Birds are dumb and annoying

[Kopi_Red]

Yo boys, if you're gonna tell eagle stories, be specific about the species: Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle. Bald Eagles are far more abundant in the Western U.S. Golden Eagles are far more rare in the Western U.S. The two species are not closely related. For me, a Baldie sighting is ho hum, a near daily experience. But a Golden Eagle sighting is an event. I see hundreds of Baldies each year. I am lucky to see a half dozen Golden Eagles each year (and, as a birder, I'm always looking).

Kopi, chicken hawk? WTF? Those are mostly Red-tailed Hawks in your area. In winter the Rough-legged Hawks work down from the arctic and sub-arctic to our area. There are some other buteos in the area, the sum of which is greatly outnumbered by Red-tailed Hawks.

The most common falcon in the PNW is the American Kestrel, a small (robin-size) falcon which likes to eat grasshoppers and often perch on utility wires. Easy ID because of distinctive field marks on head. We have Prairie Falcons E of the crest. Merlins are spread throughout WA, although not always easy to ID. Peregrines are rare but making a comeback (e.g., Peregrine nests on Seattle skyscraper roofs).

Cooper's Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk are the most common PNW accipiter species. Accipter females are quite a bit larger than the males. The ability to distinguish a smaller (male) Coops from a larger (female) Sharpie requires experience and is one hallmark of a birder with chops. Northern Goshawks are in the PNW, mostly at or E of the Cascade Crest, not often seen and a true delight to see. In 2016 I made 5 Goshawk confident IDs, a record for me.

Disclaimer: I am not a practitioner of ornithology or a birder (obviously).

We had quite a few red-tailed hawks around the farm back in Eastern WA but these "chicken" hawks look different from the ones back there. The ones back in WA had a bit more of a rust color on their upper breast and the ones in SD are more speckled and lighter in color.

When I moved out on to the SD I asked a friend what type of hawk was it that I saw all over the place. He told me it was a chicken hawk. I thought he was bullshitting me so I asked quite a few other people from the area and they all told me the same thing. So either I'm the recipient of an elaborate hoax or that's just the local jargon for the hawk. So if it is a red tailed hawk, I finally have the answer to my question six years after the fact. Thanks Steve.

Also back on the farm back in WA we had a couple of falcons that lived there for a few years. I assumed that they were prairie falcons after looking them up in the encyclopedia. They were really fun to watch.

My brother (who still lives in WA) has an American Kestrel that frequents his place. It's a cool little bird.

I've only seen two Golden Eagles. The last one I saw was in Northern Montana and that thing was huuuge.

Fog Horn Leg Horn beware of the chicken hawk!

That's exactly what I thought of when they told me that's what the bird was called.

[Norseman]

I think I remember reading that the Red-tailed hawk has some of the broadest color variations of North American birds.

[BmillsSkier]

Pretty sure that's the chickenhead

[Timberridge]

A nice pair of boobies:

[iceman]

indeed

"early bird get the worm - fuck that!"

The sign he pans past at the end is classic.

[hutash]

I kind of lost respect for eagles after seeing them regularly feed on road kill along with ravens and magpies. Just doesn't have that same majestic vibe of the soaring eagle.

That said, I saw one of the early returning bald eagles to southern California back in the 70's. Pretty much wiped out down here by DDT and invasion of goldens. They have slowly been returning, both with help, and on their own. We now have them reestablished on the Channel Islands after removing the invasive golden. The golden eagles were feeding on feral piglets, then switched to foxes after the pigs were finally eradicated. Damn near lost the Channel Island fox to hem and distemper. The park service removed the fox and started a breeding program, started vaccinations and reestablished the bald eagle which are now nesting.

Just a side note, now all the foxes have autism.

[plugboots]

OK, snort.

Oh, and now I want to have one of my anti-redneck rants.

He told me it was a chicken hawk. I thought he was bullshitting me so I asked quite a few other people from the area and they all told me the same thing.

This is classic ignorant redneck explanation. The common theme with them is an utter lack of curiosity. When I see a hawk for example, I want to know what it is, learn something. Maybe it's a Buteo jamaicensis, maybe it's an Accipiter cooperii, I like to know.

