AT's Watching the Birds Blog

Green Chimneys, Sun June 7th, 2009

2009-06-10T13:50:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, we went to Green Chimneys, (a children's school) where my boyfriend grew up. . . they had Raptor Day there. . .

We had a great day!! Visit my post at Silk Creek Portal to see a couple pics;)))

Hopefully, I will be blogging more again soon! :)

Green Heron

2008-12-11T11:38:00.009-05:00

I've decided to do this getting back into it post on the Green Heron.

My mom actually has a pair that have been coming to her yard for about 4-5 yrs now. I don't know if they are nesting there or what, but they are there throughout the summer & it has been 2 together.

This pic is mine I took & the best I could get of the bird at the time. It was taken from my mom's window, so I didn't scare the bird off.

I've since gotten a better camera, but haven't gotten new pics of these birds yet.

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

A rather solitary bird, feeding on its own, or in a pair. These birds can range from 16-22". They are approximately the size of the American Crow.

The Green Heron breeds in freshwater, or brackish-water marshes that have clumps of trees. They feed along the coasts of any waters.

They nest in trees, or dense thickets & the nest is composed of loosely piled sticks. They lay 3-6 pale green, or pale blue eggs.

Here are a few pics of the Green Heron's nesting, eggs & young. NONE of these photos are mine & the photos are linked to their respective sites.

Please visit them & check out their page on Green Herons.

These birds breed over a great area, from the a Canadian border, all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. It winters from coastal California south to southern Arizona and Texas, along the Gulf coast, and along the Atlantic coast to northern South Carolina.

The Green Heron eats a variety of foods, including insects, frogs & small fish.

Some links for you to visit:

(pic) Three little Green Heron chicks in a nest

(pic) Green Heron chick grooming

The Blue Hole Page

(pic) Green Heron nest with egg

Green Heron nest & eggs

All About Birds: Green Heron

eNature.com: Green Heron

USGS: Green Heron

Green Heron - Butorides virescens - NatureWorks

Green Heron - BirdWeb

Green Heron - Whatbird.com

Green Heron (audobon)

Green Heron (Nature of New England)

NatureMapping - Green Heron

USDA Forest Service - Green Heron

Fraser's Birding Blog: Green Heron, West Hythe, Kent

Time for updating!

2008-12-11T11:35:00.002-05:00

It's time for some updating on these blogs of mine! I am getting back into things now that I have internet again! I have missed you all & hope that you will come visiting me again!:)

Hugz~
Tara & Crew

MISSING!!!

2007-12-24T13:13:00.000-05:00

MISSING!!

MISSING!!!(see post = http://tarastalkntreasures.blogspot.com/2007/12/missing.html

Please look, please help me come home!!My name is Rage! I am friendly! I get along with kids & pets!! I went missing from home please help me come back!RAGE has NO ID on him right now because he slipped his collar!! He is an older dog (7)!! Special dietary concerns, as he looses weight RAPIDLY in winter if not fed several meals a day!! Also, only eats a certain type of food that keeps weight on him, esp. during winter!!!He is a short, stocky brindle Staffordshire terrier!! PLEASE call my home if you see me 6261000 My mommy will come get me!!

Visit Rage's page at:www.cjcrittercareneducation.org/rage.htm

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2007-10-31T13:02:00.001-04:00

Graphics for Halloween Comments

Bird of the Week #3 - Eastern Screech Owl

2007-10-16T14:37:00.001-04:00

Originally posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Bird of the Week #3 - Eastern Screech Owl

The new bird of the week is the Eastern Screech Owl!!
Informational post to come asap!

Barred Owls

2007-10-16T14:26:00.000-04:00

Originially posted on Monday, October 15, 2007

Barred Owls

I LOVE these owls. I got to see some at the Hudson Valley Raptor Center - I went there a few times - 2-4x - to help a bit. ( I really was upset when my car broke down & I couldn't get there any longer. Now, I think they are closed, because I've tried getting in touch with them again). Anyways, these owls are so neat! They "click" at you. . they are just awesome (of course, I love all raptors anyways:} The photos in this blog are photos I took, a year & 1/2 ago at the HVRC.

Scientific Name: Strix varia

These owls are a beautiful, awesome creature. Their colors/markings are just beautiful. They are so interesting & personable. Even though my direct experience is limited, I was truly touched by these birds!

These owls are medium in size, ranging from about 1-1&1/2lbs.
Their wingspan is approximately 38-50in.
Their length ranges from 16-25in.

Owls are classified as a raptor, but in reading further, you will find many things about owls that are much different than other raptors.

Their coloring is a greyish-brownish coloring with horizontal white barring.

