Birds

[telejunkie]

Just downloaded the Merlin ID app onto my phone last night and gave it spin yesterday evening. It picked up a Nashville warbler that I didn't pick out, which was really cool. It did also say it heard a Swainson's thrush and a green heron, both which i'm guessing are false positives. Another thing was that ruffed grouse was beating its wings not too far away and it didn't pick up on that. Was wondering if the app can't process certain sounds. Minor detail....two big thumbs up. I had it recording for 20 minutes and it picked up 8 species of warblers, 3 vireos, 3 woodpeckers, 4 sparrows....roughly 35 species in all.

[jbrumberg]

@telejunkie-  I really like that app.  "ask by iNaturalist is another decent ID app.

 

I am on a roll today.  I brought out the "Big Lens" and used my truck as a blind to capture a better picture of a House Wren.  And here He is singing away while his mate doing the nest building.

[clm]

On 5/22/2023 at 2:43 PM, jbrumberg said:

@telejunkie-  I really like that app.  "ask by iNaturalist is another decent ID app.

 

I am on a roll today.  I brought out the "Big Lens" and used my truck as a blind to capture a better picture of a House Wren.  And here He is singing away while his mate doing the nest building.

 

I think they're on to you

[jbrumberg]

I was very, very lucky to capture these Sandhill Cranes this afternoon. I first saw them with the dog along. I returned home dropped off the dog, got the big lens out and returned to where they were first seen around here 5 years ago.

 

 

[jbrumberg]

A returning Indigo Bunting this morning:

[jbrumberg]

 I really do not like feeder poles and/or feeders in my bird pics, but this is a first time ever "capture" of an Eastern Bluebird.  Beggars can't be choosy.

[jbrumberg]

It was a brief encounter, but the House Wrens were successful in driving off a pair of Tree Swallows that wanted that nest box.  A quick check in on the hatchlings and all appears well.

Edited June 1, 2023 by jbrumberg

[Hiramite]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:43 PM, telejunkie said:

Just downloaded the Merlin ID app onto my phone last night and gave it spin yesterday evening. It picked up a Nashville warbler that I didn't pick out, which was really cool. It did also say it heard a Swainson's thrush and a green heron, both which i'm guessing are false positives. Another thing was that ruffed grouse was beating its wings not too far away and it didn't pick up on that. Was wondering if the app can't process certain sounds. Minor detail....two big thumbs up. I had it recording for 20 minutes and it picked up 8 species of warblers, 3 vireos, 3 woodpeckers, 4 sparrows....roughly 35 species in all.

I've been using that app for a couple of years and its a great tool.

There area "false ID's" every now and then.  Chances are if the bird continues to be identified (lights up), it is present.

As for the grouse, I THINK the app only uses vocalizations, thus the grouse drumming wouldn't be picked up.  How are the Ruffed Grouse populations up there?  Not many left here.

[jbrumberg]

@Hiramite-  Ruffed Grouse are now a rarity around here too.  The abutting property (+100A's) is now a land trust and the trustees did a lot of logging and clearing to encourage the return of Woodcock and  Roughed Grouse.  Wy Wife and I have been doing the same thing on a microscope on our 13A's.

I got a better picture of the House Wren.  The wrens are very tolerant of my truck with me inside and it is now prepositioned to hopefully capture a pic of MR. & Mrs. with their fledglings 

[clm]

On 6/2/2023 at 2:32 PM, jbrumberg said:

@Hiramite-  Ruffed Grouse are now a rarity around here too.  The abutting property (+100A's) is now a land trust and the trustees did a lot of logging and clearing to encourage the return of Woodcock and  Roughed Grouse.  Wy Wife and I have been doing the same thing on a microscope on our 13A's.

I got a better picture of the House Wren.  The wrens are very tolerant of my truck with me inside and it is now prepositioned to hopefully capture a pic of MR. & Mrs. with their fledglings 

Nice shot.  They are most likely learning that you are not a threat to them.

Now try that with a red-winged blackbird near their nest.  They'll dive bomb anyone and anything and have no fear.  I've watched them harass an Osprey, who could eat them for dinner.  I've been dive bombed by them while out on my boat fishing.  But if you can time the picture right, you get them in flight with their red and yellow mark on their wings.

[telejunkie]

On 6/2/2023 at 6:55 AM, Hiramite said:

I've been using that app for a couple of years and its a great tool.

