This ellusive bird

[Aggie_Ama]

The other day I was driving to pick my husband up and I saw a large bird sitting amongst some buzzards. He had a white head and looked like a bird prey. "A bald eagle?!" No, too small. I drive on and report my sighting to DH. He tells me his nature loving grower from the nursery has spotted Mexican Eagles (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Crested_Caracara.html) behind the nursery. So now I am going nutty watching for it again, quite a neat bird. Why did I start paying attention to stupid birds anyway? What is the likelihood you see them again?

[tulip]

Bird watching is fascinating and wonderful. I've seen so many interesting birds since I started bird watching seriously (for me) a few years ago. Now I've taken up learning bird songs and calls, because it's easier to hear them than to see them alot of the time. In my urban area, I've seen bald eagles, Pileated woodpeckers (lots of them here), cedar wax wings, etc. My favorite call, although I rarely see the bird, is the Wood Thrush. There's one outside my bedroom window in the summer.

[TsPoet]

Sure it wasn't an Osprey?

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Osprey.html

[7rider]

If it was "sitting amongst the buzzards" - that behavior seems to fit with the Caracara (according to the Cornell site). I've never seen one myself...they look pretty cool...
DH and I are half-arsed birders ourselves. I often tell DH to pay attention to behavior. Birds rarely do things "outside" their standard behavior. I wouldn't expect to see an osprey hanging out with buzzards. They have very different niches and habits and food needs. Of course....I never expected to see Osprey nesting at 9'000 feet in the mountains of Colorado, but one does nest near my friends' house there. So....ya never know.....

[sundial]

Aggie, lol. Now you're going to be checking for that bird for days to come. :D
It can be addicting and fascinating.

[TsPoet]

I've seen osprey in amongst a whole bunch of Canada Geese on the ground - depends on what's on the ground. The Osprey I've seen are usually near water, hunting fish. Their range makes osprey a more likely choice. The Caracara would certainly be a much cooler thing to see.

[Aggie_Ama]

Well Osprey's range covers more area but there is absolutely no water on this side of the area. The only reason I thought maybe the caracara is my husband's grower is an avid birder and said he has seen them in the area (this was a block from the nursery). Plus he was chilling with the buzzards as the Cornell site says they are apt to do. I have been to pick up DH twice but only seen grackels lately. Silly birds making me crazy.

[SlowButSteady]

It was most likely a caracara. I understand they occur with some regularity well into your area. Osprey are almost always near water.

I've not personally seen one, but I visited a sheep ranch smack in the middle of TX where the rancher was complaining about them. Whether right or wrong, he at least attributed some of his lamb losses to "Mexican eagles."

[bmccasland]

I'd go with Caracara, I've seen them soar with vultures along the border in Arizona, which osprey wouldn't do. Caracara and vultures have similar eating habits, they're scavangers, while ospreys are predators - they like their meat fresh.

So now you'll just have to pay closer attention to the soaring vultures to see if it's the Caracara, a turkey vulture, or a black vulture. Need a good bird guide (book) or binoculars? :D

[Aggie_Ama]

Actually I am going to get a guide book this weekend because DH is taking me hiking. It is my treat for being his constant mountain bike race cheerleader. I got to pick the place and am super excited. :) Book suggestions? We have two sets of binoculars.

[bmccasland]

Actually I am going to get a guide book this weekend because DH is taking me hiking. It is my treat for being his constant mountain bike race cheerleader. I got to pick the place and am super excited. :) Book suggestions? We have two sets of binoculars.

The Sibley Guide to Birds, hands down http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=4068. I have others on my shelves - National Geographic, Peterson, Golden, Audubon, but it's the Sibley that I take out in the field with me. It isn't exactly a "pocket" sized book, so either get a shoulder pouch to carry it in, or a fanny pack. I find a daypack makes my bird guides too hard to get too. I can twirl my fanny pack from back to front if I want to get something out of it. Don't forget a note pad and pencil to record your sightings! Forestry Supplier's even has a birder's journal on Rite-in-Rain paper (won't break down if it gets wet) http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=5192, just make sure you use permanent ink or pencil.

[SadieKate]

Absolutely love my Sibley's. It is also available in Western and Eastern versions for a smaller haul. The behavior guide is fascinating.

Go by your local birders' store if you have one, like a Wild Birds Unlimited. Those folks will know the best guide for your area. We have the "Birds of Oregon" guides from both Adventure Publications and Lone Pine Publishing which give larger territorial maps of our state while Sibley's maps are of the nation. These books have the added advantage of being more packable.

