Ruth
Forum Replies Created
Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
-
The most memorable piece of information I learned from this course is that hummingbirds have a tongue to help sip the nectar. The tongue moves so fast I could not see it. There are such beautiful movies in this piece of information on hummingbirds. Thank you for sharing this information in this course. Ruth
-
The lifestyle of hummingbirds include courtships (dancing and vocalizations), nesting (expanding nests) and young. Hummingbirds flight patterns are different as well as a speed which no other bird species has. Ruth
-
What surprised me the most was there are fewer Hummingbirds in the United States than in Central and South America. Ruth
-
I have no images to send.
-
I have no images to present to the Bird Academy. Hummingbirds have been a beautiful view of our bird world. Ruth Bates
-
The course was a joy to take and learn about these amazing little birds. The feather changes was very scientific and so appreciated. I sat and laughed when I saw the birds tongues because I could not figure out how the birds sipped. Do the birds sip and taste? Thank you for the professional instruction. Ruth Bates,
-
The similarities between the hummingbirds and the other birds are the courtship, nesting and birthing their young. I believe the locations for nesting are different between the hummingbirds and other birds, as well as the communicational sounds. Hummingbirds have a softer sound. What beautiful birds. Ruth
-
In my interests of Hummingbirds, I could never see how the birds sip the nectar. Thank you for the demonstration in the video. Ruth
-
I have seen the Broad-billed, Glittering Throat in the Emerald category , also the Rufous and Anna Hummingbirds in the Bee category. So beautiful. I am unable to find the pictures taken of these Hummingbirds in San Bernardino County California. The pictures were taken at a backyard feeder. Thank you for the presentation on the iridescence. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1 - As I have grown up as a young girl and adult, there is the symphony of sounds from birds in the environments I have lived and important to me. Activity 2 - Most of the "seven actions" I practice but the coffee use for birds is a new action. Activity 3 - I was aware of the Endangered Species Act and do check for endangered birds. Activity 4 - This course has given me options for learning more about birds and looking at other courses. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1- Today, I went to Consumnes River Preserve and found the Preserve has been deeply affected by rains and heat. I came to late but did not bring my camera or binoculars. This Preserve has forest, aquatic, scrub-shrub and open fields. I arrived late to see alot of birds but found a couple of Bank Swallows playing in flight which was erratic. They flew out of a tree that rests along an aquatic and scrub-shrub areas that was dry. Normally, I see the Barn Swallow but saw the Bank Swallow in chocolate brown with white underparts which was a new experience in sight. Song was absent. I did do an outline of the bird attempting to see the difference in shapes. Activity 2- I contacted the Volunteer Coordinator at the Preserve to volunteer when I am available. Mostly Saturdays. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1 - The two locations close to me are the Consumnes River Preserve which is California's largest remaining Valley Oak reparian forest and one of the few protected wetland habitat area in the state. The second location is Lodi Lake in Lodi CA. The first Preserve is beautiful and has a forest, aquatic, scrub-shrub and open habitats. In the forest, I have seen hummingbirds fanning their wings sipping flower juices and woodpeckers pounding against trees. The pound of thre or four on different trees made such wonderful sounds like tree drums. In the aquatic area, the Egrets dance together and search for food, swamp sparrows flit and land on lovely willows. Scrub-shrub habitat raptors swoop in for a snake or a rat while turkeys, wrens and sparrows skitter about get their bugs. In the open habitat there were sparrows and larks were playing chase for fun (that is what it looked like). The Lake has a small forest, aquatic and open picnic area. On the 3rd of July, I saw a graceful egret fly away from the lake. The Canada Geese were enjoying a bundle of roots along the lake edge. Sweet swallows were eating bugs. Many of the animals started hiding because a big BBQ. Activity 2 - Mt. Lemmon appears to have a forest and open regions on the Hot spot map. The most recent birds were the American Robin, Blue Jays, Woodpecker (White Breasted), White winged dove, and a Great Horned Owl. Seven Oaks WR & SSSI in Kent County seems to have an aquatic habitat according to the Hot spot map. The check list had Northern Lapwing, Egyptian Goose and Long Tailed Tit with pictures. The last visit by birders were in April. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1 - I went to a small Lake called Lodi Lake in Lodi California on July 3, the day before the 4th of July. It was late afternoon and a local group was having a party and the birds hid. I ,however, saw Canada Goose about 30, 1 Great Egret and a beautiful swallow, Barn Swallow. The blue on the Swallow was so vivid. The Canada Geese had bars on their necks which I had never seen before (Sooooo striking ). Activity 2 -There is a checklist for Lodi Lake, San Joaquin County, California, USA. I attempted to record the birds I saw but I could not figure out the process. How do I order a check list? Activity 3 - The Black Phoebe and the Coot are two I did not know used the Lodi Lake as a place of Habitat. