Cathy
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Mostly, the animal sounds surprised me. I did not even know that deer made such noises, nor the fox. The racoon sound was new to me as well. The bobcat sound was very scary. I'm glad to hear it, though, so I won't be nearly as freaked out if I hear it in real life. The saw whet owl sound, like a truck backing up, is very interesting. (I heard that earlier in the course, but wanted to note it as I find it amazing.) The eastern screech owl, like a whinnying horse, is very interesting too. I believe I've heard the barred owls, great horned owls and a couple of others. I've seen, and I believe I heard, a barn owl before. There seems to be a mated couple of barred owls in the trees near my apartment. They sometimes call to each other quite loudly. It's very cool to hear. Even more the amazing because I live in a small city (part of a larger metro area). But my complex has a descent # of trees, and backs to a big park.
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It was interesting that many owls do not travel widely, and can find their food - in many cases - without migrating far away. It was also interesting to learn that they are more solitary, and often don't interact much - even when they are together. I really enjoyed the resource about the Snowy Owl Baltimore. He is a migrator, and it was rather humorous to follow the path of some of his southern (south of the Arctic that is) visits. What a wide variety of locations he traveled. A very versatile bird!
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@Katja Hi Katja, I'm not the original author, but based on some of the other areas mentioned (Ft. Belvoir and the National Gallery of Art) I would guess most likely the author did mean Mt. Vernon (G.W.'s manor) in Va. All of these locations are in the DC area.
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I hadn't really thought that much about it before, but didn't realize that some ate insects, like beetles. I was surprised and somewhat saddened that some eat other birds, but that is how it is with the food chain. After another student pointed out that fish eat fish and mammals eat mammals (sometimes), I guess it's not that unusual. I was also surprised that some can hunt or be seen during the day. I didn't know that and will pay more attention when out for hikes by the fields in the winter. And learning about, and seeing, the beautiful fish-eating owls was surprising as well. I found this and the previous section very interesting; the pictures and video are amazing.
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What a great photo! It looks like they have little personalities, from the looks on their faces. You've just given me an idea about volunteering (once this COVID crisis goes away). Good for you for doing that!
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@Rebecca What a wonderful story. Good for you. What a great lesson, too, in perseverance and the power to persuade. Thanks for sharing.
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Love that great picture! Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, I've seen an owl in real life. Years ago, I saw a barn owl in a high corner of a barn. Very recently, I heard what likely was a male and female barred owl calling each other, repeatedly - one hooting and one answering back. It was a great delight to those of us in my apartment community who were paying attention. I also sometimes hear one of them at night (at least did before it got very cold out). It is so loud, it must be in a very nearby tree. I once took an "Owl Prowl" class in the evening. We saw signs and I think we heard a great horned owl, but could not see it. One of my favorite owls is named Ralph - I think that's his name. Granted, he is no longer wild. He was out in a large cage at a nearby County Conservancy - an injured rescue but in a seemingly nice cage. I always say hi to him when visiting the area and he just looks at me with interest when I talk to him.
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Activity 1: Why do birds matter to you? Has this course changed your thoughts about why birds are important? Post your thoughts in the discussion. I've always loved birds. They bring joy and beauty to the day. They are examples of God's artistry. Of course, the items highlighted in the last section (pollination, seed spreading, serving as notifications of climate issues, cleaning up, etc.) show their added importance. I hadn't really realized their important role as pollinators and seed spreading. Yet, even if they didn't do these things, I'd think they were just essential for their sheer beauty, visually and through their song. Activity 2: Think about the Seven Simple Actions to Protect Birds. Which are you already doing? Could you practice any of them more extensively, or start trying more of them? What other actions can you think of that could help birds? Share in the discussion. Prior to the course, I have made an effort to avoid using water in plastic bottles when I could, opting for filters or larger/reusable jugs. I recycle when possible. I have done container gardening and didn't quite realize how helpful it could be to the birds. Yet, today as I was sitting on my balcony and several sparrows sat on the railing near me, I wondered if they were drawn partly by the plants there. One thing I will probably be more mindful of is coffee and how it is harvested. Activity 3: Have you noticed bird populations changing over your lifetime? Share your observations in the discussion. I moved to a different part of the country when I graduated college. So I haven't really noticed the changes in birds over a long period because the climate where I live now is slightly warmer. We get some birds here out East I would never see in the MidWest (such as Eastern Bluebirds). I do think I see more Eastern Bluebirds (rare that they still are) than I used to 10 years or more ago - which is probably due to some conservation efforts. This year I have seen more blue jays and cardinals than I recall in prior years - but am not sure if that is a trend or not. Activity 4: What next steps do you want to take in your birdwatching journey? Has this course inspired you to try anything new or make any changes in your life? Share in the discussion. I think I will continue to pay more attention to bird behavior, knowing more about what's behind it. For example, the other day I saw an unusual site of 7 or so mourning doves on the roof of a nearby building. I was able to grab my binoculars and saw them preening - which I now know is important for flight. I am attaching a photo of those birds here. I also hope to get my cameras in more ready shape - as my phone camera does not do nearly a nice job on the pictures. To be honest, I dragged my feet on finishing this assignment, as it signifies the end of a course that was not only interesting, but a way to keep me busy and engaged during the isolation of COVID-19 restrictions. It was something to look forward to. I will probably find another class, and eventually hope to take a class on bird song identification. Not only has this class helped me to pay more attention to birds, but to other wildlife as well. (Such as squirrels.) There is so much in the natural world to learn about and explore, even for someone who has been around for a while!
