Monday, November 30, 2009

Cedar Key, Fla

I was in Cedar Key, Florida last week, west of Gainesville about 45 minutes on the Gulf coast and had a fine time viewing birds there. Firsts were a pair of roseate spoonbills, a Black-bellied plover, Common ground  and Eurasian collared doves. The ubiquitous Ospreys were active and eating their still-flapping catch on dock frames on the bay side. Along the Gulf mudflats the biggest players were black skimmers by the hundreds which put on a great show at sunup in large flocks. My favorites are the American oystercatcher, White ibis, and the diminutive Least tern, and I could swear I heard a Common loon calling.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Red-tailed hawk lunch

Very gratifying to see a pair of Red-tailed hawks fly screeching over my backyard, the first trailing a fluffy squirrel tail from its talons, the second making the racket. They flew across the street into an oak grove, the squirrel-holder in a wide tree-crotch and the other about 30' away, watching for an opportunity. After a few initial bites, the lucky one flew a few hundred feet to a more remote perch, followed by the other about 2 minutes later.

Flock of crows

A flock of crows mobbed a hawk at daybreak in the cemetery today. They were very loud, but settled down in about 5 minutes.



Friday, November 20, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mourning dove

One of these took over the small birdfeeder this morning.



Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sandhill cranes

These guys were migrating - Nov 13 - see entry there. We used to see these overwintering in Gainesville Fla, about 380 miles South of here, on the borders of the prairie there. Hundreds of them standing around in a farmer's front yard. They are much taller when "craning" their necks for a better view (sorry about that).


Red-wing blackbirds

Saw a small flock of Red-winged blackbirds down in Peavine Creek this afternoon - beautiful clear day, 75°F. Also a Ruby-crowned kinglet.


Ruby-crowned kinglet

Saturday, November 14, 2009

091114 Morning

Very active backyard today, 9-10AM. Pileated woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, yellow-rumped warbler, song sparrow, flock of American robins, cedar waxwing, ruby-crowned kinglet, cardinals, bluejays, a pair of Eastern towhees, Eastern bluebirds checking out the birdhouse again, Brown thrasher, Carolina chickadees, Titmice, the nuthatches, Carolina wren... Only the robins were bathing. Also some unidetifieds, once junco-like but without the pink beak, grayish here, and goldfinch-like but missing the strong wingbars


Friday, November 13, 2009

Bluebirds at the feeder

Eating hulled sunflower seed, a pair at 8:20 AM - this is a first here! Now the white-breasted nuthatch is chasing off the brown-headed one, and the chickadees and titmice.






Thursday, November 12, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Barred Owl at Peavine Creek

This morning at daybreak was blustery, about 60°F with hurricane remnant drizzle, and on mailbox #317 near Peavine Creek there sat a Strix varia just staring at me as I walked past. I stopped once I realized it was a big bird, not a tree branch on the mailbox, and stared back. Motionless for about a minute, it released its grip on the door clasp and flew off over the house and into its backyard. We often hear these in the summer nights hooting "who cooks for you, who cooks for you - all".

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Redtails over DHS

Three red-tailed hawks were spiraling over Decatur High School's Community Garden Saturday about 11AM. There was a bit of screaming, and one dove, chased by another. A few minutes later they were all three high above us again, watching for something to eat.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Redtails in the cemetery, 9AM

A pair of red-tailed hawks were out this morning.




Red-tailed hawk

Also dozens of robins were very active, along with bluebirds. Good to see the thrushes out together.

My backyard sported several white-throated sparrows, a towhee, brown thrasher, some jays and robins, redheaded and hairy-or-downy woodpeckers.