My friend has a very large walnut tree near his backyard. The crows will pick the walnuts and fly over and near his house to drop the walnuts in the road. The crows are hoping to get cars to smash the walnuts. Some of the very smart crows will wait on the side of the road and watch the action of the hit or miss action of the car tires. Some of the crows will nudge the walnut to another position if the car tire misses the walnut.
However, you will never see a crow get hit by a car or a dead crow on the road. Here is what is happening. There is always a crow that acts as a Sargent-of the guard, and is always perched on high, as on a telephone pole or wires acting as a lookout. And every time a car comes near, the guard screams— Karrr Kaarrr karrr!
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Sunday, April 29, 2018
On Trump
Did you see the video or the photograph of Trump being kissed on the cheek by that French President? Trump was visibly shook-up. And I can understand why. When the Frenchman kissed Trump, he whispered in Trump’s ear, “ later on, I will kiss you in another place.”
Friday, April 27, 2018
The Okanogan
There was a report on a birding listserve of a birder in the Okanogan. A raptor was circling behind and over trees. Then the bird went away, then the bird was observed again. Finally the hawk went to perch; and finally the hawk was identified as a NG.
The birder was very happy. I am happy for the birder. It was years ago that I bumped into Patric Sullivan in the field for the first and only time. We exchanged a sentence or three. I asked Patric about his GOSHAWK license plate. Patric informed me— the Okanogan has many goshawks.
What would be the outcome if that hawk did not go to perch? Then you would have — You’ve seen goshawks; your friends have seen goshawks; your neighbors have seen goshawks.
Birders are not hawkwatchers. Most of them never will become hawkwatchers. It is too much of another dicipline; too much of a leap of faith.
The thought— North Korea’s answer to Glen Beck!
Kim-Jong-un.
The birder was very happy. I am happy for the birder. It was years ago that I bumped into Patric Sullivan in the field for the first and only time. We exchanged a sentence or three. I asked Patric about his GOSHAWK license plate. Patric informed me— the Okanogan has many goshawks.
What would be the outcome if that hawk did not go to perch? Then you would have — You’ve seen goshawks; your friends have seen goshawks; your neighbors have seen goshawks.
Birders are not hawkwatchers. Most of them never will become hawkwatchers. It is too much of another dicipline; too much of a leap of faith.
The thought— North Korea’s answer to Glen Beck!
Kim-Jong-un.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
I am not
I am not the smartest person in my neighborhood; hawkwatching is not rocket science. I am not an educated person. What I say is not that important. But I do know which end of a pair of binoculars is the eyepiece— Mr. www.pokergo.com!
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Cooper’s no affinity for sky
Cooper’s hawk—CH— during non- migration times do not take to the sky. Definition— sky is about 20 feet over the tallest tree that is in the area, the tallest tree that could be in the area. The CH knows at what height could be the tallest tree. Just amagine an elevation of 100 feet and add 20 more feet. A CH might circle about the tallest trees, but will put down right into the area in which it is circling. In other words, a CH is a sneaky bird and will nearly always travel in a straight line. This raptor is all business-like, and will kill just for the thrill of killing, not necessarily to eat. I say a CH certainly prefers to be in the air but not in the sky— only during migration. So know the CH migration schedule and add a fudge-factor of 2 weeks. This concept will occur as the CH is on its home base, meaning where it nests and where it migrates.
What is the takeaway of this post? My detractors will certainly try and prove me wrong. And I may be wrong as I do not know the behavior of CH in areas such as The Carolinas. If there is a large enough sample of information and I am thought to be 90 percent accurate, then actually I am 100 percent wrong!
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. When you reach that prominent point on that ridge line or mountain top, let us say 900 feet elevation, and you come upon a CH, how did that hawk get there. That hawk did not leave its perch and take to the sky, by climbing and-or soaring, from its perch— let us say, 1 mile from the mountain top. Then the hawk would reach an altitude of 900 feet and level off and proceed to your position. Here is how that CH arrived on that mountain top— it followed the tree tops! Or it snuck through the trees. If the terrain was barren, the hawk followed the contour of the side of the mountain. All the time sticking about 100 feet or less to the terrain or to the terrain of the top’s of the trees.
There will be a group of birders who will try and determine if my concerns are accurate, or how accurate are my contentions. So, if I am correct in my observations, and I am in my many years of hawking all year long, but my observation might not be your observations, then birders will have an easy out when it comes to accipiter evaluation. However, this is an improper thought! You should never say- think; that accipiter in the sky is not a CH because CH do not have an affinity for the sky during non-migration times. You must always put into words what you are observing. You must always define what you are observing. As an aside— you should never reason— that accipiter in the sky in Thackersville, Oklahoma is not a Northern Goshawk because the range maps show that that hawk should not be here. Please understand, a range map does not identify a bird. Please understand, range maps are inaccurate when it comes to Nortern Goshawks. Specifically, resident NG can be observed in many areas of Southern California, S.E. Arizona, and many areas of eastern Texas!
