BIRDWATCHIN' BUZZ!

Feathered Friends Need Water

2011-07-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to attract birds to a backyard feeding program is to offer a ready source of cool water. This is especially important during our months of warmest weather. This need becomes critical in certain parts of the country such as those that are currently experiencing extreme hot weather. If you do not already offer a fresh source of cool water for your backyard visitors I encourage you to add one. Not only will fresh water attract birds under normal circumstances ... it is the highly recommended way to attract birds to your yard ... your feathered visitors need your help during the currently extreme hot weather conditions.

It is interesting to understand why a source of cool water is so important to birds. David Allen Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior provides an excellent explanation: "Although birds lack sweat glands, they can perspire through their skin and thus reduce body heat. Birds can also get rid of excess body heat by panting, which allows water to evaporate from the surface of the air sacs." Continuing, Sibley explains: "The challenge is both of the above cooling methods are dependent upon a ready source of cool water".

While having a fancy birdbath may be appealing to us, it is not necessary for the birds. Something as simple as a clay saucer or upturned garbage can lid kept refreshed often with clean, cool water will provide an extra water source during extreme heat as many areas are experiencing now. However, one thing we know is that moving water attracts 10 times more birds. There are products that can address this need. A simple way I've used is to hang a plastic pot for plants above my bird bath. Before filling with water make a very tiny hole in the bottom so the water can slowly drip into the bath. Good advice is to start with a really tiny hole as you can always enlarge it if you need more water to drip. Using this type of container (milk jug or bucket) is a quick way to provide moving water, but you do need to refill the container, as necessary.

If refilling the container might prove inconvenient, products like the Water Wiggler can be put in your bird bath. The Water Wiggler runs on batteries that make its legs jiggle keeping the bird bath water constantly moving. The Water Wiggler I use runs on 2 D-cell batteries which keep the Wiggler moving 24-hours a day for 3 months. Actually, I went a step farther and purchased the Water Wiggler Aurora which provides a gradually changing rainbow of colors casting a soft glow on my deck at night. The colored light turns on automatically at dusk and glows for 3 hours and then shuts off automatically. However, only the light shuts off as the Water Wiggler provides continuous water movement as mentioned.

Another appealing way to help songbirds stay cool is a device called the Easy Mister. It simply screws onto the end of garden hose. Just hang the hose over a tree limb or garden hook. The product puts out a fine mist that birds love to fly through and is especially helpful for Hummingbirds. When it is placed where leaves get wet songbirds birds love to take a "leaf bath" by rubbing up against the wet leaves. It doesn't cost a lot to operate as it only uses one gallon of water per hour.

Please don't forget to provide water for all our feather friends as they truly need and appreciate it. They'll fill your backyard with brilliant color, intriguing behavior and beautiful song as a thank you.

Feeders of the Future

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

As a huge fan of backyard bird feeding I found a recent article provided by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Living Bird very interesting. The article focuses on the use of RFID (radio frequency identification) to monitor individual birds feeding habits by placing the RFID tag readers on various feeders in the woods near the Lab. Tiny 0.1 gram tags were placed on the legs of 129 bird species that frequent backyard bird feeders ... that is, specifically Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice and House Finches. According to the article only 6 hours of feeder upkeep per week provided 8,000 hours of continuous observations with some surprising results. Read this fascinating article.

Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper

2011-06-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the following Cornell Lab eNews article received yesterday on the endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a rare shorebird that breeds in the Russian Arctic, I discovered this unusual species. What a beautiful bird with such an unusual shaped beak. Very cool! Best wishes to the scientists on their mission to save this species from extinction. While it is sad to think that wild birds will be put in a captive breeding program and thus be removed from their natural habitat and life ... the greater tragedy would be the loss of this species forever. Here is the article and beatiful photo of this cool bird ...

Cornell Lab eNews

June 22, 2011

A Rare Chance for the Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper

An unusual shorebird with a one-of-a-kind bill is facing extinction--and a team of scientists from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Birds Russia are doing all they can to save it. They've mounted an expedition to this species' breeding grounds in arctic Russia, hoping to establish a critically needed captive breeding population. Fewer than 200 breeding pairs remain on earth. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Gerrit Vyn has joined the team to capture rare images and sounds of Spoon-billed Sandpipers on their breeding grounds, including the photo above. Read more.

My New Fancy HummZinger Feeders

2011-06-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

While it took longer to find the time than I mentioned in my post last Monday, I was able to hang my new Fancy HummZinger Hummingbird Feeders this afternoon. I’m as happy with them as I thought I would be. They are going to be just wonderful to take care of … that is, they are so easy to work with that it will be a snap to clean and refill them every 2-3 days in my pusuit to offer fresh nectar to my visiting Hummers. Honestly, I think I’ll even look forward to it rather than moaning and groaning about yet another “chore” as I was somewhat in the habit of doing with my old small-neck bottle-style feeders that I truly disliked having to clean.

The photo in this blog post shows the new feeder, but it really doesn’t do justice to the overall beauty of it. I’ve always been willing to acknowledge the “satellite” style feeder had merit but I never found it aesthetically pleasing … until finding this feeder. Of course, I must admit that my bottle-style feeders weren’t the least bit attractive, but I opted to buy them because they held a lot of nectar. Well, as it turned out that wasn’t the advantage I thought it would be. The main reason is the nectar wasn’t all consumed before it needed to be replaced to keep it fresh for the birds. So along with frequent cleaning of a hard to manage feeder, I was wasting nectar, too. Well, that wasn’t really the critical point as I make my own nectar which keeps the cost down, but waste is still waste and it bothered me. Yes, I know I could have put less nectar in the feeder but that still wouldn’t have made the cleaning chore any easier. But I digress.

More than a pretty feeder, I discovered some cool things about the Fancy HummZinger:

It is made of unbreakable polycarbonate with a cover than removes easily for cleaning and filling. And I do mean … easily! What’s more … the feeder is leak and drip proof!
12 oz. capacity that is the right size for keeping the nectar fresh. Unless you have a ba-zillion Hummers visiting your yard and you only have one feeder, this size feeder should certainly be fine.
It has a built-in ant moat in the center that you fill with water to block crawling insects from reaching the nectar. So no more extra ant moat accessories need to be purchased to deal with that potential nuisance.
But what about flying insects? Okay, that is also addressed with feeding ports that support Nectar Guard technology. What this means is there are Nectar Guard tips available, if needed … but they are sold separately.
Another aspect of the feeder I really like is the brass hanging rod. Rather than just a plain old rod that most "satellite" feeders feature, this one has an ornamental look with its curlicue design at the top. The hanger portion of rod itself has an opening to accommodate any pole system. However, I hang my feeders under the house roof eaves suspended by chain to a length that allows a good view of the birds. To match the brass rod I purchased some brass chain, eye hooks, and “s” hooks from my local hardware store ... the addition of which made it easy to hang the feeders.
Now the rest of the design is purely for the aesthetic appeal I mentioned. There is a pretty brass finial at the bottom of the feeder to give it that “finishing touch”. Now you might think “oh, oh” how can you set the feeder down on a flat surface and keep it level for filling. The designers of this feeder have thought of everything. It is simple to fill the feeder with the finial attached. You just easily remove and place the red cover on a flat surface and then rest the tray atop the cover. Doing that keeps the portion of the feeder you fill with nectar level. Then you just need to hold the feeder and replace the cover and hang. So simple!
Lastly, the red cover is so, so pretty with is bright color (actually it is offered in rose red, which I purchased or a gorgeous fuschia). The feeder also has 4 embossed flower designed feeding ports which can't be seen very well in the photo. What Hummer could resist? Certainly not mine, lol.
There is two more things about the feeder that is important to me, especially in today’s world ... The HummZinger is made in the USA … yea! … and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

For anyone reading this post who would like to begin feeding Hummingbirds, here are a few fast facts:

Hummingbirds feed 5 to 8 times each hour and consume half their weight in sugar daily. So you’ll have lots of opportunity to view these little avian jewels by offering them a feeder.
There are 16 species of Hummingbirds found in the U.S. and southern Canada at various times of the year.
Hummingbirds locate their food visually, and will investigate colorful blooms for nectar. So it is great fun to beautify your yard with flowering plants that attract Hummingbirds, including begonias, fuschias, bleeding hearts, honeysuckle, hibiscus, geranium and yucca. Check with your local nursery for the appropriate types for your area. You might also want to check out Birdscape Your Backyard for general info and flowers for Hummingbirds.
My new HummZinger Hummingbird Feeder offers a great design that certainly attracts Hummingbirds quickly and easily.

New Hummingbird Feeders

2011-06-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

As with most folks that enjoy feeding wild birds I love attracting Hummingbirds to my yard. When my hummingbird feeders were originally offered I found that placing them near each other ... that is, where the birds could see each other visiting a feeder caused more than usual aggressiveness between the birds. Successful feeding meant placing the feeders where the birds didn't feel competition from each other. In order to do this so I could easily view the birds meant I could only hang two feeders. While I intend to experiment by adding another in the near future, right now I still only have two.

The problem with my current feeders is the difficulty cleaning them. Frankly, with my busy schedule the cleaning difficulty discourages me from changing the nectar often as recommended ... although I manage to do it, it isn't fun. I've thought about replacing the feeders for quite awhile, but until recently hadn't come across a feeder style I liked that was also easy to clean. That is, until now.

One of the bonuses of having a wild bird business such as BirdWatchin'.com, is the continual discovery of the thousands of products offered to wild bird feeding enthusiasts. Because I'm currently growning the site with the addition of bird watching supplies it has provided the opportunity to find the new hummingbird feeders I'm planning to hang in my yard today. Not only does this new feeder ... most importantly ... provide the ability to be quickly, easily cleaned with a design safe for the birds, but is also in my opinion quite beautiful!

My old feeders were the bottle-style with a very small opening to fill the feeder which also caused the difficulty in cleaning the feeder easily. Because of it's vertical style it also blocked the view when Hummers fed on the opposite side from where I was trying to view them. The new feeders have a horizontal satellite style which affords a full view of the birds no matter what port they feed from.

Unless my schedule goes awry today, I intend to put the new feeders up and see what the birds think of their beautiful new banquet tables :). I have a feeling they'll be pleased!

Next on my agenda to accommodate these backyard visitors is yet another feeder. I'm gong to install the third one just outside my office window so I won't miss the Hummers while I'm working. This feeder will be a different style and is touted to be the "best hummingbird feeder" ... hmmm ... we'll see. At least I'm assured it will be easy to clean with its wide-mouth opening. It sure won't beat the beauty of the ones I intend to hang today. But if it provides a way to attract more Hummingbirds then I'll be a fan. More on this new feeder in an upcoming post.

Looking Forward ... and the New Chickens

2010-12-30T17:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2010 has come and gone and January 1, 2011 is 2 days away. Oh my gosh 2010 is almost history ... time sure has a way of flying by doesn't it? With thoughts directed toward the New Year I'm filled with anticipation about the expansion of BirdWatchin'.com to provide full-service to those of us that love backyard bird feeding and bird watching in general. While it will take a lot of time and commitment to bring a full complement of supplies and other goodies to the website, work will begin shortly and will continue to grow until the literally hundreds of exciting products fill the cyber-aisles of BirdWatchin'.com.

To be honest, the long delay accomplishing the full-service aspect for BirdWatchin'.com has been frustrating, but is entirely due to the time commitment it has taken to bring BirdCagePortal.com to the point of full service for those of us that are devoted to our pet birds. But with the new year approaching and Spring just beyond, I can't help but want to show all my backyard bird feeding friends how easy it is to invite and provide for wild birds with the great selection of feeders, houses, food, baths and so much more we will be offering! I'm beginning to acquire some great new stuff for my own backyard to add to old favorites ... what fun it will be to watch our bird visitors discover all that is new.

As anyone who has visited my blog in the past knows I'm a devoted Mom to a fairly large family of pet birds including Macaws, Cockatoos, an African Grey, Golden Conures and Lesser Jardine Parrots. They are my life ... along with also being Mom to a Mini Aussie, Mini Dachshund and four "inside" cats. Yes, it's a large family of critters, but we actually did some recent increasing with the addition of 8 hens. The new chickens were brought home at 2 weeks of age (more about them to come). I'm mention the new hens because they are birds ... and also pets. Although it will be unique to have them provide for us (i.e. eggs) rather than us just providing for them :). However, with only 2 humans in our household I fully expect to be supplying my neighbors with eggs, too! That will be fun. Until we became involved with these hens I had no idea about the growing interest that city people have in keeping chickens in their backyard. Many city ordinances have been changing to accommodate the growing interest. But just so you know, we don't reside the "city" ... it is nearby, but we are able to live in a more semi-rural area. But I think it is fascinating that city-folks are getting into the hobby of keeping chickens for the eggs they provide.

It will take time to grow BirdWatchin'.com according to plan ... but I hope you'll return to watch the change. And you might even find an item or two to help attract feathered visitors to your backyard and increase your enjoyment of them.

New Blog ... Pet Bird Buzz!

2007-09-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've decided I really need to clone myself, lol. That doesn't mean that I'm in great need or anything so dramatic ... it just would help to have more than one of me to do everything I either want or need to do. I suppose that is a common feeling among most people in today's world.

One of the reasons I feel need for a clone is to do a better job making posts to my blogs. After starting my first blog ... which admittedly was a little scarey in the beginning ... I've found it to be fun and kind of relaxing and stress-relieving. Blogging provides an avenue to "talk" about things wandering around in my mind and I feel better after chatting about the bird related things in my life. But because I have a lot on my agenda at the present time I'm not finding the time to post as often as I'd like to. Thus the need for a clone.

Since I've been pressed for time it was strange to find myself sitting down at the computer a few days ago and creating a second blog. However, I'd been thinking about creating it ... with a focus on pet birds ... for sometime and I suppose I found myself working on it because it was a pleasant diversion and the comfortable thing to do at the moment. The new blog is called Pet Bird Buzz! The word "buzz" means news to me as it relates to creating posts, so that is why I've used it in the title of both my blogs. If your love of birds extends to those we keep as pets come and visit the new blog. If you have comments or interesting pet bird experiences to share I hope you'll leave comments. One of the enjoyable things about having a passion that others enjoy is connecting and sharing information and experiences.

As far as my summer backyard bird visitors go ... the Orioles raised their family and have definitely departed ... perhaps it was time to start heading south. The Blue Jay now has the grape jelly feeder all to himself and is definitely taking full advantage. I'm beginning to wonder if grape jelly is all that good for him when he eats it throughout the day. I'm trying to keep the peanut feeder full to give him some food to cache away and to create a diversion from the jelly. But he takes ALL the peanuts to hide them away and does so until the peanut feeder is empty ... then its back to the grape jelly. I think this bird is becoming a bit spoiled, lol.

After going missing for most of the summer, with only an occasional visit, the male peacocks are back almost on a daily basis. Other than hanging around the front door (to look at their reflection in the glass panes) I'm glad to have them back. Having them at the front door just means cleaning up a little more bird poop ... which I have enough of with my pet birds, lol. Oh well, I suppose its okay since long along I had to admit that I'm a bird slave. But, I'm not complaining ... even the best life has to offer isn't always perfect.

So What's My Excuse This Time?

2007-09-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

The answer to that question boils down to just an extension of my last excuse. It's pretty embarrassing to make another entry that doesn't start off talking about birds ... but rather just to explain the absence of posts. It has everything to do with the continued work on the new BirdCagePortal website, which is now fully functional ... if not complete. It probably never will be truly "finished" because new products and content will be continually added. However, the pet bird supply shoppers have found it and seem to like what it offers. It is still sadly lacking in the kind of basic bird care information that I hope to include. So much to do ... so little time, lol. Anyway, it is progressing, however slowly. That is just the nature of website development.