There area "false ID's" every now and then.  Chances are if the bird continues to be identified (lights up), it is present.

As for the grouse, I THINK the app only uses vocalizations, thus the grouse drumming wouldn't be picked up.  How are the Ruffed Grouse populations up there?  Not many left here.

Will try the app again...but was listening to a black billed cuckoo last week, which is always a fun one to listen to. Heard both a black and yellow last year. Was listening to an American bittern not too far behind my house last night...such a cool song...almost up there with loons. The Merlin app must have picked up as a green heron from one of its other calls.

Can't comment on the greater population of ruffed grouse here, but I feel like they're still not too uncommon in these parts. It's not rare to scare one or more up on a hike. But I know the bobwhite population, which was quite healthy, by my parents on Long Island has recently seen a collapse in the last like 3 years.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by telejunkie

[Hiramite]

19 hours ago, telejunkie said:

Will try the app again...but was listening to a black billed cuckoo last week, which is always a fun one to listen to. Heard both a black and yellow last year. Was listening to an American bittern not too far behind my house last night...such a cool song...almost up there with loons. The Merlin app must have picked up as a green heron from one of its other calls.

Can't comment on the greater population of ruffed grouse here, but I feel like they're still not too uncommon in these parts. It's not rare to scare one or more up on a hike. But I know the bobwhite population, which was quite healthy, by my parents on Long Island has recently seen a collapse in the last like 3 years.

 

Cuckoos are a good find!   "Sounds" like you're in a birdy spot!

As for the quail, I wondered what happened there on LI?  LI, as well as N OH, are on the northern fringe of their range.  They were decimated here during the back-to-back severe winters of the late 1970's.

[clm]

On 6/7/2023 at 7:51 AM, Hiramite said:

Cuckoos are a good find!   "Sounds" like you're in a birdy spot!

As for the quail, I wondered what happened there on LI?  LI, as well as N OH, are on the northern fringe of their range.  They were decimated here during the back-to-back severe winters of the late 1970's.

 

Two things happened to the quail here.

1. They were overhunted and their habitat was cut down by a lot of overdevelopment.

2. We have a lot of feral cats here.  Combine them with fox and they also overhunted the quail too.

[clm]

On 6/6/2023 at 12:40 PM, telejunkie said:

Will try the app again...but was listening to a black billed cuckoo last week, which is always a fun one to listen to. Heard both a black and yellow last year. Was listening to an American bittern not too far behind my house last night...such a cool song...almost up there with loons. The Merlin app must have picked up as a green heron from one of its other calls.

Can't comment on the greater population of ruffed grouse here, but I feel like they're still not too uncommon in these parts. It's not rare to scare one or more up on a hike. But I know the bobwhite population, which was quite healthy, by my parents on Long Island has recently seen a collapse in the last like 3 years.

 

 

Bobwhite went the same route of the quail here on LI.

[jbrumberg]

Mr. & Mrs. House Wren feeding their brood.

[jbrumberg]

The House Wrens fledged their young the morning.  I have taken +1000 frames of wrens the past 3 days.  I am bug-eyed after reviewing those frames.  A couple of pics:

[jbrumberg]

A Great Blue Heron at the entrance to the harbour in York, ME

[jbrumberg]

Yesterday was a rainy day and I had nothing else to keep me out of trouble:

[jbrumberg]

Taken this morning:

[clm]

A male house sparrow, in his house.  🤣

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MaineJay]

These were almost closer enough to touch. Just chillin on the side of the road.  Second time I've seen them at this intersection in Poland.

 

[clm]

Not mine, but saw this and could not pass up the opportunity to share it.  Love how they're posing.  Apparently the photographer used seeds to lure the squirrel and bird into these positions.  Regardless, its pretty awesome.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=593892882920152&set=a.408717241437718

 

[jbrumberg]

The Warblers are starting their Fall migration and I was fortunate to capture a few today. A Black Throated Green, Tennessee, a new one for me- Nashville, and a Blackburnian Warbler

[jbrumberg]

And a Red Eye Vireo capture today.  Apparently the red eye is only seen close up.  I was 20' from this capture.

Edited September 12, 2023 by jbrumberg

[Hiramite]

22 hours ago, jbrumberg said:

The Warblers are starting their Fall migration and I was fortunate to capture a few today. A Black Throated Green, Tennessee, a new one for me- Nashville, and a Blackburnian Warbler

I think the top and bottom pics are B-T Greens, I don’t see a Blackburnian.