For many years in my field notes and my writing, I would use the term— elevation of bird, EOB. Now I know that that is not the proper word. The word should have been, altitude of bird. Altitude refers to an object that is not attached to the earth. Elevation refers to a terrain feature, above sea level.
This little post will certainly lead into one of my pet peeves— Don’t cop out on me; Don’t cop out on yourself. When you use a range map to define what you are observing, you are copping out on me. And this will lead into another subject— birders are too habitat conscious.
One more thought, to back-track. That CH in that ridge line. Can’t the hawk just jump off the mountain top, start flapping and drifting and level off to soar and travel a distance of about one-half mile away from the base off the mountain? I say no. The hawk will descend from the ridge line by following the the contour of the terrain which is also the terrain of the tree tops.
So what does this post really mean? Well, you could say this post has very little meaning, and I will agree. This post should impact upon what you perceive in the air-sky. The best to all of you— not just your top part or bottom part, but all of you.
What is the takeaway of this post? My detractors will certainly try and prove me wrong. And I may be wrong as I do not know the behavior of CH in areas such as The Carolinas. If there is a large enough sample of information and I am thought to be 90 percent accurate, then actually I am 100 percent wrong!
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. When you reach that prominent point on that ridge line or mountain top, let us say 900 feet elevation, and you come upon a CH, how did that hawk get there. That hawk did not leave its perch and take to the sky, by climbing and-or soaring, from its perch— let us say, 1 mile from the mountain top. Then the hawk would reach an altitude of 900 feet and level off and proceed to your position. Here is how that CH arrived on that mountain top— it followed the tree tops! Or it snuck through the trees. If the terrain was barren, the hawk followed the contour of the side of the mountain. All the time sticking about 100 feet or less to the terrain or to the terrain of the top’s of the trees.
There will be a group of birders who will try and determine if my concerns are accurate, or how accurate are my contentions. So, if I am correct in my observations, and I am in my many years of hawking all year long, but my observation might not be your observations, then birders will have an easy out when it comes to accipiter evaluation. However, this is an improper thought! You should never say- think; that accipiter in the sky is not a CH because CH do not have an affinity for the sky during non-migration times. You must always put into words what you are observing. You must always define what you are observing. As an aside— you should never reason— that accipiter in the sky in Thackersville, Oklahoma is not a Northern Goshawk because the range maps show that that hawk should not be here. Please understand, a range map does not identify a bird. Please understand, range maps are inaccurate when it comes to Nortern Goshawks. Specifically, resident NG can be observed in many areas of Southern California, S.E. Arizona, and many areas of eastern Texas!
For many years in my field notes and my writing, I would use the term— elevation of bird, EOB. Now I know that that is not the proper word. The word should have been, altitude of bird. Altitude refers to an object that is not attached to the earth. Elevation refers to a terrain feature, above sea level.
This little post will certainly lead into one of my pet peeves— Don’t cop out on me; Don’t cop out on yourself. When you use a range map to define what you are observing, you are copping out on me. And this will lead into another subject— birders are too habitat conscious.
One more thought, to back-track. That CH in that ridge line. Can’t the hawk just jump off the mountain top, start flapping and drifting and level off to soar and travel a distance of about one-half mile away from the base off the mountain? I say no. The hawk will descend from the ridge line by following the the contour of the terrain which is also the terrain of the tree tops.
So what does this post really mean? Well, you could say this post has very little meaning, and I will agree. This post should impact upon what you perceive in the air-sky. The best to all of you— not just your top part or bottom part, but all of you.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
An interesting question
When I first arrived in Williamsport, PA is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I first arrived in Coastal Bend Texas, Rockport, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I first arrived in Tucson, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I first arrived in San Diego, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I arrived in Anacortes and Deception Pass, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
I resided in northern Hunterdon County, New Jersey for 25 years, was that when the goshawks first arrived?
Certainly not! It was not until the early 1990’s that there was a goshawk invasion into northern Hunterdon County. This is about 19 years after I arrived.
Now I have a better question. Forget about me. When the Cooper’s hawks started to invade the cities and suburbs, is that when the Northern Goshawks started to follow?!
When I first arrived in Coastal Bend Texas, Rockport, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I first arrived in Tucson, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I first arrived in San Diego, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
When I arrived in Anacortes and Deception Pass, is that when the goshawks first arrived? It is possible but not likely.
I resided in northern Hunterdon County, New Jersey for 25 years, was that when the goshawks first arrived?
Certainly not! It was not until the early 1990’s that there was a goshawk invasion into northern Hunterdon County. This is about 19 years after I arrived.