Anyway, it has been a delightful summer of backyard bird observation. Once again our feeders were graced with the presence of Hooded Orioles ... with the added pleasure of having a pair raise a new family, once again. These birds love grape jelly and that seems to keep them coming back. I put up jelly feeders prior to their arrival in the spring and keep them up past the time they leave just to make sure they know they can depend on me, lol! Anway, I think I should buy stock in Welch's or Smuckers for the amount of grape jelly we purchased this year. It was much more than last year ... so perhaps we had more than one pair staking out the feeder. I've wondered whether last year's offspring might have wandered back in addition to the parents. It really was fun watching the parents bring their babies to the feeder. The little guys would hang on to the feeder and beg their parent to feed them. Finally, they caught on and began diving into the jelly themselves.

The jelly feeder holds a small plastic cup within a wooden platform and has a pitched roof over the top. The platform isn't very large so it was entertaining to watch one parent and two chicks trying to balance themselves on the feeder at the same time on a couple of occasions.

The only competition for the jelly continues to be our resident blue jay. I believe he watched the orioles and decided what was good enough for them was perfect for him, too. Just a couple of days ago we had some unwelcome competition from an ant colony who I believe were on the march to find water during a horrendous heat spell we are still experiencing. Believe it or not, the temperature has been in the low 100's eventhough we aren't more than 15 miles to the ocean ... as the crow flies. We haven't had ant problems until this very hot weather arrived. The ants were crawling over the jelly feeder on one day ... which perhaps discouraged the orioles from feeding ... but they were gone the next. Perhaps they were being urged on in their search for some water. I haven't seen the orioles since and I'm not sure if the ants discouraged them or it was time to begin heading south. I can't remember when they left last year, perhaps it was about this time.

The photo above is of my jelly feeder sans orioles. Actually, it is very difficult to get any photo (good or bad) of the birds at the feeder because they are very nervous by nature and fly off at the slightest movement or site of a human. Although I must admit they were a little more tolerant this year than last. But still impossible to photograph. Perhaps next year I'll be lucky enough to have them trust a little more. We'll see.

A New Website!

2007-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's been another long vacation from blogging. My last post was months ago ... I can't believe how weeks fly by. In a way, it seems like yesterday when I wrote that I was back to my a regular schedule of sharing my backyard birding life. Then poof! ... all of sudden so much time has flown by I have to admit my intention failed. I have an excuse ... it seems legitimate to me ... but doesn't go very far to reduce the guilt I feel in failing in my commitment to blog about wild birds. I suppose I'm the only one that really cares, but I really do feel bad mostly because I really enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences about birds.

So what is my excuse this time? Well, rather than coping with sick relatives this time it has everything to do with birds. As some who have read my previous posts may have discovered, my bird passion includes pet birds. I have a family of them ... and it has been an amazing experience for the past 22 years. So what has been taking all my time to the point of failing to keep up my blog? I got an idea some months ago to create another website ... one focused on pet birds.

As you may know my first website Birdwatchin'.com is about bird watching and backyard birds. I loved putting that website together ... there's something about spending long hours that involve your passion that makes it not seem like work. But creating Birdwatchin.com only fulfilled a part of my focus on birds. Yes, I did share some stuff about my own birds the the website, but just a little. So I've decided to create this other pet bird website and that is what has been taking all my time. For anyone who has created a website you know how all encompassing such a project is ... sometimes to the detriment of other important interests. And so it was with me.

Anyway, I'm finally nearing the point of submitting the new website to search engines which means I'm close to finalizing the basic part of the site. So what is this new site about. Well, my intention is to have it become a place to get good pet bird care information, resources and great products at big savings. If you're a pet bird owner you should check it out.

Currently the website's product line consists of a large selection of quality bird cages, including stainless steel. But I'll soon be adding play stands, cage covers, a good selection of various pet bird accessories, bird toys, etc. You know, all the stuff pet bird parents must have to create that special environment their pet needs.

To keep the website current with pet bird news and fun stuff bird people enjoy there will be a free newsletter. Again, it will be edited by none other than one of my favorite bird pals, David Jeffrey.

If you are a pet bird owner you can visit this budding website at BirdCagePortal.com. You might want to bookmark the site so you can re-visit and watch it develop. I'll make another announcement when it is fully functional and not only ready for visitors, but shoppers, too! Hope you like it ... and if you're inclined give me your input or suggestions I'd love to hear from you. There's a contact form on the website ....and there will be Live Support when the site is fully functional. I really want to makeBirdCagePortal a website you'll enjoy visiting on a regular basis.

Back To Bird Feeding!

2006-11-16T18:24:00.000-08:00

I just noticed the date on my last blog ... yikes, it was almost 6 months ago. I can't believe I've haven't posted in 6 months! But I suppose it is an example of how obligations and commitments to important projects can get completely out-of-hand and impact the bird watching lifestyle I prefer. Lately I've been paying attention to that "empty" feeling I've noticed lately. It finally dawned on me as I trudged along taking care of pressing projects that I was feeling out-of-sorts because I haven't been spending any time enjoying what I love most in life ... birds and the natural world. So, even though my projects are still needing my attention I'm going to find the time to enjoy my passion and post to my blog, too.

To be truthful, I've haven't even been a devoted backyard bird feeder lately ... and it really hurts to admit that. There has just been too much to do and so I couldn't keep the bird feeders cleaned and filled. I guess the only feathered friends that could really count on me this past summer were the hummingbirds that are here year-round. I did manage to keep them happy. I know that the birds don't rely on getting all they need from bird feeders and that helps me feel slightly better. But honestly, my guilt level is pretty high at the moment. So I hauled all the feeders out of storage and they are being rehung. Unfortunately, I'm not getting them up fast enough to participate in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Project Feeder Watch ... their annual wintertime wild bird feeding project. So I'll just have to be content with my intention to register for it next winter.

Even without the bird feeders we had feathered visitors all year. That is typical here in the San Diego area. BTW, I encourage you to visit San Diego if you like to bird watch beyond your own locality. You won't be disappointed. One special experience this past spring was during an extremely hot period. We had a broken sprinkler and after it was fixed the system was turned on to make sure everything was working okay. Shortly after the sprinklers came on an adult male Cooper's Hawk swooped down into the spray and had himself a good soak ... flapping wings as he jumped and danced in the spray. I ran for my camera and warily made my way back as close as I could to the hawk. Surprisingly when I got back with the camera another hawk (that I assume was his mate since a pair of Cooper's had been nesting nearby) had joined him and they were both having a great time in the cool water. I was transfixed watching the amazing display and by the time I got ready to take a picture I discovered the camera batteries were dead. So I quietly retreated to the house for another camera and loaded new batteries to be safe. By the time I returned to my hiding place the active bathing was over and the female had flown to a nearby palm tree. I tried to get a good shot of the male who, by now, was just standing in the spray. I snapped a couple of shots and then he flew away to join his mate. Before I turned around to leave another hawk flew down to get his share of the cool water. Again I took pictures, but they were disappointing, too (as you can see by the photo above). However, it does show an immature Cooper's Hawk. My guess is that this youngster was this year's offspring of the pair bathing earlier.

Shortly after the hawk experience a close relative (and bird watching buddy) had emergency health problems which led to very serious surgery. Helping him recover ... and those projects I mentioned meant no more bird watching for me ... until now. I'm thrilled to be back!

Look for links to some wildlife cams in my next post.

Learn more about bird watching and backyard bird feeding.

One of the great loves of my life!

2006-05-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

I've been in a 22 year love affair. Yep, I sure have. Who has captured my heart? Well, I'll give you a hint . . . he is wrapped in a bundle of the most beautiful feathers anyone can imagine. These feathers are soft, fluffy at times, and absolutely take your breath away. Are you familiar with the rose bush named "Peace". If you are then you know the color tones of my beautiful friend. If you don't, take a look at the photo. It's my beloved Fagan, a Moluccan Cockatoo posing with the "Peace" rose in my backyard.

I couldn't resist putting the two of them together and taking the picture to share. Although I have to admit my photographic abililty is not improving much because Fagan's beautiful peach-colored feathers look a bit washed out. What you see is the best I could do.

Fagan and I have been together since he was most likely 6-8 months old. Why the estimated age? Because he was captured in the wilds of Indonesia as a baby bird. The only thing about our relationship that saddens me is that he couldn't fulfill his destiny as he was intended. Back in the mid-80's the U.S. still allowed importation of wild caught birds. I was a novice and didn't realize the horrors the wild bird trade committed. So I happily supported the trade when I saw this absolutely gorgeous, sweet baby bird in my local bird store. It was love at first sight. It was later that I came to regret my participation in furthering the business of trapping of wild birds by purchasing him. But other than that, I have no regrets . . . not for myself, at least.

Living with Fagan has been wonderful. Getting to know him has been a fascinating adventure. But it hasn't been without challenges, frustrations and hard work. But even with that I'm so grateful to have had the experience and lessons he has taught me. I wish I could repay him somehow. But I can't -- I can't provide the natural life he should have had. All I can do is make the best life possible for him. Since he has thrived over the years, I suppose I've succeeded somewhat. He knows no other life and is content. He has someone who loves him and an Umbrella Cockatoo buddy. Owing to the fact that he is incredibly intelligent and extremely adaptable creature I think I can honestly say he is happy. For that I am very grateful.

Catepillars vs. Grape Jelly

2006-05-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

One day last week I was in my backyard working madly away in a flower bed. It was in need of some general cleanup and removing dead growth left patches of bare ground. In the process of clearing away the vegetation I noticed a couple of caterpillars. Being the nature lover I am, I replaced them in the vegetation and went on with my work. After a time, our frequently visiting Western Scrub Jay appeared in the birch tree above me. She (at least I think it's a she) sat above me and seemed to be watching me work. Shortly, I discovered it wasn't me that she was interested in, but rather she'd spied one of the caterpillars who had crawled back out of the flowers. The jay patiently waited until I was ready to haul away the debris I'd accumulated. As soon as I was about 15 feet away the Jay swooped down and picked up the caterpillar. So much for my trying to "protect" the caterpillar!

Now here's the thing I'm confused about. The Jay didn't eat the caterpillar, but instead flew off with it. Now, that is certainly their habit with peanuts. They hide peanuts for later eating. But you can't cache a caterpillar so I assumed the Jay would have eaten the insect after catching it. But no, she definitely was taking it somewhere.

So, being springtime, I assume that her purpose of flying off with the caterpillar was to bring "baby food" to her nest. Seems reasonable. But then I wondered if this might be an immature Jay with the caching instinct even for bugs. I guess I really have to cast my vote for the "baby food" theory.

This Jay has done another interesting thing. It has developed a taste for the grape jelly we offer the orioles. Up until recently the Jay has come to the feeder and eaten the jelly. Now recently, I've witnessed her flying off with gobs of jelly in her beak. Is the caching instinct at work again? Or, is she taking grape jelly to feed young ones? Yikes, I hope not ... that doesn't sound like a good diet for growing nestlings. There is a little more protein in a caterpillar than grape jelly! Maybe I'd better go back out to the garden and dig around some more.

Jardine Parrots and Peacocks

2006-04-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

One of the great joys in my life are my Lesser Jardine Parrots. They are the smallest parrots I have and occupy a place in my heart that none of my other avian kids can fill.

Jardines are known as the "African Amazon" alluding to the fact that they are very Amazon-like in personality and a little bit in appearance. Lesser Jardines are smallish-size parrots ... about 11 inches long. My Jardines are clowns. They have a funny little lilt to their walk, love to bounce around, roll on their backs, hang by one foot. Perhaps you're getting a visual picture. Adding "cute as a bug" will sum them up to a tee. They are also my best talkers . . . really they are quite gifted. They are also beautiful -- their feathers are the most amazing green color combined with black, with some of the green feathers being quite irridescent. As they get older red feathers appear usually on the head, edges of wings and also underneath the wings. The posed photo of Harry and Isabel depicts their color as well as a photo can. However, their colors are really more vibrant. This photo shows two Jardine babies attracted to the window inspecting our visiting peacocks, which were just as curious about them. When I discovered this encounter I didn't have my camera close by, so missed the cutest photo-op. The Jardines were busy jumping up and down trying to get a better look. The peacock was showing just as much interest, but without the body language. Of course, I ran to get my camera and by the time I got back the peacocks had left the window. I waited for them to return while sitting scrunched up in the corner. It took long enough for my back to start hurting. As soon as they returned I tried to get a photo and all I managed to do was to startle the Jardines, who then turned into little statues when the flash went off. Oh, the trials bird photographers must go through. I hung in there as long as I could and finally got this shot, which is poor at best. Trying to deal with inside lighting vs. outside lighting is well beyond my capability. I had to lighten the photo enough to see the Jardines and the photo color ended up being washed out. Oh well, perhaps with more experience I'll learn how to deal with photographic challenges like this. I'll also need to take more photos of the Jardines so they get accustomed to the flash going off.

Peacock in Full Bloom

2006-04-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, we have several peacocks in our neighborhood. They are free to roam about and often spend time at our home. The dominant male loves to see his reflection in the hubcab of my SUV.

Looking out a window this morning I saw him admiring himself and I tried to get a photograph. My only problem is this guy is a little people-shy. I'm not sure why he is so nervous . . . more so than his extended family members who often nap on our deck.

It's nearly impossible to sneak up close enough to him to get a good photo. I missed him as he admired himself in the hubcap mirror. And I just barely missed capturing this photo as he headed for cover. The palm frond obscured his head a little, but I managed to get this mediocre shot of his beautiful tail. Perhaps the next time he visits I'll have better luck.

Birding By Ear Class

2006-04-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

While out on my bird walk last Tuesday morning I was overwhelmed by all the singing and carrying on by the birds as I walked down the road. It was definitely a sign that spring has arrived. The male birds were in great form singing, each trying their best to attract a partner for the season. The music was wonderful, but I wasn't able to identify which birds were making what sounds unless I was able to see the bird.

If there is ever a time of year to know how to identify bird songs it is at the height of breeding season. So our local Nature Center sponsored a class on Birding By Ear in San Diego County. I decided to attend the class and see what birding by ear is all about.

I dragged myself out of bed very early after getting to bed at 1:30 a.m. Whew! Being very tired is not the way to begin the day, especially when you are going to sit in a darkened room watching slides and listening to the songs and calls of over 135 birds. I had to struggle some to stay alert, but I managed to get the gist of it. But the bottom line is the skill in identifying birds comes with a boat load of practice and then some more practice.

But you need to know how to put that "practice" to work. Here is an overview.

Repetition (that's the practice I mentioned . . . the need to listen to the bird song repeatedly until it begins to remain in your memory.)

Then there's What To Listen For

Pitch ( is the bird song low, high, somewhere in-between, ascending, descending, or both)
Timbre or tone quality (clear, harsh, buzzy, nasal)
Rhythm (single note, accelerating, repetitive, rambling, unique rhythm)

How to Remember

Describe in your own words
Picture
Make a musical notation (I guess this would be for music majors . . . that isn't me!)
Pneumonic (i.e. a Yellow Warbler's pneumonic is "sweet, sweet, sweeter than sweet")
Compare to similar sounding birds

Things To Be Aware Of

Mimicry talents of some species (Mockingbirds/Thrashers, Starlings, Lesser Goldfinches, Steller's Jay)
Distance/ambient noise
Habitat

Field Experience

Listening to the songs and calls of birds in the field is a must-do. And you have to do a lot of it.

