Beautiful birds

we have them drift by during the summer up on Grand Traverse Bay. Love them!

Beautiful, graceful birds.

Lovely to look at, but they’re mean and nasty birds.

Best observed from afar, up close they are territorial, aggressive and not at all friendly.

They'll break a man's arm!

I can't hear a loon without thinking of my mom. One of the most beautiful sounds in the world to me

And a woman's heart.

Thanks, R6. Loons will always remind me of nights at my grandmother's cottage.

This picture is adorable

The loons!

R6, where was your cottage?

Ours was near Lake of the Woods, Ontario - not too far from Kenora.

Northern Ontario, r11. Not far from Quebec

Northern Flicker. I get a lot of these birds in my yard. The male has a black "moustache." I've noticed that when a male flicker comes into the yard and there's already one at the feeder, it will leave. On the other hand, if a female arrives and there's another female there, a "fight" will ensue. This "fight" consists mainly of wing-flapping and screaming at one another. All this is done while chasing the other female from tree to tree.

I just picture the real Miss Lucy (a cat) placing bird feeders to lure in her prey.

R14 yes, that would be quite a picture!

Those swans aren't much better than those Canadian Geese when it comes to temperament. They're meaner than spit and shit like Rottweilers. It never fails, whenever I walk past one or more Canadian Geese, they start hissing at me and charging. Of course, I scream like a bitch.

Canada Geese are Dlers, R16.

R16 It seems to me that geese in general have a chip on heir collective shoulders. A while back I visited the farm of some elderly relatives, and they had a pet goose. I couldn't turn my back on it, because it would grab me by the calf of the leg and pinch like hell. It reminded me of the goose Samantha in the movie Friendly Persuasion.

I have a large pond where I live and at times there are 100 geese out there honking and shitting all over the sidewalks. If you ever want to have a laugh, though, pull up YouTube and search for "Canadian Goose sounds" and put it up as loud as you can. They'll start freaking out.

Cedar waxwings and Bohemian waxwings. They are beautiful and not mean. They are fat whores that pig out on fruit. When they eat fermented fruit they get drunk.

Speaking about Cedar Waxwings...a couple of years ago, I got up one morning during the summer and decided to fill up the bird feeders before breakfast. Imagine my surprise to see a cedar waxwing squatting in the back yard and when I approached it, it didn't fly. I circled it. It ignored me. Back into the house I went to awaken my partner.

All he needed to hear was "waxwing on the ground," and he was off and running. It ignored him, so he picked it up. It was completely calm and didn't struggle in any way. He walked it around for quite a while, and still no struggle. It didn't appear to be injured. Finally, he put it on a branch of one of the cherry trees. It sat there briefly and then flew off.

We figure it might have been drunk on fermented blueberries. There are a lot of blueberries a short distance behind the house, and if bears can get drunk on them and go staggering and rampaging around, I guess a cedar waxwing could do the same.

The most beautiful bird to come to our feeder so far is a Painted Bunting. The males are colored like parrots and the females are a chartreuse green-grey color. Both are gorgeous. They're smaller than I expected - like a medium-sized finch.

Australian Lylebird imitates sounds of lazer guns, kookaburras and nearby highway.

They're exquisite, R22. So colorful, they look exotic.

R13..I get Northern Flickers at my feeder. Not so much during the summer, but in the winter. They are very colorful and gorgeous birds. They are a woodpecker...one of my favorite birds.

Just stunning R20 and R22. Beautiful colors. I've never seen Cedar Waxwings with that much color on the wings. Painted bunting...it does look like a tropical bird.

Oh...a Bohemian Waxwing..I've never heard of those. Love the colors on their wings. :)

I love woodpeckers, R25.. We get downy woodpeckers fairly often. One was on the trunk of a cherry tree, when suddenly a sharp-shinned hawk swooped into the yard. Everything that was feeding on the ground flew off instantly. The downy stayed on the trunk of the tree, and as the hawk moved around, the downy would move around the trunk, keeping out of the hawk's line of sight. Soon the hawk left. I was amazed at the actions of the downy. It probably figured that if it flew, it would be pursued by the hawk and killed.

