Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Gloria's Birds: Gertie's unfolded wings are something to behold
Friday, March 1, 2024
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: Despite his mom's admonishments when he was a chick,
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Gus the seagull preferred biting the water...none of this sipping nonsense.
(Spotted Gus on the shores of Lake Washington)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
For the Birds: The spiderwebs were deliberate
Monday, February 19, 2024
Remember the charming photos of a hummingbird picking spiderwebs out of her toes?
We thought she had accidentally flown through a web.
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| Offended hummingbird. Photo by Jan Hansen |
She was a little offended at the assumption.
According to For the Birds columnist Christine Southwick this is a female Anna's Hummingbird, who is in the process of building her nest!
Anna’s Hummingbirds nest starting as early as late December, although as cold as it was I suspect most waited until about now.The females build a nest for their two small eggs using spider webbing to bind it together and to allow the nest to expand as the nestlings grow.The whole nest is only about 1 1/2 inches across.Keep your feeders clean and active and you should see some juveniles in about a month.
Tags:
birds,
for the birds
Travels with Charlie: A raft of coots
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Story and photos by Gordon Snyder
Then a huge raft of Coots caught my attention. They were moving like a black blob just offshore of the North Lake Washington shore by the beach along the Burke Gilman Trail.
There must have been thousands as they swam and fluttered to get closer together.
What the heck?
Looking around for a minute or two, I spotted why…
A Bald Eagle was cruising above and making them crazy. (upper left above the raft)
Safety in Numbers!
As the eagle flew over them they formed a tighter line formation.
The Eagle landed in a tree and just watched them frantically move their raft away.
The Eagle landed in a tree and just watched them frantically move their raft away.
All of the Coots stayed tight and moved away even without a leader.
All they wanted was to get outa there.
The eagle finally just resumed the soaring flight…
No Coots were harmed in this story.
Tags:
birds
Gloria's Birds: Toss of the Townsend's Warbler...
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
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| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
(He nabs bits of the suet but, in order to swallow it, the warbler tosses it into his open beak.)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
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birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: "Dagnabbit, Gus," said Gertie as she leapt out of his way, "you've GOT to work on your landings!"
Sunday, February 11, 2024
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birds,
gloria nagler
Sometimes things get sticky
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
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| Photo by Jan Hansen |
This hummingbird flew into a spiderweb. Trying to get it off his feathers, the web get stuck in his beak.
--Jan Hansen
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birds
Acrobatic flying
Monday, February 5, 2024
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| Didn't miss a beat Photo by Jan Hansen |
Jan Hansen says "This northern flicker had a tight flight in my backyard this morning, but made it."
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birds
For the Birds: Who’s That Singing in My Yard?
Sunday, February 4, 2024
If you have a small boisterous brown bird with a white eye line flitting through your shrubs, stopping every so often to belt out lovely warbles, whistles, and trills, you have a Bewick’s Wren.
He and his mate are probably year-round residents.
Those lively buzzes, trills, warbles and bubbly songs of these wrens bring such joy to my ears.
The male Bewick’s Wren sings to protect his territory, which he takes quite seriously, and to attract a mate.
Read more...
Those lively buzzes, trills, warbles and bubbly songs of these wrens bring such joy to my ears.
The male Bewick’s Wren sings to protect his territory, which he takes quite seriously, and to attract a mate.
This is a full-time effort, especially since he must endeavor to win his mate by melodiously belting out up to 22 different songs in his repertoire, and to keep other males away.
Since the majority of these local wrens stay paired they are usually the first perching birds (passerines) in this area to start nesting.
Once he has won the affection of this year’s mate, the male fashions three or four nests full of twigs for the female’s approval.
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| Active nest box near house Photo by Craig Kerns |
Once he has won the affection of this year’s mate, the male fashions three or four nests full of twigs for the female’s approval.
These are often in the most unusual places; hose bib covers, boots, corners of carports, all hidden near human habitation.
When the female has selected the preferred nest location, she will finish it with feathers, hair, leaves and mosses and a soft warm cup for her eggs.
While the female sits on her 4-6 eggs the male brings food to her, and he helps feed their offspring. The female often has a second brood.
These spunky hyperactive little birds, with their tails cocked over their backs, can be found climbing on branches, skulking in blackberry brambles, sometimes upside down, and investigating the leaves on the ground, looking for their buggy delicacies, especially those tasty spiders.
If you go too close to them while they are searching for food, they will often scold you.
