OT Things to ponder

[RangerJoe]

Take the stalk of fresh thistle and peel it. Enjoy . . . [X(]

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

When I had a bird feeder, some bird species would deliberately scatter the seed to the ground and then go down to get it. I guess they didn't like heights. [:'(]

Geoff - is that Niger Black seed that the Junkos are feeding on? You do realize that 'Niger Black' is a fancy name for thistle seed, because they couldn't sell the latter when it was named accurately? I found out when we had a thistle outbreak under our bird feeder in the spring.

The brand is "Nyjer" and no it's not, that's black oil sunflower seeds on the snow. Nyjer is not a thistle seed but is used as a substitute for thistle seed. Finches love it but I don't. It's a little expensive and the finches will eat all sorts of other seed. The various types of feeders for Nyjer are goofy in my opinion and they also suggest filling a panty hose with it and hanging that, but I didn't have much luck with it.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Take the stalk of fresh thistle and peel it. Enjoy . . . [X(]

Artichokes are thistles and I love them with melted butter.

[geofflambert]

Orm, these aren't birds but monarch butterflies on some purple coneflowers from last Summer. They are remarkable animals that migrate over a thousand mile and more each year, way up into Canada and then return to Mexico to overwinter.

[geofflambert]

And

[geofflambert]

With competition

[geofflambert]

Here's a small hawk, a sharp-shinned hawk I believe that isn't interested in the seed in that feeder but the birds that were feeding there. You can also see a hummingbird that doesn't seem too worried about the hawk.

[Orm]

Thank you, geofflambert. [&o] [&o] [&o]

That is awesome pictures. It brightened my morning considerably. [:)]

[geofflambert]

OK Orm, here's your bird for the day. I took this pic of a hawk (it may very well be the same as my previous pic) right after I saw it catch a mouse. It was a big mouse, but still, just a snack.

[geofflambert]

Here he is a few minutes later after dispatching the mouse.

[geofflambert]

In that pic he was about 80 feet away from me. I was watching him through an open window. He could see me of course. He took off from those electrical wires and flew straight at me and landed in a maple tree next to my window. He wasn't more than 15' away from me when I took this pic.

[geofflambert]

The sky looks different in those shots because some weather was rolling in. When a hawk has a meal like that they don't fly off, they perch for a while to let things settle. They eat the bones and all. If it was a squirrel they'd leave the tail, but that's it. An hour or two. I'm sitting at my desk working at my computer, quite possibly a game turn. All I have to do is turn my head and I can see the whole back yard. So out of the corner of my eye I saw a shape swoop down, I turn to look and it's that hawk on the ground with a mouse in its talons. I reach for my camera and it's already up on that telephone pole. Then it's perching for quite some time, I'm able to see it and it me the whole while. I keep working on that turn and take a pic every so often. So he lands in the tree and is looking down at me for 15 minutes or so. I think I had to get out of my chair and kneel to get the angle for that last shot.

[Ambassador]

Nice photos ![&o]

[RangerJoe]

We watch the raptors, the raptors watch us! [:)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

We watch the raptors, the raptors watch us! [:)]

I have had owls and hawks use my balcony railing for its overlook of the area, but they do peek inside too. One owl took a very large dump on my balcony railing (picture below shows most of it, some fell off on the balcony floor). Crows nesting on the roof also swoop by the balcony and look in the window frequently, especially if the TV is on. I think they like the music on the streaming channel I have on when I am at my computer.

BTW Geoff - your hawks are reaping the benefits of seed on the ground - that brings in mice as well as birds. Easy pickings for a raptor!

The big dump ... probably a meal of rabbit.

[Zorch]

Moving right along...

South Africa crocodiles: Hunt on after mass escape in Western Cape

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56285651

[geofflambert]

Breeding crocs. I tried to volunteer there, to help out, but they didn't want any of my kind. Just African. Crocs.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

Moving right along...

South Africa crocodiles: Hunt on after mass escape in Western Cape

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56285651

Has anyone seen a handbag or a pair of boots walk by?

[Ian R]

Crocodiles? They're not dangerous. In Oz we have much smaller dangerous things that you mightn't see and walk around. We keep crocs as pets[8D] Click quote for link:


The [golf] club has put their snappy pets on Facebook and is searching for names for the reptiles.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

Crocodiles? They're not dangerous. In Oz we have much smaller dangerous things that you mightn't see and walk around. We keep crocs as pets[8D] Click quote for link:


The [golf] club has put their snappy pets on Facebook and is searching for names for the reptiles.

I suggest "Contented Croc". Usually so after helping a golfer achieve his handicap ... [X(]