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I don't remember seeing very many when I was a kid (MN) but we have loads of cardinals nowadays. I saw a pair last week and a day or two ago I heard one chirping it up outside my bedroom. That very short screechy cheep noise they do is pretty distinctive.
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Apr 21, 2017 02:05
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Lutha Mahtin posted:I don't remember seeing very many when I was a kid (MN) but we have loads of cardinals nowadays. I saw a pair last week and a day or two ago I heard one chirping it up outside my bedroom. That very short screechy cheep noise they do is pretty distinctive. They're everywhere in Florida. Cardinals, blue jays, northern mockingbirds, and mourning doves are the traditional backyard birds down here.
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Apr 21, 2017 02:21
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ExecuDork posted:
re: hummingbird feeders, make sure you have some vaseline or grease to put on the wire you hang it from or you are likely to be over-run by ants. Just saw a pair of hooded orioles across the street, so that was cool!
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Apr 21, 2017 16:39
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BEAUTIFUL pictures! Wow! Also congrats on the baby.  I think cardinals sound like PEW PEW PEW but I think they have 4-5 different calls here. The wrens that are living in our garden have a very distinctive call. They give our dogs stern looks when they see them, but they aren't too worried to come close. And the dogs aren't interested in small birds, but would love to fight a goose. WrenP-Complete fucked around with this message at 18:05 on Apr 21, 2017 |
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Apr 21, 2017 18:03
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Do people not like mockingbirds? I think they're neat even if they're garbage tier
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Apr 22, 2017 04:45
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Chard posted:Do people not like mockingbirds? I think they're neat even if they're garbage tier They're pretty rare up here in Washington, so its always funny to see people making some effort to go chase them when one turns up. Neat bird, but I can imagine the song gets a bit annoying and they're easily the most boring member of the thrasher family. You folks that get non-mockingbird thrashers as native species are very lucky.
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Apr 22, 2017 05:32
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We get brown thrashers up here in Toronto. I saw 3 this weekend, one of which was singing. There's also about a million red wing blackbirds now, and white throated sparrows.
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Apr 22, 2017 11:48
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Chard posted:Do people not like mockingbirds? I think they're neat even if they're garbage tier Mockingbirds are loving everywhere in Florida, and I love em. They're fun to listen to, except when they've decided to mimic things like the local marching band.
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Apr 22, 2017 13:30
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Chard posted:Do people not like mockingbirds? I think they're neat even if they're garbage tier Mockingbirds are awesome. There's a pair that tends to hang out in the parking lot where I work, and I've heard them mimic a ton of different calls, car alarms, etc. I've seen one carrying nesting material lately so I'm hoping for some babies too. 
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Apr 24, 2017 03:41
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I love mockingbirds too, but I have some sympathy for people who get sick of hearing a persistent unpaired male who won't shut up. I think Sage thrashers look more boring, but it's pretty cool to hear one babbling its rear end of in big sky country.
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Apr 24, 2017 05:52
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 ^ this is Bob (or Lelaina, if it's a lady - I'm still not sure, if you are then lmk), we have a great relationship as we've been seeing each other 3-5 times a week which is far more than I see the majority of my people friends - ofc they can be a bit flighty at times but that's ok because they are one of the most beautiful birds I've ever met.
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Apr 25, 2017 19:32
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you're very lucky, I wish you both the best
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Apr 26, 2017 00:37
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 Bob_or_Lelaina by Martin Brummell, on Flickr^ this is Bob (or Lelaina, if it's a lady - I'm still not sure, if you are then lmk), we have a great relationship as we've seen each other once which is far more than I see the majority of my people friends - ofc they can be a bit bitey at times but that's ok because they are one of the most ridonckulous birds I've ever met.
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Apr 26, 2017 00:51
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That's a Peggy :/Chard posted:you're very lucky, I wish you both the best Thanks friend.
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Apr 26, 2017 02:18
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This is Rodney
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May 12, 2017 00:40
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He looks like he's wearing some pretty stylish leggings.
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May 12, 2017 14:09
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my cat is norris posted:He looks like he's wearing some pretty stylish leggings. I just followed up on a mental note I made to myself to determine if that was a cattle egret or a snowy egret and the legs don't lie: black legs + yellow feet = Snowy Egret ...unless it's a Little Egret? Hmmm doubt it but that would be a rare sighting in coastal New England. Impkins Patootie fucked around with this message at 16:13 on May 12, 2017 |
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May 12, 2017 15:50
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When there are very similar species like that, I'd kind of recommend getting a good handle on the normal range of variation in the much more likely species before spending too much time worrying about the vagrant. To be honest I've not studied Little and Snowy enough to try to distinguish them- if it's in the US I call it Snowy and if I'm in Europe I call it Little. http://www.sibleyguides.com/bird-info/little-egret/finding-and-identifying-a-little-egret-among-snowy-egrets/
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May 12, 2017 16:58
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It's the little blue heron white morphs that always throw me off.
