I am new to bird watching

[reteP]

I recently bought a book called Bird Watching for Dummies. After a quick glance through its 380 pages I was surprised how indepth this subject can go.

I soon discovered what parts of this outdoor activity interests me. Being a host for certain local birds that visit my flat balcony birdbath and feeder; and sound recording of local birds.

Just out of curiosity, are you a bird watcher? If so, what is your favourite aspect of this activity?

 

[JBR]

We like to identify ones that come close to the house. Gold finches, siskins, downy woodpeckers, red-wing blackbirds, Stellar's jays, chickadees, nuthatches, red-shafted flickers, and others. Then, on the ground and nesting in the upper frames of our oubuildings, are a lot of robins. The occasional mid-size owl shows up in building frames too, and we get ravens coming to our compost boxes. We get hummingbirds coming to some of the flowers DW cultivates. It's wonderful to watch all these.

Some are fairly individual and self-interested, some are social and don't mind others of their own kind, or even other species, crowding to the feeders we have out.

As we travel along our road, and the highway that's five minutes away, along the river we spot the occasional osprey, large hawk, or (somewhat rarely in recent years) blue heron.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I’m a huge bird watcher and enjoy all aspects of bird watching. Much of my bird watching is when we are out and about doing other things like driving or walking. There are many birds to notice. One of my favourite ones are eagles. The first photo is an eagle getting nesting material. The next is self explanatory



We feed the birds and occasionally one will fly into the window. It’s only happened once at this house and when it does I hold them while they are in shock so they can conserve energy for quicker healing. It’s especially important during the winter.

Here’s a pilated woodpecker


some wood ducks


and a hairy woodpecker that flew into our window.

 

[againstthegrain]

Bird watching is something I relish at home, driving, or out in the field. It's part and parcel of being throughly immersed in our surroundings. I like the big, shinny birds(raptors, wading birds, waterfowl, etc) and spend very little time on a group I call "tweety birds" or song birds. I felt fortunate to be able to ID this white crowned sparrow a couple of weeks ago.

 

[JBR]

I’m a huge bird watcher and enjoy all aspects of bird watching. Much of my bird watching is when we are out and about doing other things like driving or walking. There are many birds to notice. One of my favourite ones are eagles. The first photo is an eagle getting nesting material. The next is self explanatory

We feed the birds and occasionally one will fly into the window. It’s only happened once at this house and when it does I hold them while they are in shock so they can conserve energy for quicker healing. It’s especially important during the winter.

Here’s a pilated woodpecker
View attachment 352654

The Pileateds are the "Woody Woodpecker" type. We see one here at our place maybe once every two or three years. An eagle evicted the blue heron from its nesting tree, about a three-minute walk from here. That situation lasted for several years then the herons re-established.

 

[KSav]

I've been debating getting into bird watching, especially now that I've started walking and bicycling. The photos that have been posted have increased my interest.

I may go ahead and pick up the book you mentioned, @reteP.

 

[Rossana]

I like bird watching in my area. We have preserved lands around us and we are able to watch a variety of birds. Flocks of migratory birds pass through our region, some even stop here for a while before continuing their journey. At times, it is very impressive to watch them flying. Each one of them has its place in the flock.
The park rangers arrange time for sightings in the different parks. Some even present conferences regarding the different species. Others arrange for a yearly count.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I've been debating getting into bird watching, especially now that I've started walking and bicycling. The photos that have been posted have increased my interest.

I may go ahead and pick up the book you mentioned, @reteP.

Just the idea of taking photos of things that interest you will escalate your walking / biking enjoyment tenfold.

 

[reteP]

I've been debating getting into bird watching, especially now that I've started walking and bicycling. The photos that have been posted have increased my interest.

I may go ahead and pick up the book you mentioned, @reteP.

Thanks for your response @KSav .
I am the editor of our local cycling club and one of the guys must be a bird watcher. When he writes a report for a group ride he often takes a photo of the group when they stop for a breather, but he never has time to photograph birds. But he mentions whatever bird he sees along the way that might interest other subscribers. I always internet search the bird and provide a hyperlink so others can click-on to investigate.

 

[reteP]

Thank you @JBR , @PeppermintPatty , @againstthegrain , and @Rossana for your responses.
I don't feel alone about this now.
Oh, thank you all for showing your photographs.

Though I have a 'field guide to the birds of Australia' and all its colourful birds, I am partial to the house sparrow. For some reason I see them as the underdog, or in this case the underbird. I have not seen any yet in my town, but I do see them in a small town 50kms away where we ride to and back once a week. Our group stops in this town for refreshments. I am the only one that shares my muffin with the sparrows.

 

[hollydolly]

I'm not so much a Bird watcher except seeing the birds that visit my garden every day on a regular basis... Collared Doves.. Wood pigeons.. starling, sparrows, Robins, Blue Jays, Magpies, Sparrow-hawks...and more...

I feed them .. and hear them snoring in my trees in the afternoons ...watch as new babies are born twice a year

 

[KSav]

Thanks for your response @KSav .
I am the editor of our local cycling club and one of the guys must be a bird watcher. When he writes a report for a group ride he often takes a photo of the group when they stop for a breather, but he never has time to photograph birds. But he mentions whatever bird he sees along the way that might interest other subscribers. I always internet search the bird and provide a hyperlink so others can click-on to investigate.

Interesting! I just got back from a walk but forgot to bring my phone, so I couldn't take any photos. (I'm very bad at taking photos anyway, especially ones that are time dependent, such as a live activity.)