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1 - I watched the bird feeder on the Bird Cam. The two birds I watched were the Mourning Dove and the Florida Scrub Blue Jay. Each bird seemed to like the sunflower seeds or seeds on the flat surface of the bird feeder, yet the Blue Jay like the suet better. One commonality in their habitat is the open forest. The Dove is less migratory than the Blue Jay. Activity 2 - The three birds I observed through the Field Guide was the Grosbeck (Red Breasted), Cardinal (female) and the white headed Woodpecker. The Grosbeak has the Red, Black and white colors and the Red is found on its chest. The White headed Woodpecker has the red on the back of the head. The female Northern Cardinal has a red beak and red wash on the wing. ( black color is minimal). I think I would have difficulty identifying the Grosbeak and the Woodpecker at first sight by shape or different Woodpeckers and Sapsuckers. I will get it. Activity 3 - The three birds I observed above live in habitats which are open . Grosbeak behavior lives solitary or in pairs during breeding. Forages in trees, shrubs and on the ground eating seeds, insects, tree flowers. Woodpecker behavior drums on tree trunks and demands territorial rights on utility poles, buildings and eats insects and larvae and eggs, but also seeds, nuts, berries, spiders and snails. The Downy Woodpecker feeds on branches but further out. Cardinal behavior is solitary or pairs during breeding. Forages in trees, bushes or on the ground. Eats insects, seeds grains, fruits and snails. Drinks sap from holes drilled by sapsuckers. Activity 4 - My favorite birds is the Lark Sparrow, California Quail, Egret, and Hummingbirds. All of these birds are gregarious with me and all get my attention. I have been observing the Egret and its behaviors. It is the Great Egret and its shape is a long neck and thin legs with white feathers or plummage with a yellow beak. I do not hear a sound/song but I am certain there is one. In my observation, the G. Egret feeds in open areas such as marshes as habitats. I have seen it flies singular and, in a flock. Roosting occurs in trees at night (I have not seen this). It eats small aquatic insects, frogs, snakes and crayfish. There is some migration. Ruth Bates
-
Activity 1 - I watched the Royal Albatross on the Bird Cam. I chose this bird because it is suppose to be one of the largest birds and not available to view in the United States. It seems the threat in the environment on the cam is wind. Several behaviors, I noticed were the nesting and some courtship behaviors. Once the baby was ready to hatch, I saw staff replace the egg with a fake egg and realized how endangered the bird maybe. The female during nesting actually pulled up roots to add to the nest or was it food for later?! During the brooding period the female seemed to call the male to take his turn and the male did something strange, stopping a call, and clipping the female's beak with his beak to quiet her. I did see the dance of four or five RA move feet as the baby watched which seemed like imprinting walking. The young baby imitated the movement a few times by standing in the nest but then sitting back down in the nest. Activity 2 - The red-headed woodpecker was interesting because he/she did not leave the suet during the cam view (4 or 5 minutes) of the bird feeder. Many birds were only feeding for 30 seconds. Activity 3-This morning I could hear about ten distinct sounds but unable to name each bird.
-
Activity #1 The Artist has captured on the Wall of Birds a magnificent order and beauty of the world of birds. Activity #2 The Passeridae Family or House and White crowned sparrows remind me of the Lark Sparrow I see each morning. It greets me with a call. I had a whistle to make sounds as a child but can not find one today. As an experiment, I make a human sound cheap,cheap and this little bird imitates my sound every morning and flies off to find insects. It is the sweetest sound and interaction of my morning and enjoy the songbirds. The Hirundinidae Family or Barn Swallow has adapted to nesting in my building during the winter. As a song bird, the Swallow does not make song but makes a soft sound when it flies by (3 feet). As Spring arrives there is a courtship ie preening. The Swallow seems to be more private than the Sparrow. Activity #3 I have no pictures to share of these sweet friends. Ruth
-
Activity 1 - eBird tool was useful in the comparison of the Cardinal vs Blackburnian Warbler. I was able to compare the Scarlet Tanager vs the Western Tanager their breeding (Pre and Post). I noticed Scarlet Tanager traveled to the eastern side of Canada and the US and the Western Tanager traveled on the Western to Central Canada and USA. The Hummingbirds had a similar pattern. Activity#2 I do not have a mobile phone but a cell phone and unable to look up on Merlin's app. The most likely birds here are robins, sparrows and swallows. Activity #3 The Macauley Library was excellent. Two significant birds listed were American Gold finches and Loons with similar breeding times in the summer. In the winter, I noticed that the colors were dull, in the winter, for both types of birds. Activity #4 My favorite place locally is the Consumnes River Preserve left from a man named Galt from Canada. It is a fun park and monitored by the Federal Government with a Ranger. There are 250 species of birds. Egrets come to this area and I saw a stork (no picture) which is rare and found down south at UCSB. I recently found out there are cranes south of here about 8 to 10 miles from Consumnes River but have not been to the site. Also, UCD in Davis, CA has a wetland as well. I have not been able to locate but found the web page. I have not reached out to other groups but needed to review a course, such as this first, to regain information Ruth
Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)