Europeans, which American bird would you most like to see? (1 Viewer)

[vergan]

I'm getting vaxxed for tick-borne encephalitis soon (one of the forum members falling ill plus a few narrowly avoided tick bites have motivated me to do it). I know there are no vaccines for Lyme disease and so quick diagnosis and then treatment are key--hope you did well with both, as I've also heard of people incapacitated by the condition.

Yes, I did it ok, I just had sunburns (for the first time in many years) during the doxycyclin treatment

 

[njlarsen]

No need to go the US for that: I got it in the Netherlands and Germany. Luckily I don't get the light allergy that comes as a side-effect to the doxycyclin treatment. (The US ticks are annoying in that they don't usually cause the circular rash that alerted me).

I agree with Mysticete's assessment on most annoyances, but I have yet to have an experience that tops the continuous mosquito onslaught that is Minnesota in July. Still enjoyed it greatly though!

Wisconsin probably not different. And even though I did enjoy the time in Wisconsin, the mossies was definitely not an enjoyable part of that.
Niels

 

[Lerxst]

The best defense against the ticks here is to use permethrin-treated clothing, such as Insect Shield; especially pants and socks. Ever since investing in this, my wife and I have never been bitten. My wife got Lyme disease many years ago and it was terrible, and prompted this line of defense. Does wonders against skeeters and everything else, too.

Long ago we were in San Blas, Mexico without such protection and the jejenes, or no-see-ums, were a thwart, disnatured torment. Terrible insects.

 

[lgonz1008]

I have been to FLorida and some places in Latin America, so not a complete new experience.
I think one of my top missing birds is certainly Burrowing Owl, which I always wanted to see and managed to have missed yet, as well as Black Skimmer.

Come back to South Florida! I can get you both species in the same day, sometimes not even 30 meters from each other!

 

[Strontium Dog]

I was lucky to spend 9 months in Oregon as a teenager, so most of the birds I really want to see are on the opposite side of the country. Northern cardinal (something that captured my imagination since I was a kid), Limpkin and Anhinga.

 

[raymie]

Wisconsin probably not different. And even though I did enjoy the time in Wisconsin, the mossies was definitely not an enjoyable part of that.
Niels

Not sure if's my blood type or something like that, but I live in Wisconsin and am bothered by mosquitos only in the deepest of woods - I instead struggles with summer's swarms of deer, horse, and black flies.

 

[jurek]

Pro tip against insects: shower every morning and wear fresh clothing every day.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I think my favourites that we saw were Clark’s Nutcracker, Bald Eagle and Harlequin Duck.

 

[opisska]

I wonder how you all cope with all the Lone Star Ticks (which actively go after you) and mosquitos carrying lethal diseases, not to mention some of the reptiles that live in the water farther south--wearing only permethrin-treated clothes for birding, all nets and gaiters? Or have you become so much as used to it and resigned to the fact that something could happen to you with a tiny probability?

What mosquitoes carry a "lethal disease" in the US?

Ticks are also very common in Europe.

 

[Jos Stratford]

What mosquitoes carry a "lethal disease" in the US?

Ticks are also very common in Europe.

Especially Eastern Europe

 

[01101001]

What mosquitoes carry a "lethal disease" in the US?

Diseases that can be Transmitted by Mosquitoes - MN Dept. of Health

www.health.state.mn.us

I've only read about the first and last before; some more very rare ones are also confined to the South exclusively (this fact sheet is from Minnesota).

Ticks are also very common in Europe.

All the same, I find it comforting that in Europe I have to catch a tick to get bitten (I can easily avoid getting bitten by keeping to the road/track/pavement). In the US (apart from the casual ticks), Lone Star Ticks (range: LYME SCI: "Super-fast" lone star ticks are showing up in new places) can run after me pretty fast and bite me if I'm not careful, and then transmit one of a number of diseases or Alpha-gal syndrome | CDC to me.