The second half of our class will be held next Saturday when we go into the field for first-hand experience. So you can be sure I'll be doing my homework.

We received a CD of recorded bird calls at the class. The CD was created by Frank T. Awbrey, Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University. Sadly Prof. Awbrey passed away in 1998. He was actively pursuing research in bioacoustics (studying the sounds made by animals) until shortly before his death. It is a privilege to receive this tribute in honor of some of his work and I know it will help me on my quest to identify birds by their songs and calls.

It's great to have Prof. Awbrey's CD and it will help me get started. But there are also a number of other recordings and tools available to help learn bird songs. Some that our instructor suggested are the Birding By Ear CD's, among many other choices. As far as tools go, the Identiflyer is available to help identify birds with their songs while in the field. Also, along that line is a new tools offered by BirdPod consisting of programs that can be loaded into an IPod.

Looks like my "I-want" list will continue to grow. As I continue on my quest to identify birds I'm discovering I like all the gadgets and technology. They are cool and really help. My interest in birds over the past 21 years has directed me down an interesting path -- at the very least it has been one filled with self-growth. Well, I guess getting a little wiser with age has helped, too. Yep, that could be. And if that's it, then getting older really isn't so bad.

Lake Henshaw Bald Eagle

2006-04-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

I remain frustrated with my inability to go to Lake Henshaw for a personal look at the Bald Eagle chick. The last update I mentioned about the progress at the nest was on March 25th. You'd think between then and now I could find the time to drive to the lake. But, nope . . . it hasn't been in the cards for me. The reason? My stepdad, who is the guy that is helping me set up a digiscope to photograph the nest activity found himself unexpectedly in the hospital. That visit led to open heart surgery on March 10th. Needless to say, his needs have been at the top of my agenda . . . especially since he came home on April 1st. Hospital visits and nursing care have take up much of my time. Besides I couldn't go up to visit the nest without him, and he isn't quite ready to travel. But I expect that he'll be able to go along with me in the next week or so.

In the meantime, I receive emails about observations of the nest that other birders have had. But I kind of dropped the ball, since the last report I read was back on April 9th. So better late than never -- here is that observation:

" . . . watched the Bald Eagle chick at Lake Henshaw being fed a large fish (at least 16 inches long) this a.m. The adult fed the young and removed the fish carcass within 3/4 hr. It then brought grass into the nest."

I hope by the time I'm able to view the nest I'll see something at least as interesting. If good fortune smiles on me maybe I'll return with a photo or two to share.

Acorn Woodpeckers on My Morning Bird Walk

2006-04-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

I've been giving my new birding binoculars a workout. I've been going on the field trips associated with my birding class every weekend. And I've returned to my morning walks for exercise. But now those walks are all about sighting and identifying birds. What fun! While I have to admit that constantly interrupting power-walking to see a bird isn't the best way to get a cardio-vascular workout, I am walking farther and climbing higher hills. I hope that makes up for the frequent stops.

I'm also taking my digital camera along on my morning walks. I've been wanting to photograph birds for sometime now. It's good to have a photo (even if it is poor) to help remember the bird I want to identify. My goal is to become a good photographer. As you can see from the photos I took today, I have a long way to go.The photos, by the way, are of Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) in case you can't tell. I was so excited when I saw these birds for several reasons. First, they are striking to look at . . . sorry my photos don't show how beautiful they are. And yes, they do have red "caps" on their heads. And their behavior is just as appealing as their bright little black and white suits. As you can see the single bird in the photograph (above) was in the company of two others (left). Time slipped by quickly as I watched these gregarious, social birds.

We have oak trees in our neighborhood and it seems reasonable to assume that the "nut" I saw one of them trying to store in a hole was actually an acorn. It was interesting to watch the bird try to find the right hole in the palm tree to fit the acorn. That is another aspect of their behavior ... storing food. I've seen photos of oak trees absolutely studded with stored acorns. I never thought I'd witness this behavior myself.

I love learning facts about birds. To this end, I've decided when I have an especially good sighting or see a new bird that I'll spend some time to learn something about them. It is part of the fun of bird watching. So far, here is what I've learned about Acorn Woodpeckers:

The size of Acorn Woodpeckers is 9 inches overall with a wingspan of 17.5" and they weigh about 2.8 oz. They are very vocal and were constantly chattering and calling to each other while I watched them. The sound they make is quite distinct and pretty much unforgettable. It will most likely be one of the first bird sounds that I'll be able to identify when I go to my Birding By Ear class tomorrow morning.

Besides being cavity nesters, they store food. All the food storage that goes on is to build a cache of food to carry them through the winter. These woodpeckers have an investment to protect so are very territorial and vigoroulsy defend their "grainery". This defense is not only against other Acorn Woodpeckers, but also against squirrels and jays. To store the food an Acorn Woodpecker will excavate a hole in the tree or telephone pole to hold the acorn. It takes from 30 to 60 minutes of drilling time to make the hole. That's pretty awesome and almost unbelievable when up to 11,000 holes have been found in a tree. No wonder they have a strongly ingrained defense mechanism. They have a lot of time and energy invested storing the food they must have to survive. Acorn Woodpeckers will also defend trees that are riddled with empty holes.

Then there is polyandry. What is that? Well, it is where females pair with several males. The males then incubate the eggs and care for the young. The females defend territories, compete for mates and take the lead in courtship. There are two types of polyandry -- classic and cooperative. Classic is where the female divides her attention among two or more mates. Cooperative polyandry is where several males cooperate to assist a female. Acorn Woodpeckers fall into the 'cooperative' group.

One other aspect of Acorn Woodpeckers is also fascinating . . . they form family groups. There are several factors which lead to this type of cooperative social unit. First, there may be a shortage of quality territories which discourages dispersal of the young woodpeckers. Or there may be a food shortage during dry years which leads to recruitment to help feed the young. More recent theories suggest that along with habitat saturation there may be social benefits, such as improved survivorship and the learning of skills which creates an extended period of apprenticeship.

I've learned just enough about Acorn Woodpeckers to whet my appetite find out more. Guess I'll have to add a book to my "I-want" list that provides more information on Acorn Woodpeckers.

My New Birding Binoculars - WOW!

2006-04-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Be forewarned . . . I just realized that this blog entry has become a billboard. But for good reason that you'll appreciate, especially if you are in the market for new quality binoculars.

Back in February I discovered the binoculars I hoped to own one day. I found them at the Eagle Optics display at the San Diego Bird Festival. I'd been dreaming about getting a really fine pair of binoculars but knew they would cost in the neighborhood of $1,500 or maybe even higher. Prior to attending the Bird Festival I'd shopped a little in my local area. I casually looked at a pair or two of the high-end optics and then immediately lowered my sights to a more affordable price. Not that they wouldn't have been nice to have ... they were just too expensive. Although I found a pair of lower-priced binoculars that would have worked, they weren't much different than what I'd been using. My dream was to improve on that -- although I don't have much to complain about with my old standbys.

Anyway, at the Bird Festival all the great optics were there to compare. And compare, I did. I discovered what really good optics are all about and the clarity and brightness that comes with superior glass and coatings. The advice of "don't sneak a peak through someone's top-of-the-line optics if you intend to be satisfied with your moderately-priced ones" was good . . . but a little late for me 'cause I'd already looked.

I found some $1,600 binoculars that were impressive, to say the least. If not in quality, for sure in dollars. Just kidding ... the quality was superb. Then I did a reality-check. Should I spend so much money ... no, I shouldn't. So I kept wandering around the optics display area and finally got to Eagle Optics. This company represents many (probably all) manufacturers and they've been in business since 1986. It is a company that knows what it's doing -- and they have a great reputation. So I decided to do some comparisons at their booth. And what did I find ... an absolutely great pair of binoculars that gave me the same quality I'd seen in the most expensive glasses I'd just been looking at. But they cost about $700 less! Whew! After taking these binoculars outside to view an Osprey nest at the top of a condemned boat, it didn't take me long to decide these were my dream binoculars. But the price was still on the high side so I needed to think about it. Fortunately, Eagle Optics does most of its business online. So no rush, I could order them when I was ready.

Well, the unexpected happened and I found myself making the decision to buy the binoculars sooner than I'd dreamed. It was a dreary, rainy day when they arrived this week. Wouldn't you know it. But I didn't let the rain stop me -- I set the diopter and took them outside. I wasn't testing their water-proofness (although I could have), but rather I just wanted to see how bright the image was. Now picture this . . . it was dark and gloomy with a very light drizzle at the time. I focused on our backyard birch trees and I could see the raindrops hanging from the branches. But here is the thing -- the raindrops were so bright they glistened like little stars and the whole scene was crisp and beautiful. I couldn't believe the image could be so bright when the sky was so dark. I wish I had taken a picture of it through the binoculars. I guess I could have done that ... like a mini-disigscope. What kind of binoculars did I get? I thought you'd never ask. Here are all the details in case your curiosity is getting the better of you.

Manufacturer - Vortex
Name - Stokes DLS 8 x 42 (10x42 also available). Yep, the Stokes couldn't wait to put their name on these babies. Evidently, they are also their binoculars of choice for their own birding.
Field of View - 383 feet at 1,000 yards
Eye Relief - 18 mm
Close Focus - 4 feet 5 inches. Can you believe it? I can lay in my hammock and have a front row seat watching the hummingbirds at the feeder just above my head. This close focus is also superb for butterfly watching.
Dimenions (HxW) 5.5 x 4.875 inches
Weatherproofing - Waterproof/Nitrogen Purged
Vortex VIP Warranty - If my binoculars should ever require service, no matter what the case, Votex will repair or replace the binoculars absolutely FREE. The warranty is even transferable, but it doesn't cover theft, loss or deliberate damage. But that's only fair. It's a great warranty but one that will never by transferred by me. I'm not letting go of these binocs.
Eagle Optics 30-day Guarantee - I have the right to return the binoculars to Eagle Optics within 30 days if I'm not satisfied, less return shipping charges No chance of that! ... but nice to know.

At the risk of sounding like an Eagle Optics employee, here's more: These binoculars have 64-layer premium mirror-coated BaK-4 deviation prisms with the latest generation of phase corrected prism coatings.

The Total Optical Performance System gives you:
Pure silver coated, phase-corrected prisms for the highest image contrast and resolution.Precisely engineered and enhanced optical tube design to eliminate annoying glare and image ghosting. (Roof prism design . . . pictured above)
High-density prism glass and lens elements for exceptional image brightness and sharpness. That sure is the truth!
Twilight optimized multi-layered lens element coatings for optimal low light performance. Guess this why my raindrop image was so bright and clear. Highly polished and precision shaped lens elements and prisms for true flat field performance and minimal spherical distortion.
XHR (eXtremely High Resolution) fully multi-layered coatings to deliver excellence in resolution and color fidelity. No doubt about that.
Precisely designed optical system for particularly clear and precise focusing from extremely close range to infinity.
Smooth focus with just the touch of a finger -- fast enough to stay with warblers hopping as close as 4.5 feet, or swallows flying erratically out to infinity.
Optimum near-to-far focus travel reacts swiftly in 1.25 revolutions.
Soft, contoured eyecups can be locked in place when fully extended.
Multiple eye relief settings are accessed by twisting down the eyecups for wide, unobstructed views with eyeglasses.
Superb depth of field let you find and follow wildlife more easily.
Click-stop diopter control is conveniently located adjacent to the right eyepiece for precise adjustments for differences in your eyes.

Okay, okay so I got carried away with all the details. Forgive me. I couldn't help myself -- I'm so excited about these binoculars. In fact, before buying them I decided to do some research to figure out what all the techno-speak stuff was about. I learned enough to really appreciate what these DLS Binoculars offer. Now that I understand what it takes to have a good pair of birding binoculars I put together an easy primer so anyone can understand the basics. This is a primer that beginning birders might find especially useful. The primer will be available soon at Birding Binoculars so check back if you're interested.

The bottom line is that choosinbg binoculars is a very personal decision. With so many binoculars and manufacturers to choose from I'm grateful to have found the perfect ones for me. My suggestion is if you're in the market for quality binoculars check them out -- they may be the absolute end-all, perfect ones for you, too.

Subscribe to Birdwatchin' Buzz

2006-03-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

I never realized the impact blogging would have on me. I never realized I'd have so much fun writing about the going-ons in my life. I suppose that's because I've always been kind of a private person. But what do you know ... here I am writing about my life almost daily. And surprise of surprises ... I enjoy it. Who would have thought.

But the best part of blogging is the people I've met. It's been amazing. I have new friends in Australia, Singapore and most recently Costa Rica. And those exotic places don't lessen the impact of those I've met here in the U.S. And then there are the blogs these people and others write. There is a growing list of My Favorite Blogs over on there on the right. There are certainly many talented folks out there in cyberland and they bring insight and humor to my life daily. Computers are wonderful inventions.

My newest acquaintance from Costa Rica authors A Broad In Costa Rica . . . the play on words in the title is just an inkling of humor you'll discover as she writes about her family's adventures as new residents in Costa Rica. Don't miss it.

I also discovered a service on her blog offered by FeedBlitz that allows people to subscribe. What this means is that you'll get an email when there is a new post. Of course, XML syndication is available, too ... as it is on my blog (just over there to the right). But people seem to get confused over how that works and it's said that about 80% of potential subscribers avoid XML because they just don't understand it. Now I really don't know if anyone feels the need or desire to subscribe to my blog, but I thought I'd offer a subscription opportunity, too. Afterall, it's nice to think that I might contribute something about my interest in birds that others might find worth revisiting. So in case that's true and you'd like to get an email notice of new postings then just add your name to the subscribe block (over in the right column) and press Subscribe Me. Your information will be as confidential as you choose it to be. And be assured this is not something that will generate spam or any privacy issues.

I found a good way to make new friends is to leave comments on blogs . . . or on websites. So if you have a comment, something to share, or maybe a request just let me know. I'll do my best to respond.

Today is going to be full of non-birding activities until tonight. Then I get to go the second meeting of the Beginning Birding Class I wrote about yesterday. I'm ready and enthusiastically looking forward to what the next birding pro will share. Besides the birds themselves, it's the people you meet in the birding world that can be just as fascinating. More on the birding class tomorrow.

Beginning Birding Class

2006-03-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

When I received an email promoting a beginning birding class sponsored by the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center I just couldn't resist signing up. Although I've been birding for awhile I was curious to see what an official birding class had to offer. Besides the BV Nature Center is close enough that I can get my nighttime pet bird chores done and still make it on time. So last Wednesday off I went.

First of all, the Nature Center is a pretty cool place. It is set adjacent to Buena Vista Lagoon in Oceanside (northern San Diego County). The Center is primarily devoted to educating children and they do a great job.

There are many bird specimens which really help to appreciate and remember the field marks of those species. Fortunately, the Nature Center has a volunteer who does taxidermy and she offers her services for free. I was very happy to hear that all the specimens were found in a deceased condition within Buena Vista Lagoon. I'm a real bleeding heart and I don't think I could bear hearing that the birds were captured for taxidermy purposes. I'm afraid if that were the case my experience at Buena Vista would have been ruined. I can't help it ... I just don't deal well with animal death. I know I need to be realistic and I am to a point. But the bottom line is I am a real bleeding heart and I struggle dealing with it.

