Look! A bird!

[mamselle]

Identity confusion on the way home from my walk this AM:

One close-to-good imitation cardinal, preceded by a number of arrhythmic warm-up churr-ippps, that were a giveaway to the mockingbird I could see at the top of a very tall pine as I walked past. (Real cardinals do their warm-ups in a strict Scottish flip rhythm...)

A block later, from a different direction, a similar imitation cardinal call sounded from a housetop on the other side of the street.

Both call-and-responded to each other for several exchanges--perhaps each thought the other was a real cardinal and they were either learning from, or fooling it.

I didn't get involved, although my "cardinal" is better than either of theirs.

For one thing, someone on this thread on the Old Forum said it stresses them, which I hadn't realized before.

For another, it was too funny hearing them both replying and apparently thinking they were getting away with something.

Also saw two swans, several geese, a few ducks, and many sparrows. Oh, and three turtles out sunning, all about the same size, 6-8 inches--they must be finished hibernating.

Haven't yet seen the big 15-in turtle this season, nor had anyone else I met along the path who knows the turtles in the area.

There might have also been a swallow dipping along but it was too swift, and too quickly out of sight, to be sure.

M.

[Langue_doc]

More ospreys, this time on their usual platforms in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. There was a nesting pair in the first platform, and then on the second, a single osprey. I saw another one not far away, swoop down on the water, fly up and around, then swoop down again, this time presumably with a fish, and then land on the nest, and take off soon after. Not sure if the osprey was fishing on behalf of its mate. I didn't check out the other platforms but saw a pair on a platform by the road as I was driving away from the refuge.

Whole flocks of snow geese--the last time I saw them was a year ago, in the same location. The usual brants which, like the snow geese, winter in along the shores in the city. Alongside were several gulls flying up, dropping shellfish, and then dropping down to eat the innards. They kept at it for quite a while. Several other birds, including very tame mocking birds that didn't fly off when I was near them.

The downside was the realization that the current administration seems to have given up on maintaining the wildlife preserves. Pre-pandemic the center would be staffed Wednesdays through Sundays in winter, and probably all week in summer. Now the center continues to be closed, which means no more ranger-led bird walks and other activities. This, despite our state getting oodles of pandemic relief funds.

ETA: Someone just posted on ebird that they saw 40 snow geese and 400 brant at this location today; the latter must be getting ready to fly home.

[Langue_doc]

Another good birding day. An osprey flying overhead, two kingfishers in two different locations, assorted waterfowl--horned grebes, red-necked grebes, red-throated loons, buffleheads and other ducks, herring gulls, Bonaparte's gulls, and other gulls, oystercatchers, the usual brants, several species of warblers, an egret with only its neck showing above what looked like a temporary dam, a creeper or two, a pileated woodpecker, and several other birds.

The highlight was seeing flocks of gannets, well into the thousands, some (hundreds) of them flying over the water, others (hundreds again) diving with such vigor that they created long wakes, and more in another part of the ocean, diving for fish. There must have been hundreds in each group diving for thousands of fish. I've never seen so many gannets in one spot. You needed a scope to see the diving gannets properly as they were far from the shore. Someone in the group, as usual, adjusted their scope so that I could see the gannets. I doubt if I'll ever see this sight again!

[mamselle]

Something really, really fast cut past my vision on my AM walk today; I was getting a goose in focus and suddenly it just sliced right through the air about 8 inches above the river's surface.

I tried to follow it with the camera, couldn't, saw a bit more, looking up; it had what looked like a longish bill, was flat-out racing over the water, and its wing action would have made Jonathan Livingston weep.

Kingfisher? I don't know them well enough to guess for sure.

Otherwise, a very young hawk circled for a moment but decided there were more interesting targets elsewhere (I did get a bit of video of its flight) and two newer-looking swans appeared--younger, less spread-out, a bit more sprightly, I'd say, than the pair that's been around all winter--but no heron, only a few geese, some ducks, and a lot of cheepy, peepy sparrows everywhere.

Onwards and upwards...

M. 

[mahagonny]

monarchfisher, perhaps

[mamselle]

Hmm, not finding that anywhere...

M.

[AmLitHist]

Kid #1 lives in the country north of us, near an abandoned coal-fired electric plant and its large cooling lake.  Saturday the farm fields around her were white with seagulls.  I had to stop a couple of times on the gravel road off the blacktop toward her house--the gulls just sat there and looked at me, rather than move!

[mamselle]

Crusty little beggars, aren't they?

I had to give a shore-side talk on a tour boat once and they threatened to drown me out several times...

M.

[Thursday's_Child]

Hummingbirds have arrived, chickadees are sitting on eggs, Carolina wrens are feeding nestlings.  Time to go put up some snake-deterrents!

[paultuttle]

I've heard the characteristic "hoo-dee-hoo-hoo-hoo" of a great horned owl several times around my neighborhood in the past 6-8 weeks.

Looking forward to seeing it (I hope).

[namazu]

Discovered a nest in our garage [!] yesterday. No idea how/when it got there without us noticing any activity.

Initially assumed it belonged to some kind of rodent because there's a small gap at the bottom of the garage door where the slab settled.  Upon donning a mask and taking it down, I saw four small, speckled eggs inside. Put it back. 

Probably belongs to a(n invasive) house sparrow, but could also be a Carolina wren or something.  Didn't get a great look.  Have never seen Mom on the nest.  Don't know if the eggs are viable, but I'll assume so until I figure out otherwise.  I just hope Mom is cool with our presence; given that we didn't notice any of the nest-building or egg-laying activity, she must be pretty stealthy, but that could change once she starts incubating/tending to babies. 

Fingers crossed all goes well.  Hoping the fledglings will be able to find their way out.  May need to leave the garage door open for a while once the hatchlings are at that stage.

[nebo113]

Just saw young male cardinal feed young female cardinal seed from my bird feeder.  I've also seen birds feed very young offspring the same way.

Might someone explain?

[Puget]

Just saw young male cardinal feed young female cardinal seed from my bird feeder.  I've also seen birds feed very young offspring the same way.

Might someone explain?

Feeding is a common part of courtship behavior in many species. Likewise, many species continue to feed fledglings for some time after leave the nest. It may seem odd when the seed is right there for them to pick up themselves, but of course that isn't normal in the environment and most birds' behavioral repertoires aren't that flexible.

[nebo113]

Just saw young male cardinal feed young female cardinal seed from my bird feeder.  I've also seen birds feed very young offspring the same way.

Might someone explain?

Feeding is a common part of courtship behavior in many species. Likewise, many species continue to feed fledglings for some time after leave the nest. It may seem odd when the seed is right there for them to pick up themselves, but of course that isn't normal in the environment and most birds' behavioral repertoires aren't that flexible.

Thank you.  It's delightful to watch.

[mamselle]

I can think of some human males who might have thought of this when asking someone out (implying a nice dinner) and then being surprised that the expectation was for a little more than "a burger and fries," you know?

;--》

M.