It does not have ear tufts. It has a rounded head, and a long tail. They have a yellow beak. Their legs are covered with feathers. Owl eyes are placed in the front, instead of on the sides of the head, like other birds. This gives the owl a better depth perception. Their eyes are also fixed in the socket - they can't not move the eyes (such as, side to side), and therefore have to turn their heads to look at things. Their ears are just holes in the sides of the head with feathers covering them. And, did you know what else I learned researching for this blog post?!? Owls ear holes are placed so that 1 on 1 side is higher than the other side. This, I read, is to give the owl better judgment in where a sound is coming from - high or low.

I read this owl was first described by Benjamin Smith Barton, in 1799!

This owl also has various common names that it has been called. These names include Northern Barred Owl, Swamp Owl, Hoot Owl, Striped Owl, Rain Owl, Round-headed Owl and more.

These owls are nocturnal. And although nocturnal, they could be seen at dusk or dawn, or even during the day! :)

They are very vocal - and like several species, call in the daytime, as well as, in the night. You can go to THIS website & hear some vocal files of this owl. (Also reference below:)

Barred Owls are opportunistic feeders. I read that the main diet of this owl is voles. It sits on a perch, & waits to swoop down on its prey. It's prey also includes shrews & deer mice. It may also prey upon squirrels, rats, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink & weasels. At times, they will take other prey, including some birds, such as woodpeckers, grouse, quail, jays, pigeons & blackbirds, and other animals such as, frogs, fish, turtles, snakes, lizards, scorpions. They may eat insects like crickets, beetles or grasshoppers. I have read that they will also feed upon skunks, woodchucks, geese & herons.

Owls do not pick meat off to eat, they eat whole chunks, including the bones, fur/feathers, etc. They can not digest the fur/bones, so the owl regurgitates "owl pellets". These pellets contain the undigested portions of the meal. You can almost put an animal's skeleton back together again. You can also learn a lot about what owls are eating. The owl does not soar, like a vulture. The owl flaps his wings to stay in flight. Owls have soft feathers in their wings, that are very quiet when the owl is flying. This helps the owl to get his prey, since their wings are virtually silent. Having an owl fly past you & not HEAR it is a WEIRD thing! lol An interesting experience!

I read that they are often associated with Red-Shouldered Hawks, and have been seen nesting closely to them without conflict.

Barred owls do not catch birds on the fly. They catch the birds as they settle into nighttime roosting.

The Barred Owl likes to nest in cavities, but will also use abandoned nests of other raptors, such as Red-Shouldered or Coopers Hawks, or abandoned Squirrel or Crow's nests. They lay 2-4 white eggs, that are almost perfectly round. They have a rough texture. The incubation period lasts approximately 28-33 days. I read incubation begins with the first egg laid. They have one clutch a year, but I read that the breeding season for them is long and if they should lose a clutch for some reason, they are likely to lay a new one. The male brings food to the female while she incubates the eggs. The owlets begin to leave the nest at 4 weeks of age, and cannot yet fly. They climb from the nest & perch on branches. At this time, they are called branchers (according to my research). They fledge from the nest at approximately 35-40 days. (THIS site has some great owlet pics!) When the down has been lost, there is no visible difference in adult & juvenile plumage (feathering). The parents care for young for around 4 months. The young do not go far from their nesting area & settle permanently. Adults pair for life, and use nesting sites for many years. I read they do not migrate, and remain on the same @ 1 sq. mi. of territory throughout their lives.

The female owl (as is commone with raptors) is the larger of the 2 sexes, but generally, with Barred Owls, that is the only difference between males, females, & molted youngsters (juveniles).

The Barred Owl lives approximately 10 years in the wild. They are known to live 20+ years in captivity. Their main natural enemy is the Great Horned Owl. However, man is a cause of much fo the deaths in the wild - being hit by cars, shootings, etc.

They are widespread throughout the United States, although there are areas where they aren't. The website linked above has a great dispersion map on it.

References:

Barred Owl

Barred Owl - Strix varia - Information, Pictures, Sounds

Carolina Raptor Center - Raptor Species: Barred Owl

Barred Owls

All About Birds: Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Barred Owl Information

OwlCam Homepage

Barred Owl - Strix varia -- Western North Carolina Nature Center

Barred Owl - Strix varia

North American Owl Identification Guide

Barred Owl - Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota

Golden Eagle

2007-10-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

Originally Posted Tuesday, October 2, 2007
(photo from the web

Bald Eagle Awareness Days - Golden Eagle Biology)

Golden Eagle

Well I am a bit behind, but believe it or not, I am really trying to work on getting myself together & getting this back on track.

Anyone who would like to share their bird photos with me for my website, please email me.
Thanks for any contributions!!

So, I had started a Bird a Week, with the Golden Eagle.
Here is some info on the Golden Eagle. Have you had the opportunity to see one? I believe I have seen 2 so far in my lifetime, although I recently read that they are extripated in NY. I dunno about that!

