I have a new friend

[sundial]

Trekhawk, I wasn't sure if the pics would turn out because of the lens I was using--and the fact I wasn't using the tripod. I was pleasantly surprised to see the detail in the photos. He is such an interesting guy. I haven't heard him make any sounds yet. He was jumping on bugs when I watched him in the yard. Didn't see him today but I'll put out more seed and water.

[Trekhawk]

Trekhawk, I wasn't sure if the pics would turn out because of the lens I was using--and the fact I wasn't using the tripod. I was pleasantly surprised to see the detail in the photos. He is such an interesting guy. I haven't heard him make any sounds yet. He was jumping on bugs when I watched him in the yard. Didn't see him today but I'll put out more seed and water.

You did well Sundial. I have no camera skills so lucky it was not up to me to get the shots.
Hope you get to see some more of this cute guy.

[7rider]

What does a roadrunner sound like? I assume it does not go me meep like the cartoon.

That is great! So glad you got a picture of it.

Cornell's All About Birds sight had an audio file with the call of a roadrunner.
I don't know how to insert just the audio file, but here's the link to the page. See the multimedia file on the right column, a bit below the picture.
(I thought they went "meep meep!" too!

[Zen]

That's a nice site.
I surely would have thought that was a dove.

[Red Rock]

Those are great pictures. They are awsome birds too. We have them here in the Southwest USA. Sometimes I see them when I am on walks or rides. I have never been able to get close enough to take pics though. So good work!

Red Rock

[Tuckervill]

That's cool! (I can't believe you still had snow on the ground. It will be gone tomorrow, I'll bet.)

Karen

[Trekhawk]

That is great! So glad you got a picture of it.

Cornell's All About Birds sight had an audio file with the call of a roadrunner.
I don't know how to insert just the audio file, but here's the link to the page. See the multimedia file on the right column, a bit below the picture.
(I thought they went "meep meep!" too!

Thanks for the link. Yep definitely no "meep meep" .

[sundial]

Cornell's All About Birds sight had an audio file with the call of a roadrunner.

Thanks 7Rider, I wouldn't have thought the roadrunner sounded like a dove. I really like Cornell's ornithology department. When I was researching pics of the ivory billed woodpecker they were very helpful.

Here's some facts from the Cornell website:

Cool Facts

The Greater Roadrunner can reach running speeds of 30 km/hr (18.6 mi/hr). It holds its head and tail flat and parallel to the ground when running at its top speed.

To warm up after a cold desert night, a roadrunner will turn its back to the sun, fluff its back feathers, and expose skin along its back. This skin is black in order to absorb more solar energy.

The Greater Roadrunner eats many venomous prey items, including scorpions, spiders, and rattlesnakes. Two birds may cooperate to kill a large snake.

The Greater Roadrunner is an opportunistic forager. It frequently captures small birds at bird feeders and nest boxes. One was observed to leap up from hiding in a dry riverbed and knock down a low-flying White-throated Swift.

The desert-dwelling roadrunner uses salt glands in front of its eyes to excrete excess salt from its blood. Such glands are common in ocean-going birds that can drink seawater. The roadrunner is able to get along without drinking water if it eats food with high enough water content, but it will drink readily if water is available.

I've had several little yellow finches hanging around the feeder as well as water. Hope Peet doesn't help himself to the all you can eat birdie buffet.

[Biciclista]

doesn't sound like birdseed is what he wants. Try suet instead. They are carnivorous so fat would be a real treat especially this time of year.

[sundial]

Thanks Mimi, I'll go to town and get suet.

[Aggie_Ama]

They rarely stay still long enough to get such great shots!We have one or two lurking in the undeveloped section of the neighborhood. I think they may be one of my favorite native critters, so fast too! We also have a couple foxes just outside the neighborhood, I always see them near the old man's house with the chickens but he has consistently had 6 chickens so I guess the foxes haven't gotten them as I would expect.

[Tuckervill]

So I drove up to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, where my bike club was having a training camp (and rock climbing, woot!). It's a long rough gravel road into the canyon, and the canyon floor was covered with sheep, goats and horses. I'm gazing out over the flocks while I slowly come down the road and out of the corner of my eye something STREAKS right in front of my car, and lands on the other side in the grass. A roadrunner.

First one I've seen in years and years. It was cool. I thought of y'all.

Karen

[sundial]

Where's Horshoe Canyon Ranch?? Sounds like my kind of place to play.

[Tuckervill]

It's outside of Jasper (remember Dogpatch?). Jasper is south of Harrison on Hwy 7.

Karen

[jesvetmed]

Too cool. Up until now, the only "road runner" I'd seen was the one my dad brought back from a vacation (it wasn't real... it was wooden ). It sat on our mantle for years! He never made a sound, by the way!

Yours is actually a cute little bugger. Who knew he'd be so deadly? Good to keep around the house from the sounds of things, as long as your bird feeders are WAY up high.

I made the mistake (only once) of feeding the birds on a flat surface not covered. It took all but 20 minutes for me to find a falcon feeding on one of the poor little birds I had baited for him. That was awful. Beautiful falcon, though. As soon as he had, well, finished his meal, I headed out and cleaned up all the birdseed in the area and hid it into a feeder under the covered porch areas. Lesson well learned the hard way.

Thanks for sharing your great photos!