Anyway, the first class was informal because it was combined with a general meeting of the BV Audubon Society. There was a guest speaker from another Nature Center in the San Diego area. She was a very experienced birder who has been birding for about 35 years. While her talk was informal it was interesting and focused on the mystery and magic of birds. A slide presentation of field marks accompanied her talk.

Then last Saturday we had a field trip to the Lagoon area of the Nature Center -- Buena Vista Lagoon, to be exact. The field trip included an informal talk on "Introduction to Birding" focusing on the birds of fresh water wetlands. The field trip began at 8:30 a.m. That meant rushing around to get morning bird chores done before I could leave. I was organized and out the door in time to get to the field trip on time, but in my rush forgot my binoculars. Did I say I was organized? Evidently, not well enough. Sheesh! I thought only I could pull a stunt like that, but found out later that people who've been birding forever have been known to do the same thing. But I really felt foolish and had to rely on the trip leader's scope to see my birds.

Here is the list of what I saw: Pied-billed Grebe, Western Grebe, White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, Ring-billed Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Cliff Swallow (and their nests under a bridge), American Crow and Marsh Wren. Not bad for standing in one spot for a couple of hours.
We'll have four more class meetings along with field trips. Each field trip will be to a habitat that provides an opportunity to use skills and see the types of birds covered in the previous class meeting. The last field trip will be to participate in the Buena Vista Audubon Society's Birdathon--America's Birdiest City Contest. The Beginning Birder's Class will form a team to participate in this event to test their new skills. Should be fun and a great way to finish the class.

Then on April 15th I'm going to attend a Birding By Ear class also sponsored by BVAS. I'm really looking forward to it because identifying birds by their song will be new to me. I just haven't put much effort toward learning those skills. More on that later.

I should have my new binoculars for the next field trip. I can't wait to get them ... they will be my first real high quality optics. I'm getting an Eagle Optics Bino System Harness strap, too. With that gadget I can hang my binocs around my neck in comfort and without them swinging around. They tell me that these straps are the way to go. So I'll hang my new binocs around my neck before I leave the house. I don't think I could deal with forgetting them twice.

Devotion

2006-03-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to bed wondering what today would bring. Maybe it would be an energetic day and I'd get some work done. I need that sense of accomplishment because I have too many things to do and not enough time. Or I could weaken and ignore the projects by taking a trip up to Lake Henshaw to see the Bald Eagles. Last night I was really leaning that direction. It's much more fun to go look for wild birds and enjoy nature than put my nose to the grindstone. But as it turned out I didn't do either. Bummer!

Yesterday I got up early to attend the field trip. So by the end of a very busy day I should have been pretty tired. I was. But after going to bed I found I couldn't go to sleep. At 3 a.m. I was still wondering when I would fall asleep. Not good. So when it was time to get up I dragged myself out of bed and felt wasted. And I never bounced back.

So now the day is almost over and I have little to show for it. OK, it's Sunday and is supposed to be a day of rest. So, I rested. I'll leave it at that. In a few minutes I'll be heading to the bird room to do nighttime chores. It is a part of my daily routine and I've been doing it for 22 years. The only time I get a break is when I go on vacation and that has been a rare occurrence lately.

I guess if my avian "kids" where human they would be out on their own by now. But since they are not . . . I'll be doing these chores daily until I can no longer physically do them. That will be a long time from now, if I'm lucky. Lucky? Yep! Even though I get real weary of doing the routine I'll keep doing it forever because sharing my life with my birds is so meaningful to me it's become my lifestyle. It's how I think of myself . . . I'm a parrot person.

Maybe its partly habit -- it's hard to break any habit even it involves sacrifice. But it is mostly the intense connection I feel to these amazing birds. I wish I could find the words to really describe how meaningful that connection is. What it really means to me. I guess I've always been much more animal/nature-oriented that most people. Maybe that is the reason I seem obsessive about my avian companions. But I know it is really because of who they are. Unless you live with abundantly-nurtured, hand-reared parrots (or a dearly loved pet of some other persuasion) you might not be able to understand even if I were to find the right words to describe this connection I'm talking about.

Since I can't find the words to really explain how I feel I just leave it like this. Because of who they are, my avian friends deserve my devotion and protection. And I'll make sure they get it. So I'll hang in there for them, especially since they've put up with me and a domesticated lifestyle all these years.

A Bald Eagle Nestling

2006-03-25T16:45:00.000-08:00

I intended to chat about a birding class I'm taking and the birds we saw on our first field trip today. But I'll Leave that for tomorrow.

It's more interesting to give a brief update on the Bald Eagles and their nest at Lake Henshaw which I've written about during the past couple of weeks. While I was on my field trip a local birder here in San Diego took the opportunity to visit the Bald Eagles to observe today's happenings. And, wow, did he have good luck. He watched one of the adult eagles feeding a chick. Yes, there is now proof that a chick has hatched. The nestling was visable all during this feeding and appeared to take all the food. There was only one eaglet, as far as he could see. It seems reasonable that if there were two in the nest they both would have been seen. While one adult eagle fed the young the other was out flying over Lake Henshaw evidently in search of another tasty meal. However, the eagle didn't have any success and was harrassed by one of three Red-tailed Hawks that live in the area. The eagle returned to the nest but then left shortly and was again harrassed by the hawk. Then the eagle attending the nest flew out over the lake with the same result.

The birder also noted three Turkey Vultures drifting in and out over the nest, sometimes simultaneously with the hawks. By the time the birder left the eagle originally tending the nest had settled down over the nestling.

So it is ... a morning in the life of Mr., Mrs. and Junior Bald Eagles. Now here is my dilemma. Do I take a trip to Lake Henshaw myself tomorrow to see all this drama for myself? It sure is what I want to do. But I may not have the opportunity. I'll have to wait and see what is on tomorrow's agenda.

When Did I Become a Bird Lover?

2006-03-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

I've been asked when it all started ... when I did I get interested in birds. That got me thinking. I'd had to go way back ... back to my early childhood. I'm not sure what age I was when our family got Budgies. We had two and I was in grade school. The budgies were untame so they weren't companions.

Some years passed. When I was a young teenager my Dad brought home two Cockatiels -- Junior and Pancho. Junior was handfed and was a love. Pancho was probably handfed also, but hadn't been handled enough as he got older and was a little nippy. So Junior became my pal. He'd eat breakfast with me every morning before school and later in the day we'd have some playtime. The only time he got into trouble was at breakfast one morning. He hopped down to the table and proceeded to jump into my bowl of cheerios. Being an animal-loving family we didn't consider that anything but a funny event -- we all got a big laugh out of it. But Junior did need a bit of cleaning up and my cereal had to be replaced.

Sometime later my Dad decided to build an aviary in our backyard and then he brought home some more cockatiels. I think we had ten. Dad is gone now so I can't ask him about his intentions for the cockatiels. And I can't remember because sometime later my parents separated. Understandably, the separation was an extremely traumatic time for me and may be the reason for my failed memory. Perhaps Dad meant to breed the cockatiels. I don't know. He had built an area within the aviary which housed them at night and contained their food and water. But I don't remember seeing any nestboxes.

It was Junior, my cockatiel, that connected me to birds. He was the most wonderful little creature and I loved him more than anything.

I was a very shy kid and it was hard for me to stand up in front of my school class and give reports and things like that. I do remember vividly that one of my classroom assignments was to give a report on any subject of my choosing. Along with the talk, I had to use the chalkboard to explain my subject matter. Whew! I was scared to death. What got me through it was talking about my Cockatiels. I drew a picture of our aviary for the chalkboard part of it. I guess the A+ I got on my report should have been an indicator of the future serious interest I would have in birds.

My next birds were budgies that I kept in my apartment when I went to college. They weren't tame but were nice companions, nevertheless.

It wasn't until I was in my early forties that birds really became a big part of my life. My connection with Junior always remained with me. One day -- many years after sharing my life with him -- I happened by a bird store where a Moluccan Cockatoo was displayed. I was instantly captivated. I'd never seen anything so beautiful. That vision stayed with me for several more years. Then my circumstances changed and I found myself able to buy a Moluccan. But that's another story.

Now it is twenty two years later and Fagan, the Moluccan, is still with me plus 13 other birds. My interest in birds has grown from being Mom to my avian family to a die-hard birdwatcher, creator of a website Birdwatchin'.com devoted to that interest, publishing a birdwatching newsletter -- David's Wild Bird News! . . . and this blog. I guess you could say that birds have become a way of life. And I couldn't be happier!

More on the Bald Eagles

2006-03-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

It is frustrating to not have the time to go to Lake Henshaw right now to see the Bald Eagle activity. So I'm grateful to receive posts from the SD Birding Group. One of the birders posted the following message which is definitely worth passing on to anyone interested in Eagles.

Here is the message: "This afternoon we watched the Bald Eagles nesting at Lake Henshaw. One was on the nest and you could see the top of the head moving. This eagle was visible most of time. The other bird was across the lake perched in tree. It changed trees while we watched. At about 5 pm it took off and was not seen for a short time. It then came flying across the lake to the nest, passing over us. It carried food for the eagle with nest duties, probably a small mammal. That bird stretched then ate while the other sat to the side of the nest. They then changed places, with the eagle that hunted taking up the nest and the nesting bird flying off. We found as we were leaving that it had returned and was perched in a dead tree not far from the nest tree."

What a great experience that any bird lover would be thankful to have. I hope my next trip to Lake Henshaw will be as a productive an experience.

Also of note in her message was the following: "Also the lake is host to a large number of White Pelicans. I estimate at least 50. Three weeks ago there might have been 3 times that number." Yes, I would agree. We were up there about that time and there were a very large number of White Pelicans. They were a bit far off, but with the scope could be identified.

Viewing Lake Henshaw is done from a road elevated above the lake. On my last visit to there were a very large number of all kinds of water birds. Most were circling in the air and it was interesting to look down on them as they flew.

Bald Eagle Update

2006-03-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Good news! One of the local birders here in San Diego made it up to Lake Henshaw to check on the bald eagles and their nest. The parent birds were seen and everything looked a-ok. So, I guess my worries were unfounded. But, as I said, since I wasn't sure if the unexpected snow would cause any harm, I could only hope the eagles would be fine. It's great to have confirmation that they are.

Since this active eagle nest is within driving distance I must find some extra time to learn more about their nature. Being able to observe them is a great incentive to learn more. I hope to visit the nest soon to watch the the young eagles as they progress toward fledging. It would really be great if this eagle family is content to stay in our area. What an opportunity it would be to continually visit Lake Henshaw and be able to sight them occasionally. They actually have picked a good spot to raise a family. Lake Henshaw is large and has plenty of fish. Enough to attract many species of birds. Sighting the eagles would definitely be frosting on the cake.

Bald Eagles and the Snow

2006-03-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

We've had such a nice winter .... weather-wize. That is, until the past couple of weeks. Actually, I was wishing for rain as we need it here in Southern California. While the temperature dropped into the 50's we didn't get any wet weather until the past week.

In the coastal regions the rain has been rather mild, but enough to get some moisture in the ground. In the higher elevations the latest storm coming down from Alaska brought much lower temperatures and snow to the mountains surrounding San Diego. In fact, the snow was as low as 2,000-3,500 feet depending on which day we are talking about. And boy, did they get snow ... enough to close the roads to Julian and Mt. Palomar. Now, that is pretty incredible to me ... since these places are less than a hour away from where I live, which is near the coast.

Thinking about the amount of snow that would cause road to close gave me concern about the nesting Bald Eagles I wrote a blog about on February 25th. The most recent sighting of these Eagles came from a birder that belongs to the San Diego Birding Group. The birder saw one of the Eagles at the nest and the bird looked like it was regurgitating food into the nest. To me, that can only mean one thing ... one or more chicks had hatched. This was within the last week or so.

So my concern is over the rain, snow and cold weather and how it would affect newly hatched chicks. I'm not an Eagle expert, by any means. So my concern maybe unnecessary ... but I still can't help but worry. Of course, Bald Eagles live in cold climates like Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. From what I can tell from my field guide their year-round range in these areas is along the coast, but it is still very cold there in the winter. So they must be well adapted to frigid weather. Our area is part of their winter range. I wonder if these Eagles are year-round residents or migrated here to raise their young. Lots to wonder about.

I hope the unexpectedly cold weather and snow isn't a hazard. I'm looking for an update on the Eagles via someone in the SD Bird Group. But I don't suppose anyone can get up there until the roads are open again. That should be soon. When the report comes I hope it is good news ... that the Eagle family is doing well. I'll go up to take a look as soon as I can. Right now it's not possible with a close relative in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery. Just no extra time for birding right now.

What To Do About Squirrels

2006-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

We don't have tree squirrels in the coastal regions of Southern California. But ground squirrels are abundant in the more rural areas. I've lived in my current home almost 4 years but it was only this past fall that a ground squirrel discovered one of my bird feeders. I guess I asked for it since it was a platform-style feeder designed to sit on the ground. It was set out for the many ground feeding birds that visit ... everything from White-crowned Sparrows, Quail and California Towhees to the neighborhood peacocks.

Surprisingly, all went well for several months because our local squirrel population has decreased somewhat. In fact, recently I've only noticed one squirrel. I'd know if there were more around because they tend to stay in groups when they are looking for food. So I'm assuming there is just one. Anyway, he finally found the feeder and the seed disappeared very quickly. Although this was a bit disturbing I didn't mind feeding him ... too much, anyway. Then he got enterprising, as squirrels do. He found one of the large hanging feeders and since it was located near a fence he made quick work of that food, too.

Okay, I have a choice. I can let him clean out my feeders everyday or two. But that will really make a dent in my budget and I'll have an extremely over-weight squirrel. Or I can give him his own food, like dried corn on the cob. That is the first thing I've decided to do. This may deter him somewhat, but I don't expect a miracle. So what else to do.

Recently, I found out about a squirrel deterrent that shouldn't cause him harm, but is supposed to strongly discourage him. Here is the idea:

Puree hot peppers and make a spray. I supposed that means straining the pureed hot peppers and then adding some water. Then add a few drops of Ivory liquid soap to the spray. Spray it on plants to keep squirrels away. I'm going a step farther. I'll spray my wooden feeders in addition to the small potted tree the squirrel uses to get on the fence. I've decided to try Habaneros peppers since they are very hot and easily found in the grocery store.

There are a couple of other ideas I learned about, which I'll do in addition to the pepper spray. One idea makes sense for me because I have a cat.

Evidently, if you place a very small amount of used cat litter around budding plants it will deter squirrels. Since my little "friend" isn't bothering my plants I thought I might try this idea at the base of the potted tree he climbs. Evidently, the cat smell makes a squirrel believe that the cat is nearby which sends him on his way to a safer location.

I understand that sprinkling blood meal around the borders of your garden is a good deterrant, too. I suppose that placing the meal around my ground feeder might add to the effectiveness of my squirrel-deterrent plan.

It will be interesting to see if these solutions work. I hope so, because I don't want to harm the squirrel (actually I really like watching him). I just don't want him devouring all the bird food. Maybe he should learn some table manners ... gluttany isn't attractive. Then he could dine with the rest of the critters.

A New Pair of Binoculars

2006-03-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago the San Diego Audubon Society sponsored their annual Birding Festival. It was a 4-day event. I was only able to go for 2 days to attend a couple of classes on digiscoping. The speakers were excellent and I learned a lot. I was disappointed though because I missed all of the birding field trips and keynote speaker, Pete Dunn. That was due to the events filling up fast. Those misses were very unfortunate and I'll be sure to make early reservations for the Birding Festival next year.