R28...I get a woodpecker that will start drumming on the siding of my house, just outside of my sliding door. The rat a tat sound was so loud, it really sounded like a very loud jackhammer on the house. That little woodpecker made so much noise! Crazy...

Birds do the darndest things, R29. Last summer, I had the screen off the kitchen window, getting it repaired. (Cats, you know.) It was a hot day, and both sides of the sliding window were open. A humming bird came in the left side of the window, hovered for a minute, staring at me, then flew out the other side. I stood there with my mouth hanging open in amazement.

That's very cool! ^^ That reminds me...hummingbird feeders will be going out soon. They are amazing little birds.

The varied thrush.

r31 In the Puget Sound area, we leave the hummingbird feeders out year-round. As long as they have a food supply, the hummingbirds don't migrate. It's hard to believe that tiny brain can be so clever.

r32 The varied thrush is native to the Pacific Northwest. It is featured in the original Twin Peaks intro.

R33...They are quite territorial. I have feeders that have eight ports, but only one hummer at a time is allowed..lol. As soon as one bird starts feeding...and another comes along, they chase each other. There's plenty for all. :) The hummingbirds by me start returning this month and migrate in September/October.

The northern cardinal serves up some badass 1980s Lionel Ritchie All Night Long red Members Only jacket and black cyclops sunglasses realness.

The first time I ever saw a hummingbird, I thought it was a very large bug..until it hovered. Hahaha...

Love these photos! Birds are beautiful creatures.

Not the most stunning, but I love these little guys. Like the loon, these tiny birds and their cheery call remind me of the summers I spent at my grandmother's cottage. I have a handful that visit my feeders and I love hearing their happy sounds.

A beautiful bird is one which fights for its existence.

Love it! ^^

R39...Chickadees are the cutest! They seem pretty sociable and are always the first in line, when I fill the feeder. They "speak" to me with their sweet call....and I even talk to them a little...lol. Another one of my favorites.

Are Canadian geese hunted for food? Probably quite delicious.

I love herons. Just fascinating. You can easily imagine these creatures as descendants from the dinosaur age.

^^They're protected by federal law...so no.

Canadian geese that is^^

The law is a ass.

No love for Lady Gouldians?

Owl finches are cute as hell.

Blue bird-of-paradise belongs on this list as well.

Also, a loon's cry is one of the absolute most beautiful sounds on this earth. It is so relaxing yet mournful at the same time. I miss living on the East Coast as i don't think loons are prevalent on the West Coast.

r43 r45 r46 r47 Canada (not Canadian) geese can be hunted and they are very good to eat.

I've never eaten geese. there do seem to be quantities to pick off.

We have a lot of Canada geese in my area. This time of the year, sometimes a mother and her goslings will cross a street in a single file. All the cars will stop and wait for them to cross.

R54, just let them try that in NYC and see how long they will last.

That sounds adorable, R54. Not far from where I live, there's a brook where a lot of black ducks and mallards hang out. It's also a residential area, and people are very aware of those ducks trying to cross streets, etc. My partner and I were driving along one day when around the corner comes a mother black duck with a troop of babies, and they are really hurrying along. The worst part of it was that they were on the street, not the sidewalk. However, every car pulled over, doors opened in unison, and everyone had one leg sticking out of the car and planted on the ground, ready to spring into action if things went bad. Fortunately, she made it to the brook with her brood. We figure that she hatched them in somebody's yard and this was their first outing to get into the water.

I love that story R56. It's a sweet sight to see... the new chicks this time of year.

Thanks, R57! Yes, it was quite a site to see. Those ducks know how to make life interesting.

Grosbeaks are cute little things too.

I've been lucky enough to see Snowy Owls in the wild. Stunning creatures.

R52 I thought so too. But why does one need decoys and strategies to hunt Canada geese? They are all around, fat waddling and delicious. I bet one could walk up to them and clobber one for dinner.

r61 if they don't bite you first.

