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View Full Version : Birders, it's migration season



woodsy
10-20-2007, 10:58
For some species anyway. Here's a brief and interesting read (http://www.njaudubon.org/Education/Oases/Migration.html) about bird migration.
I seldom see many of these migratory birds except when they are passing through, like some are now.
I've been recently entertained by a small group of Yellow-rumped Warblers as they head south to wintering grounds.
Feel free to chime in with your unusual bird sightings ;) while out and about.
It's amazing how many we miss seeing as they flood the night skies when migrating.
I captured a photo (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=19303&) of this warbler , you can just see the telltale yellow on rump.

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 13:41
Here's a brief read (http://www.njaudubon.org/Education/Oases/Migration.html) all about bird migration.
I seldom see many of these migratory birds except when they are passing through, like some are now.
I've been recently entertained by a small group of Yellow-rumped Warblers as they head south to wintering grounds.
Feel free to chime in with your unusual bird sightings ;) while out and about.
It's amazing how many we miss seeing as they flood the night skies when migrating.
I captured a photo (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=19303&) of this warbler , you can just see the telltale yellow on rump.

I saw a flock of Ivory-billed woodpeckers headed south for the winter.

woodsy
10-20-2007, 14:24
I saw a flock of Ivory-billed woodpeckers headed south for the winter.
:cool:,very unusual indeed, let's see the pictures:rolleyes:

mudhead
10-20-2007, 15:19
He agreed not to, after I agreed to let them leave my backyard for warmer climes.

woodsy
10-20-2007, 15:31
I've heard tell there's a joker in every crowd but i've picked up two already and it isn't even a crowd. OK, guess i'll have to settle for this thread being
in the hiking humor forum, ho hum(big grin)

mudhead
10-20-2007, 15:37
So sorry. He made me do it.

I always get a charge out of the various things that pass thru. Common grackles the other day. Last week got invaded by some sort of sparrow. Both are gone, but livened up the backyard.

I look forward to the various oddballs (transients?) that get blown thru, out of their normal zones.

Bird on.

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 16:31
:cool:,very unusual indeed, let's see the pictures:rolleyes:

I. . . ummmm. . . can't. I. . . uhhh, left my camera in my. . . ummm, somewhere else.:)

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 16:55
I've heard tell there's a joker in every crowd but i've picked up two already and it isn't even a crowd. OK, guess i'll have to settle for this thread being
in the hiking humor forum, ho hum(big grin)


Oh, so you find someone with hallucination problems funny? This from someone who feeds mushrooms to moose to get a killer photo.
On the plus side this is the third time I've run the Ivory billed Woodpecker out there and the first time anyone has finally (exasperated gasp) reacted. I was sure with birders it would have drawn a quicker response.

OK, so it wasn't intended as a humor thread so how 'bout this Woodsy my friend. But before I wax spiritual thanks Mudhead for playing along.
They may not follow the standard of 'unusual' but I am taken everytime I see it whether it be the first time or the last during the season. When I hear that first familiar call I know that I will soon hear more and I look to the skies. And in the fall I see friends heading south in V formation and I am always shaken by a melancholy ecstacy.
I wish them well while wondering if I will see them again. Wondering if their return will find my eyes still alive to see them.
And each fortunate spring the melancholy is gone as I hear that same familiar call that awakens my awareness of the cycle of life and a rapturous joy that I still enjoy a life that includes all things so beautiful. Being by the ocean is new for me and I wasn't sure if this would be a migration route, but as I am nearly finished with this project and headed back to the trail in Tennessee to hike with the greatest of friends, yesterday I heard their call again and I looked to the skies through teary eyes to see them again, those wonderful geese.

woodsy
10-20-2007, 17:18
Nice piece on the Geese Wargy.
I've seen a couple V formations recently too, one had about 50 in it, the other about 20. The thing that troubled me about the smaller flock was that they were heading northeast:confused:
I also saw some snowbirds heading south, but they weren't flying, they was driving:rolleyes:

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 17:38
Nice piece on the Geese Wargy.
I've seen a couple V formations recently too, one had about 50 in it, the other about 20. The thing that troubled me about the smaller flock was that they were heading northeast:confused:
I also saw some snowbirds heading south, but they weren't flying, they was driving:rolleyes:

I've frequently noticed during the beginning of migration season that geese will be flying in a driection contrary to what you would think. I could make a few guesses, who knows if I'm right. My first instinct is that they have a natural gift for tacking, flying always in the air that will get them there burning the fewest calories. It may be that with an upper level low or a northeast moving front they are moving toward softer air to head south with.
I also think it possible that a smaller flock will instinctively find a flock that they are more comfortable with to make a flight so gruelling that are nearly emaciated when they get to their winter grounds.

