birdland

[peapod]

So far this morning I can report the following activities.

I thought a berwick wren was making a nest in the birdhouse outside my window, but upon watching him for awhile, what he was doing, was stealing the nest material of the sparrow that had taken up residence. 8O
The huge horse chestnut tree that blooms here, is being swarmed all day by commando hummers. They each want the tree for themselves, and battles are occuring everywhere. All this is being watched by the two bald eagles flying and circling about a mile up 8) I have also seen two cedar waxings bathing, and a clan of robins that bathe daily at the birdbath here. Robins just go for it, they go nuts in the bath I have seen a pair of chickdee's going back and forth with green capterpillers. And of course the nuthatch, which approaches everything walking down. I also have seen a flicker come to eat some suet, and the little swarm of pine siskins that visit to eat the niger seed. All this and its not even noon yet 8O

 

[Reverend Blair]

We had lots of birds around until the other day. Then the grackles showed up. Now we have grackles.

 

[EmmaDibbs]

I've seen a few pigeons...and a Magpie...that's about it for Bournemouth!!

 

[Jay]

Re: RE: birdland

We had lots of birds around until the other day. Then the grackles showed up. Now we have grackles.

They are the meanest of birds.

They killed a bird in my back yard last year, by pecking it in the head till the scull cap came off.

I saw it lying there, so I went to bury it and when I touched it with the shovel, it moved. I had to finish it off myself.

I hate those grackles.

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

Re: RE: birdland

I've seen a few pigeons...and a Magpie...that's about it for Bournemouth!!

We have grackles too, Emma. They're blackbirds. :wink:

 

[EmmaDibbs]

I was wondering what a grackle was.

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

Well, they're of the blackbird family - much bigger than our variety, and really quite violent. They kill other nesting birds and steal their nests. Amongst other things.

 

[peapod]

When you say blackbird, do you mean a crow or a raven?

 

[no1important]

I saw a pheasant out back this morning. Also a Blue Heron hangs out back at the local pond. I am glad the birds are back but do they really ever leave?

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

When you say blackbird, do you mean a crow or a raven?

We do have crows and ravens P., but our blackbirds are not like that, they're medium-sized songbirds. (You know ... "blackbird singing in the dead of night ... etc" :wink: By The Beatles)

Listen to one blackbird mp3. That's what wakes me up in the morning. If I'm not already awake, that is :wink: .

 

[peapod]

yes I know henry..blackbirds baked into a pie. Thanks for the tune tho. I was thinking more about the name the rev and jay used. grackle, I have never heard that before.

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

Grackles aka the crow-blackbird, P.

 

[peapod]

I see thanks bigH. We have crows and ravens here. The raven is also know as the trickster :wink:

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil!
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
On this home by Horror haunted tell me truly, I implore
Is there is there balm in Gilead? tell me tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore." 8)

 

[Reverend Blair]

These aren't crows or ravens, Pea. They are mid-sized birds. Ugly as hell, too. if McCartney wrote that song about these things, then there oughtta be Sex Pistols version around that doesn't sound so nice.

The only reason they exist on this continent is a pair of idiots decided top release all of the birds in Shakespeare's plays here. If it wasn't for that twinning of inbred gits, I'd have some real birds in my yard.

 

[Vanni Fucci]

HAPPY were he could finish forth his fate
In some unhaunted desert, where, obscure
From all society, from love and hate
Of worldly folk; then might he sleep secure;
Then wake again, and ever give God praise, 5
Content with hip, with haws, and bramble-berry;
In contemplation passing all his days,
And change of holy thoughts to make him merry;
Who, when he dies, his tomb might be a bush,
Where harmless Robin dwells with gentle thrush. 10
—Happy were he!

BTW: My family's ancestry has been traced back to the whimsical rogue that penned this lark...:wink:

Hint: He was played in the movies by Eroll Flynn...how cool is that... 8)

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

I've heard about something like that Rev. I read somewhere that approx. 80 starlings were released in Central Park, in the C19. Apparently there are 200 million in North America now, all descendants of the original 80 or so. They're something of a pest, I believe. "Well played, sir!"

 

[peapod]

psssst..bigH, vanni is a blueblood 8O

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (1566-1601)

:wav:

 

[Hard-Luck Henry]

Well normally I'd be unimpressed by that, P., but Robert Devereux, the Third Earl (not your one) was Lord General of the Parliamentary Army during The English Civil War. He won the battle of Edgehill. Top hole, old man 8)

 

[Vanni Fucci]

Yes, well the 3rd Earl was eldest son of the 2nd Earl, ergo, I am descended from both...

It was the 2nd Earl that the movie was about...

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)