On Saturday there were lots of vendors and organizations providing information. With all the binoculars, scopes, etc. on display I discovered and confirmed what my next pair of binoculars will be. Selecting binoculars is a highly individual choice. Where I thought the real high-end equipment like Swarvoski, Zeiss, etc. would be just what I'd probably want, I discovered an Eagle Optics binocular that suited me just fine and is equal in visual quality to the more expensive designs. In fact, I like these binoculars better ... they are really perfect for me. My excitement over the decision to get them is in high-gear. Liking these binocs better than the real expensive ones surprised me because it always seems that to get what I really want means paying a higher price. So while my budget will be hit fairly hard at $879, it seems reasonable as compared to the mid-$1,500-plus range.

I'm still using my first pair of binocs ... Audubons. When I bought them they seemed adequate enough and for some things, they still are. I guess real die-hard birders would consider them priced on the low end of the scale. Like I said they still are ok ... but after looking through my new choice ... Stokes Birding Series DLS 8x42's ... with their much better optical quality I know I need these new ones!

How David Got His Name

2006-03-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

David Jeffrey, my Hyacinth Macaw got his middle name in an odd way. It all began because the lady who hand-fed David chose, what she considered to be, very sweet boy names for the two Hyacinth babies she was raising. It's easy to understand her desire because handfed Hyacinths are such incredibly sweet baby birds.

When I bought David I kept his name because I've always preferred naming most of my pets with human names. This is especially true for my parrots. Parrots have such human characteristics it seems almost insulting to give them some "cutsey" pet-type name. But that's just my personal feeling, of course. There are many parrots in the world with great names that aren't normally used for people.

David has a brother and they were raised together until being separated to go to their new homes. When I arrived to pick up David I discovered a house full of people there to celebrate David going to his new home. One of the guests was confused over which bird was David and which one was Jeffrey. So everytime she spoke to one of the Hyacinths' she would call him David-Jeffrey.

Then we discovered that Jeffrey's new "parents" wanted to change his name to something different. So the name Jeffrey was abandoned. That made the lady who raised Jeffrey kind of sad because she thought the name was so appropriate. Since the party-goer had used the name David-Jeffrey it stuck for me. So we officially added Jeffrey as David's middle name.

I have an African Grey with a middle name, too. But that's another story.

David's Wild Bird News!

2006-02-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

This month I celebrated my first anniversary of making the decision to build a website about birds ... mostly about backyard birdwatching. Since I have a nice family of exotic birds I couldn't help but include a little about them, too. It's been quite a journey and is directly responsible for my having this blog. I began this Internet project knowing absolutely nothing about building a website or any of the satellite "stuff" it led to.

If not for a friend of mine in Canada I never would taken on such an endeavor. She gave me the encouragement. My thanks to her is sincerely given. Since my passion is birds it has been very satisfying to create Birdwatchin'.com. But I never could have even remotely considered doing so without a very affordable program used by thousands of people around the world. For anyone who has considered creating a website to promote an interest or earn an income I can highly recommend checking it out. It truly over-delivers. There are a lot of examples of what people have accomplished with this tool. If you want to see what a real Internet novice (and I do mean beginner) has been able to do using this program ... then take a look at Birdwatchin.com. I'm still find it incredible that I actually did it. It amazes me!

Anyway, the website has led to other activities such as this blog. And it is also the reason I'm launching a newsletter called David's Wild Bird News! The first issue is due to come out in the next few days. Who is David? ... actually, his full name is David Jeffrey (there's a reason for the double name ... I'll explain tomorrow). David is my Hyacinth Macaw. He "volunteered" to be the host of the newsletter. I'm just his assistant. Anyway, if you love bird watching check out Birdwatchin.com and subscribe to the newsletter ... it's free!

A Hummingbird Nest

2006-02-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

I've been planning my backyard to encourage my wild bird visitors raise a family. I'm really looking forward to observing wild birds behavior as it pertains to rearing babies. I've had the amazing personal experience of raising four Umbrella Cockatoos some years ago. Raising those babies was a real eye-opener because I learned first hand what labor-intensive work it is to get a baby bird to the fledging point. And that's just the beginning of the needs of a young bird until it is ready to survive by itself. Knowing first-hand about the work it takes makes my desire to help the wild birds stronger because they also have the challenge of survival.

I don't remember any other experience that was as rewarding as watching my baby Umbrellas grow up. Only another person who has participated in such an event will really understand what I mean about reward. So with those memories well entrenched I've been trying to decide what kinds of bird house/nestboxes (how many and where) I should put up. While doing my research I came across a nesting platform made especially for hummingbirds. I didn't know such a thing existed. Anyway, when I saw it I knew I had to have it. Only one time in my life have I seen a nest of hummingbirds. There were 2 babies in the nest. They were so tiny -- frankly, I was transfixed as I stood there watching them. But the sad thing was ... a wind storm came the very next day and destroyed the nest. I could find nothing left. It broke my heart and I've never forgotten it.

So I'm thinking ... hmmm! perhaps this hummingbird nest platform will be just the ticket to accomplish two goals:

The platform may provide a sturdy base for the hummingbird to build her nest and help prevent the kind of tragedy I encountered before.
If I choose the place for mommy hummingbird to build her nest ... then I'll know where to find the baby hummingbirds. Being so small, hummingbird nests are hard to find ... but I'll know where to look.

The success of providing the nest will depend on where I put it. The hummingbird is going to have to like it's location ... that's for sure. So I'll do some more research about what type of environment and location is the best. Then this new adventure will begin.

Springtime Nesting

2006-02-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

Got any little birders in your family that are budding and ready to bloom? Here's an idea to help them enjoy watching birds.

With spring just around the corner we're setting up bird house/nestboxes now so they'll be ready for the arrival of our avian visitors. It's pretty amazing to watch the progress of birds raising their families. It's even more enjoyable to watch little kids excitement over this kind of event. We want to rig a way to watch new bird babies on the inside of the nestbox. It's the ideal way to monitor their development and health ... not mention a terrific educational opportunity for kids. There's been a good amount of discussion around here about how to accomplish such a project easily. We've been making a list of equipment, accessories, etc. The project seemed somewhat daunting. Then I discovered that you can buy a nestbox all ready to record this amazing springtime event. Yippee! Check it out ... maybe offering such a nestbox would be perfect for your backyard.

Speaking of kids ... why not give them a fun project that will help the birds with their nesting activities. Here's an idea ... offer nesting material for the birds (see what's needed for the project below). No kids? Or maybe you just don't have the time for such a project. Then just get a kit all ready to offer. There are even nesting material replacements available for it, too.

Need some help choosing the right nestbox, this Birdwatchin.com guide will help you. Also check out the 10 most important features every nestbox should have.

Here's the Nesting Material Project:

Have the kids prepare a selection of materials from the following items (they've all been used by birds to build their nests). Then lightly pack the materials in a suet feeder and hang near your bird house. Use one or more of these material-filled feeders(*) depending the number of bird houses you are offering.

Yarn or string (cut the pieces about 4 to 6 inches)
Hair (human or animal hair -- horse hair is great)
Sheep's wool
Feathers
Shredded Paper
Dry Grass (use your clippings after mowing the lawn ... be sure they are chemical free)
Dead twigs and leaves
Straw
Plant fluff or down from Cottonwoods or Cattails
Cotton batting or other material used for stuffing
Moss
Bark Strips
Pine needles
Cloth (cut in stips 1/2" wide by 6" long)

(*) If you don't have a suet feeder to offer the nesting material just lay some of the natural items
on your plants and hedges, hang in trees, etc. It will help the birds, but won't be as much fun as watching the birds take the materials from a suet feeder that you've placed nearby.

Providing nesting opportunities for birds is the best way to celebrate the coming of spring.

Bald Eagle Nest

2006-02-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

We took a drive to Lake Henshaw today for our first digiscoping experiment. After confirmation that Bald Eagles had an active nest there, I was eager to use my newly rigged-up digiscope to see if I could get a photograph of them.

Due to an appointment I couldn't get to the lake until about 12:30 p.m. knowing that I couldn't stay long. Upon arrival there was no eagle in view. So, we decided to wait to see if either the hen or her mate would make an appearance.

The nest is huge -- so big that when an adult eagle is incubating it is not visable from below. The tree were the nest is located is upslope from the road where we must park and view. It is also about 300 yards from where we could set up the digiscope. So it is impossible to see if an eagle is in the nest.

After about 40 minutes of waiting to see an eagle I felt compelled to pack up and try again another day as I needed to be home by 3:00 p.m.

Then two ravens came soaring overhead ... one had nesting material in it's beak. That intrigued me so I followed it with my binocs. Both birds put on an interesting aerial show and I was captivated. Then I saw the bird drop the nesting material and a few moments later land on the ground. It picked up something ... I couldn't see what it was. It flew towards the lake shore and landed and proceeded to eat whatever it had picked up. Some poor hapless creature, no doubt. After a few minutes the raven's activity attracted 5 turkey vultures looking for a meal to steal. Since I hadn't had any luck with the eagles I decided to photograph the drama on the ground. Unfortunately, my photographic attempt failed. With that disappointment I decided it was time to go home.

Just my luck ... with the scope removed from sighting the eagles nest I turned just in time to see one of the bald eagles return to the nest. Wouldn't you know it! I had a great opportunity to get a pretty exciting burst of photographs (or even a movie) ... if I'd just been a little more patient. My first lesson in learning to photograph wild birds ... be patient and make sure the camera is set for the most optimal shot. Okay, so now you know how much of a novice I really am.

Although my first attempt met with failure, it was still an exciting hour of bird watching. You can be sure that I'll be back up at Lake Henshaw to try again. Oh, that eagles nest photo in the upper left corner is the one I photographed today ... sans the eagles., of course. Yep, I know it is pretty poor ... but didn't I just mention I'm a novice. So much to learn -- so little time!

Digiscoping

2006-02-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

When I decided to create a website on bird watching I had no idea what other interests it would lead to. Then before I knew it a new word came to my attention ... digiscoping. I wondered what in the world digiscoping was? I soon discovered it meant taking photographs (in this case, of birds) with a digital camera shooting through a spotting scope. Wow! I thought what a great idea.

So I discussed the idea with my stepdad ... who is quite a guy. He is very handy and can do just about anything. He got intrigued with the idea and decided to help me learn how to take photographs this way. Well, he has taken the project really to heart. And found himself buying his second digital camera in just a few months, along with adapters, step-up and down rings, camera mounts, etc. All these accessories are necessary to adapt our current spotting scope to work like a digiscope. (Yep, there has been enough interest in digiscoping the last few years for the manufacturers to actually design photographic equipment called ... you got it ... a digiscope.) Then he got more inventive and rigged up a remote system that takes a photo without having to press the shutter button ourselves. This will eliminate camera-shake which is the quickest way to get a blurry photo.

We've gotten this far with our digiscoping experiment thanks to the opportunity to learn from the experts when we went to the San Diego Bird Festival a couple of weeks ago. That's where we found out about what type of digital camera works best and about the adapters we'd need. Thanks to the "experts" our digiscoping project is well underway. We finally located the step rings needed to connect the camera adapter to the spotting scope. So now we are ready to experiment.

We plan to photograph a Bald Eagle's nest at Lake Henshaw this weekend. Actually, we went to look for the nest a couple of weeks ago. We found it due to some easy directions offered by another birder. However, when we went to take a look the eagles were not apparent so we questioned whether the nest had been abandonded. Well, we just recently found out that the eagle was sighted in the nest. Her mate made an appearance, too. With this confirmation we've decided to try our luck getting our first digiscoped photo this weekend. I'll post the results next time.

Now I don't want to give you the wrong impression ... the idea for this project was mine, but all the ingenuity, labor and expense has been my stepdad's. Now you can really appreciate why I said he is "quite a guy".

Weblog Error

2006-01-29T14:48:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't you know it ... just when I thought everything was just fine with this weblog ... I discovered it isn't. Thanks to a friend in Australia who was viewing a recent post with his Internet Explorer (IE) browser he alerted me to a problem. It seems when viewing this weblog in IE all the links on the right-side of the page are shown at the very bottom of the page, instead of the top. Now, that is NOT the way it is supposed to be. And the problem only seems to exist when viewing this weblog in the IE browser. The weblog page looks just fine using the Foxfire browser.

I wasn't aware of the problem because I rarely use IE anymore ... since a friend recommended Foxfire many months ago. So I'm certainly grateful to find out about my weblog IE problem, although a bit late. So I went to work trying fix things so IE users would have a "good" page to look at, too. Well, that led to the next frustration. I couldn't find a solution on my own. No problem, I thought, I'll just contact the program support department ... they'll help me fix things. Not to be. Their online Help didn't have information to solve my particular problem, so I wrote them. I received a standard computer-generated reply ... and it essentially said to go look in Help. Hmmmm! That led me back to where I'd come from.

Does this sound familiar to you? Computers and the Internet are so wonderful ... until something goes wrong and you are stuck for a solution. Then they are so frustrating.

In case this weblog is one that you'd like to revisit on occasion and you use IE ... my apologies. Until someone comes to save the day for me the only suggestion that I can offer is to view the posts with Foxfire. It's my browser of choice ... maybe you'll find it more to your liking, too.

Now, having made my explanation about the weblog error and becoming more frustrated as I think about the inability to solve it ... I'll stomp out to the deck to watch the birds. It is the best way to calm down.

Bird Gardening

2006-01-29T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here in Southern California -- the San Diego area to be exact -- we've enjoyed a very mild winter, so far. The weather has been mostly sunny and the temperature at the moment is 64 with the 70's predicted for next week. The only thing we need a lot more of is rain. Sitting at my window looking at the bright sun shining through the palm trees makes me contemplate spring. And thoughts of spring get my juices flowing for working in the yard ... replanting pots, trimming back hedges, pruning the numerous palm trees, as well as general maintenance. The two Hong Kong orchid trees will have to wait for their "haircut" until summer since winter is their season to bloom. For that reason summer can't come soon enough as these trees are looking shaggy.

Anyway, I'm giving thought to what might be added to my garden to make it more bird friendly, with the goal of attracting more species. Perhaps planting to attract insects will help some, too. These thoughts make me wonder if you like to birdscape. Do you garden for birds? If so, I'd sure be interested in learning about your experience. Here are a few questions in case you would like to leave your comments. Just click on the comment button below. Any other thoughts would be most welcome, too.

Why do you garden for birds?

What motivates you to spend all the time and energy it takes to develop and maintain a bird garden?

Do you design and plant to attract specific species? If so, what have you done?I'm very interested in learning about your experience. It will help me do the best for the birds visiting my yard. And I'm sure your comments would also be of interest to others visiting this weblog.

I've created a page on birdwatchin.com dedicated to bird gardening. As more time is available I'll be expanding the information there. So you may want to visit and allow me to share my thoughts and experience with you.

My Favorite Bird Blogs

2006-01-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

It is always fun to discover a new blog created about birds. It is a voyage of discovery which continually adds new information about how people enjoy the immensely satisfying hobby of bird watching and bird feeding. "My Favorite Blogs" is a new section I've added to share links to bird blogs. You'll find it over there in the right column. I imagine as time passes I'll discover blogs that may stray a bit from birds ... however, the main purpose for adding this new section is to share links to blogs that focus on birds. Two long term favorites are The Night of the Kingfisher and I and the Bird.