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 17:46
Also, one of the best experiences I've had with geese migration routes was when I lived south of Albany, NY. There was a large lake that harbored geese 24/7 year 'round. What I noticed is that these geese entered and left in the direction that you would expect given the season.
Before this I always thought that they all flew south to some great area and then all collected in Canada in the spring.
But observing this made me think that as with other creatures, they have different acclimations and some prefer the northeast in the summer and the deep south in the winter, while some prefer northern Canada in the summer and the northeast in the winter.

woodsy
10-20-2007, 18:24
Some Loons also band together in the late fall. I wouldn't have known this had I not been out paddling on Flagstaff Lake in the shadow of Bigelow Mtn one sunny mid-October day.
They are usually alone or in pairs most of the summer but on this particular day i counted about 15 of them together.
Did i say it was a beautiful day for a paddle?

camojack
10-20-2007, 19:58
I saw a flock of Ivory-billed woodpeckers headed south for the winter.
I wish the freakin' pecker wood...er, woodpecker that's been attacking "La Casa de Camo" migrates somewhere soon. Before I have to kill it...

emerald
10-20-2007, 20:20
Maybe a flicker? They drum on siding seemingly just for fun sometimes!:confused:

camojack
10-20-2007, 20:24
Maybe a flicker? They drum on siding seemingly just for fun sometimes!:confused:
Could be; I looked out and he (?) seemed to be pecking at the flashing below the shingles. Weird...

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 21:39
Could be; I looked out and he (?) seemed to be pecking at the flashing below the shingles. Weird...

That sure sound a lot more like a peckerwood to me. I've never known flickers to do this. Of course I've only observed the yellow shafted variety.
Camo you scared the (stuff) out of me. I thought your story was metaphoric w/ me playing the woodpecker. . . (phew).

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 21:44
Some Loons also band together in the late fall. I wouldn't have known this had I not been out paddling on Flagstaff Lake in the shadow of Bigelow Mtn one sunny mid-October day.
They are usually alone or in pairs most of the summer but on this particular day i counted about 15 of them together.
Did i say it was a beautiful day for a paddle?

Woodsy - livin the life in Maine, sweet. Wish I had more sightings or input for ya but I've been away from the woods for a couple months. Headed to Tennessee this week to hike to Springer, let ya know what I see there. I'm guessing many of the little winged critters I see will look awefully familiar.

woodsy
10-20-2007, 21:44
I wish the freakin' pecker wood...er, woodpecker that's been attacking "La Casa de Camo" migrates somewhere soon. Before I have to kill it...
Bet it's an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, What do you think Wargy? you've been seeing them alot lately.:rolleyes:

warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 21:51
Bet it's an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, What do you think Wargy? you've been seeing them alot lately.:rolleyes:

Yeah, I'm not sure why nobody else ever sees them.:rolleyes: Surely with all your time in the great outdoors in Maine you must have seen flocks and flocks of them. What's your favorite winter flock bird there Woodsy?

woodsy
10-20-2007, 22:01
not many birds numb enough to spend winters here, even the snow birds fly, i mean drive, south for the winter. For those of you who may not be familiar with the term "snow birds", they are the old gray haired foegies that pack up the car and escape sometimes harsh winters here and head to florida for the winter.
Chickadees are always around and are probably my favorite winter flock

warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 02:33
Where I grew up in the Adirondack foothills east of Lake Ontario (snow belt)we had birds all winter long. Chickadees, Groesbeaks, Blue Jays, Pine Groesbeaks, Snowy owls, wrens, and a few stragglers of flocks that would generally fly south but the snowpack kept them protected and they preffered to stick around for the winter. We even had a few Cedar Wawxings that toughed out an occaissional winter in the trees behind the house. And every morning at sunrise we had flocks feeding in our sideyard.