The male Hooded Oriole is the most beautiful bird in my backyard.

I also think the male Spotted Towhee is gorgeous.

I feel bad for geese because so many people like hunting them. Poor things.

I love these American goldfinches...they are so colorful, fly in packs and are very vocal when they land in your trees. It's always a treat when a little flock lands in your yard.

I see blue jays and cardinals everyday on my feeder. It’s easy to get used to them and forget how beautiful they are.

r67 On the left coast, we have blue jay's less attractive and much more annoying (they are loud and raucous) cousin, scrub jay. i miss seeing blue jays! i don't believe we see cardinals in Northern California, but apparently they are rarely seen in SoCal. I miss them too!

R67 Ordinary common birds are beautiful when you take a close look. Even house sparrows and the flying rats.

sparrows are indeed beautiful birds.

i submit the velvet purple coronet (a type of hummingbird).

The little chick in r9’s photo is taking the red-eye.

We have a lot of American Goldfinches here...it's the state bird. The males are starting to turn the bright yellow color. Their feathers dull down in the fall, late winter...then brighten in the spring. They are gorgeous...little pops of bright yellow. We have Northern Cardinals, bright red and beautiful...Purple Finches, Red Winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays and I've seen Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks in the spring...but not for long. They stop in at the feeder while they're migrating. Chickadees are frequent visitors at the feeder, too....usually first in line in the morning. They are gregarious little birds, always chirping.

I have great respect for chickadees. They're brave little creatures, too. They'll mob hawks with the best of them. A while back my partner and I were clearing a small portion of land. It had been originally full of wild pear trees, but every one of the trees had died over a period of time, and looked unsightly. We decided that we'd get rid of them and make room for new growth, even plant some bushes and small trees there.

Two chickadees arrived and scolded us terribly. How dare we! When we finished, we walked away, and the chickadees followed us, and at one point they flew between us angrily and I'll swear I could feel their wings graze my head. They would show us!

Haha R73. :) They are pretty fearless. When a hawk is in the yard, you can hear their loud warning system. Chickadees screech loudly to each other. You hear one near you....then others in the distance..back and forth. They warn other birds, too.

I just went out to fill the feeder...and saw a large pile of feathers. Uh oh... I think a hawk got one of the birds...looked like it was a dove by the feathers. They're easy prey as they are slow and easy to catch. I'm glad I didn't see it happen. I hope whatever got the bird enjoyed their meal. That's the downside of feeders. Of course, hawks have to eat, too...so long as it was a hawk or preditor animal and not a cat. Cats like to kill, just for the hell of killing.

Fortunately, R75, the killing attempt sometimes fails. A few years ago, I had a black cat named Tom, a neutered male who was allowed outside only when either my partner or I was with him. On this particular summer day, my partner was gardening and Tom was following him around. Suddenly a young starling appeared on the ground and Tom grabbed it. My partner told me later, that it was as if all movement slowed down and his hearing suddenly failed, he was so shocked. He started to yell at the cat. A flock of grackles nearby began to screech, and Tom, apparently befuddled and freaked out by all the fuss, and not being a seasoned hunter at all, started running round and round the large apple tree with the starling in his mouth, with my partner after him. Fortunately, Tom was too confused and rattled to kill the bird.

The bizarre part was that Tom would drop the starling at intervals and the starling would sort of roll away, then Tom would pick him up again. At one of those times that the starling had been ejected, my partner was able to grab the cat and sling him into the house. The bird was totally unharmed and flew up onto the fence, joined by one of the grackles, who seemed to figure that the starling needed a bodyguard.

Never a dull minute, as my mother used to say.

No R76... never a dull moment, especially in the outdoors with wildlife. If you pay attention to how birds and animals communicate with each other, it's fascinating. Unfortunately, something has to die for others to survive. I'm glad the starling was unharmed, but that was some drama! Cats do what they do...but I would do my best in trying to save the bird, too. Thanks for the story. :D

Cats are assholes. Starlings are beautiful birds too. They were brought over by a guy who was obsessed with populating America with all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare.