Just recently I've received comments from two new visitors to my blog. Contacts such as these are most welcome because I enjoy meeting new friends and learning the ways in which they enjoy their bird hobby. These new friends have great blogs which I'm sure you will enjoy. The photographs are incredible and the weblog discussions are just wonderful. I'm happy to add them to my list of favorite blog links. Look for Local Birds from Melbourne Australia authored by John Archer, and Easy Bird Watching Basics authored by John Lynn from Singapore. John Lynn's blog is reached by clicking the link which opens his website ... then search the nav bar for his blog.

Seeing the wonderful photos on these blogs has generated a lot of enthusiasm for learning more about my digital camera so I can take some great photos of my own.

Christmas Day

2005-12-26T18:41:00.000-08:00

My pet birds and I had a good Christmas. However, we didn't spend all day together because I took a ride out to the desert ... Joshua Tree National Monument to be exact. I had an important reason to head that direction on Christmas ... to pay homage to my Mom. My mother died in 1998 and my stepdad took her ashes there because she enjoyed her many visits to Joshua Tree so much. I decided to spend some "time" with her this Christmas. It was a good decision.

It was a beautiful and peaceful day and the desert scenery was dramatic as usual. All in all, it was a nice way to spend part of Christmas Day ... it made me feel good.

On Christmas Eve I made sure all the backyard feeders were full. So before leaving for the desert I watched the birds as they devoured their meal. There were a lot of visitors on Christmas morning ... the Goldfinches, of course and also Scrub Jays, California Quail (a family of 11), White-crowned Sparrows, House Finches, California Towhee, Plain Titmouse and our Anna's and Black-chinned Hummingbirds. No spectacular or infrequent visitors ... just good, dear and dependable friends. Oh yes, I shouldn't forget to mention the Cotton-tail Rabbit who comes occasionally to nibble the grass. It's always a treat to watch it hop around the yard. The ground squirrels were missing but I know they'll be back soon.

I thought I might see a few birds at Joshua Tree but we couldn't stay long enough to sit and wait for some to appear. It takes about 3 hours each way to drive from coastal San Diego county. There was only a lone Crow sitting on a dead iron-wood tree. He flew off as we approached. Actually, it is a little easier to see wild birds at Joshua Tree near the water sources. It makes sense, of course, and has been my experience.

Christmas was a perfect day and the peaceful journey we took made the woes of the world seem a little less. Perhaps next Christmas they really will be.

Feeding Finches

2005-12-04T21:32:00.000-08:00

I love my newest finch feeder. Actually, it is correctly described as a nyjer feeder. It is a cylinder shape and large enough to feed quite a few birds at a time. Before getting this feeder I was feeding goldfinches with stocking feeders. Those feeders are just what the name implies. They are sacks that the birds can cling to and extract the nyjer seed through the mesh. Unfortunately, my experience with the stockings wasn't a particularly good one. Not that there is anything wrong with the best-made stocking feeders ... there isn't. I just chose the wrong ones and eventually the mesh gave way allowing too much seed to be lost. With that experience behind me, I decided to try a style made of metal. I'm sure one made of wood would be a good choice, too.

A picture of my feeder is shown above ... and just look at all the finches on it. Now you know why I love it. It is large enough to accommodate quite a few birds. The highest count I've made so far is 17 feeding at one time. With so many birds in the yard this feeder is perfect for helping me get an accurate count of the finches for Cornell Lab of Ornithology Project Feeder watch which I'm participating in.

As you can see, the birds love this sturdy type of feeder. And it is good that it has a roof over the seed to protect it from the weather this winter. Granted, we don't have that much rain in Southern California ... but when we do I know that the majority of my seed won't get soaked. This type, or a polycarbonate feeder, would be especially welcome in the wetter parts of the country.

So I'm basically all set for bird feeding. I've got a great source for feeders, and bird houses all the other stuff that makes my hobby so easy and fun. And even better, I no longer have to run to the store when I'm out of bird seed. I just go online and buy top quality seed, an important step in saving money and eliminating waste. But better yet, it doesn't even cost as much as it would if I went to my favorite bird store ... and the shipping is free, too! Hmmm! Now how could I find an easier, more convenient, and fun hobby than bird feeding. The bottom line: I couldn't!

Peacocks - Exotic Visitors

2005-12-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

I really have no idea where they come from, or who they belong to ... if anyone. I'm referring to frequent visitors who've adopted my yard. I love finding them napping in the morning sun outside my bedroom ... the three of them ... all India Blue Peafowl (Pavo cristatus). They are commonly known as Peacocks, but that really refers to the males. The females are Peahens and the youngsters are Peachicks. Since I moved into this home nearly 4 years ago this peacock family have been frequent visitors ... sometimes staying most of the day.

Each year momma Peahen comes calling with one to three chicks tagging along. It is fun to watch them mature through the year. This year she had two chicks ... one male and the other female (mom and the young female are shown in the photo). The male is now sprouting irridescent blue feathers in his upper body, but he isn't old enough to have that beautiful tail the males are famous for. However, there is an older male that has adopted the wheel of my SUV as his own. It's pretty clear that he enjoys seeing his reflection in the metal alloy. And why not ... he is beautiful and has a long a gorgeous tail. This morning he ventured closer to the house ... in fact was looking in the window of my front door. No, he isn't tall enough to see in the typical high-placed window in some front doors. My door is almost all glass so he can walk right up and see his reflection very easily ... that is what attracts him.

These creatures sure lend an exotic touch to my bird feeding. I just didn't feel right about providing for the local birds that visit my yard, without including them. So eventually I put out a ground platform feeder they can eat from ... but so do the smaller birds. In fact the smaller birds get the lions share since they are constantly feeding while the peacocks come and go.

I have several areas of ground cover planted in the backyard and it isn't unusual to find 3 peacock heads peeking out of it as they take their afternoon nap. What a life they have! Eat, sleep and wander around, unmolested.

Now, if they just weren't so clumsy. If there is something around they can break, they manage it. They've broken 2 clay pots sitting on the deck rail and another on the deck. So they lost my favor for awhile. But really the worst thing was breaking a major limb on a Plumeria. You know, that wonderful bush/tree whose blossoms are frequently used in Hawaiian leis. They smell just wonderful and remind me of Hawaii. So when I discovered they grow very well here in San Diego county, I made a special visit to a Plumeria sale to find a 2 or 3 good sized, perfectly shaped plants for my clay pots. The trip was worthwhile because I came home with some beauties. Everything was going well until one of the peacocks jumped off my roof and landed on the prettiest Plumeria and broke a major limb. Well, so much for a well-shaped plant. It was sad. And then, of course, there is their love of begonia flowers. The begonias I planted last spring did not last through the summer. The flowers were eaten and once devoured the peacocks decided the plant was just as tasty. So I was left with a few scraggly stems. I hope the plants regenerate next spring. I'll have to wait and see.

Oh yes, there is the need to hose off my deck from their visits ... if you know what I mean. It's a nuisance to be sure; but then I think ... how many people can enjoy such exotic visitors. So I try to have a little patience and be a tolerant hostess. The good outweighs the bad.

Fagan, my Moluccan Cockatoo

2005-11-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

While searching the Internet I ran across the website for a parrot rescue organization. Although these folks take in all species of neglected and abused parrots, they were founded to aid cockatoos ... especially Moluccan Cockatoos. It always makes me feel hopeful for the birds out there that need saving to know that organizations like this exist. After seeing this website I decided to share my thoughts about living with Cockatoos.

Living with a Moluccan Cockatoo (among a number of other birds) for the past 21 years I understand how Moluccan's and other cockatoos can, under the wrong circumstances, end up in need of saving. Although they are among the most intelligent and beautiful parrots, they can be very demanding and most can be extremely loud. However, there is nothing sweeter, more lovable and cuddly and beautiful than a Moluccan cockatoo baby ... or any Cockatoo, for that matter. They are so easy to spoil. And that may be the problem ... spoiling and not setting guidelines for good behavior. Well, there is another major problem too ... new owners that dote on a baby bird and then "get back to normal" which means there isn't enough time to give the bird the attention it has grown to expect. You understand why you don't have time ... but they certainly don't.

Although I didn't buy Fagan on impulse, many people do buy a parrot that way. They see a beautiful bird and just can't leave the store without it. Bad decision. While not all birds that are purchased this way end up victims, many do. It is those birds that need rescue by good people like those that run Mollywood, the organization I previously mentioned. Please visit Mollywood's website. I think it is important to see what abuse and neglect can do to a pet bird. But don't be disheartened by those you'll visit at Mollywood because the good news is you'll see how well they are now loved and taken care of. Who knows, they may touch your heart enough for you to find a way to give Mollywood a little support.

There isn't a bird more loved than my Moluccan, Fagan. How he, and all the parrots in my family, came to live with me is another story. As loved as Fagan is, it hasn't always been a bed of roses living with him. I made the mistake of not setting guidelines in the beginning. So when he reached sexual maturity I had my hands full. We've had our ups and downs. Once I discovered the Pet Bird Report years ago (now known as the Companion Parrot Quarterly) I was able to form a plan to overcome the challenges Fagan gave me. But I should have educated myself beforehand. Over the years, with kindness instead of abuse for doing things wrong, Fagan has learned to live with rules. He's learned to adapt to a domesticated lifestyle. I know ... in a way that is sad. It's only because these essentially wild creatures are so highly adaptable that they can live in our homes, in the first place. Truthfully, as much as I always want to be with my parrots I also regret that they can't live the natural life they were intended for.

Fagan is a wild caught bird. There isn't much doubt he was brought into captivity as a baby and I bought him when he was approximately between 6-12 months old. From the very first he was so loving ... certainly not the typical wild caught bird. I was mezmerzied and fascinated ... my dream of having a Moluccan Cockatoo had come true. Seems funny to think back on those early days because I didn't realize at the time that setting guidelines and boundaries for Fagan was absolutely essential to raising a disciplined and well-behaved parrot. I guess that is why I get on my soapbox once in awhile. I really want everyone considering bringing a parrot into their home to understand that it is essential to educate themselves before making that decision. Trust me when I say that you will save yourself a lot of trouble, and save a parrot from unnecessary sadness and grief, if you make the right decisions.

Over the years I've learned a lot about parrots and they've taught me a lot about myself. I count myself among the fortunate to have lived with them ... but it hasn't always been easy. It takes a lot of sacrifice and I think that is what people should know. But then having any pet, or doing any activity takes some form of sacrifice. However, parrots may offer unexpected challenges you won't be prepared to endure, if you don't do some homework. If you decide to buy a parrot be sure to choose a species that is a perfect fit for you, where you live, and your lifestyle. If you really want a bird you may discover your "dream bird" might not be the best fit ... so offer a loving home to the one that is.

Pet birds offer a wonderous life experience if you'll just offer them a good, permanent home ... and go about it the right way.

My Project FeederWatch Is Underway!

2005-11-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

Last year I missed participating in Project FeederWatch. So today I began my real first experience officially tabulating the birds coming to my backyard. Since my backyard bird feeding has been purely a recreational pasttime, I haven't spent a lot of effort trying to identify every bird that visits us. Sometimes it just isn't convenient to drop everything and run for the binoculars.

So, to be truthful, I was really surprised today as I sat and really focused on every movement I saw. With my trusty field guides laying nearby I discovered the exact species of sparrow that has been hanging around. With age, my 20-20 vision has faded a bit so it is pretty difficult to get a clear picture of small things at a distance. So I really didn't know that the sparrows I see frequently over in one corner of my yard are White-crowed sparrows. Granted, they are a very common species. But until I sat and really studied them I had no idea how really attractive they are. And also how interesting to watch. They were scratching around on the ground, busy as bees. But one decided that the warm California sun was just too hard to resist and he spread his wings and hunkered down close to the ground ... and just lay there for awhile. I chose to believe he was sun-bathing, but I have read that birds will use ants to help rid themselves of mites. So maybe he'd found an ant colony and was encouraging the ants to help him groom. Hard to tell, but it is an interesting thought. But no matter what he was doing he definitely looked like he was enjoying himself.

Today I saw White-crowned sparrows, California Towhees, Lesser Goldfinches, Oak Titmouse, Purple Finches, Mockingbirds and Anna's Hummingbirds during the time I could spend today watching for birds to report to the Cornell Lab.

I thought it would be an interesting project and was looking forward to it. But honestly, I'm really surprised at how much I really did enjoy it. I can't wait to watch tomorrow. Then I'll have to wait for at least 5 days before I can do another 2-day stretch of official bird watching. Afterall, to be a citizen scientist you must follow the rules.

If you love birdwatching, and like to feed birds in your backyard, or are devoted to pet birds don't miss Birdwatchin'.com.

Citizen Science

2005-11-16T17:25:00.000-08:00

A month ago I made a note on my calendar as a reminder that Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch would begin on November 12th. Well, a lot of good my reminder was ... I got so busy that I completely forgot to order bird seed for my feeders so am getting off to an unexpected disorderly start. I never allow my feeders to empty completely unless they need cleaning. So what in the world was I thinking to let myself run out of seed and thus disappoint my feathered visitors. Hmmmm! I sure don't know the answer to that. Especially, when it is so blasted convenient to get the seed. I don't even have to leave the house ... I just order it online. I have a really good source that provides quality seed (which is a must for me because I don't like wasting money), free shipping, really fair prices and specials. What more is there to ask for. In fact, it is less expensive than at my favorite wild bird store ... which, of course, I love going to.

Anyway, I ended up letting the birds run out of seed. Fortunately, the seed arrived within a few days. So now that the feeders have been cleaned and filled and I'm all set for Project FeederWatch. Now, if the birds will just cooperate by discovering that the feeders are full again. I don't think that will be a problem, as I saw the first couple of returnees this morning. So all should be back to normal by tomorrow or the next day. So I'll be able to make my first week's bird count report.

I'm really looking forward to the pleasure of adding some statistics from my backyard to the Project. If you haven't discovered Project FeederWatch check out my blog "News From The Cornell Lab of Ornithology under Previous Posts over there to your right. There might still be time to join in the fun. If not ... then there is always next year.

I don't have any kids of my own introduce to bird feeding, but have often thought that Project FeederWatch would be a great experience for any child. Wouldn't it be great to introduce a youngster to the natural world in this way. Who knows they might even bud into a real, honest to goodness scientist ... it's happened before! At the very least they'd grow up with understanding and respect for the natural world.

When I received all the materials Cornell sends it's "citizen scientists" there was a nice calendar of the bird watching days for the Project. The calendar has some nice pictures and comments submitted by a few of the participants last year. One couple summed up what ProjectFeeder Watch means to them -- which sums it up for me too ...

"We sat on our loveseat every morning -- coffee at hand,
binoculars at the ready, our bird/nature journal nearby for
notes. One hour of calm before the chaos of the crazy world
out yonder."

I don't know if I'll be able to spend an hour ... I won't be sitting on a loveseat ... I'll have tea instead of coffee ... but it will be a time to relax, enjoy nature and ignore the more demanding needs of the day ahead.

Florida Sea Turtles

2005-11-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

You aren't mistaken, this is a weblog about birds. So what is a sea turtle entry doing here. Well, it relates to a brief comment about sea turtles that I made in this weblog Tuesday, Nov 8th. I mentioned a friend that did sea turtle rescue. It brought to mind a couple of interesting comments that she shared about saving sea turtles. So I thought I would jot them down in case others might find the information interesting.

