Birds

[rodekyll]

Had a similar experience in CT when I was first resurrecting the EV'L TWIN.  The little guys made their home in a parts box.  I bought new stuff so's not to disturb them.  After a few days they would hang out in the shop supervising me.  Sometimes I'd be working on one end of the bike and one would be perched on the other end.  Sometimes they'd 'splain me stuff with chirps and wiggles and fluttering.  I never knew what they were saying.

[Testarossa]

We have barn swallows, and I'm happy to see them in under the eaves. A lot of cow ponds around which usually means mosquitoes, but I haven't yet seen any around here and I guess the birds are one reason.

Also redtail hawks, owls, eagles, robins, red-wing blackbirds, ravens and crows, magpies. Raccoons, coyotes, skunks, mule deer, bear and puma, though I haven't yet seen a big cat.

[Penderic]

I have a family of Ravens that live have lived in the immediate area. 3 pairs and one juvenile now.

First noticed them when I left a bag of garbage out before taking it to the dump. Thought it was a raccoon responsible till I noticed the raven waiting for another go at it. Started to watch them and discovered their habits and the relationships between them.

[twowings]

Had a similar experience in CT when I was first resurrecting the EV'L TWIN.  The little guys made their home in a parts box.  I bought new stuff so's not to disturb them.  After a few days they would hang out in the shop supervising me.  Sometimes I'd be working on one end of the bike and one would be perched on the other end.  Sometimes they'd 'splain me stuff with chirps and wiggles and fluttering.  I never knew what they were saying.

They were saying, "RIDE! RIDE! RIDE!"...

[Chuck in Indiana]

When RK was visiting last winter, he told me some really interesting stories of Raven behavior in Alaska. Games, funerals, that sort of thing.

[oldbike54]

When RK was visiting last winter, he told me some really interesting stories of Raven behavior in Alaska. Games, funerals, that sort of thing.

 They do that everywhere , not just in AK . Probably gives some real insight as to how dinosaurs behaved .

 Dusty

[cruzziguzzi]

Todd.

[britman]

Home sweet home and the eggs have arrived......



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[oldbike54]

 Do you suppose the other bird families think the helmet dwellers are uppity ?

 Dusty

[Testarossa]

We went down the road yesterday evening to hear a local string band. Around 5:30 a hawk soared overhead carrying a writhing snake. She disappeared over the trees and returned a few minutes later, turning base to final, and the snake was limp. I guess I wouldn't bring a live snake back to the nest, either.

This morning a team of three robins dive-bombed our cat, driving him indoors.

It's dangerous out there.

[twowings]

whole bunch of little brown jobs=wrens

[Chuck in Indiana]

whole bunch of little brown jobs=wrens

Have you watched the wren courtship? Mr. Wren makes a nest, brings ms Wren to have a look. "Nope, don't like it. Too sunny." Mr. Wren makes another nest. "No, too breezy." Mr Wren continues.. "No." "No." Finally, he makes one that is *Just right* and she consents to move in. 

[Lannis]

Have you watched the wren courtship? Mr. Wren makes a nest, brings ms Wren to have a look. "Nope, don't like it. Too sunny." Mr. Wren makes another nest. "No, too breezy." Mr Wren continues.. "No." "No." Finally, he makes one that is *Just right* and she consents to move in. 

Hey, give credit where credit's due .. 

If your mom and dad read you this book as often as my parents read it to me, and as often as I used to read it to my boys, and now my grandchildren, it's no WONDER you remember it ...



Lannis

[britman]

Well I am a Grand-Pa by four times.  Mom pays no attention to me whatsoever.  Sat beside me this morning while I was finishing up wiring the chopper project.  She appears to be a good Mom, continuously in and out with food in her mouth.  Beginning to wonder what's going to happen when "leave the nest day" comes for the young ones......






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[Chuck in Indiana]

They'll be fun to watch. They have to learn their aviating skills with little short tails, so have some control difficulties.  They'll figure it out, though.. and it won't take long. Kids learn flying really fast.

[Yukonica]

Ravens up here are the most noticeable year round resident. They're noisy, they're intelligent, they have a good memory, and they are actually quite interested in anything humans do. Fun to watch new people in the territory who have left something in the box of their pick-up, particularly black plastic bags, trying to scare away 10 or 15 18" tall birds that know people can't fly. "up 20 feet... wait till the human spots a buddy ... then down 20 feet"

[Lee Davis]

Walked into the shop yesterday, and one of the Roadrunners was standing on an old Ambassador frame with a small lizard in his mouth. Now I know why they like the bikes! Got this shot as he went outside...


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[Sasquatch Jim]

  Birdy with a yellow bill
 Landed on my windowsill.
 Lured him in with a piece of bread
 and slammed it on his freakin head!

You could just close the windows and doors.

[charlie b]

We liked feeding and watching the birds out at our place.  But, that also attracted the fuzzy tail rats (aka, squirrels) and chipmunks.  They got into the cars' wiring.  So, got rid of all the feeders and had to set traps until I got rid of most of the rodents.

Yes, we tried all the different squirrel proof feeders.  The problem is birds are messy eaters so they scatter the stuff around no matter what kind of feeder it is.

So, we just let nature provide for the birds and watched.

[Lannis]

We liked feeding and watching the birds out at our place.  But, that also attracted the fuzzy tail rats (aka, squirrels) and chipmunks.  They got into the cars' wiring.  So, got rid of all the feeders and had to set traps until I got rid of most of the rodents.

Yes, we tried all the different squirrel proof feeders.  The problem is birds are messy eaters so they scatter the stuff around no matter what kind of feeder it is.

So, we just let nature provide for the birds and watched.

That's a little bit different problem than we had.   Before I got to the point where I was able to outsmart an animal with a brain the size of a filbert, the squirrels would get into the feeders themselves and empty them, and that stuff costs too much - we feed about 90 pounds every six weeks.

So I was finally able to squirrel-proof the feeders so they can't get in.  Oh, they tried ... you could see them trying to get around the barriers, trying 30-foot banzai jumps from branches to try to hit the feeder, and trying to get through the screens, but they finally gave up.   I don't begrudge them the seeds that the birds scatter around the ground below the feeders; they and the mourning doves scavenge that up.

Squirrels have never bothered any of my vehicles.   I suspect maybe it's chipmunks goofing up your wiring?; we don't have chipmunks here, and if they were getting into my car and bike wiring, then poison, traps, and .22 CB caps would ensure that we didn't have them again, and that eftsoons.

The birds are way better than having a TV.   Dominance games, territory protection, mating rituals, status levels, our yard is a little avian Peyton Place ....

Lannis

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Just wait until you get infested by packrats, Also known as bushylailed wood rat.

[redrider90]

I opened the door to our shed next to the house. I reached to turn on the light. Right there was a decent size black snake raiding the wren's nest of it's eggs. The snake dropped to the floor as scared of me as I was of it. We went our separate directions. The snake with a full stomach and me searching the freezer for food.