The Irish have a history of real bitter animosity toward magpies. They're right down there with rats. Probably because they used to steal the cream off the top of the milk bottles on porches. They peck right through the shiny thick foil caps and steal quite a bit.
"Pests!" they say. "Pests!" they say to the cheeky birds.
Yeah, Blue Jays are usually jerks - they mess with a lot of the smaller birds.
Saw a mano-a-mano between a red bellied woodpecker on one side of the feed cage and a bluejay on the other. Up close, beak to beak, blue jay soon figured he was out 'daggered.'
I went out in the backyard for a break and heard more bird activity than usual. According to the Cornell/Merlin app I heard a Northern Cardinal, a Carolina Wren, a Blue Jay, a House Finch, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and an American Crow.
I'm particularly fond of the wrens.
Got Bewicks and Carolina's here along with Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees. Blue Jays 'cuss' at me if I miss an offering of peanuts.
I went out in the backyard for a break and heard more bird activity than usual. According to the Cornell/Merlin app I heard a Northern Cardinal, a Carolina Wren, a Blue Jay, a House Finch, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and an American Crow.
Red tailed hawk probably a juvenile molting into her adult plumage as seen by her red tail (and pale eye color).
The other bird seems to be a pink flamingo identified by the pink plumage across it's entire body and it's classic one-legged stance. Plus the trailer...
Thanks. I figured you would be the person who knew. The flamingo was kind of confusing too.
This appears to be a juvenile Golden Eagle (according to the Merlin photo app) - it was about 20 inches tall. However, I thought Golden Eagles are only in the Western side of North America and this photo was taken in SC, so it's likely a Red-Tailed Hawk? Maybe some bird people can help out here. Anyhow, it was pretty startling to walk out on the porch and see this large raptor.
Red tailed hawk probably a juvenile molting into her adult plumage as seen by her red tail (and pale eye color).
The other bird seems to be a pink flamingo identified by the pink plumage across it's entire body and it's classic one-legged stance. Plus the trailer...
This appears to be a juvenile Golden Eagle (according to the Merlin photo app) - it was about 20 inches tall. However, I thought Golden Eagles are only in the Western side of North America and this photo was taken in SC, so it's likely a Red-Tailed Hawk? Maybe some bird people can help out here. Anyhow, it was pretty startling to walk out on the porch and see this large raptor.
In one night this month, approximately 1,000 migratory songbirds died after flying into Chicagoâs McCormick Place, attracted to the buildingâs bright lights. Itâs a tragedy that couldâve been prevented with the flick of a light switch.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is supposed to stop careless bird-killings like these. But the Trump administration gutted that crucial wildlife law with a rule, making it impossible to enforce. Thanks to legal work by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Biden administration revoked the rule.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then promised to create its own rule to enforce the Act â including by curbing light pollution during migration and requiring more bird-friendly architecture. Yet more than two years later, the agency still hasnât acted. Meanwhile, every day, countless other birds die needlessly across the country, striking glass that could be modified to become bird-friendly and prevent these tragic deaths.
