bird watchers

[Colin]

I have a bird/squirrel feeder hung high in our Avocado tree so that I can watch the birds while I watch TV or listen to music. We have Mourning Doves, Bluejays and a rare Painted Bunting:

www.gdphotography.com/ images/1094.jpg

[kenratboy]

We have tons of these:

http://www.pbase.com/image/26089594 and http://www.pbase.com/image/25974054 - (my camera is able to do better, but the lens blows at any apeture with so much contrast)

[Champagne taste beer budget]

Although they can be nasty to other birds and their offspring, I like the Bald Eagles. I'd say I average a sighting every couple days. Along the shoreline of our yard, there is a huge white pine with a big dead branch hanging out over the lake, they like to perch there and scope out the lake or eat a freshly caught fish. I've got a few cool pics from right out our picture window, but no scanner. A couple years ago I saw a pair that was trying to get a big dead northern pike, maybe 8-10 lbs, up out of the water and to shore, they kept dropping it but persevered until they got it to a spot where they could have lunch. My wife and I were down sitting on the dock once watching the loons, they go nuts whenever there is an eagle around, watched as an eagle swooped down and snatched a baby loon off the mothers back and flew off with it. Nature can be very cruel sometimes, my wife almost started crying. It was amazing to witness, but not sure I want to see it again. Course, I wouldn't want to be around Cluless' back yard, either! Might carry ME away!!

[BBB]

Ehhhh. So wholl be the next bird that tries to get rid of the Bugs?

[Parrot]

Wow, Ken, are those your pictures?

Good stories, Champagne.

[skonopa]

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On 4/29/2004 3:43:18 PM Champagne taste beer budget wrote:

My wife and I were down sitting on the dock once watching the loons, they go nuts whenever there is an eagle around, watched as an eagle swooped down and snatched a baby loon off the mothers back and flew off with it. Nature can be very cruel sometimes, my wife almost started crying. It was amazing to witness, but not sure I want to see it again. Course, I wouldn't want to be around Cluless' back yard, either! Might carry ME away!!

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How about this!

A friggan eagle attacks and carries off a bear cub! Right in front of the mother bear! It happened in Norway. Talk about nature being cruel sometimes.

[boomac]

The eagles out in Wyoming and Montana are huge. I've heard stories about them taking sheep and coyotes. I've seen them on the ground and they can look big as a bear.

[jt1stcav]

We had a family of cardinals living in a bush just outside our front door last month; the nest was eye level and was only about 3' away from the porch. They didn't seem to mind as we walked by or sat out in the porch as we grilled BBQ chicken thighs and legs (is that cruel or what?)! We had a series of typically bad Florida thunderstorms about 2 weeks ago, and since then the 3 baby chicks were never seen again. Now the nest is abandoned...how sad, for it was interesting watching the mother cardinal feed her chicks dead chameleons!

Our backyard faces a huge horse pasture, lined with huge water oak and live oak trees. As the horses walk along grazing, insects are stirred up which attract snowy white egrets. Years ago my brother (chops) was looking outside the kitchen window when he saw a bald eagle flying overhead, and then suddenly swoop down and nab one of the many egrets...the eagle ate well that day.

We also have fruit(?) bats that come out at dusk that encircle the pasture (and our yards) eating insects that they hone in on with their sonar. With all the skeeters we have in this state, the bats have a field day!