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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Hi from Chilly Northern VA (1 Viewer)

Deedle

Deedle

Crazy Old Bird
:hi:I just ran across the Bird Forum this morning and decided to join. Since I'm temporarily living in an apartment in a very busy area near Washington, DC, I don't get to see many birds like I did at my rural home. Thankfully, in a year we'll be moving back and I can resume my bird-watching hobby! :t:

From what I've read today, this looks like a fun & interesting forum. So glad I found it, and I'm looking forward to meeting others here.

BTW, in case you're wondering about my strange user name... I borrowed it from my parakeet!

Katy (aka "Deedle")
 
Hello Deedle, and welcome. I'm a bit further north than you, and it is cold here too. Good luck with the birds down in Washington.
 
Hi Deedle,

On behalf of the Moderators and Admin Team, let me send a big WELCOME to you (and your parakeet) to BirdForum.

I hope you are able to spend some time with us regularly, and tell about any birds you see around DC.

And when you return to the country... keep in touch!

:t:
 
Hi, Art. Nice to meet you! I see you live in Canada, so I'm sure it's a lot colder up there! Been there all your life?

I lived near Richmond, VA from birth until 2 years ago. Several years ago, I got into bird watching on our 5-acre rural property. I was amazed to identify more than 35 different species in a single year! I've often thought of joining a birding group, but so far haven't had the time. Perhaps I will in the future, since "retirement" is just around the corner for me, too. Are you a member of any such organization?

Thanks for the welcome!

Katy
 
5 acres sounds great. I'm on one acre right now but moving down into Prince Edward County (essentially an island in Lake Ontario) onto three acres. It is basically scruffy farmland, but great for birding. I lived in Toronto most of my life, so the opposite of you. I don't belong to any group, but do go birding with friends, occasionally. I have counted about 60 species where I live now, either flying over, nesting, or feeding. That has been about 10 years though. I'm sure you will see something, even in the city.
 
Hi Birdman! Thanks for the welcome! Boy, you guys sure know how to make a newbie feel at home. I wish I had more to report on the birds around here, but I don't see many. We have sparrows (of course), but I haven't seen anything extraordinary, at least near our apartment complex. I took me two summers to attract a few hummingbirds to our balcony!

I have been hearing a red-bellied woodpecker in the trees right outside our window, but so far I haven't seen it.

So you live in UK? Wow, I'd love to visit that place some day. What kinds of birds are you seeing?

Thanks again for the welcome,

Katy
 
As the others have already said, WELCOME to the best site on the net...and easily the most addictive!!!
I'm sure you can still see a few birds in Washington......birds are EVERYWHERE!!! It's just a shock to the system when you go from birding in the countryside and then have to be restricted to built-up urban areas......there's nothing around, or so it seems, at first!!!
Well done on getting hummingbirds to your balcony by the way........I'm still working on it here in the UK!!! I WISH!!!!! ;) ......the only ones I'm likely to get are hummingbird hawk-moths!!! LOL
As someone has already said, just post us your news anyway...hearing about other folks' birding days is great!
 
Art Thorn said:
I'm on one acre right now but moving down into Prince Edward County (essentially an island in Lake Ontario) onto three acres. It is basically scruffy farmland, but great for birding. ... I have counted about 60 species where I live now, either flying over, nesting, or feeding.
Click to expand...

SIXTY! Wow! Isn't it amazing the number of species we find when we take the time to look?

I think part of my problem is that my eyesight is getting worse (Oh! The joys of getting older! LOL), so unless I have my glasses on, I have to rely on my ears first. It would be nice if we were created with built-in binoculars for eyes!

What are some of the most unusual/interesting birds you've ever seen?

Katy
 
Deedle said:
It would be nice if we were created with built-in binoculars for eyes!
Click to expand...
Hey... Zoom-eyes, now wouldn't that be something!!!

I've got a nice local patch that I've been covering for the last 6 months and try to get out to as often as I can.

Here's a list if what I've managed to identify there. (The names are all British English "Common" names, in case there is any confusion.)