Fledgling Bewick’s Wrens are the same size as their parents when they leave their nests, only their tail feathers still need to finish growing.
Bewick’s Wrens will readily use a nest box near/against your house. They don’t like high-traffic areas and won’t make nests out in the open.
When the female has selected the preferred nest location, she will finish it with feathers, hair, leaves and mosses and a soft warm cup for her eggs.
While the female sits on her 4-6 eggs the male brings food to her, and he helps feed their offspring. The female often has a second brood.
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| Score a spider Photo by Craig Kerns |
If you go too close to them while they are searching for food, they will often scold you.
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| Extermination at your service Photo by Craig Kerns |
Since their eyebrows are rough and uneven these juvies look unkempt until they molt into their adult feathers the next year.
Your yard is being used by one of the best insect and spider eliminators, so don’t use pesticides which will likely kill these delightful super-bug-eaters.
Your yard is being used by one of the best insect and spider eliminators, so don’t use pesticides which will likely kill these delightful super-bug-eaters.
Let these energetic birds be your bubbly exterminators.
Tags:
birds,
for the birds
Ducks on Ice
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Someone forgot to tell Ronald Bog about the temperature warming. The bog was still frozen Monday morning, January 22, 2023.
The ducks appear to be a little puzzled.
--Diane Hettrick
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birds,
ronald bog
Gloria's Birds: Zombie crow!
Sunday, January 21, 2024
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| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
(aka nictitating corvid. Birds, among other animals, have this membrane that they draw over their eyes for protection and to prevent dryness.)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: Whoops, Chelsea failed to stick the landing!
Saturday, January 20, 2024
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| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
She should've heeded her mom and practiced more often. (Chelsea the Chestnut-backed Chickadee righted herself and took off again with the largest nut she could find:)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
Hummingbird feeder alert: birds can't drink frozen juice
Saturday, January 13, 2024
By Gordon Snyder
I’m a hummingbird fan. I love watching and photographing them.
We have had feeders in the front and back yards for years. When it’s very cold like now, our resident hummers are dependent on us keeping their feeders thawed out. They can’t drink frozen juice.
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| Photo by Gordon Snyder |
Notice the feathers are fluffed to make the warmest down coat. He was even flying around the feeder all puffed up to stay warm as possible.
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| Heated hummingbird feeder Photo by Gordon Snyder |
All our hummingbird feeders were frozen solid from this cold front. To thaw them out, put them in a sink or container because they will leak sugar water as they warm.
As the warmed feeders were rehung, they were in high demand. But as usual, the hummers began setting territories. Our Anna’s Hummingbirds don’t share…
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| Thaw feeders in a sink because they will leak suger water as they warm. Photo by Gordon Snyder |
Please, it’s going to be cold for the next several days and nights. If you have hummingbird feeders, bring them inside at night. Then, put them outside in the morning.
The hummers will be waiting for you. You will bring joy to them and yourself.
Not everything was gray
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Hurray!
Just to say,
not everything was gray.
An amazing display
from this hummingbird today.
Photos and poem by Jan Hansen
Tags:
birds
Gloria's Birds: Why do humans insist on saying "Birds of 'a' feather flock together” photog?
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
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| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
No such thing exists. Take me for example: head feathers, shoulder feathers, tail feathers...all different shapes and patterns.
You guys give us no credit for the diversity that is nature!
(Cora Crow’s a mite testy, but seems to me she’s got a point! There are no birds of a feather!)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
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birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: True, I'm not between a rock and a hard place, photog,
Saturday, January 6, 2024
but still I feel hemmed in, said Beatrice.(Bewick's Wrens are here year 'round, for which I'm grateful.)--Gloria Z. Nagler
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birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: Tallulah looked a good way into the distance to see what 2024 might bring...
Monday, January 1, 2024
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| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
[Tallulah the Townsend's Warbler is not one to spill the beans, though; the rest of us will just have to wait and see! 'Till then, Happity New Year from Tallulah and me.]
--Gloria Z. Nagler
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birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: Hermione hurried off for some last-minute holiday shopping...
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
(Probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk because of the squared-off tail, rather than a Cooper's Hawk with a rounded tail.)
Bird folks are telling me this is a Cooper’s Hawk, and they may well be right!
--Gloria Z. Nagler
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
Gloria's Birds: Hey, Nadia, I didn't know you'd be here today!
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Wanna hang out over a cuppa joe after lunch?
(Red-breasted Nuthatches can be the friendliest sort...)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
Tags:
birds,
gloria nagler
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