Any interesting birds by your pond?

[CountryEscape]

I saw a very unusual bird in my yard today while I was working outside. Turns out it was a Bobolink. Check out this link. http://www.allaboutb...ide/Bobolink/id Looks like this:

Very unusual, as sitting there, it was all black, with white on the outside of the wings folded up, but a gold colored head. Never saw one like this before. Went to get camera, and just as I was taking aim to shoot a pic, he flew, darn it!

 

[j.w]

Cute little bugger............looks like he's wearing a cap or one of those wigs that judges used to wear......think they still do in the U.K but not sure.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yes, that's what I thought, too, JW. Very unusual, heard him singing, thought maybe an oriole, as they have very high pitched song, very clear, and so did this guy. Guess he's lost, trying to find others. Was fun seeing him, though.

 

[j.w]

I love the ones w/ the nice singing voices. There is a black bird w/ red on his wings that comes around here and sings his heart out high up in the Douglas Fir trees. He sounds so happy he makes me happy!

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, is it a red-winged blackbird? They are around here, like to nest in the cattails of my farm pond, so they have a wonderful place to nest, since my pond has cattails about 6-12' from the edge of the pond about 85% of the perimeter of the pond! I hate the cattails, but love the red-winged blackbirds. They do have pretty song.

 

[addy1]

sitting in the rain.....................hoping............ beautiful bird

 

[j.w]

Yep that's what it is CE,lol!

addy, Whenever I see a hawk I always say"Look there's Hawkeye!" They are cool looking birds and quite the hunters!

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Finally got a half decent picture of one of the doves that has been drinking from our pond. They come and go pretty quick and only seem to be interested in getting a sip of water. Thankfully they are not into pulling plants or digging through the dirt like some other birds we have around here.
They are welcome guests.

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1875-dove/

 

[j.w]

The dove is so elegant looking and they are quite spooked here over any little noise or movement.

 

[addy1]

I watched the all mighty hawk get, first chased by a mockingbird, poor thing was dive bombed. Then the same hawk was chased by two crows, poor thing was flying as fast as it could to get away.

 

[j.w]

If that hawk wanted to it could put a fast end to those birds chasing it. I was at the zoo once w/ my daughter and g-daughter and we were watching a show w/a trainer who was letting his hawk go. He'd throw food way up in the air and the bird would go after it. Well the hawk went for a bit of a cruse before coming back and a couple crows were dive bombing him and the hawk after a bit grabbed one of the crows in mid-air and had an early lunch!

 

[addy1]

lol that would have been interesting to watch. The hawk just kept flying fast.

 

[CountryEscape]

OMG, JW, bet that trainer was embarrassed! Good for the hawk, though. Usually the hawks get chased cause they are raiding nests of eggs and more often baby birds, so can't blame the birds for chasing. But, it is fun to watch them fly fast and avoid getting hit by the other birds.
I have grackles that are walking on the inside bog wall, in the koi pond so I see it each and every morning, and pooping on the rocks! What's up with that??? Why can't they poop first and then come for a drink, or maybe they are not coming for a drink! Maybe they are what ate the toad tadpoles! I don't ever see them eat anything, just walk along there.

 

[CometKeith]

The peregrine falcons by us are really good at catching the mourning doves. There are hardly any mourning doves left now and a few years ago there were dozens right by our house. I've seen it happen. The falcon catches the dove in mid-air and you see feathers flying for a second and then it's all over. I liked the mourning doves when I found out they mate for life. I saw a small bird chasing a falcon this morning. Probably trying to keep it away from her nest.

 

[j.w]

Oh no that's too bad Keith! I see the hawks around here getting the pigeons from the horse farm next door to us. They catch them in mid-air like that but never thought about the doves. And they mate for life so how sad or does that mean if they lose their mate in death then they can go on to another one?