Nature

[SciFiFisher]

I saw my owl! It was just before dusk last night. We were home and had just finished dinner with the in laws. I noticed something out the front window and saw a large bird land about 12 feet up in a tree close to the house. I thought it was a red tail or cooper's hawk at first. But then could tell it was an owl. Spied it with the binocs and it was our Barred Owl. He was beautiful. He stayed around just long enough so that all 4 of us got to see him and I even got a couple of decent pictures.
It was awesome.

Pics or it didn't happen.

Ditto!

[Thumper]

I'll find the best shot of my owl. It's usually a pain to post it here, but I'll figure something out.

[SciFiFisher]

I'll find the best shot of my owl. It's usually a pain to post it here, but I'll figure something out.

You can use one of the *free* photo posting sites like Photo Bucket. That is the one I typically use when I want to post a picture here.

[Thumper]

I've had trouble with Photobucket the last few times. Don't know if it was a problem with PB, my network and netnanny, or if it was a PEGKAC error.

[Thumper]

[Thumper]

[geonuc]

I guess your owl does exist. Nice.

[geonuc]

I've had trouble with Photobucket the last few times. Don't know if it was a problem with PB, my network and netnanny, or if it was a PEGKAC error.

PEGKAC? Or do you mean PEBKAC? I experience a lot of PEBKAC errors myself.

[Thumper]

My errors are apparently so PEBKAC that I can't even get the acronym right. It took about an hour, resetting a password, creating a new account, but I got the owl on the webs.

[SciFiFisher]

Did you try plugging it in?

[Thumper]

Did you try plugging it in?

Just look at the pictures.

[SciFiFisher]

Did you try plugging it in?

Just look at the pictures.

Nice owl by the way.

[Thumper]

Peepers are finally back after being chased away by the late snows. Saw my first bat last night. Raccoons are out in full force raiding the bird feeders. Not for long if they know what's good for them.

[Thumper]

Great week of bird sightings: I've seen both white and blue Herons in the last couple weeks. Not on property but close by. Swore I may have seen an Osprey over the weekend but it was too far away to identify. I've seen my bluebird on the property, never in my new bluebird feeder but he's hanging around. Yesterday, I saw an indigo bunting and a rose breasted grosbeak. I've never seen a bunting on the property and the grosbeak has only been seen a time or two usually in the cold and snow stopping by the feeders for a welcome snack. I saw flickers while I was mowing Saturday. And our Carolina Wren couple is raising its young 'uns on our back screened in porch. You can see them coming and going and I've found the nest. At least I convinced them not to do it in the garage this year.

[geonuc]

I saw a Steller's Jay last week while out in the forest. They're probably common around here but this was the first I'd seen. Really gorgeous blue bird with a black head.

[Thumper]

Yeah, I've only seen them when in Yosemite or a couple times hiking in Oregon. You're right, big striking bird.

[Rommie]

I saw loons yesterday!!! Went out to the Toronto islands for a bike ride after work, there's tons of random migratory stuff right now on Lake Ontario, and saw one pop out of the water so I stopped immediately. He was already in summer plumage, and a second one was still looking like the brown they wear in winter, which I don't think I've seen before. I watched a bit because I wasn't sure they were loons and they were going further out, and honestly I still think one might not have been, but the other was pretty loon-like in his preening and all that.

Guess they were heading north for the lakes. So cool to see one in Toronto! I friggin' love loons, so this made me happy.

[Thumper]

That's cool. Pretty sure I've never seen or heard a loon. I'm excited to hopefully see some new birds up at the marsh on Erie next week.

[geonuc]

Loons are great. Saw, and heard, quite a few in upper Minnesota.

[Rommie]

Loons don't come down as far south as Ohio (might also be migrating through Erie still though!), but there are always some in New Hampshire where I spent many a summer growing up, and for whatever reason I took a liking to them. They sound pretty freaky in the middle of the night! I also remember they had "threatened" status when I was a kid because of mercury in fishing sinks that they'd swallow, but don't think that's an issue anymore.

In Canada, of course, they're so normal they're on the dollar coin. When I went up to Algonquin last year I lost count there were so many- clearly, loon paradise. They're not huge fans of the city though.

[geonuc]

While walking back from the pub, I encountered a couple of Canada geese families. Each comprised two adults and several kids, which were a light green color. Very striking little guys.

Reminded me of the Bend nature book I recently bought where the author states that the lawn-loving Canada geese used to migrate to this area but since Bendites have laid down more lawns and green space, many have 'turned in their passports'. It's true - Bend is lousy with Canada geese year round.

[Thumper]

Canada Geese we have in Ohio, Loons not so much. I'm in the landing pattern of about 3-4 local ponds. Sometimes 20 or 30 will cruise over the property while on short final.
I've lived in NY and CT but I was pretty young and didn't spend alot of time identifying birds. My Loon experience consists of watching On Golden Pond.

[Rommie]

Oh man, Canada geese- I am always in for a little double take when I see them as my joke for years in the USA was "these darn illegal immigrant geese, shitting everywhere and taking jobs from hardworking American geese..." Now, of course, they are actually from here so it doesn't work.

I did see a few of those out on my island bicycle ride, but my favorite one was smack in the middle of the kiddie amusement park- there's a "town square" with a random giant flower pot thing in the middle of it, and there was a goose head peeking out of there. She was presumably nesting, and not impressed with me. Technically it's a violation of the law to move her if she's nesting unless she's being aggressive to other people, but my suspicion is they'll conclude she's aggressive after a few hisses and move her and her nest to a quieter area she'd much prefer.

[Thumper]

That's cool. Pretty sure I've never seen or heard a loon. I'm excited to hopefully see some new birds up at the marsh on Erie next week.

Well, we made it up to Magee Marsh up on Lake Erie Saturday. It was cloudy, cool, and eventually started raining, but that didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm. We saw 32+ species of birds while we were up there, many for the very first time. Clearly, we were the amateurs. Most of the warblers we saw we were only able to identify by listening to the people standing next to us. Most people were willing to point out birds, identify, and talk about them. Reminded me of an amateur astronomy star party: lots of sharing and camaraderie. Also saw about $400,000-500,000 worth of binoculars and cameras. My lord we saw alot of expensive equipment. Even though the goal of many was to identify the most little warblers possible, about the first bird we saw was an adult male bald eagle. He was majestic.

[Swift]

Loons don't come down as far south as Ohio (might also be migrating through Erie still though!),

Loons do migrate through Ohio. The few times I've seen them around here are as they are looking for rest stops as they migrate through.