The Great Backyard Bird Count

“The bird count is only 1 month away. Even if you're not into birds it gives you another reason to going hiking. I've tallied up my counts the past couple years and plan on doing it again. It's kind of interesting to see certain species in your area which aren't necessarily known to visit.

Great Backyard Bird Count”

“I saw a sharp shinned hawk the other day. I dont think Ive ever seen one of those around here. Thanks for the link!”

“We have paragrines fly over our house all the time. Its fun watching all the little birds suddenly get quiet and still. Mike put up some bird feeders cause he knows I like birds and we have to fill them with seed twice a day!!! We get carnals, mourning doves, and 2 kinds of sparrows. The dog likes chassing so yesterday when I let her outside there were so many (over 60 sparrows in the bushes) she didnt know what to do. She just stood there looking confused. LMAO!”

“cardnals and perigrines...dmn typos...”

“cardinals”

“I've got lots of mourning doves, blue jays, cardinals, titmice, and pilated woodpeckers.”

“Thanks for the correction. I was trying to visualize what those "carnals" looked like.”

“That's just a flight of fancy Phil”

“I get Oregon Juncos but this guy was about the size of a Robin. Black hood all the way down to wing tops and sorta buff gray for the body. ??? Central valley CA. Oh yea and just a slight comb like a Stellar Jay.”

“As I was macking on my Lucky Charms this morning, staring out the back door when I noticed two adult doves bobbing around on the lawn. One kept going into the iceplant so I knew a youngin' was in there somewhere. As I was watching, this other chick drops from the sky, like a rock, onto the cement patio. I thought it broke it's neck but it started moving after a bit. I let it be and headed to work. When I came home, I went to find the chicks in the bushes. I found them. Hope they make it through the night.



”

“Were the chicks out in the open or were you crawling around in the bushes for the pictures? They sure look cute! Think the one lost an engine or something? Were the parents still around?

By the way.. When is your big bike trip?”

“Cute kids!


My wife keeps these little guys on a sugar high.

We also have a mockingbird that hangs around...sings half way through the night sometimes.”

“I remember a mockingbird that used to imitate the sound from the rusty swingset in the backyard. You'd think someone was out back swinging, but there'd be no one there.”

“Wow are the hummingbirds migrating or what we had at least a dozen today...fighting over our feeder...usually only have one or two.







They are so fast...it's really hard to focus on them while they are darting around.”

“Nice pics! Too quick for me”

“Thanks Snowy I have a bunch of pics with no bird in them....my reflexes just aren't up to speed :)”

“WW, does your camera have that 'projected movement' focusing option? Not that it would help with your reflexes.”

“just took my first trip out west hiking last weekend and it was pretty cool seeing the different birds that i don't see in my neck of the woods”

“Ooooo...is that a female hummingbird?”

“I see bald eagles, hawks, hummingbirds, northern flickers, crows, blue birds and chickadees in my yard. I have a Quince bush that attracts tons of hummingbirds when it's in bloom.

West coast blue birds are very pretty and different from east coast ones. Ours have a beautiful medium blue color similar to eastern blue birds, but it's solid up to the shoulders where it turns black all the way up their head to the top of a tiny crest on their head.”