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May 12, 2017 19:41
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Second year doing the Festival of Birds at Point Pelee National Park. Saw some really cool things migrating through - a total of 85 species over 3 days. I didn't take any pics, but plenty of photographers were there the last two weekends and I found some of them on flickr. Here are some pics of the more harder to spot birds: Prothonatary Warbler. A pair found a nice hollow dead tree in the slew close to the path to nest, so I'll be checking in around June to see how the chicks are doing:  Prothonotary Warbler1 by fromthedarkroom, on Flickr Red Headed Woodpecker:  Red headed Woodpecker by Peter Granka, on Flickr Yellow Throated Vireo:  Yellow-throated Vireo, Vireo flavifrons (1) by Herman Giethoorn, on Flickr Cape May Warbler:  Cape May Warbler by Peter Granka, on Flickr Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker:  Yellow bellied Sapsucker by Peter Granka, on Flickr Kirtlands Warbler, this one was probably the coolest bird to see since it's one of the most rarest songbirds in North America. I got a really good look at it and it sang for us too:  Kirtland's Warbler_w/worm by Charles Gangas, on Flickr Other cool birds I saw, but not so hard to spot: Rose Breasted Grosbeak:  Rose Breasted Grosbeak1 by fromthedarkroom, on Flickr Scarlet Tanager:  Scarlet Tanager 1 by fromthedarkroom, on Flickr Baltimore Oriole:  Baltimore Oriole3 by fromthedarkroom, on Flickr Other cool birds, but no pics: eared grebe, northern mocking bird, bay-breasted warbler, yellow billed cuckoo, screech owl, magnolia warbler, American redstart, blackburnian warbler, nashville warbler, pine warbler, rusty blackbird, and northern parula. Next weekend I'm off to the Pinery, where I'm hoping to see the warblers that I missed on the point. Needless to say, I'm pretty hooked on birding now and, as recommended by the thread, I think next year it's time for me to upgrade to a +$200 set of bins. In the meantime, I'll keep working on my identification knowledge! e: bonus pic from my camera phone of the birding crowds around some of the more birdy spots along the trail:  In this crowd we saw the Cape May and Parula among other warblers. Bangkero fucked around with this message at 21:00 on May 15, 2017 |
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May 15, 2017 20:54
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I am very jealous! I live in Waterloo and have relatives in the Leamington area, I can get down there easily. Except I'm doing fieldwork (nothing to do with birds) in Alberta all May! I've been to the Pinery, it's excellent. I'll be back in SW Ontario in June and July, so of course I'll be spending some time out there when I can. Thanks for the update, I like having a reason to be homesick (besides the usual reasons).
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May 15, 2017 22:49
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So I did some hiking and biking last Saturday and unfortunately came up a bit empty in terms of bird spotting...however just as I was almost back to the parking lot a Piping Plover (I believe, there's a ton that nest near the spot where I was) darted out of nowhere and flew around my head 3-5 times while doing a song that sounded like a lil ambulance siren - it was the cutest, most adorable thing I experienced in a while.
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May 17, 2017 15:41
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I'm pretty new to birding but I know enough that I am certain that I didn't just see Erithacus rubecula on a powerline in Austin TX, even though it really, really looked like one. Can y'all think of any other guesses for a sparrow-sized bird with a bright orange neck? Merlin suggested a Ash-Throated Flycatcher (too big for what I saw) and a Barn Swallow (my bird wasn't dark enough or sleek enough to be a swallow).
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May 20, 2017 17:19
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Corla Plankun posted:I'm pretty new to birding but I know enough that I am certain that I didn't just see Erithacus rubecula on a powerline in Austin TX, even though it really, really looked like one. Can y'all think of any other guesses for a sparrow-sized bird with a bright orange neck? Merlin suggested a Ash-Throated Flycatcher (too big for what I saw) and a Barn Swallow (my bird wasn't dark enough or sleek enough to be a swallow). House finches can be orange, so that would be my guess. Maybe check out some of the oriole plumages and black-headed grosbeak variants too. Do you have a pic?
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May 20, 2017 17:27
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Maybe a meadowlark?
