Post your yard and pond visitors

[addy1]

What neat pictures! everybody!

Love the rose eater! And faking the crows what a hoot!

 

[j.w]

@YShahar that Cuckoo isn't so coo coo after all, nice shots!

 

[Hound Heaven]

A few days ago, I heard a lot of cawing and squawking from the giant century plant flower spike behind our lot. From my window it looked like two hooded crows were having a fight with a much smaller bird. At first, I suspected the smaller one was a kestrel who'd discovered the crows' nest. But as I watched, the smaller bird started fluttering its wings like a baby bird asking for food. Sure enough one of the crows flew down and deposited something squirmy in baby bird's mouth. Only the baby wasn't a crow. Nor was it really a baby any more.

Rather, it was a full-grown cuckoo bird!

Over the next few days, the cuckoo kept after its adopted parents for food, but eventually they stopped feeding it and would fly off whenever it importuned them. I get the feeling that maybe they finally realized they'd been scammed!

Here's a photo of the cuckoo:
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And here's another pond visitor -- a rock hyrax than climbed up on one of my trees in order to eat a rose right off the bush.

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Rose, all gone!
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Bloody thing sat there and grinned at my after finishing off the rose too!

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Supposedly, the closest evolutionary relative to the hyrax is the elephant. Looking at this guy's mugshot, I can well believe it!

Fabulous photos! Such interesting visitors you have! I'm always curious about birds so I found some info on your Cuckoo: https://ebird.org/species/grscuc1. Turns out they are a "nest parasite". It appears that you may also have other varieties around: https://www.birds.org.il/en/species-family/23
Hyrax looks fun to watch but I wonder if he'll snack on your plants at will? Thanks for posting them.

 

[YShahar]

Fabulous photos! Such interesting visitors you have! I'm always curious about birds so I found some info on your Cuckoo: https://ebird.org/species/grscuc1. Turns out they are a "nest parasite". It appears that you may also have other varieties around: https://www.birds.org.il/en/species-family/23
Hyrax looks fun to watch but I wonder if he'll snack on your plants at will? Thanks for posting them.

Oh yeah, the hyraxes are real pests! They not only snack on my plants, but they also overturn pots and dig great big holes all over the place. I wish I could have trained them to dig the pond for me!

I do think we have a number of different cuckoos around. I hear them every spring just before Pesah, and their calls sound exactly like a Swiss clock. And yes, they're known as serious nest parasites. Supposedly they'll even throw other baby birds out of the nest if food is scarce. That first site you sent is spot on about the cuckoos being noisy. Very flashy though.

Right. About to sign off for the last holiday of our long spring holiday season. We've got a house full of kids and grandkids. See y'all at starshine Saturday night.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Blue Jay

 

[Hound Heaven]

I'm making dinner tonight and hear the owlet screaming for a snack right outside my door. He's just hanging out closer and closer to our yard each day. Tonight was the first time I've seen him on the fence. He finally got the attention of one of the adults in the video. https://photos.app.goo.gl/KT4bVMtR4KHJeCdt9

 

[GBBUDD]

While I am beyond jealous of your Owls, I'm kinda glad I don't have them. The red tail hawk has done a number on the frog population around here and they aren't half the hunter Owls are.

 

[Hound Heaven]

That's a great shot. I seldom see hawks in my yard, not enough to eat here I guess. I think the owls keep the chipmunks under control but they haven't taken an interest in my single frog.

 

[Mgessert]

 

[Hound Heaven]

Hey dude!

 

[GBBUDD]

That's a great shot. I seldom see hawks in my yard, not enough to eat here I guess. I think the owls keep the chipmunks under control but they haven't taken an interest in my single frog.

I got better shots of the hawk at least I assume I did I haven't downloaded the pictures to my PC yet. But those shots will be closeups.

 

[Hound Heaven]

Little owlet aka Floofie, stopped by late yesterday and it appears that he's hunting independently now! I always speak to him and then try to blend into the woodwork so as not to desensitize him - it seems to be working fine as he'll carry on as if I'm no threat. Although he thought he should hide his prize from me https://photos.app.goo.gl/yp5PwvjpQ2ESGtbGA Not sure what he's caught but I suspect it's a bird. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ay9vsmvZcAn4KGLQ9

 

[rubyduby]

Little owlet aka Floofie, stopped by late yesterday and it appears that he's hunting independently now! I always speak to him and then try to blend into the woodwork so as not to desensitize him - it seems to be working fine as he'll carry on as if I'm no threat. Although he thought he should hide his prize from me https://photos.app.goo.gl/yp5PwvjpQ2ESGtbGA Not sure what he's caught but I suspect it's a bird. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ay9vsmvZcAn4KGLQ9


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OMG!! I am SOOOOOO jealous! Do you realize just how lucky you are? It is literally my dream! Floofie, love it

 

[Hound Heaven]

I ABSOLUTELY realize how lucky I am! I've been birding for 40 years and have never had such reliable exposure to birds, especially owls! I wasn't sure if the 2 owlets last year were a fluke so I've been really looking forward to this year. I see the parents regularly but can't quite see the nest so I had no idea if they'd be successful again. Surprise - along came Floofie

 

[rubyduby]

I ABSOLUTELY realize how lucky I am! I've been birding for 40 years and have never had such reliable exposure to birds, especially owls! I wasn't sure if the 2 owlets last year were a fluke so I've been really looking forward to this year. I see the parents regularly but can't quite see the nest so I had no idea if they'd be successful again. Surprise - along came Floofie

You couldn’t have picked a better name either! Floofie, I love it…perfect!