My friend's volunteer job was to dig up the nests of eggs along the beach when tropical storms were approaching so they wouldn't be destroyed from the rising tides. It was interesting to go along with her on a couple of those occasions. She would put sand and the rescued turtle eggs into a bucket ... thus sort of re-constucting the nest. BTW, if I remember correctly the average number of eggs was around 30 or so. Then when the time was right the eggs would hatch and the babies had to be returned to the beach so they could reach the sea, as they would if there was no need to be rescued. This was always done at night. And the reason was clear. If the tiny baby sea turtles were released during the day the sea birds would catch them before they could safely reach the sea. If I remember correctly, the moonlight shining on the ocean attracts them and directs them to the water.

That fact makes me recall a comment she made about the lights shining from buildings located on the sandy part of the beach. During sea turtle (season) the rescue organizations would ask the owners of restaurants and other businesses to turn off their beach lights at night. The reason? It's because newly hatched turtles are drawn toward bright light as they make their first journey to the safety of the sea. The bright lights from the establishments would mis-direct them and they would head down the beach toward the building instead of into the sea.

I found the limited experience I had with sea turtle rescue to be fascinating ... especially watching the baby turtles scurrying down to the water when they were released. If I was still in Florida I'd sure do my best to help out. But I'd have to divide my time ... as the wild birds of Florida can always use help, too.

Florida Memories

2005-11-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

I'm a native Californian and have the typical loyalty most people have that love where they were born and raised. Except for going to college in Eugene, Oregon I've lived in California all my life. That is, until l994 when we moved to northeast Florida because of work commitments. I'll have to admit that I encountered pretty extreme climate (and culture) shock, so I was having a bit of a hard time adjusting. It all worked out though and one of the main reasons was falling in love with Florida's natural world.

It was on my first visit to find a place to live that I realized how abundant the birds were. I can remember crossing a little bridge as I drove around Ponte Vedra Beach, the town we were moving to. It's a good thing there weren't any cars behind me since I stopped right in the middle of the bridge mesmerzied at the scene below. I guess it was the thunderstorm that drove all the birds to the large pond. There were every kind of large and small water bird you could dream of. It was the most amazing scene ... and I truly couldn't believe it. I sat there for a minute in awe. It was at that moment that I knew I would be fine living in Florida. And I was.

It was a 6-year stay and although I'm back in California, to my surprise I really miss Florida. No, of course, I don't miss the humidity and heat in the summer. It is a real bad combination. But you get somewhat used to it. It is Florida's wildlife that I really miss. Fortunately, northern Florida still is relatively untouched as compared to the urbanization of south Florida. In northern Florida you still have to watch out for box turtles as well as other types of turtles as they carelessly wander across roads. I've saved quite a few. In fact, we had our "own" box turtle, which we named Barney. We didn't keep him, but watched him routinely wander across our driveway as he trekked along his territorial route. Evidently having cement poured over his path wasn't enough of a deterrent to decide another route would be better. It was great fun. And I've mentioned the Belted Kingfisher in my "Kookaburra Close Encounter" weblog entry. He was a repeat visitor to our dock.

We lived on the Intracoastal Waterway and had a huge nature preserve across the river and small parcels of undeveloped land on each side of our home. So it was a very natural environment in which the wildlife was comfortable. I remember walking out my front door one evening and looking up into the loquat tree about 3 feet away. There were a couple of little black eyes peeping out. It was a very young opossum. And boy, was he cute. He wasn't afraid and stayed right where he was. I ran for my camera and got several good pictures of him. He was still there watching me as I left the house on my errand.

Another time I was walking past a window on the second story of my house and looked out to find a flock of Cedar Waxwings in that same loquat tree. The loquat fruit attracted them and they were busy devouring all of it. It was the most amazing experience to see these birds from just a few feet away. Because of the window they couldn't see me so I was able to stand there (absolutely transfixed) until they had enough to eat and flew off. I really couldn't get a good count because they were so active flying from one fruit to the next ... but suffice it to say, there were a very large number of them. And the funny thing is they all seemed to have enough to eat at the same time because the flock took off all at once. Or else maybe their leader had enough and was ready to go. I wondered if something had startled them, but found nothing. When they left ... they left for good. And they left me with a memory that will last forever. They are such beautiful birds.

Then there were raccoon families we watched grow up. And I even saw a few snakes crossing our driveway on their way elsewhere. Sometimes they lingered on the warmth of the driveway.. I was always fascinated so would cautiously approach to identify them with reptile book in hand. The only snakes that ever gave me a little fright were the racers. They are harmless, but move very fast ... thus the name. It was the fast movement that caused the momentary instinctual fear. But I got over that, too. Actually, I wish I had kept a diary of all my animal encounters and other wildlife experiences. I'm sorry I didn't, as I know there is a lot I won't recall.

Another memory remains vivid. It is B.E.A.K.S. (Bird Emergency Aid & Kare Sanctuary) in northeast Florida. Open for the public to visit periodically, we took advantage of seeing the great work they do up close and personal. It was on one visit that we were told about Radar. Forgive me for fogetting what species of owl he was. But he was unique, indeed. You see Radar ended up at B.E.A.K.S. because he was born without eyes. And what made him especially unique? He learned to fly to his caretaker from the sound of her voice. Due to the care and love he received in this rehabilitation sanctuary Radar had a decent quality of life. Otherwise, he would certainly have been doomed to death in infancy.

It was at a B.E.A.K.S. fund raiser that we fortunate to win a bid to visit White Oak Plantation. White Oak is a privately owned and operated nature and conservation center in northeast Florida. Six hundred acres of the plantation are dedicated to White Oak Conservation Center where 60 threatened animal species are preserved. Many of these exotic species are associated with the Species Survival Plans coordinated by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Using the knowledge gained by studies on these animals, Species Survival Plans are formulated and refined to aid in the preservation of these unusual species. There is another 6500+ acres of pine forest, wetlands and riparian habitat that comprise the balance of White Oak Plantation. What a special privilege it was to visit this incredible, and I might add, very beautiful plantation. There is much to know about White Oak ... perhaps for a future weblog entry.

I met some great people in Florida, too. Some remain friends. One such lady was involved in sea turtle rescue. I witnessed the rescuing of sea turtle eggs, from their beach nests, to save them from being washed away by tropical storms. When the eggs hatched we released them to the sea ... watching the babies scurry into the welcoming ocean waves. Another experience not to be had in southern California, for sure.

And then there were my friends at the bird hospital. They are some of the most special people I've ever known. One of these special ladies has taken in the broken and discarded parrots that people no longer wanted or could care for. If not for people like her ... many of these creatures would have been doomed. But instead are living quality lives with someone who loves them.

My only regret is that I had not discovered backyard bird feeding while I was in Florida. It's strange that such a bird lover wouldn't have taken advantage of the hobby with such abundant bird life around. But I guess I was just too immersed in my pet birds. Actually, I did become interested just before moving back to California, but there wasn't the time to get started before making the move back to California. But it didn't take me long to begin upon getting re-settled.

Perhaps on another day more memories of Florida's animal world will come flooding back so I can write about them again. I love recalling them and really wouldn't mind returning to Florida if I could continue the up close and personal experiences with it's wildlife again. Hmmm! Who knows what the future might bring.

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

2005-11-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

A week or so ago I received a copy of Cage & Aviary Birds, a newspaper publication from the U.K. It was sent to me as a courtesy for being featured in the publication. It all started a couple of months ago when Kim Forrester contacted me. Kim is a feature writer for the newspaper and she had been searching the Internet for birding blogs. Coming across mine, she contacted me and asked if I would mind if my blog was featured in an article she planned to write. The request came as a surprise, of course, and I was really honored to be able to help promote blogging with a bird theme. So I contributed my thoughts and some photos.

The purpose of Kim's article was to promote an interest in sharing bird information through blogging. I'm sure the others who contributed to the article were as pleased as I was to help. And I have to admit that it was exciting to receive a copy of the newspaper and read about myself and see a couple of photos I'd contributed. Actually, it was really a hoot ... to use a bird term.

I regret that those of us in the U.S. don't have easy access to the U.K.'s Cage and Aviary Birds. However, if you are visiting this blog from the U.K. you might want to get an issue if you don't already have one. And since you are reading blogs ... maybe you'll also decide to share your thoughts and interest in pet and/or wild birds by creating your own blog. The article covers ways to do that. My blog is created with Blogger.com. It's free and may be one of the easiest to set up and use.

If you are a little more ambitous you may decide having a website on birds would be just the ticket like I do. If so, check out Birdwatchin.com (that's my website) to see what an extremely non-techie person can do if they have the right program. And speaking of non-techie -- I didn't have a clue about creating a website before I started mine. And what is the right program to create a website? That's easy ... it's the one I use. Check it out ... you might just decide that having a hobby website would be a lot of fun. Or take it one big step further and build an income around it. If you'd like more information just leave a comment and I'll be happy to leave another entry with additional links that may be of interest.

Kookaburra Close Encounter

2005-10-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Our surprise arrived suddenly ... or maybe pleasant shock is a better description. It all began during a visit to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. I'll digress for a minute to say that Taronga Zoo is a great place to visit with it's beautiful setting and collection of animals. There is a very, very large aviary with a wonderful group of large Psittacines (parrots) ... especially the Cockatoos that Australia is so famous for. Some of these aviary birds were so friendly that they flew right over to where this parrot lover was standing so I could really get a close up view and chat with them for awhile. What can I say ... it was wonderful! The Taronga Zoo also has some unbelievable views of Sydney and the harbor. So it's a great place to visit just for the view in case the animals aren't enough reason to visit. Of course, they were the draw for me. Taronga also has some interesting educational shows about Australia's native species so the visit really couldn't have been a better experience.

Back to the surprise I mentioned. While we were having lunch it arrived in the form of a Kookaburra. There we were, my brother and I, having a burger and fries at a small patio table. All of a sudden a wild Kookaburra flew right down to our table (not over a few inches away from my hand) and relieved us of one of our french fries. Needless to say, we were delightfully startled. And it was fun to watch him devour the fry on a nearby tree branch. Then he decided he needed another fry and returned for a second one. The people at nearby tables were as entertained as we were. It was pretty obvious that this wasn't the bird's first people-food snack. But for these American visitors his desire for fast-food made our day.

Some have described the Kookaburra as a plain-looking bird. Perhaps so, as it's back and wings are usually brown. However, in my opinion it isn't dull or uninteresting at all. In fact, I find them very attractive. The Kookaburra's overly large head (as compared to the rest of it's body) is creamy white with a brown eye stripe and very large beak. The bird is approximately 18 inches long (45 cm) and weighs close to a pound. Kookaburra's get all the moisture they need from their food so drinking isn't necessary. (Although I wonder how our visitor felt after eating the high salt content of those fries!) Their nests are built in hollow trees or even a termite mound.

Kookaburras are fascinating birds. They are members of the Kingfisher family and are famous for their racous "laugh" ... thus being nicknamed the "laughing Kookaburra". Many people around the world are familiar with it thanks to Hollywood films in which the laugh is the background in most every jungle whether the setting is in the Amazon or Africa (the bird is not native to either of these places though ... but that's Hollywood for you). In lieu of having sound to share in this weblog, their call can be described as beginning with a low 'oooo' chuckle that increases to a high "ha ha ha" and then back to a low chuckle. There isn't much doubt that it would be instantly recognizable upon hearing it. The Kookaburra's loud laughing call travels far through the forests where others of its kind hear it. The call is used both in courting rituals and for claiming territory.

But the Kookaburra call is not the only interesting feature of the bird. It has also adapted to it's environment in some unusual ways. And, as evidenced by our zoo encounter, Kookaburras have even adapted to humans with some even becoming tame enough to be handfed.

This bird is indeed a survivor ... living in the woodland and open forests of Australia and also Tasmania were it has been introduced. The Kookaburra is a terrestial Kingfisher. Unlike most Kingfishers, it doesn't catch fish but rather it's diet consists of lizards, mice, small birds, and an occasional snake. One of it's unusual behaviors is the way it kills prey. Kookaburras have been observed taking their catch high into the air to drop it, or they smash in on a tree branch. SIDEBAR - When we lived in Florida I watched a Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) preparing it's meal of fish by repeatedly bashing it against our boat dock. That Belted Kingfisher landed on the dock daily as he cruised his territory. His visits (infrequently accompanied by a mate) were so dependable that I watched for him everyday. It was an added bonus when he caught a fish from the dock and I was able to observe his eating behavior. I was told that Belted Kingfishers repeatedly smash the fish to break the bones to make it easier to eat. I don't know if that is true ... it may just be done to kill the fish.

Kookaburras mate for life and have an unusual parenting behavior. They breed from September to January laying pure white eggs about the size of a Bantam chicken. The clutch size varies from one to five eggs with two to four eggs being common. Kookaburras lay eggs a day apart and incubate them between 24-26 days. After the young are reared and fledge they often stay around the nest to help the parents with the next clutch of babies. This behavior contrasts dramatically with the majority of birds who leave the nest once they are fledged to search for territory and mates of their own. When a Kookaburra family-system of chick rearing has been established it is usual for a second clutch of chicks to be raised in one season. In this instance, the offspring of prior clutches will take over the raising of the first brood of the season while the parents attend to the second. In a Kookaburra family group all the birds develop a brood patch which is a bare spot of skin on the breast used to transfer body heat to incubate the eggs. There have been documented cases where the helper birds spend more time incubating eggs than one of the parents. Most helpers are males who assist with nesting duties as well as territory defense. If a parent dies often a helper will take the place of the missing mate. SIDEBAR - Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) have been studied and shown to use the same cooperative breeding method.

Having a close enounter with a wild bird gave me a great reason to learn more about the species. Spending a little extra time delving into the facts about birds has proven time and again that birds have fascinating stories to tell. It's one reason I'll continue to keep learning about as many species as this lifetime allows.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker on 60 Minutes

2005-10-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

I watched 60 Minutes on CBS last night! It was a great opportunity to learn a little more about the re-discovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker ... otherwise known as the Lord God Bird. According to Ed Bradley's report the woodpecker was called the Lord God Bird because it was so beautiful and impressive that when people saw it they said "Lord God ... what a bird".

I've never been to Arkansas and from what I saw on the show it has an incredible natural world called the Big Woods, where the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has reported to have been sighted. It was described on the show as "... one of the most exotic and the most inhospitable environments in America, a vast primordial ooze (swamp), a place so wild, the Big Woods have been called this country's Amazon". Needless to say, I am grateful for the opportunity to see it again on my computer.

The re-discovery of a bird thought to be extinct is exciting beyond words. For myself, I can only be thankful if such an event has taken place and the world may once again know and perhaps be given a second chance to delight in the beauty of an awesome bird.

I hope the news remains positive about this discovery and not end in a situation like the Spix Macaw in South America. When I heard that a Spix Macaw had been sited in Brazil in the early 1990's, it turned out to be the last one in the wild. Continued sitings of the bird lasted over a few years, the last in 2000 ... and then reported perished in 2001. How incredibly sad. Hope for the future of this bird remains in the hands of the few breeders trying to save the species with the handful of remaining individuals in captivity. With a limited gene pool I wonder how successful they will be.

To think of how incredibly short-sighted and heartless it is to destroy species as well as ecosystems is hard to fathom. Thank goodness we live in a more enlightened time where there is now concern felt for these issues and people taking action. Perhaps the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has been found and still has a chance for survival. If it does exist perhaps it won't end up vanishing like North America's only parrot, the Carolina Parakeet that was hunted to extinction in the early 1900's ... along with the demise of so many others. For me, I celebrate the discovery of the Ivory-billed and pray for it's future and good fortune.