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May 20, 2017 17:50
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BetterLekNextTime posted:House finches can be orange, so that would be my guess. Maybe check out some of the oriole plumages and black-headed grosbeak variants too. Do you have a pic? The House Finch looks like a pretty perfect match. When my wife gets home I'm going to give her a lineup of all y'alls suggestions and see if she agrees.
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May 20, 2017 19:48
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Corla Plankun posted:The House Finch looks like a pretty perfect match. When my wife gets home I'm going to give her a lineup of all y'alls suggestions and see if she agrees. Yeah, house finches come in a wide swath of colors! Barn swallows made a nest on a lantern in our courtyard.
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May 22, 2017 00:27
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WrenP-Complete posted:Yeah, house finches come in a wide swath of colors! Might be too late if they're already settled in, but you can sometimes get swallows to grab feathers out of the air (they line their nests with them). Tree swallows do this a lot, barn swallows sometimes. Use a big downy duck or chicken feather that you can float on a breeze in front of them. It's pretty fun if they'll take the bait.
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May 22, 2017 02:34
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Sorry for the not-so-great quality, I couldn't get too close to this guy.     http://imgur.com/a/LN8fF e: Spotted him again today, perched out in the open this time. 
Chard fucked around with this message at 19:07 on May 22, 2017 |
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May 22, 2017 04:20
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Any thoughts on binoculars in the $300-$600 range? My top choice based on the review from the wirecutter is the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8 X 42 Binoculars. My partner uses a pair of Vortex Viper HD bins, which is pretty badass and a large step up from my current bins: Celestron Outland X 8x42 Binoculars (which btw, is a great beginner investment into birding for less than $100, but in hindsight, spending a few extra bucks on the Celestron Nature DX is worth it). Other bins in the mix based on this review: the Nikon Monarch 7, Celestron Granite ED, Eagle Optics Golden Eagle HD, Zeiss Terra ED...but still leaning towards the Athlon Optics Midas ED. What are people here using?
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May 26, 2017 18:27
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Bangkero posted:Any thoughts on binoculars in the $300-$600 range? Of those that I've had experience with, I inherited my partner's eagle optics ranger EDs, which are really good and extremely sharp. If the golden eagles are better still, great. EO also has good warranty (though it was pretty slow). Zeiss terras are ok, but I wouldn't get them over the eagle optics. Monarch 7s have pretty bad quality control, to the point where a brand new pair opened in the store to check out had a diopter that could not be adjusted sharp at all. I'd avoid those. I've heard good things about the Kowa BD XD, but never seen them. The vortex vipers I remember being quite good, I'd put them on par with the Ranger EDs.
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May 26, 2017 19:39
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I have a couple pairs of Vanguard Endeavor ED's (8x42 in the car 8.5x43 in the house). I've been really happy with them, especially for the price I paid ($150 a few years back from Amazon Warehouse Deals). I've heard the Endeavor II's are a significant step up and can be had towards the bottom of your price range ($80 rebate until the end of may as well). I'd avoid the Athlon's. That Wirecutter review is the only time I've ever heard of that brand, and I'm a person that spends time reading optics forums. Wirecutter is a good site, but there are so many makes and models of binoculars and they only really tested a small fraction. You can get an open-box Zen-Ray PRIME for $560, which is supposed to be a killer binocular. Also, the Tract Toric gets great reviews and is just higher than your $600 cutoff.
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May 26, 2017 20:06
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There are a lot of good options there, even at the low end of that range (e.g. Nikons). They should all be water sealed and multi-coated with a decent warranty. If you can get to a big outdoors store or birding/optics store, try a bunch of them in hand. Some will fit better in your hands or you'll like the focus knob action better in one than another, or have eye cups that fit better with your glasses/non-glasses. For what it's worth, my father-in-law hit a crazy one-day-deal from B&H on the mid range Zeiss that are normally $850 but he got them for half that.
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May 26, 2017 22:25
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Finger Prince posted:Of those that I've had experience with, I inherited my partner's eagle optics ranger EDs, which are really good and extremely sharp. If the golden eagles are better still, great. EO also has good warranty (though it was pretty slow). Zeiss terras are ok, but I wouldn't get them over the eagle optics. Monarch 7s have pretty bad quality control, to the point where a brand new pair opened in the store to check out had a diopter that could not be adjusted sharp at all. I'd avoid those. I've heard good things about the Kowa BD XD, but never seen them. The vortex vipers I remember being quite good, I'd put them on par with the Ranger EDs. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with the Monarch 7's. They can occasionally be found on sale for $400 and I think they are bar none the best in the price range with regards to FOV, depth, and clarity - especially in unusual conditions like sunset and dusk. In the past I've spent a few days each with the Athlons linked above as well as the Eagle Optics Ranger ED's and Vortex Diamondbacks. The rain cover for the Monarch 7's is garbage though, probably worth swapping out for some OEM piece.
