• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

Any birders? Share your photos!

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm checking the puffin cam. No puffins at the moment.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
I went out with 2 other couples looking for whales on Sunday and one of the couples were birders. They got 10 times as excited seeing a common murre as they did humpback whales lol. We were scanning the water for fins and blows and they'd be like "RHINOCEROS AUCKLET AT 3 O'CLOCK!!!!!"
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I went out with 2 other couples looking for whales on Sunday and one of the couples were birders. They got 10 times as excited seeing a common murre as they did humpback whales lol. We were scanning the water for fins and blows and they'd be like "RHINOCEROS AUCKLET AT 3 O'CLOCK!!!!!"
:rotf: I can totally imagine this!
 

Kimmyt

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hey @altagirl there is a facebook page I follow that you might like, called 'iNaturalist'. Its not just birds, though, but a variety of animals, but they will frequently feature pictures from all over the world that people have taken and you can upload your own photos to their website. It's pretty cool!
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I was looking around the site a bit and found this thread, thanks @altagirl ! As a birder it makes me so happy. I'm actually going to be in Utah this January I believe and hope to see some birds! :thumbsup:
I'd be happy to help if there is anything you're looking for in particular!
 

Keepur

Certified Ski Diva
I'd be happy to help if there is anything you're looking for in particular!

That's so nice of you - thank you! When I figure out where we will be, I will let you know to see if there are any areas I should check out :smile:
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
Just finished up the Great Salt Bird Festival and figured I'd share some new photos:

A pied- billed grebe in Farmington BayFB_IMG_1527008280158.jpg
An Osprey, that was calling loudly and doing some impressive aerial acrobatics trying to impress a mate...FB_IMG_1527008257998.jpg
A lovely little barn swallow resting in the morning sun
FB_IMG_1527008235595.jpg
A Short-eared Owl sitting right on the side of the road
FB_IMG_1527008214428.jpg
I knew Ravens had white bases to the feathers on their necks, but they are usually impossible to see!
FB_IMG_1527008181279.jpg
 

KathrynC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Wow, there are some wonderful photos on here!

My Mum is a keen birder. I wasn't interested until I did a volunteer conservation project in Argentina as a gap year. One of the projects I was involved in was a condor census. The condors themselves were amazing, but we also had to document their interactions with other birds, and I came home with a love of birds. I don't really have the patience to photograph them though.

I have attached two. One is a rather arty shot of a condor from the Argentinian trip. That was a lucky snapshot taken with a wide angle lens (yes, it was really close!) on a film camera.

The other is a European robin, taken on my phone in the garden last weekend. European robins are not related to American robins. The European robin is of the thrush familiy whereas the American robin is of the flycatcher family. European robins are very friendly and very brave, especially at this time of year when they often have both fledglings and a nest of unfledged chicks and are desparate for food. We were burying a cable in the garden and this one wanted to see if we were turning up any insects for it.
2179362926_d586b95a10_z.jpg
IMG_20180520_161931_078.jpg
 

Keepur

Certified Ski Diva
So my trip to Colorado & Utah was in January. I made a few stops but didn't get to go birding as much as I'd hoped. I guess that's what happens when you get ambitious but go on a trip with friends. Also, my phone wasn't working and my laptop had died... I just got a "new" phone only 2 weeks ago and actually uploaded my photos to my new laptop this week! So 4 months later, I'll share a few photos. Sorry!

We made a short stop at Antelope Island in Utah and it was pretty cool! Not any good photos though, and it was almost sunset when we stopped.

Woodhouse's Scrub Jay (I think), Colorado. We don't have these in Ohio :wink:
DSC_0552_crop.jpgDSC_0494_crop.jpg

I have normal Raven pictures but here is a fluffy one :smile:
DSC_0652_crop.jpg


Earlier this month was the Biggest Week in American Birding, and it's amazing to experience at Magee Marsh in Ohio. So many migrating birds!

Prothonotary Warbler.
DSC_0236_crop.jpg

Common Gallinule
DSC_0568_crop.jpg
 

Keepur

Certified Ski Diva
@altagirl I love your photos! I like the short-eared owl, owls are so cool!

@KathrynC Cute robin! I'd love to see a European robin. Our American robins around here love when we garden as well, we even toss them worms sometimes and they'll come pretty close.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
@KathrynC. I would also love to see a European Robin! We're throwing around the idea of a spring trip to Scotland and I believe they have them there?

And a conservation project with condors sounds just amazing. We actually have an Andean Condor in the Aviary here in salt lake. I think he's in his 50's now?
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
@Keepur I love the Woodhouse's Scrub Jay's. We get a lot of them but they are characters. I put peanuts out on the deck railing for them and one day my Jack Russell Terrier was asleep underthe railing. The scrub jay came to the corner of the deck, hopping around and eyeing her suspiciously. It inched closer and then pounded its bill on the deck like it was knocking on a door. My dog didn't respond, so it hopped over and grabbed the peanuts. I thought it was wonderful to see their mind at work!

And that Prothonotary Warbler is breathtaking!
 

KathrynC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@KathrynC. I would also love to see a European Robin! We're throwing around the idea of a spring trip to Scotland and I believe they have them there?

Oh, yes - the photo was taken in my garden just north of Glasgow. It depends where you go though, they are brave little souls but they like some cover. You will see them often on the borders of woodland areas (or in gardens where there are shrubs) but you are far less likely to see them on the open land that covers most of the Scottish Highlands.

Depending on where you go, the bird you really want to keep an eye out for is a white-tailed eagle. Only seen in localised areas of the west coast but amazing birds! Oh, and if you are around in April/May, find some puffins. Such cute funny little birds!

If you want any hints/tips/suggestions for a Scottish trip, give me a shout!
 
Last edited:

KathrynC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@KathrynC Cute robin! I'd love to see a European robin. Our American robins around here love when we garden as well, we even toss them worms sometimes and they'll come pretty close.

I had one in the garden a couple of years ago that would take food from my hand. I try to resist the urge to feed them like that because it can't be good for them, but it is so amazing when it happens!
 

KathrynC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@Keepur I love the Woodhouse's Scrub Jay's. We get a lot of them but they are characters. I put peanuts out on the deck railing for them and one day my Jack Russell Terrier was asleep underthe railing. The scrub jay came to the corner of the deck, hopping around and eyeing her suspiciously. It inched closer and then pounded its bill on the deck like it was knocking on a door. My dog didn't respond, so it hopped over and grabbed the peanuts. I thought it was wonderful to see their mind at work!

In the area I live there are large flocks of jackdaws, which are related to crows and really intelligent. They are a pain because they like to pull up all my vegetable plants, but it is fun to watch them solve problems. I put squirrel guards over my bird feeders to stop the jackdaws being able to take too much as I like to see the smaller birds feeding but it is great to watch them figure out how to get what they want. There is one hanging feeder where they will take it in turns to perch on it and flap their wings to shake the food out while others wait underneath, and another where they have worked out how to dismantle it. They also play - in winter when there is snow on the garage roof, I have seen them sliding on it like kids in the playground!
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,236
Messages
497,615
Members
8,503
Latest member
MermaidKelly
Top