One of the rednecks near me told me he saw a "water snake". Because it was a snake. In the water. (Never mind that there are only 4 species of snake in the Methow, and this was a very common Thamnophis sirtalis.)

So yes a redneck sees a hawk. A hawk once killed a chicken. They're chicken hawks.

[Gcooker]

Best Bald Eagle viewing spot up here is the dump, thousands of the things, pretty much on the same level as shit hawks. I once watched a Golden Eagle kick the fuck out of a Bald Eagle at a dump in the Yukon fighting over a diaper or some shit. Gross.
Birds are dumb.

[hutash]

Yeah, bald eagles are dumpster divers. Now if you bad ass, peregrine falcons are the bird.

[DBdude]

OK, snort.

So yes a redneck sees a hawk. A hawk once killed a chicken. They're chicken hawks.

i blame it on Warner Bros Bugs Bunny cartoons

[Timberridge]

Yeah, bald eagles are dumpster divers. Now if you bad ass, peregrine falcons are the bird.

Here on the EC, peregrines live on bridge supports on the NJ Turnpike in the Meadowlands and eat pigeons, while the bald eagles are more rare and soar majestically past the bucolic Bear Mtn Bridge as they hunt in the Hudson River for fish.

[BmillsSkier]

Here on the EC, peregrines live on bridge supports on the NJ Turnpike in the Meadowlands and eat pigeons, while the bald eagles are more rare and soar majestically past the bucolic Bear Mtn Bridge as they hunt in the Hudson River for fish.

Yup. See my post about finding a breeding pair of Peregrines back in page 1 or 2. Bad ass things.

Now, isn't there some stupid chickenfucker around here that can help you with your username?

[Dantheman]

Yeah that scene interplay with that sign reminded me of sub-narratives in The Wire. Activists trying to push change while guys on the street try to survive.

Shoot that scene third-person with a better camera and you could definitely drop it straight into an episode of The Wire without skipping a beat.

[plugboots]

Hummingbirds in slomo
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ph...flight-videos/

[smartyiak]

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...ted/103846984/

[Buster Highmen]

A visitor from the other day.

[irul&ublo]

A nice pair of boobies:

And some great tits...

[goldengatestinx]

I kind of lost respect for eagles after seeing them regularly feed on road kill along with ravens and magpies. Just doesn't have that same majestic vibe of the soaring eagle.

That said, I saw one of the early returning bald eagles to southern California back in the 70's. Pretty much wiped out down here by DDT and invasion of goldens. They have slowly been returning, both with help, and on their own. We now have them reestablished on the Channel Islands after removing the invasive golden. The golden eagles were feeding on feral piglets, then switched to foxes after the pigs were finally eradicated. Damn near lost the Channel Island fox to hem and distemper. The park service removed the fox and started a breeding program, started vaccinations and reestablished the bald eagle which are now nesting.

Just a side note, now all the foxes have autism.

I kinda thought the same think when we came across a bald eagle on a deer carcass on the road when driving to Crested Butte a cpl years ago.

It was winter so an easy meal in beak vs working for one in the bush?

[k2skier112]

We have this brain damaged bird attacking the windows. Sparrow or a ginch? Looked like it may have been a female going to nest in our bird house under the eves. Well, protective instincts kick in, and she (it) keeps attacking that bird in the window. Now there's feathers and bird spit all over the 4 windows on the back of the house! I took the bird house down yesterday, but this retarded bird won't stop!
First I tried some blue painters tape, she attacked between the tape, then started pulling the tape off. Next I cover the window with cardboard, that's when she started going after the other windows...
It's pellet gun time I'm afraid

[PB]

Ginch????

https://www.wordnik.com/words/ginch

[ötzi]

bye bye birdie

[Jong Lafitte]

Saw a crow stack some Pringles together to make a stack of three to fly away with. He stacked them in the same orientation as they come in the packaging.




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[stealurface831]

guys its been pretty well established that these fuckers are gubmint drones and not real animals.

[subtle plague]

guys its been pretty well established that these fuckers are gubmint drones and not real animals.

Easy there young core shooter.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Saw a crow stack some Pringles together to make a stack of three to fly away with. He stacked them in the same orientation as they come in the packaging.




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Ravens and Crows are my favorite birds


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