Now I have a better question. Forget about me. When the Cooper’s hawks started to invade the cities and suburbs, is that when the Northern Goshawks started to follow?!
Red goshawks
My definition of a red goshawk is one that has a chest, belly, and under wing coverts of red, or red orange. If you think accipiter identification was difficult before— now it is even more difficult. I have observed NG with red on the chest and I call these raptors NG with a red chest.
Here are most of my sightings. All sightings were of raptors in flight. At Costco in Tucson, on Grant, female. There were many sightings of male and female, and sightings were over a period of five years. Was it the same birds, no. How many actual red NG were there? I do not know. In Goodyear— one male.
In Anacortes,WA, many sightings of male, and female over a period of about five years.
In Texas— Rockport, winter 2002-03. Three or four sightings of female, one sighting on the Christmas bird count. One sighting in Bacliff, a female. At Berry Springs Preserve in Georgetown, one female.
Now for some details of Rockport. I was staying at Lagoon’s RV Park, very near the huge Baptist Church. It was in the parking lot when I happened to meet aquatic biologist Wilson J Tarkington, who happened to live just across the street. Jay was starting to learn raptor identification. He did have a good understanding of Peregrine Falcons and Red- shouldered hawks.
At another point in time, I was hawking in and around Wall-Mart and I bumped into Jay as he was leaving the store, as he had been placing educational posters in the store. I asked him if he would care to do some hawking. We were now standing on the front side of the building on the long area of grass. The side of the building was bright white, with sunlight reflecting off the white, cement brick wall. A large raptor smashed into the very top of the wall as if to pin prey. We saw no feathers fly. The hawk pushed of the wall with its wings and legs, and did not appear to be injured, as it turned and flew in the direction it had come. The hawk was an NG and female and clearly showed red vermiculation on chest and belly.
Then we went to a small pond very near my RV park. There was a perched raptor that went down into the brambles. We waited out the hawk. About ten minutes later the hawk lifted and flew directly over the RV park, probably over my rig. At first I thought the hawk was Cooper’s. However five minutes later, I realized it was a female NG. We went to my rig to have a snack. As Jay was leaving to walk home, he pointed into the sky. There was a female NG at about one- hundred or more feet altitude. Then at 4 pm., over a recreational field near the RV park, was a female NG traveling through.
In Kemah, l observed male and female NG. There may be four female NG in Kemah. I did have a sighting of a female with a red chest.
Also, while in Tucson, I contacted, Michael Ingraldi, reasearch biologist, Ph.D. Michael told me he was at an NG nest in Heber, AZ. There he observed an NG with a red chest and belly. This hawk could not be trapped!
.
Here are most of my sightings. All sightings were of raptors in flight. At Costco in Tucson, on Grant, female. There were many sightings of male and female, and sightings were over a period of five years. Was it the same birds, no. How many actual red NG were there? I do not know. In Goodyear— one male.
In Anacortes,WA, many sightings of male, and female over a period of about five years.
In Texas— Rockport, winter 2002-03. Three or four sightings of female, one sighting on the Christmas bird count. One sighting in Bacliff, a female. At Berry Springs Preserve in Georgetown, one female.
Now for some details of Rockport. I was staying at Lagoon’s RV Park, very near the huge Baptist Church. It was in the parking lot when I happened to meet aquatic biologist Wilson J Tarkington, who happened to live just across the street. Jay was starting to learn raptor identification. He did have a good understanding of Peregrine Falcons and Red- shouldered hawks.
At another point in time, I was hawking in and around Wall-Mart and I bumped into Jay as he was leaving the store, as he had been placing educational posters in the store. I asked him if he would care to do some hawking. We were now standing on the front side of the building on the long area of grass. The side of the building was bright white, with sunlight reflecting off the white, cement brick wall. A large raptor smashed into the very top of the wall as if to pin prey. We saw no feathers fly. The hawk pushed of the wall with its wings and legs, and did not appear to be injured, as it turned and flew in the direction it had come. The hawk was an NG and female and clearly showed red vermiculation on chest and belly.
Then we went to a small pond very near my RV park. There was a perched raptor that went down into the brambles. We waited out the hawk. About ten minutes later the hawk lifted and flew directly over the RV park, probably over my rig. At first I thought the hawk was Cooper’s. However five minutes later, I realized it was a female NG. We went to my rig to have a snack. As Jay was leaving to walk home, he pointed into the sky. There was a female NG at about one- hundred or more feet altitude. Then at 4 pm., over a recreational field near the RV park, was a female NG traveling through.
In Kemah, l observed male and female NG. There may be four female NG in Kemah. I did have a sighting of a female with a red chest.
Also, while in Tucson, I contacted, Michael Ingraldi, reasearch biologist, Ph.D. Michael told me he was at an NG nest in Heber, AZ. There he observed an NG with a red chest and belly. This hawk could not be trapped!
.
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