Blackbird
Magpie
Woodpigeon
Mallard
Carrion Crow
Coot
Moorhen
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Grey Heron
Skylark
Great Tit
Green Woodpecker
House Martin
Pheasant
Kestrel
Starling
Yellowhammer
Feral Pigeon
Long-tailed Tit
Mistle Thrush
Robin
Swift
Chiffchaff
Jackdaw
Lapwing
Whitethroat
Coal Tit
Goldcrest
Jay
Black-headed Gull
Goldfinch
Nuthatch
Pied Wagtail
Treecreeper
Wren
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Fieldfare
Greenfinch
Little Owl
Long-eared Owl
Reed Bunting
Tree Pipit
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Greater Spotted Woodpecker
House Sparrow
Linnet
Redwing
Blackcap
Buzzard
Grey Wagtail
Greylag Goose
Kingfisher
Mute Swan
Song Thrush
Swallow
 
Gill Osborne said:
As the others have already said, WELCOME to the best site on the net...and easily the most addictive!!!
Click to expand...

Uh-oh. I'm in trouble now! LOL

Thanks for the welcome, Gill. I was addicted to a writing forum all last winter (and I'm still weaning myself from that one!); and during late spring and early summer, I hang out at a Hummingbird Forum. It's neat to find out from others where the hummers are showing up during their migration!

What on earth is a hummingbird hawk-moth? It sounds evil... and HUGE!

So you're from UK, too! It's about 5 PM here in Virginia... so what time is it there? What day is it?? haha

I really appreciate the warm welcome I'm getting here. As much fun as I'm already having, I'll be taking a break pretty soon. I'm getting married this Saturday!

Don't worry...I'll be back. LOL

Katy
 
birdman said:
Hey... Zoom-eyes, now wouldn't that be something!!!
Click to expand...

:eek!: It'd be pretty SPOOKY! hahaha

That's quite an impressive list you have there, Birdman! Of those on your list, I saw at least 12 of them on our property. Since some of the names are British, I'm not sure about several of them. You're seeing a lot of water birds. What a joy they are! I love the herons.

Katy
 
There's a small pond close by, where the water birds congregate (not suprisingly!)

Congratulations on your wedding, and best wishes for the day and the future!
 
Hi again Katy,
It's 10.52pm at the moment, Tuesday 2nd December!
Congrats on your forthcoming wedding...I've been married just over two years now(August 2001) and can thoroughly recommend it!!! Neil and I are EVEN closer now than we were when we first met six years ago!!!

Hummingbird Hawk Moths are FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!! They are only about 40-50mm long but hover in front of flowers just like the bird...I love them!!! Haven't seen one since 1976 though!!! There were a few about this summer in the UK as we had a really hot one but, as usual, I kept dipping out on them!!! Typical!!!
Found a website that is really good...the hummer is No. 7 on the Beginners Top 20 on the left of the page.

http:// www.ukmoths.force9.co.uk

Their latin name is Macroglossum stellatarum.....not sure if you get them in the USA?
 
birdman said:
There's a small pond close by, where the water birds congregate (not suprisingly!)

Congratulations on your wedding, and best wishes for the day and the future!
Click to expand...

So that's where the water birds are coming from! I had a feeling there was a water source nearby. Do you have any pictures posted of your birds?

Thanks for the congrats. :eek:)

This will be my second wedding. First was in 1975; it lasted 21 years. This time I'm doing it *right!*

Katy
 
That's a great website Gill has linked... I recommend a look.

We've had loads of HHMs this year, and you've been really unlucky not to see any, Gill!!!

We even had a Convovulus Hawk-Moth this year... now that IS big!!!
 
I'm not a great photographer, Katy, and I haven't yet photographed anything on my patch, although I have photographed the actual pond!!!

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6505

I have got a few photos in the Gallery, and I'm trying to gradually link them with to my life-list, but I think what I really need is a website... (but that's a project for another day, I think !!! :eek!: )
 
Thanks for the link, Gill! I couldn't help but notice #13 on the page... the Garden Tiger. It's gorgeous! Have you ever seen one? I don't know if we have the Hummingbird Hawk-Moths in the US. I'll have to do some research sometime and find out.

So you're about 6-7 hours behind us? Guess I'll be going to bed around the time you sit down to dinner!

How wonderful to hear you and Neil are growing closer through the years. My ex and I grew further arpart. A strange one, he was! LOL

Katy
 
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