Look! A bird!

[apl68]

While walking at the park a little after dawn I heard an owl call several times nearby.  I was just about to locate it when it ceased.

[Puget]

The other day I was walking along the river path at dusk when something suddenly hit me in the head. My first thought was that I had somehow walked into an overhanging branch, but there was none. Then I saw an owl glide just in front of me and land in a nearby tree! I have no idea if it somehow mistook my head for prey, or wasn't watching where it was going, but we both seemed quite surprised by this close encounter. I think it was an Eastern Screech Owl, but not certain

[nebo113]

The other day I was walking along the river path at dusk when something suddenly hit me in the head. My first thought was that I had somehow walked into an overhanging branch, but there was none. Then I saw an owl glide just in front of me and land in a nearby tree! I have no idea if it somehow mistook my head for prey, or wasn't watching where it was going, but we both seemed quite surprised by this close encounter. I think it was an Eastern Screech Owl, but not certain

Did you screech?

[Puget]

The other day I was walking along the river path at dusk when something suddenly hit me in the head. My first thought was that I had somehow walked into an overhanging branch, but there was none. Then I saw an owl glide just in front of me and land in a nearby tree! I have no idea if it somehow mistook my head for prey, or wasn't watching where it was going, but we both seemed quite surprised by this close encounter. I think it was an Eastern Screech Owl, but not certain

Did you screech?

I see what you did there! Neither of us screeched but I certainly jumped.

[Harlow2]

The juncos are back!  And hungry. They were scavenging seeds (I assume) from between the bricks on the patio when I saw them this morning and are now scarfing down the nijer I threw out (squirrels don't like it).  That should tide them over until I can get the feeder cleaned and up.

[cathwen]

Yes!  I saw a couple of juncos yesterday, too, for the first time this fall.  Now I'm waiting for the white-throated sparrows.

[nebo113]

Thanks for mentioning juncos.  I have them flitting around and always forget the name!  They are not year 'round here.

[cathwen]

Lots of bird activity this morning—perhaps because we're suppose to get frost tonight?  Carolina wrens, juncos, chickadees, robins, house sparrows, song sparrows, tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers, cedar waxwings—all have appeared at various times over the last couple of hours, especially in the tree across the way which seems to have berries that they like.

[Morden]

Yesterday as we walked by a hedge, there was a flurry of sparrows, and then a little falcon (I couldn't tell what type) who made it through a surprising small gap in a fence.

[mamselle]

I saw a hawk yesterday land on a telephone pole, followed by some squawking crows and blue jays, but by the time I got my camera out, they'd all moved off...

They followed him across the town line and kept up the racket.

M. 

[nebo113]

Lots of bird activity this morning—perhaps because we're suppose to get frost tonight?  Carolina wrens, juncos, chickadees, robins, house sparrows, song sparrows, tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers, cedar waxwings—all have appeared at various times over the last couple of hours, especially in the tree across the way which seems to have berries that they like.

All of those (except cedar waxwings) plus towhees, one (confused) myrtle warble, and big flashy blue jays.  And we had frost last night.

[apl68]

Lately we've had only a couple of crows in a large shopping center parking lot where once we had a whole flock of them (Or "murder," as the technical term seems to be.  Not sure why, unless it's a reference to the fact that being around large flocks of crows can make you feel like killing some of them).  Having fewer crows to watch and listen to is rather nice.  But I do wonder what's happened to the rest of them.

[FishProf]

Crows are considered a harbinger of death - hence a 'Murder of Crows' in the time of overblown animal group names (e.g. an Ostentation of Peacocks or a Bloat of Hippopotamuses (Hippopotomoi?))

[nebo113]

Crows are considered a harbinger of death - hence a 'Murder of Crows' in the time of overblown animal group names (e.g. an Ostentation of Peacocks or a Bloat of Hippopotamuses (Hippopotomoi?))

I really like crows.  if they are truly harbingers of death, I'm dead ten times over for the past decade, since I've been living in the country!

[apl68]

Crows are considered a harbinger of death - hence a 'Murder of Crows' in the time of overblown animal group names (e.g. an Ostentation of Peacocks or a Bloat of Hippopotamuses (Hippopotomoi?))

I really like crows.  if they are truly harbingers of death, I'm dead ten times over for the past decade, since I've been living in the country!

I kind of like them too.  It's just that sometimes it feels like we have too much of a good thing.