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May 28, 2017 05:30
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Thanks all for the feedback. I'm now interested in the following: Athlon Midas, Bushnell Legend M, Eagle Optics Golden Eagle, Vanguard Endeavor ED II, and Nikon Monarch 7. Thankfully the outdoor store nearby has most of these binoculars except the Midas so I'll give what they have a try.BeastOfExmoor posted:I'd avoid the Athlon's. That Wirecutter review is the only time I've ever heard of that brand, and I'm a person that spends time reading optics forums. Wirecutter is a good site, but there are so many makes and models of binoculars and they only really tested a small fraction. But yeah, there's not much about Athlon Optics out there since the company is fairly new (end of 2015?). I did some sleuthing and found it was created by a bunch of former Bushnell employees after Bushnell was bought out. The Midas is similarly spec'd and priced to Bushnell's Legend M Series, which is highly praised by Outdoor Life Magazine although the biggest difference is that Athlon boasts 99% light transmission vs. Bushnell's 92% (not sure if that counts for something?). I think the main issue I have with Athlon Optics, and any other smaller brands would be whether they will last long enough for me to make use of their lifetime warranty. The outdoor store nearby sells the Vanguard Endeavor ED II so I'll definitely try them out, thanks. Unfortunately both the Zen Prime and Tract Toric are out of my budget otherwise I'd definitely consider them. 1024x768 posted:In the past I've spent a few days each with the Athlons linked above as well as the Eagle Optics Ranger ED's and Vortex Diamondbacks.
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May 29, 2017 16:19
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Bangkero posted:Thanks all for the feedback. I'm now interested in the following: Athlon Midas, Bushnell Legend M, Eagle Optics Golden Eagle, Vanguard Endeavor ED II, and Nikon Monarch 7. Thankfully the outdoor store nearby has most of these binoculars except the Midas so I'll give what they have a try. The glass is pretty nice on the Athlons. CA is on par with the Monarch 7 (419 ft @ 1000 yds) and clarity is good. FOV is a solid (426 ft @ 1000 yds) -- I'd have concerns about product lifetime (what glues are used, etc) and warranty like you mention above. On the Monarch 5 vs 7, they are really comparable in terms of image quality with the 7 being a hair sharper and having better performance in glare-y conditions, but what you're really buying is a substantial bump in FOV (330 ft to 419 ft). If that isn't important to you, I'd say give the 5's a shot.
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May 29, 2017 23:27
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Birds are like really hard to tell apart. Like Gulls. Does everyone else hate Gulls? They synchronized a dive bomb of poop on my truck.
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May 30, 2017 05:06
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Sierra Nevadan posted:Birds are like really hard to tell apart. Like Gulls. Nah man, gulls are cool. They're such characters. The rabbit hole of hybrid/juvenile/1st winter/2nd winter/3rd winter/breeding/subspecies gull identification is so very deep though.
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May 30, 2017 07:39
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1024x768 posted:The glass is pretty nice on the Athlons. CA is on par with the Monarch 7 (419 ft @ 1000 yds) and clarity is good. FOV is a solid (426 ft @ 1000 yds) -- I'd have concerns about product lifetime (what glues are used, etc) and warranty like you mention above. On the Monarch 5 vs 7, they are really comparable in terms of image quality with the 7 being a hair sharper and having better performance in glare-y conditions, but what you're really buying is a substantial bump in FOV (330 ft to 419 ft). If that isn't important to you, I'd say give the 5's a shot. Second year in to briding and I'm finding that birding folks are awesome and I'm loving the community so far. I've scuba dived since the early 2000s and I'm finding a lot of parallels (checking out fish vs checking out birds) but the birding community is way more friendlier and less cliquish. Sierra Nevadan posted:Does everyone else hate Gulls? They synchronized a dive bomb of poop on my truck.  As a beginner birder - get the gently caress closer to me so I can identify you stupid gull.
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May 30, 2017 13:56
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Finger Prince posted:Nah man, gulls are cool. They're such characters. The rabbit hole of hybrid/juvenile/1st winter/2nd winter/3rd winter/breeding/subspecies gull identification is so very deep though. And in Florida, they laugh at you.
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May 30, 2017 13:58
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