"birding" fun - Page 19

**Swampfox** · #**181** 04-30-2010, 03:33 PM

Ah yes, the dawn Chorus. Sometimes I don't always think nice thoughts about that chorus;-) We still have snow on the ground so we haven't gotten lots of visitors yet.......but...... their coming.

We did see an sub-adult Bald Eagle this morning. It was harassing a flock of ducks along a stream that passes near our house. Didn't get anything, but was still having a good time.

Good luck with that new camera and best capturing a good image. It's a lot harder than those that have never tried might think.

**Thomas Meek** · #**182** 04-30-2010, 07:08 PM

My home is Northern Indiana but I recently spent a few days in Santa Monica CA, and aside from two gulls we don't have at home, there were ravens (Somebody told me that the way to tell a raven from a crow is if you see it and go: "OMG! That's the biggest crow I ever saw!" it is probably a raven.

The other birds I noticed had to be mockingbirds, although I never actually saw one. The first time I heard one I thought it was one of those birdcall clocks somebody had wired up to a loudspeaker outside.

It was a succession of different bird calls one after another. The second time I heard one I knew better. When that one went off it started with a police whistle, followed by a gull and a couple of other bird sounds and then a "boom box!" It didn't quite have the rhythmic cussing down, but the "thumpa thumpa thumpa" was unmistakable.

I had to come back but am already saving for another train ticket. I'll take my binoculars with me then.

**Ashrunner** · #**183** 05-01-2010, 01:07 PM

Glenn...what are the specs on the new digital camera?

Thomas...you can tell the difference between crows and ravens by looking at the tail in flight. If it is straight across, it is a crow, whereas if the tail has a point to it (diamond shaped), its a raven. We have both here and friends were always calling one the other until I told them how to determine the difference.

In the past couple of weeks, I have been able to get images of two new yard birds.

The first is a Chipping Sparrow and the second an Evening Grosbeak.

You can see the sparrow shot here and the grosbeak here.

It's always nice to have a camera handy when a new bird arrives.

**Don Boose** · #**184** 05-01-2010, 01:11 PM

Your photos are always superb, Ash!

We should start seeing chippies around Carlisle soon. The winter white throats and juncos are now gone.

we have had evening (and rose breasted) grosbeaks here from time to time.

The pileated woodpecker has made several appearances, but whenever I try to get a photo, my movement toward the window spooks the bird.

Don

**billy.leliveld** · #**185** 05-01-2010, 01:37 PM

I don't know if this is realy birding fun, but a stange bird showed up in my town,
I was giving my daughter a ride to the stable where she rides horses every week, it's just outside the city of Rotterdam, and we live more or less in the centre, but i had to pull over, just to make another car pass on the one lane street that gets you there, when i noticed a a bird in the little field , I got out of the car, and found the bird was actualy a stuffed bird, but it is a Pardise bird, it looks a bit like it's run over by a truck (not mine), but after some googling I found out that it is realy a paradise bird, and, altough it is not extinct, but there is a law here in Holland that since 1922 forbits to import them...so I got me a stuffed Paradise bird

**birder** · #**186** 05-03-2010, 07:11 PM

Billy that is a rare mount for sure, maybe a local museum could clean repair and use it? You don't see those unless you live quite a distance from Holland!! Lauren, the camera is a Canon PowerShot Sx20is, I don't know much about cameras these days but it completely takes out f-stops and light meters or even focusing! I am truly amazed. That nuthatch was one of the first 2 or 3 shots taken with it, it has no lens interchangability that I see, but 20x optical focus seems pretty good....

**Gharbad** · #**187** 05-03-2010, 08:20 PM

Ash, you really make me want a 300 lens.
Problem is I don't even feel like carrying my point and shoot...

I've seen several Pileateds this year somehow.
I also had an amazing run in with some barred owls.
I'll upload the pictures later.

**Thomas Meek** · #**188** 05-03-2010, 10:10 PM

Thanks, Ashrunner, for the disambiguation tip re: ravens/crows. Here in Northern Indiana we have mostly crows, though I am told an occasional raven will show up. Now I will be able to tell for sure if I see one.

Crossing the St. Marys River today I saw a pair of Mallard ducks with ten little puffballs learning to comb through the flotsam on the water. A couple days ago I saw a little Wood Duck with three tiny woodducklings. Spring, I am thinking, is here.

**Ashrunner** · #**189** 05-04-2010, 01:56 PM

Gharbad...it took a while to get accustomed to carrying around my gear. The Digital Rebel is an old model and is large and heavier than the Rebels of today. Plus I have the battery grip on it which adds a bit of weight. Finally the lens.

I do have a small point and shoot which I carry when I'm not out to do serious photo work. But it too is old and needs replacing...someday.

Glen...the Powershot SX20 is a nice superzoom point and shoot camera. I have recommended that particular camera to people who have queried me about what they should get and they are all happen with it. Canon is replacing it in a couple of months with an newer model, and that will probably be my next Point & Shoot.

It does take good shots.

**Gharbad** · #**190** 05-04-2010, 06:16 PM

Here's the barred owl.

There were two (different spots) just sitting there by the road side.
A bunch of people were camped out at the first one but the second was all mine.
Got really close... then a twig snapped and it flew right over my head. So cool.

My camera only goes up to about 120mm FYI... really close, just dark.