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Irene. What a wonderful idea to share the course with your family member. You have a heart of gold to look out for your family member in that way. I hope that it goes as well as it can. It's great that your family member will use a computer and was able to enjoy the class with you. Best wishes. Cathy
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What a beautiful picture of this bluebird. Thanks for sharing! Cathy
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Very nice!
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Activity 1: Field notes. Since I am not a good artist, I might cheat a little here. About a year or so ago I purchased a bird coloring book. Perhaps upon seeing a unique bird I will color that page and put the notes in that book. Or I will trace the bird. I am not sure I have the patience for this, but I will try it out. I tried to download ebird but it's not seeming to port over my previous recorded bird-sightings. I will need to look into this. Hopefully I won't just give up.
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Hi Paula, You can add birds you saw in the past, but if you don't know the exact date there is a special procedure and I don't think others will be able to view that particular sighting/ recording. But you can still enter them. I did this for a bunch of birds when I created a life list when I first started the course. I know what you mean about trying to handle so many things at once. I can't even find my binoculars now! I very much like what the instructor said about there not being one "right" way and how we all have to do what works for us. Best wishes with your birding! Cathy
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Wow. Nice picture - thanks for sharing. Maybe I will bring some pencils with me when birding to give it a try! (Though I know mine will not be as nice as yours.) I'm not the best artist, though perhaps with practice I can improve. Cathy
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Wow! Thanks for sharing. I never saw a bird like this before, with the tails like that. Best wishes with your birding. Cathy
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Hi Catharine, I was not bored by your post. I enjoyed it. I am originally from Illinois. Please don't be intimidated - though I know what you mean. It's just that people who live elsewhere see lots of neat birds you don't see, and vice versa. Interesting about the raccoons! And lucky for you to see a Baltimore Oriole. Even though I live near Baltimore now, it's rare that I see an Oriole. It's great that you see alot of hummingbirds; I don't see those very often either and was pleased when I unexpectedly saw a few last year on a walk through a nearby neighborhood. Best wishes with your birding. Cathy
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For now I will comment on one of my favorite parks and compare it to an ocean or bay visit. My favorite relatively local park (30 min away) is interesting as it has a few mini-habitats within. It borders a farm (across the street) which I believe grows wheat. In the Fall I have seen many Canadian Geese there, even sometimes in the Summer. The walking path goes through an area that has some tall grasses on one side and trees on the other. In this area, I see mocking birds and sometimes blue birds (my favorite). The path then goes in the woods where I was delighted to discover, for the first time, some brown thrashers. Many birds as of yet unknown to me (due to a higher canopy) live there as well. (I need to learn more calls.) Of course, the typical birds of the area (cardinals, woodpeckers) hang out here too. I believe I've heard wood thrushes here. Here at this park I have also seen (and heard) mourning doves and occasionally red winged blackbirds. At the edge of the woods, all types of sparrows flit about in the low grass, looking for food. Another favorite place to go is Ocean City, MD or nearby Cape Henlopen, Delaware. Here I can see birds such as osprey, piping plovers, sand pipers and sea gulls. Not far from the ocean is bayside. Here I can be treated to seeing herons and egrets. This exercise sure has me wanting to go back to the beach and visit! If I see something else when I do visit either location I hope to report back!
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I just spent some time watching the hawks on the webcam. There were separate videos for each hatch (of 3 eggs) and then for their fledging. It was interesting to see the birds move here and there, stretching self and wings sometimes before flying off for the first time. It really did seem they were working up courage. It was interesting, when the first hawk flew off for the first time, the others watched it fly off and where it went. There was also a video of the parent feeding the little bird. One bird seemed to get the most food; I didn't know if the parent was purposely doing that or if that is just how the video recorded it. I was quite saddened to read one of the birds died in an accident after the videos. I got quite attached to them after watching for quite a while. I guess that's how it goes. But these are definitely interesting and beautiful birds.
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What a great picture, Jane. Thanks for sharing. Cathy
