Our prime plumed pals

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by kladner

We've been feeding birds on the roof of the building entryway.

Birds are remarkable animals.

Having observed them for some time, I believe they perceive time faster than we do. And are also smarter than they are given credit for ("Bird Brain.")

I've seen birds drop off a ledge or a branch, and only extend their wings at the last possible moment for a soft landing. (The cheeky ones do a backflip for the landing.)

I once made the mistake of "making friends" with some chickens, and they wouldn't take no for an answer.

A couple of them figured out that while the sliding glass door immediately in front of them was closed, the door on the other side of the building was open (leading to the cat food and water in dishes).

[Dr Sardonicus]

Originally Posted by chalsall

Birds are remarkable animals.

Having observed them for some time, I believe they perceive time faster than we do. And are also smarter than they are given credit for ("Bird Brain.")

I've seen birds drop off a ledge or a branch, and only extend their wings at the last possible moment for a soft landing. (The cheeky ones do a backflip for the landing.)

I once made the mistake of "making friends" with some chickens, and they wouldn't take no for an answer.

A couple of them figured out that while the sliding glass door immediately in front of them was closed, the door on the other side of the building was open (leading to the cat food and water in dishes).

Birds do show great resourcefulness in getting their food and drink.

I've seen groups of barn swallows following people operating riding mowers, literally flying circles around them. When I'm gardening, it usually attracts birds that are ready to pick off any tasty grubs or worms I might have dug up.

I have a hummingbird feeder with a "water well" surrounding the hanger, which keeps ants away from the feeding stations, provided it's kept filled. I am currently loaning it to my neighbor, a nice lady aged almost 90, whose mental acuity could inspire envy in people half her age. Her feeder began leaking, and mine wasn't getting many customers because I have lots of flowers which they visit instead. Shortly after I had cleaned and refilled it, hung it up and filled the water well, Mr. Goldfinch landed on the wire holding the hanger, and began inching his way down the wire, then the hanger. My neighbor figured out what he was up to -- getting a drink of water from the water well -- before he had gotten far enough down to drink. Birds drinking the water is one reason the water well has to be topped up frequently.

Hummingbirds seem to view us as almost stationary objects. They will buzz right in your face sometimes. I was recently watching the small bees (mostly sweat bees) on some of my flowers, when a hummingbird came to a Gaillardia (AKA "Indian blanket" or "Firewheel") about 2 feet from me, then switched to another about 3 feet away. It didn't seem to care at all about me standing there.

The term "bird brain" was probably inspired by behaviors which expose their mental limitations, such as territorial males persistently attacking their own reflections in a window or vehicle outside mirror if it's in their territory. They never seem to figure out that their reflection is just a reflection. If you don't move or cover up the reflecting object somehow, they'll keep it up all season, year after year. Mr. Cardinal is notorious in this regard.

[kladner]

Adult male.

We are now seeing a maturing cardinal male. and possibly a robin of similar age. No pictures of these, yet.

[Dr Sardonicus]

Judge invalidates Trump rollback of law protecting birds

The 1918 migratory bird law came after many U.S. bird populations had been decimated by hunting and poaching — much of it for feathers for women's hats.

It was one of the country's first major federal environmental laws, enacted just after the conservation movement embodied by President Teddy Roosevelt had emerged as a new force in American politics.

Over the past half-century, as new threats to birds emerged, the law also was applied against companies that failed to prevent foreseeable bird deaths, such as oil companies that did not put netting over toxic waste pits despite warnings from federal officials.

The Trump administration argued the deaths of birds that fly into oil pits, mining sites, telecommunications towers, wind turbines and other hazards should be treated as accidents and not subject to prosecution.

[kladner]

Originally Posted by Dr Sardonicus

Judge invalidates Trump rollback of law protecting birds

Bravo! Now let it stick until a hoped-for new admin comes in.

[storm5510]

Dale Hollow continues to work out a new location for their camera. In the interim, they have been offering stills, like this one from January.

[kladner]

Great shot of the eagle!

[xilman]

Originally Posted by storm5510

Dale Hollow continues to work out a new location for their camera. In the interim, they have been offering stills, like this one from January.

Ah, eagle.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by xilman

Ah, eagle.

I really miss living in a rural area like where I grew up. From what I understand, eagles, hawks, and owls, are thick there now. Back then, no eagles and no hawks. A Great Horned Owl liked to sit atop an old utility pole my dad put up to attach one end of a wire for his Purple Martin gourd houses. He had lots of martins there every year.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by storm5510

I really miss living in a rural area like where I grew up.

Ditto. I don't miss the cold, but I sure miss the many beautiful wild animals.

Eagles are quite common in BC. We once had a pair nest (and produce) in a tall tree beside our house one year.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by chalsall

Ditto. I don't miss the cold, but I sure miss the many beautiful wild animals.

Eagles are quite common in BC. We once had a pair nest (and produce) in a tall tree beside our house one year.

The scenery is amazing in BC. I used to watch a program called Highway Thru Hell. They showed a lot of the mountains. I couldn't deal with the cold like folks there do.

Animals are moving back into areas they have not been in for decades. Wolverines are back in Michigan again. An occasional black bear is seen in my area, and where I grew up, along with Sandhill Cranes. I'm going to get back out into the sticks again, somehow. I've had my fill of town.