I just ordered a book on birds that are native to the Dakotas. I'll have to pick up the "Dummies" book you mentioned, too.

I did hear some interesting birdsongs/calls. I suppose those would be more difficult to recognize.

 

[KSav]

Thanks for your response @KSav .
I am the editor of our local cycling club

I forgot to say, I'm an editor, too.

 

[againstthegrain]

Interesting! I just got back from a walk but forgot to bring my phone, so I couldn't take any photos. (I'm very bad at taking photos anyway, especially ones that are time dependent, such as a live activity.)

I just ordered a book on birds that are native to the Dakotas. I'll have to pick up the "Dummies" book you mentioned, too.

I did hear some interesting birdsongs/calls. I suppose those would be more difficult to recognize.

Cornell's bird ID app is called Merlin, apparently it will recognize birds calls. The app is highly recommended.

 

[KSav]

Cornell's bird ID app is called Merlin, apparently it will recognize birds calls. The app is highly recommended.

Oh, thanks, I'll track that down!

 

[reteP]

Cornell's bird ID app is called Merlin, apparently it will recognize birds calls. The app is highly recommended.

I will have to keep checking back to see if they got Australian bird calls.

 

[reteP]

I forgot to say, I'm an editor, too.

For your cycling club?

 

[KSav]

For your cycling club?

No; there are no cycling clubs in my area. I'm a professional editor by trade. I did edit my local mothers' club newsletter, many years ago.

 

[reteP]

My garden is a small herb garden on a trolley. It is on the balcony of my first floor flat. I built it with a bird bath in mind, which hangs over the balcony railing. It took a few months before any birds made a noticeable splash in it. It's not easy to take a photo of this activity without using a webcam of sorts... which I will install on a later date.

Most visitors to the bath were not seed eaters, so it took a few weeks for the seed eaters to notice the free offerings. Then the white cockatoos arrived and my neighbours complained about their noisy carrying ons, and I don't blame them. They are noisy and boss smaller birds away. And when the food is not there the cockatoos gnaw away at the wooden trolley. So I discouraged them with a water pistol, and they soon made it known to their kind that I am a nasty host.

Then the seed eaters like the crested pigeons moved in for the seeds. There are now about twenty of them, their usual maximum size for a group. I only feed them with a half cup of seeds per day. It's not much for each bird, but the love getting into it. Then they go and forage around as they do for other its and pieces.

 

[Sliverfox]

Sometime ago Reader's Digest put out a book Book of North American Birds.
Anyone interested in birds should have this book.

Good pictures, information about the birds, nesting habits, locations in state & parks where you might find a rare bird.

Check used book stores for it.

 

[reteP]

The crested pigeons seem to fight for feeding room, even after I started emptying the bird bath and placed most of the seed there.






continued...

 

[reteP]

That seems to solve the issue.

Fixed up the running borads for the bird bath too.

 

[reteP]

Spring is nearing and I have plans for attaching a bird nest box to my unit. And since I like building things, I will make my own nest box from scratch. The size of the box is somewhat preselected by the crested pigeons that visit on a daily basis. However, I have been told that pigeons don't nest in enclosures, but have open nests. Maybe they are right, especially if the pigeon is wild and has options as to where to nest. I know that domesticated pigeons have breeding boxes. Perhaps they may chose to give an enclosure a go.

Anyway, I got this plastic drum and I think it will do just fine for a pigeon size bird. I plan to carry on, build it, hang it up, and see what happens with it over of time. I am keen to see what type of bird will occupy the nest (if at all).



A work in progress.

 

[MarkD]

Spring is nearing and I have plans for attaching a bird nest box to my unit. And since I like building things, I will make my own nest box from scratch. The size of the box is somewhat preselected by the crested pigeons that visit on a daily basis. However, I have been told that pigeons don't nest in enclosures, but have open nests. Maybe they are right, especially if the pigeon is wild and has options as to where to nest. I know that domesticated pigeons have breeding boxes. Perhaps they may chose to give an enclosure a go.

Anyway, I got this plastic drum and I think it will do just fine for a pigeon size bird. I plan to carry on, build it, hang it up, and see what happens with it over of time. I am keen to see what type of bird will occupy the nest (if at all).

View attachment 353075
View attachment 353076
A work in progress.

Looks like you're putting all your hobbies, skills and interests to work. Good job!

 

[hollydolly]

Spring is nearing and I have plans for attaching a bird nest box to my unit. And since I like building things, I will make my own nest box from scratch. The size of the box is somewhat preselected by the crested pigeons that visit on a daily basis. However, I have been told that pigeons don't nest in enclosures, but have open nests. Maybe they are right, especially if the pigeon is wild and has options as to where to nest. I know that domesticated pigeons have breeding boxes. Perhaps they may chose to give an enclosure a go.

Anyway, I got this plastic drum and I think it will do just fine for a pigeon size bird. I plan to carry on, build it, hang it up, and see what happens with it over of time. I am keen to see what type of bird will occupy the nest (if at all).

View attachment 353075
View attachment 353076
A work in progress.

that's correct. I have lots of Pigeons..wood pigeons, collared doves who visit my garden every day..they give birth in my tree, and coo all day from the roof of the house, or in the trees... they are not interested in any kind of bird box or enclosure. They make a nest on a branch usually high up in the tree.. and stay as still as possible until they give birth usually 2 weeks...

This one was deep inside one of my trees.. and very high, she thought she couldn't be seen but I've mastered the art of being very quiet, to get shots of the birds.. but here she is on one of the many nests they build every year..

..and a different one