I’d rather a hawk or cat killed them at the bird feeder than when they fly right into the window and die, it’s so sad and pointless.

The Wrentit - poster child of most of CA that can't afford to buy a home.

I've always loved the California quail and their refusal to take flight unless it's absolutely necessary.

I would love to see a Pileated Woodpecker at the suet feeder. I get other woodpeckers...Downy, Hairy, Red Breasted and Northern Flicker...but no Pileated. Last year, I think I was two Pileated woodpeckers in the backwoods...very fleeting, only a few seconds. I was so excited! Now...come the the feeder.. lol.

Sorry..tried to post a link, used to be able to do it, now it doesn't work anymore.^^

I have the same problem, R82. I see (and hear) pileated woodpeckers across the field in a lightly wooded area, but they will never come across to our feeders.

Birdbrains. They fly into my house and then keep banging their heads on the window pane trying to get out. I’ve rescued two such this last month. But I love them all.

Yes, R85. That brings back memories. Every single summer since I can remember there is at least one incident of a starling getting into the house.. I think, in my case, they're coming down the chimney and entering from the fireplace. A couple of years ago I had a bed for the dog at the end of the hallway, consisting of layers of old blankets. One day, I saw one of the cats poking around in the blankets as if searching for something, and I figured it had spotted a mouse. I moved the cat aside, and slowly started to remove the layers of blankets one at a time. My aim was to remove the mouse so that it wouldn't be slaughtered by one of the cats. When I got to the last blanket, I was ready for the Great Reveal. My partner looked on with interest.

Imagine my surprise when I whisked the last blanket away, and found a terrified starling staring stupidly up at me, crouched against the closed door.

All hell, as they say, broke loose. The starling broke away and headed for the living room, several cats on its tail, like fighter planes. My partner started tossing cats into the bathroom. We opened all windows.

A half hour later, exhausted, we finally saw the starling's tail exit through the kitchen window.

..I think I *saw...geez, always see the errors after posting..

Since the posters here seem to be bird lovers, I don't know if anyone watches Bald Eagle cams, where there are cameras attached to, or near their nest trees and you see the lives of these magnificent birds..bringing prey into the nests, building and adding to their nests...and watching the egg laying, incubation, and hatching of the eaglets. You see competition (which can be brutal at times), for the food brought in, how the parents care for the chicks, and the process of their growth up to the day they fledge. It's pretty fascinating. I watch two....one in NJ, Duke Farms....the other in Florida, Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. There are many nest cams to watch now, throughout the country. You'll find many on Youtube. In New Jersey back in the early 70s, there was only one nesting pair of bald eagles...in south Jersey. DDT almost made these birds extiinct. DDT was banned, and with the help of wildlife experts, the bald eagle population has grown....today, there are 220 nesting pairs in NJ. I even saw a bald eagle in a field by me, eating a deer carcass. There was another nest not far from me, and I would watch the eagles flying in and out, bringing food for their chicks. I kept a good distance, of course, and used binoculars. It used to be that Alaska and western parts of the US would be the only places to see eagles...but now the population has grown a lot in the lower 48 in many states.

R88 I haven't watched bald eagle cams for the last couple of years, but previous to that, I was a faithful watcher.

I do keep my eye on an actual eagle's nest in an old country cemetery near an area where my partner and I often hike. I hadn't noticed it previously until a few years ago we were strolling through the cemetery and up in a tree we were passing we heard something rustling, looked up, and there, to our surprise, was an adult eagle. We continued on and in front of us in another tree, we noticed an immature eagle, obviously belonging to the adult we had passed. They were not alarmed by our presence, and we quietly went on our way. Once we had passed, they took flight together. Since then, whenever we visit that area, we are always on the lookout for more eagles. There is a large lake nearby, and I assume they do their fishing there.

R89...That is so cool. Their nests are huge...and as you know, they always nest near water...rivers and lakes. Fish is a big part of their diet.