Any bird brains out there?

irish_buffalo said:

A rare treat for birders

A Brown Pelican is spotted resting by the shores of Lake Erie near Port Clinton. While American White Pelicans can be found in the Great Lakes region, Brown Pelicans are typically found along coastlines from California to Florida. (Photos by Ryan Lesniewicz)
www.presspublications.com www.presspublications.com
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There was a Brown Pelican off Cedar Point a year or two ago. We got that one but we are driving up to Port Clinton this afternoon. Will check out some other beaches too.

Too hot to work in the yard all day.
 
chs1971 said:
There was a Brown Pelican off Cedar Point a year or two ago. We got that one but we are driving up to Port Clinton this afternoon. Will check out some other beaches too.

Too hot to work in the yard all day.
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Took the boat to Kelleys Island yesterday. Eyes were peeled the entire way. Unless I saw it up close and or performing their patent dive I think it would be tough to spot amongst a bunch of Cormorants in a tree. Either way I wanted to see it.
 
chs1971 said:
You've got Chimney Swifts. Very cool. Swifts are awesome flyers. Their feet are not designed to stand on the ground or perch in a tree so so they eat, mate, bath, etc. while flying.

Naturally chimney swifts nest in caves and hollow trees but they adapted to living in human built chimneys a very long time ago. "The nest is a half-saucer of loosely woven twigs, stuck together and cemented to the chimney wall with the bird’s glue-like saliva." Bird spit will not hurt your bricks and mortar. With fewer big old hollow trees and fewer brick chimneys swifts have a difficult time finding nesting sites.

You've got something special.
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Thanks. Thats them. I told my wife that I have never seen them land. There are always 3 or 4 of them flying around with their distinct chirp-chrip-chirp and then they dive into my chimney full speed. You can hear them inside the house while they are in the chimney. They are like family now. ;)
 
chs1971 said:
You've got Chimney Swifts. Very cool. Swifts are awesome flyers. Their feet are not designed to stand on the ground or perch in a tree so so they eat, mate, bath, etc. while flying.

Naturally chimney swifts nest in caves and hollow trees but they adapted to living in human built chimneys a very long time ago. "The nest is a half-saucer of loosely woven twigs, stuck together and cemented to the chimney wall with the bird’s glue-like saliva." Bird spit will not hurt your bricks and mortar. With fewer big old hollow trees and fewer brick chimneys swifts have a difficult time finding nesting sites.

You've got something special.
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They are cool birds. They used to inhabit an old chimney at the closed St. Vincent High School in Akron and would come out at dusk. The kids always thought they were bats.
 
irish_buffalo said:
Thanks. Thats them. I told my wife that I have never seen them land. There are always 3 or 4 of them flying around with their distinct chirp-chrip-chirp and then they dive into my chimney full speed. You can hear them inside the house while they are in the chimney. They are like family now. ;)
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You have no idea how jealous my wife is.
 
irish_buffalo said:
Took the boat to Kelleys Island yesterday. Eyes were peeled the entire way. Unless I saw it up close and or performing their patent dive I think it would be tough to spot amongst a bunch of Cormorants in a tree. Either way I wanted to see it.
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Don't spend money on binoculars until you ask for advice. ?
 
While all of you were talking about birds, I was on my patio enjoying my evening drink(s) waiting for my bats to take off. They did not disappoint.
 
clarkgriswold said:
I saw a bald eagle on the ground in Tallmadge today. Very cool.
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There are two Eagle's nests in the parking lot of the beach area at Crane Creek State Park. You cannot miss them. One in the front and one in the back.

There is also a very visible Eagle's nest off of Route 2 on the NW side of the Portage River bridge. Always an Eagle or two near it.
 
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Call me when they learn to eat geese. Otherwise, not impressed with no dinky eagle.

Hundreds of swifts(?). Tiny. Black with underside of white and very triangle looking wings. Zipping around and around sucking up bugs I imagine. That or they got into the grape juice. They seem to show up for a few days a year then move on. Most impressive display, I saw them over a marshy area and they were so thick (and coordinated) they looked like someone waving a blanket 20-30 feet above the ground. Walked right into the middle of the display, awesome feeling.
 
eastisbest said:
Call me when they learn to eat geese. Otherwise, not impressed with no dinky eagle.

Hundreds of swifts(?). Tiny. Black with underside of white and very triangle looking wings. Zipping around and around sucking up bugs I imagine. That or they got into the grape juice. They seem to show up for a few days a year then move on. Most impressive display, I saw them over a marshy area and they were so thick (and coordinated) they looked like someone waving a blanket 20-30 feet above the ground. Walked right into the middle of the display, awesome feeling.
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See Post #53.....they eat geese.
 
eastisbest said:
Unless that's appetizer, not impressed. Actually, Ive a better idea. find me eagles that eat the people that protect these crap machines. We need to go jurassic on this problem.
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They are crap machines. I chase them off my property every time they think it is okay to leave the safety of the water and defile my yard. At least this eagle took care of one of them.
 
eastisbest said:
Call me when they learn to eat geese. Otherwise, not impressed with no dinky eagle.

Hundreds of swifts(?). Tiny. Black with underside of white and very triangle looking wings. Zipping around and around sucking up bugs I imagine. That or they got into the grape juice. They seem to show up for a few days a year then move on. Most impressive display, I saw them over a marshy area and they were so thick (and coordinated) they looked like someone waving a blanket 20-30 feet above the ground. Walked right into the middle of the display, awesome feeling.
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Low over a marsh? Probably a mixed flock of swallows; Tree, Barn, Northern Rough-winged, & Bank. They're all dark above and white below. You got to know what field marks you're looking and listening for. Plus Purple Martins, the males are all dark.
 
chs1971 said:
Low over a marsh? Probably a mixed flock of swallows; Tree, Barn, Northern Rough-winged, & Bank. They're all dark above and white below. You got to know what field marks you're looking and listening for. Plus Purple Martins, the males are all dark.
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THAT could definitely be it. I don't listen. I duck.
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Now the local cardinal is OCD. He'd go from nearby woodsy area, same branch, to my railing, to my mailbox, to the fence across the street, then somewhere. Everyday the same unless I'm on the porch. We had these tiny owls (forgot what they're called), didn't give a hoot. They'd sit three next to each other on the fence, with me the fourth a foot away. We'd sway. They had a path too, which also included the mailbox. Popular mailbox. But they'd sit on the mailbox even if I was on the stoop right next to it. Not just no fear. More like being sociable. Kind of like the baby bunny I'm looking up recipes for if he keeps digging into my grass. I run at him, he's supposed to run. He just looks at me. Thinks about it a bit. Looks again then goes on his own time.
 
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