saimyoji
10-21-2007, 08:30
In PA the obvious places are Hawk Mtn and Bake Oven Knob for migration viewing, but if you head up further north, just before Lehigh Gap there is a blue blazed trail call the South Trail. Boulder hopping, but a great little known spot for watching raptors.

camojack
10-21-2007, 09:42
That sure sound a lot more like a peckerwood to me. I've never known flickers to do this. Of course I've only observed the yellow shafted variety.
Camo you scared the (stuff) out of me. I thought your story was metaphoric w/ me playing the woodpecker. . . (phew).
Nah, we're cool. That other character, "Long on talk" is another story...but hasn't taken me up on my offer. It figures...

emerald
10-21-2007, 14:38
I've never known flickers to do this. Of course I've only observed the yellow shafted variety.

I know of one that may have made the ultimate sacrifice due to it's insistence upon this. It was a yellow-shafted. Whether or not it had a mustache, I don't recall.

Beyond damage to cedar siding and positive id, I have no other specific recollections. It was a long time ago.;)

emerald
10-21-2007, 14:56
saimyoji, watch your leaves up there in turmoil. The next few days should be better. Hickories are nearing peak coloration here. White ashes that have held their leaves should be looking good. Sweet gum street trees will be a sight to see soon. Open-grown trees where they've gotten lots of sun will be best.

Turkey vultures and redtails overhead here today.

woodsy
10-21-2007, 21:15
I had a peckerheaded woodpecker (i guess? it was pecking)of some sort pecking on my shack couple days ago too. tap,tap,tap...tap,tap,tap. Is that what it sounded like? I've heard em pecking on metal before too, they're just making bird music.
Juncos flocking big time here.

warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 21:46
I had a peckerheaded woodpecker (i guess? it was pecking)of some sort pecking on my shack couple days ago too. tap,tap,tap...tap,tap,tap. Is that what it souded like? I've heard em pecking on metal before too, they're just making bird music.
Juncos flocking big time here.

I guess we'll play here then. Woodsy, I just got an excellent shot of a pair of ivory billed woodpe. . . . oh shiooooote, I just broke my camera.

emerald
10-21-2007, 22:03
u no, woodsy, I wunce new sumeone hoo livd notso faar frum u. he clamed he wus drya thena woodpeckas nestin a popple stump. i think mebe he wus jist wantin foa wada.

ya eva hurd sumwun say sumthin like that befora?;)

woodsy
10-21-2007, 22:14
u no, woodsy, I wunce new sumeone hoo livd notso faar frum u. he clamed he wus drya thena woodpeckas nestin a popple stump. i think mebe he wus jist wantin foa wada.

ya eva hurd sumwun say sumthin like that befora?;)

Yeah , heard it from you long time ago.
Are you PUI(posting under the influence)? or what:rolleyes:

warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 22:22
Yeah , heard it from you long time ago.
Are you PUI(posting under the influence)? or what:rolleyes:

So this penguin walks into a bar and says to the bartender "Hey, have you seen my brother?" And the bartender says, "I don't know, what does he look like?"

emerald
10-21-2007, 22:36
Yeah , heard it from you long time ago.
Are you PUI(posting under the influence)? or what:rolleyes:

Kneethe.:D

woodsy
10-21-2007, 22:37
I was sitting in a bar at Sugarloaf Mtn one busy evening during ski season and this cute lil bar maid behind the counter answers the phone. Over the noise of the drunken patrons she hollers: "Is Mike Hunt here"

warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 22:40
I was sitting in a bar at Sugarloaf Mtn one busy evening during ski season and this cute lil bar maid behind the counter answers the phone. Over the noise of the drunken patrons she hollers: "Is Mike Hunt here"

I made this one up. An Owl walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Hey, how's your brother and the owl says, "Who."
I have very patient friends.

woodsy
10-21-2007, 22:43
I made this one up. An Owl walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Hey, how's your brother and the owl says, "Who."
I have very patient friends.
At least your tellin Bird jokes, on topic all the way:D

emerald
10-21-2007, 22:52
Remember, anything goes in the wildlife forum.

Late uh, u loonatics.

saimyoji
10-21-2007, 22:59
Yeah this is an old one:

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Owl says.
Owl says who?
......
:D

warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 23:01
At least your tellin Bird jokes, on topic all the way:D

You know me Woodsy, Law and order all the way.;)