photos are from Barbados.

| @cliftoncat | Post #1010197 (17)

cliftoncat

Dec 17, 2015 5:04 PM CST

Name: Mika
Oxfordshire, England and Mento

Claudia, I love your woodpeckers

We have two sorts of woodpecker here, but neither look like yours and neither is anything like as big as your Dec 8 visitor. Do you live in the countryside?

| @cliftoncat | Post #1010220 (18)

Claudia

Dec 17, 2015 7:16 PM CST

Greencastle IN (Zone 5b)

Yes, I live in rural area surrounded by woods & farm land. But the Pileated Woodpecker is located across the eastern half of the US up in to Canada then going across heading west. They even are in Florida!

Do you live in the U.K.? They have some beautiful birds. I love English Robins!

“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.”
- Alan Keightley

| @Claudia | Post #1010329 (19)

flaflwrgrl

Dec 17, 2015 7:26 PM CST

Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)