Hummingbird Battle

2005-10-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

It was the warm San Diego sun that beckoned me to the outdoors and, specifically, to my hammock. My home is so sheltered by trees and foliage that it stays very cool and actually feels chilly at times. So I couldn't resist setting my computer work aside to take a quick catnap in the sunny warmth outside. My hammock is hard to resist . . . it is soooo comfortable with a feather pillow under my head and a glass of iced tea. I lost track of the number of times that is has proven to be "the place" to take a short refreshing nap or just relax to relieve some built-up stress. I don't think I could survive as well as I do without it. The other great thing about the hammock is that it rests on my deck about 4-5 feet from one of my hummingbird feeders. I just lay quietly in the hammock and get some wonderful views of the irridescent little gems that come to feast on the nectar. Ah, the best of both worlds . . . lots of comfort and some great bird watching.

Today, as I lay in the hammock getting my dose of Vitamin D for the day from the sun, I witnessed a true hummingbird battle. Now it isn't unusual for the hummers to be chasing each other away from the feeders . . . each trying to assert their dominance over it. But today, the sound of clashing beaks startled me and opened my eyes to witness two hummers battling about 4 feet away. It was an amazing demonstration of how aggressive these little guys can be with each other. The battle only lasted for a few seconds but it seemed longer as I watched them fly at each other repeatedly to do their little sword-like battle. It ended in seconds without injury (as most bird aggression does) when one of the birds finally decided to fly off to a nearby tree. Of course, that was only momentary, too . . . as a few seconds later he was back to chase the other bird away from the feeder.

There are a number of hummers that come to my feeders regularly. I can identify some of them by their habits as well as their species and markings. They seem like old friends . . . and in a way they are. The two most common visitors are Black-chinned (summer visitors, although they are still here now in early October) and Anna's who stay in the San Diego area year-round. I'm fortunate to have at least one species here all the time, so I always keep my feeders full.

My style of hammock-oriented hummingbird watching is just the ticket for me. You might find it fun, too. Hammocks!

News From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

2005-10-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Where do you go for news about birds? One great place is The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, of course. It's easy to subscribe to their emailed newsletter. More about how to contact them in a minute.

It was a pleasure to hear some good news about endangered birds in the online newsletter:

Far from a backyard visitor, the Attwater's Prairie Chicken is critically endangered. To make matters worse 20 of the last 40 remaining birds live in Texas City, TX at the Texas City Prairie Reserve. The worst part has to do with Hurricane Rita. The Reserve Manager, Brandon Crawford, was out of state at a conference during the recent bad weather and rushed back with 1-gallon ziplock body bags in hand expecting to find the pairie chickens killed by the hurricane. But what he found was all 11 radio-collared birds giving off live signals. He was in shock ... pleasantly shocked to be sure, especially since 7 of the collared birds had been released a little over a month before. The death toll of released birds is highest in the first month. He feels that the uncollared birds may have fared just as well. Hope so.

A graduate student, Rebecca Safran, doing research at the Cornell Lab discovered some intriguing facts about Barn Swallows (see photo above). Here is what she discovered. After Barn Swallows pair up for the season the females constantly judge their mates by their looks. The females evidently prefer their mates to have breast and belly feathers more reddish in color. Through DNA testing, Ms. Safran found that females mated to males with paler feathers were more likely to secretly copulate with another male. Hmmmmm!

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is the place to keep up to date on the latest information about the rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker which was believed to be extinct. You can even hear a Monday Night Seminar Series that includes information about this bird ... as well as a lot of other information. The seminar is presented by Tim Gallagher, Editor-in-Chief of the Lab's Living Bird magazine. The seminar is available through the Lab's Website if you have a broadband Internet connection.

If you are a backyard bird feeder and enthusiast you might be interested in the 18th annual Project Feeder Watch. This year's event begins in just a few weeks. Project Feeder Watch is an annual survey of birds that visit feeders in the winter. I'm going to participate this year ... perhaps you'll consider signing up, too. Anyone can join and become a "citizen scientist" for a few weeks. It is a lot of fun and contributes important statistics to the real scientists at the Lab. To learn more about this event or to register U.S. residents can call the Lab toll free at (800) 843-2473. In Canada contact Canada Bird Studies toll free at (888) 448-2473. In return for your $15 participation fee ($12 for Lab members, $35 for Canadian residents) you'll receive the Feeder Watcher's Handbook, a colorful poster of the most common feeder birds, a calendar, complete instructions on how to file your reports, the new Feeder Watcher's Year in Review, and a subscription to the Lab's newsletter BirdScope.
If you aren't a member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and would like to learn more you'll find a link to the Lab's website on the Birdwatchin'.com Resource page. The Lab's link is found under Wild Bird Organizations/Clubs. Don't miss the other good resources at Birdwatchin.com.

Be Careful Where You Sit

2005-09-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

I've really dropped the ball, so to speak. I never intended to have such a long delay between posts. My excuse this time is being 100 percent focused on lots of home projects and yard work. I love the results of all the hard work, but am frustrated about ignoring the computer-side of my life for so many days. I thought my next weblog would be about my backyard bird feeding experiences. Actually, I'd planned to chat about feeding American Goldfinches, but I'll leave that for next time.

I have an unusual lifestyle to some. I've been married forever ... or so it seems. The unusual part is that my other-half lives in New York full-time because of work, while I Iive in California. I'm a CA native and prefer being "at home" in San Diego. What can I say other than that. Anyway, my husband is out here on vacation and wanted to pick up some medical supplies in Mexico while on the west coast. So off we went. Once we reach the international line the visit over the border usually takes about an hour or so. But we had to wait for delivery of the products my husband was buying. The delay meant time to grab a bite to eat. For anyone who has visited the area just across the border you probably know what shopping and/or eating in the border area is like. As we crossed a courtyard to find food, employees working in the various restaurants rushed over to convince us their eating place was the best. The guy tooting a horn (for attention) practically grabbed and drug us to his tables. We chose a table set outside so we could enjoy the beautiful weather. Just after my Margarita was served the "bomb" dropped. I'm not sure what kind of bird it was but we were served with a very unwelcome, very large "splotch" from above as the bird flew over. I guess I don't have to be any more graphic. Most of the splotch fell on my husband and I got enough have a mildly unpleasant experience ... and have my Strawberry Margarita ruined. The responsible culprit was a seagull. So I bet you can imagine how big the splotch was that covered my husband. Thank God he had a ball cap on his head. But all was not lost ... we cleaned up, moved inside and sat at a protected table. But I guess to be truthful our appetites were a bit ruined. A fresh Margarita was in order and helped to fade the experience slightly. Eating alfresco is great as long as you can see the humor in unexpected events. No problem for me ... I share my life with pet birds, lol. Although I must say in defense of my pet parrots that all together they don't even come close to the mess one seagull can make.

Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers

2005-09-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

It has been such a busy week with virtually no time to devote to Birdwatchin' Buzz. A sad state of affairs to be sure. However, I do want to to leave this short, but important note. For all of you that love birds and reading blogs about birding experiences don't miss the 5th edition of I and the Bird. For those of you who haven't discovered I and the Bird . . . it is a blogging carnival for people that love birds. Birdwatchin' Buzz was invited to submit a blog to this edition . . . a first for me. And what a crowd of talented and interesting writers I found myself among. Whew! You'll discover that John (of DC Birding Blog) who is the host of this 5th issue has cleverly listed the blogs in the format of a conference agenda . . . including shade-grown coffee breaks, time for lunch, etc. It adds to the fun! Don't miss I and the Bird . . . you'll really enjoy it!

My Brother and the Western Scrub Jays

2005-08-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that almost a month has passed since my last log note. It wasn't my intention, but rather due to the unexpected death of my brother under tragic circumstances. Needless to say, it has been a very sad and heartbreaking time for me. His death rendered a hole in my heart that will never completely heal. He was my only sibling and we were very close. My notes in this log were always planned to bring positive and happy circumstances to anyone who happened by to read them. So mentioning this event is to explain my unplanned delay in writing about the one area of my life that consistently brings joy . . . my pet birds and feeding those in the wild. It is also offered as a small remembrance for my brother.

Although I've cared for pet birds for more than 20 years, it was my brother who first showed me the pleasure of feeding wild birds. I was instantly captured by the frantic activity of his Western Scrub Jays that we have here in California. It was during a visit to my brother's home that I discovered how much pleasure a simple hanging platform bird feeder can add to a bird feeding program. Actually, it was due to watching my brother add peanuts in the shell for his Blue Jay visitors that instilled the dedication I now have to feeding backyard birds. Thanks to you always, Brandon.

He'd pile the peanuts high in a swinging platform feeder and the Jays would come. Well, to tell the truth, he would wait until he saw a Jay nearby (they were always about) to fill the tray. The bird activity at the feeder was instant and so much fun. The Jays select the best peanut they can find on each visit. And they sure are selective or so it would seem. I've watched them pick up peanut after peanut until they find the right one. Then off they fly with it. One peanut at a time. Do they eat the peanuts? Nope! They hide them for a future meal. So they come to the feeder to steal away the next peanut until they are all gone. I'm sure that if I could put a 50# sack of peanuts on a platform feeder they would not rest until all the peanuts were safely hidden away.

When I got my own hanging platform feeder the Jays came immediately. I watched the first one take a peanut and fly right down to the backyard lawn. Later I checked the spot . . . sure enough, the Jay had hidden away the peanut deep down in the grass. Having a platform feeder turns into quite an adventure if you have Jays around. When I began feeding them there was only one. Now the number has grown to four or five. Four of the five seem to come and go. But one is always around. I believe he may be a baby born this past spring. He watches the Orioles and has decided the grape jelly I feed them is perfect for him, too. I don't know if anyone else has Jays eating grape jelly, but I expect so since Jays are very ominvorous.

I don't expect a day to pass by without loving thoughts of my brother. I'll continue to miss him terribly . . . and especially so when I offer peanuts to the Jays. Brandon, Birdwatchin.com is dedicated to your memory.

An Oriole Summer!

2005-08-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

Last summer I saw my first flash of gold and black at one of the hummingbird feeders. It definitely was only a brief glimpse, but long enough for me identify the bird as an Oriole with the help of my trusty field guide. Later I was able to narrow it down -- the bird was a male Hooded Oriole. I saw him occasionally then . . . but this summer has been different. All I can say is "wow" because a family of Hooded's have taken up summer residence near my jelly feeder. As far as I can tell the family consists of one male, his mate and at least one female offspring. The jelly feeder never seems to stop swinging from the constant visits. The feeder hangs under my patio deck roof so is very close. That is a good thing because I've discovered these birds are very flighty and do not stay long in one place. They are nervous around humans they can see nearby. That is very different from the more tolerant Goldfinches that I can approach as they hang on the thistle feeder. So having the Oriole feeder very near provides a great view of these beautiful birds from inside the house.

Since I live in California the Hooded Orioles that visit us are the Western species which are more golden in color than the orange of Eastern variety. I lived in Florida for a few years in the 90's but never saw an Eastern Hooded Oriole. I won't digress into my great bird experiences in Florida today. I'll find another time for that.

My stepdad, who lives with me, recently purchased a remote video camera. He has been working diligently to get it setup near the bird feeders so I can share what goes on in my backyard at Birdwatchin.com. The project has been challenging but he's making progress. As soon as the camera is working outside near the Oriole feeder the next step will be to show the live feed online. He's determined so I hope he'll succeed.

My Oriole feeder is designed to hold half an orange above a little dish that offers jelly or mealworms . . . both Oriole favorites. Well, to be truthful, I never got around to adding mealworms because once I provided jelly the Orioles have fed consistently . . . all day long, everyday. I should get some mealworms to thank them for being so entertaining before they head South for the winter. By the way, if you want to feed Orioles jelly make sure it is grape jelly. Just buy an inexpensive brand . . . I pay between $1-2 for a 32-oz jar. I have to warn you, Orioles are eager eaters so be sure to keep jelly on hand. Also, be sure that the dish you provide the jelly in is shallow. I read about a lady who had to rescue and rehab a baby songbird when it fell into the jelly and got mired up to it's little head. Also, put your jelly feeder in the shade to keep it fresh. If your Orioles don't eat the jelly as fast as the ones I'm feeding be sure to replace it every few days. I refill my jelly dish about twice a week because the Orioles empty it completely that often. My jelly dish feeder holds about 1/4-1/2 cup.

Orioles are attracted to the color orange -- in the same way hummingbirds are attracted to red. You can provide an orange-colored Oriole feeder if you are feeding nectar. However, my Orioles fed at a hummingbird feeder even when I had a small Oriole feeder available. I just drilled a couple of larger holes in the plastic base of my feeders to accommodate their larger beaks. You can make your own Oriole nectar which is a little different sugar-to-water ratio than you feed Hummingbirds. However, I would put the Oriole nectar in an Oriole feeder . . . not a Hummingbird feeder because the ratio wouldn't be appropriate for Hummers.

With the jelly available, the Orioles in my yard have pretty much ignored the Hummingbird feeder until recently. In the past few days they have emptied nearly 2 cups of nectar. This fast consumption of nectar is so unusual that I'm wondering if it has something to do with our hot summer weather arriving. Maybe they are thirsty. Yikes, if that is true it makes me feel guilty. I've been looking for a water source -- such as a bird bath with moving water. I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I'd better get a move on. I'll let you know what I come up with. Here's something funny about the Orioles drinking all the hummingbird nectar. The Black-chinned Hummer that called that particular feeder his own has now set up residence by perching on the feeder to protect it from the Orioles. Hummers are very aggressive about their feeding sources. I guess this little guy is going to do his best to make sure those big bully Orioles leave his food alone.

Orioles are migrating birds. Fall is just around the corner and our Western birds will head for southern destinations in Mexico. I'll really miss them when they leave. Since I'm in Southern California where we enjoy a moderate climate I wonder if my Orioles will leave. They are pretty attached to my feeders. But nature has programmed them to fly South so I expect them to migrate. If they go I'll just have to wait for their return. Birds remember where they find food so there is a good chance these same ones will come back in the Spring. I sure hope so. I'll be waiting and the feeders will be full.

Welcome to Birdwatchin' Buzz

2005-08-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the first weblog of Birdwatchin' Buzz. I'm a bird lover . . . yep, that's me! This crazy fascination began years ago when my Dad brought home two pet cockatiels . . . quickly named Junior and Pancho. They were lovable, sweet and real characters. I was mesmerized. But it wasn't until years later -- I was in my early 40's -- that the fascination led me down a life-path devoted to birds. I brought home my first large parrot 20 years ago and since then my avian family has grown to 15.

But you're thinking this weblog is about backyard bird watching, so why mention exotic pet birds? Afterall bird watching is all about the wild birds that visit our backyards and those we search for beyond . . . not those that live with us. Be sure that I won't stray far from bird watching -- in fact the next weblog will be about the wild birds that are visiting my backyard this summer.

For now, I just wanted to say "hi" and tell you a little about my bird family. In fact, if you'd like to know more about us read How 13 Birds Became a Family. I believe there isn't a better way to appreciate bird behavior, intelligence and personality than living in daily contact with birds that bond with you. This daily experience is responsible for exploding my interest in identifying, feeding and watching birds in the wild.

If you love bird watching and feeding birds in your backyard, or have pet birds, or just enjoy animals and nature in general come back for another visit. I'll welcome comments about your interest in birds and animals. I'll do my best to help you find the answers to questions you may have, so be sure to pass them along. Again, thanks for visiting, it's great to connect with another bird-lover!