EDIT: Some countries are more lucky: New Zealand has only one (introduced) species of tick that feeds on mammals, and it carries no diseases there, while Iceland has no mosquitos at all and very few (introduced) ticks.

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Not sure if's my blood type or something like that, but I live in Wisconsin and am bothered by mosquitos only in the deepest of woods - I instead struggles with summer's swarms of deer, horse, and black flies.

I grew up near a swamp, at some point I felt the sting but didn't get the itchy, red, swollen spots anymore.

(I was, as a kid, very disappointed when I went aboard and got the same reaction as everybody else -- I guess adaptation is only to local mosquitos )

 

[opisska]

All those mosquito diseases are extremely rare. I think the only reason the US look worse than Europe is that we don't dig as deep ti find things to worry about

The aggressive ticks sound annoying but not getting ticks while birding in, say, Poland, is really hard anyway. My wife recently got Lyme and had to take the antibiotics course.

 

[01101001]

Are you using permethrin clothing, which is very helpful, reportedly (also mentioned upthread)? I think I've never got bit, but I flicked off ticks from my clothing in the field on two occassions immediately after they crawled on me (I have no idea how I knew when and where to look). Third time (un)lucky, so I'm getting vaccinated against TBE.

 

[Mysticete]

Diseases that can be Transmitted by Mosquitoes - MN Dept. of Health

www.health.state.mn.us

I've only read about the first and last before; some more very rare ones are also confined to the South exclusively (this fact sheet is from Minnesota).


All the same, I find it comforting that in Europe I have to catch a tick to get bitten (I can easily avoid getting bitten by keeping to the road/track/pavement). In the US (apart from the casual ticks), Lone Star Ticks (range: LYME SCI: "Super-fast" lone star ticks are showing up in new places) can run after me pretty fast and bite me if I'm not careful, and then transmit one of a number of diseases or Alpha-gal syndrome | CDC to me.

EDIT: Some countries are more lucky: New Zealand has only one (introduced) species of tick that feeds on mammals, and it carries no diseases there, while Iceland has no mosquitos at all and very few (introduced) ticks.

Ticks suck but I think you are exaggerating the disease risk of insect born disease in the US. Mosquito-born disease is very rare in the US, and lone star ticks might be "Super fast" but that is by tick standards, and ticks are hardly the gazelles of the animal kingdom.

 

[01101001]

Ticks suck

(pun not intended?)

Hopefully, there's been much progress on fighting Lyme disease recently, so fingers crossed:
Lyme disease is on the rise. Why is there still no vaccine?. Maybe it's because I've got used to the dangers waiting for me in Central Europe, but the fact that new deadly tick-borne pathogens have only been discovered in the US only during the last 15 years (Bourbon and Heartland viruses) makes me feel apprehensive (and, still, RMSF is even worse than Lyme disease).

 

[jurek]

BTW, can anybody point a current medical advice about boreliosis testing / treatment in Europe?

Few years ago it was a dangerous mess - doctors were ignorant that the ring-shaped mark is an unsafe indication, and prescribed tests with a gigantic percent of false results. People suggested to simply get an antibiotic course whenever you found a tick attached for a longer time.

 

[vergan]

BTW, can anybody point a current medical advice about boreliosis testing / treatment in Europe?

Few years ago it was a dangerous mess - doctors were ignorant that the ring-shaped mark is an unsafe indication, and prescribed tests with a gigantic percent of false results. People suggested to simply get an antibiotic course whenever you found a tick attached for a longer time.

In areas with high prevalence (where I have lived) some people I met had doxycyxline at home and will go for it whenever they found a tick attached and suspect it have been attached for some time. Not sure how helpful it is. I've been also taken prescribed antibiotics while waiting for molecular tests in other situations with ticks.

 

[opisska]

Any normal doctor will give you doxy when you have the red ring and that's it. Worked also in Poland.

 

[Jacana]

Calliope Hummingbird is a top target for me, ever since seeing an illustration of one in an old bird book when I was a little kid.