Golden Eagles are big, beautiful brownish birds.

Scientific Name: Aquila chrysaetos (AK-qui-lah kris-AY-ee-tos)

These birds are pretty common throughout the northern hemisphere, although from what I have seen/heard, not seen too often.

Native Americans regard seeing the large raptors in the wild as a very spirtual thing.

These are pretty large birds. The are approximately 3ft tall (L). They can weigh up to 15lbs (7kg), with a wingspan of up to 7ft. - That's a wide span!

Adults have are a brown color, with a lighter brownish color on the back of the head/neck area. The sexes look very similar, except the female is somewhat bigger than the male (which is common in most raptor species).

Juvenile Golden Eagles have white patches at the base of their primary feathers, with white tail feathers with a distinct dark terminal band. It takes four years for them to acquire their adult plumage (feathering).

Their talons are black.

The Golden Eagle is Mexico's national bird.

The Golden Eagle live 15 to 20 yrs in the wild.

Golden Eagles are solitary birds, that can be found in remote areas.

They are the most widely distributed eagle, which can be found in Europe, North Africa & Asia, in addition to North America.

They are great hunters, very seldom eating carrion (dead meat). They can have a hunting range of about 162 sq. mi. (260 sq. km.). Their diet does include a variety of animals, such as, groundhogs, marmots, foxes, skunks, cats, rabbits, grouse, ground squirrels, crows, pheasants, meadowlarks, tortoises, and snakes.

Golden Eagles mate when they are around 4 yrs of age. They usually stay paired for life. Usually, they nest in rocky areas - such as rocky crags or cliff faces. Occassionally, a tree is used to make a nest in. The couple will usually return to the same nest each year - repairing the nest - which makes it larger.

Females lay 1 to 3 eggs, only 1 time a year. The males usually do not help incubate the eggs, but will bring food to the nesting female. Eggs are incubated for 41 to 45 days. Eggs are laid between February & May, or in the Artic, between May & June. Both male & female will share the work of raising the young.

The young may commit siblicide.The young only weigh around 3oz upon hatching. They remain in the nest for 9-11 weeks, before fledging. Parents will care for the young approximately another 3 mos after fledging from the nest.

Many Golden Eagles remain in their home territory their whole life & seldom migrate. When they do leave their home territory, they seldom go far.

Golden Eagles were lucky enough to escape the DDT problems that nearly wiped out the Bald Eagles. This is because the Golden Eagles eat mainly grass-eating mammals, and not fish. However, they have faced many other problems, such as, intentional poisoning, shooting & trapping, in spite of the laws there to protect them. This even continues today. There is some belief that this goes on because of ignorance in believing there is a threat to livestock.

That is another reason why it is important to help educate people on wildlife, and things they can do humanly, or safely to keep wildlife out they do not want in/near their homes/yards. It also can be to sell the feathers.

Golden Eagles are protected in the US. Possession of feathers (even 1) or body parts carries a severe penalty. It is also a FELONY. You can be fined $10,000 and/or 10 years in prison. Recognized Native Americans can have the feathers legally. There are special licenses they can obtain to have feathers of raptors.

Visit Golden Eagle sites:
Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
American Golden Eagle
Carolina Raptor Center - Raptor Species - Golden Eagle
NCA - Golden Eagle

Bird of the Week

2007-10-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

Orignally posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Bird of the Week & More
I've decided to do a bird of the week post, through eNature.
I will choose one of their birds listed on their site, & link it.
If I have researched that bird at all, I will include info.

Chicken Roost

2007-10-16T14:02:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on Saturday, August 25th, 2007

The picture I am going to share here, are my chickens roosting. They just looked really nice that evening, going to bed;) Photo was taken on 8/22. The black hen is an aracauna, the rooster (a mutt? dunno got him from a friend) & the other hen is a red sex-link.

Weird Bird

2007-10-16T13:39:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on Friday, August 24th, 2007

Weird Bird
I've been offline a few days, so I feel so lost! I've missed posting, so now I will have to make up for it;)Anyway, this bird has been visiting my parents yard. There were some last year too - don't know if they are the same ones are not - I never did see it last yr! Only vaguely! LOL But mom says to me today that those "weird birds" were back! LOL

So I took a couple not so good pics & looked online. To me, I think he is a green heron. Of course, there is always the chance he is not, because I am not certain! :}

So, if anyone knows what he is, please let me know;)

Another Blog . . from Moi!

2007-10-16T13:34:00.000-04:00

I decided to move my birding blogggs to here. I have been trying to post a Bird a Week & other Mis. bird bloggings, so I am going to post them all here now. I will move my other over here too - that I've already done.