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Do you have a great "viewing station" at home where you can relax with your bins and watch the wildlife? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ZDHart
- Start date
Thank you, Kits.
SUPPRESSOR
Well-known member
Harris Hawk Popular with Falconers over here. They have one at St Pancras railway station to keep the feral pigeons in check.This hawk just snagged a rabbit for dinner. Dozens of rabbits on the property.
Pete.
Thanks, tenex. Distance from the wall of glass to the water is about 50'. When I'm inside, they don't react to me. If I slide the glass door open, many of them do.
SUPPRESSOR
Well-known member
Juvenile female cardinal and a male gilded flicker.
Gilded Flickers are one of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen, even before they display the gilded wings in flight.
SUPPRESSOR
Well-known member
All that sunshine, all those birds, less people in the whole state than in one of our small towns.....well nearly.Only down side I can see is if you forgot the milk.
Pete.
Pete.
Add in being able to enjoy Tetley British Blend and Twinings English Breakfast for morning tea (with milk and sugar, of course) and it's not all that bad here in Scottsdale!
I cannot complain about the little things, as I do feel very blessed.SUPPRESSOR
Well-known member
What more could a person wish for!!!Add in being able to enjoy Tetley British Blend and Twinings English Breakfast for morning tea (with milk and sugar, of course) and it's not all that bad here in Scottsdale!
That is a problem Amazon cant solve. Schlepp to store to get forgotten milk means the cuppa's gonna be cold by the time you get back....
Then theres the ocean. But oh the rest...
Its the only place Ive been where folks regularly stop to let rattlesnakes cross the road, truly.
jcnguyen09
Well-known member
Thanks ZDHart for amazing pictures and wow! you can see them everyday from your backyard! My home viewing station is right beside me on my home office looking out the window to the mountain range. 
SUPPRESSOR
Well-known member
Some serious firepower you have there.Thanks ZDHart for amazing pictures and wow! you can see them everyday from your backyard! My home viewing station is right beside me on my home office looking out the window to the mountain range.
Btw, did you know that the East Frisians are the greatest tea drinkers worldwide? East Frisia - WikipediaAdd in being able to enjoy Tetley British Blend and Twinings English Breakfast for morning tea (with milk and sugar, of course) and it's not all that bad here in Scottsdale!
IMO that places them at the pinnacle of civilisation
.John
Morning tea is an absolute delight that I greatly look forward to EVERY morning.Btw, did you know that the East Frisians are the greatest tea drinkers worldwide? East Frisia - Wikipedia
IMO that places them at the pinnacle of civilisation
John
I drink a coffee later in the day, but First things First - English Breakfast Tea! With milk and sugar. Twice, before anything else.
I've ordered up a selection: Twinings English Breakfast, Twinings Irish Breakfast, Tetley British Blend, Taylor's English Breakfast, Taylors Scottish Breakfast, Taylor's Yorkshire, PG Tips Gold.
My favorite BLEND is a bag of Bigelow Constant Comment with a bag of Tetley British Blend. Perfect substitute for the Tetley is Twinings of either type, followed by a substitute with Yorkshire or Taylor's English Breakfast. I enjoy any of the above unblended and solitary, as well. It's all so good.
Last edited:
BryanP
Little known member
Hi all,
Can I play?
Great thread and fantastic panoramic “viewing station” you have there ZDHart. i spent a summer in the sea of Cortez and fell in love with the desert wildlife so really appreciate the variety of visitors to your slice of paradise.
We’re riding out the pandemic in southern Costa Rica and I gotta say I think we’ve landed on our feet, except for the tea part, Costa Rica as a coffee producer takes a dim view of tea.😉
Here’s our “viewing station”
Except for the photo of the river all the photos/video here were taken from the tiny patio/viewing station. The bird feeder is very close to the patio so the birds had to get used to our presence if they wanted to partake at the feeder.
There’s a wonderful variety of insects, butterflies and reptiles that we’re always scrambling to identify and usually not succeeding at.
Sadly lacking in mammals though. Sometimes Variegated Squirrels, Opossum, Armadillo and a secretive local Costa Rican Tree rat but thats about it really. We have seen Sloths in the neighbourhood and once caught a glimpse of a Tropical river Otter in the river so theres that.
What we do see here are birds, lots of birds. At the moment we have a backyard count from the viewing station of 147 species which would be a lot higher if I were a better tropical birder ( the good ones are 70% id’s by ear).
View attachment 1394741
Theres a tumbling mountain stream at the bottom of the garden where we often see a variety of Kingfishers and various wading birds such as the Fasciated Tiger Heron.
Looking forward to seeing other viewing station!
Cheers,
Bryan
Can I play?
Great thread and fantastic panoramic “viewing station” you have there ZDHart. i spent a summer in the sea of Cortez and fell in love with the desert wildlife so really appreciate the variety of visitors to your slice of paradise.
We’re riding out the pandemic in southern Costa Rica and I gotta say I think we’ve landed on our feet, except for the tea part, Costa Rica as a coffee producer takes a dim view of tea.😉
Here’s our “viewing station”
Except for the photo of the river all the photos/video here were taken from the tiny patio/viewing station. The bird feeder is very close to the patio so the birds had to get used to our presence if they wanted to partake at the feeder.
There’s a wonderful variety of insects, butterflies and reptiles that we’re always scrambling to identify and usually not succeeding at.
Sadly lacking in mammals though. Sometimes Variegated Squirrels, Opossum, Armadillo and a secretive local Costa Rican Tree rat but thats about it really. We have seen Sloths in the neighbourhood and once caught a glimpse of a Tropical river Otter in the river so theres that.
What we do see here are birds, lots of birds. At the moment we have a backyard count from the viewing station of 147 species which would be a lot higher if I were a better tropical birder ( the good ones are 70% id’s by ear).
View attachment 1394741
Theres a tumbling mountain stream at the bottom of the garden where we often see a variety of Kingfishers and various wading birds such as the Fasciated Tiger Heron.
Looking forward to seeing other viewing station!
Cheers,
Bryan
Wow Brian! You’ve got such a gorgeous and amazing set-up there! Thanks for sharing.
More than 147 species of birds - man, that’s a birder’s paradise right there!
As for great tea… you can have it sent to you, I’m sure!
BryanP
Little known member
Thanks ZDHart
We have an acquaintance back home who owns a tea shop. When we go back we usually buy a couple pounds of Bergamot Earl Grey Tea from her which then travels with us…just in case.
This time we’ve been here so long we ran out and since none of our friends are travelling can’t have it brought down. Shipping and Costa Rican duties are incredibly expensive so thats out. So in summary It’s pretty dire.
Cheers,
Bryan