Waiting for the Lewis' Woodpeckers (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Lewis%27s_Woodpecker.jpg)to arrive. If I want to make the WBU folks faces go green with envy, I tell them that we actually have Lewis' come to the feeder. Niener-niener. :p

Oh, I forgot. Before you go, do some googling for a birder's checklist for your area (or get one from the store). Those are invaluable when you're trying to figure out which one of a million birds you saw. Otherwise, you can do a lot of recordings of LBJs and LGJs.

[Trekhawk]

The other day I was driving to pick my husband up and I saw a large bird sitting amongst some buzzards. He had a white head and looked like a bird prey. "A bald eagle?!" No, too small. I drive on and report my sighting to DH. He tells me his nature loving grower from the nursery has spotted Mexican Eagles (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Crested_Caracara.html) behind the nursery. So now I am going nutty watching for it again, quite a neat bird. Why did I start paying attention to stupid birds anyway? What is the likelihood you see them again?

I love bird watching and always enjoy hearing about birds from other parts of the world. Thanks for the link. What a great looking bird. Let us know if you catch a glimpse of him again.:)

[Aggie_Ama]

I am taking my camera too, so hopefully I will find some interesting sites. We are going to one of the more primitive state parks so maybe the quiet will be helpful. I still hope to see this guy again, he was quite striking but only the grackels or as my dear Mammaw calls them "JACKDAWS". LOL. Anyone else ever heard them called Jackdaws? She makes me laugh, she loves her new house because it has all kinds of trees but a big back porch I get a bird report everytime I show up.

[7rider]

We are going to one of the more primitive state parks so maybe the quiet will be helpful. I still hope to see this guy again,

Maybe you'll see an Ivory Billed Woodpecker!!! :eek:
Sigh.
If only.......
(Yeah...I know...wrong area...)

Never heard a grackle called a Jackdaw, but I have heard buzzards (Turkey vultures) called John Crows.

[bmccasland]

[QUOTE=7rider;417471]Maybe you'll see an Ivory Billed Woodpecker!!! :eek:
Sigh.
If only.......
(Yeah...I know...wrong area...)

Jackdaw = grackle, so that's what it is! I've heard the name, but never when a bird was around.

I keep hoping to see an Ivory Billed whenever I'm in the Atchafalaya or Pearl River swamps. Not yet....

In Aggie's area, I want to add a Golden Cheeked Warbler..... pssshh pssshh pssshhh (heerreee birdie birdie birdie)

Here's a source for bird check lists, anywhere in North America http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/index.htm

Happy Birding!

[Aggie_Ama]

I assume Jackdaw=Grackle. This is my kooky love her to bits Mammaw who calls things all sorts of odd things.

Golden Cheek Warbler- I would love to see one but those buggers are extremely ellusive. We went hiking in area known for them but they are so hard to spot.

[sundial]

Ivory bill......waiting to see one while on my mtb some day. :)

I see pileated woodpeckers in flight and it makes my heart stop. I look for the ivory bill but alas....

Aggie, have you spotted that bird yet? Maybe on your hike you'll see some cool things. :D

[Aggie_Ama]

I haven't seen the Caracara again.

I do see the female finches at my house but not Clem, the male. Actually I think I saw him the other day but not sure it was getting dark.

[Birder_on_Bike]

Very cool to see so many people that know something about birds on here! :)

I'm going to go with Crested Caracara (also known as Mexican Eagle). They are pretty cool birds, and I saw my first Caracaras in TX (Brownsville area).

They do hang out with "buzzards" (Turkey & Black Vultures). Another bird that hangs out with buzzards is the Zone-tailed Hawk, which is a possibility in your area as well. However I'd be willing to bet this bird was a caracara.

I personally use Sibley's; it's suitable for birders just beginning to those more advanced; however, it is BIG and in Texas you'd need the "big" one rather than eastern or western.

National Geographic is a good guide too, but I like Sibley's better.

[SadieKate]

Anyone else ever heard them called Jackdaws? Uh, yes. It's one of the common names for the grackle, but it is also the formal name for some of the smaller species of the crow/raven/jackdaw (corvus) family. I only remember "corvus" due to Edgar Allen Poe and Lewis & Clark.

[Aggie_Ama]

Coolest thing I have seen is a red tail hawk (very common in central Texas) catch a snake while riding my bike. He just swooped off power line, grabbed him a big ol' snake from a field of cattle and took off with it. Wicked!