Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group weekend question

I love Hummingbirds. They are like flying jewels. Here in N CA, we have Anna's Hummingbirds all year long. This winter, when it was freezing, we had the same 3 little ones, two males and a female keeping me busy cleaning and filling the feeder. As soon as the weather warms up a bit, we get several different types. I will have to get out some more feeders. I usually try to keep 3 feeders going. I seem to be making sugar water almost everyday.

We live out in the country on 5 acres and we get a lot of different kind of birds. We like to see the Egrets strolling in the fields.

at one house, we had a hummingbird feeder behind a bay window frame. we could stand behind the window frame so the hummingbirds couldn't see us, with our fingers out, and they'd land on our fingers to drink from the feeders. they weigh so little, you could barely feel them

Ooh I don't know Sue! I thought it was a classic who or hoot but now after listening to the barred owl, gee, it could be him! I think it is clearer and less throaty sounding but I suppose that could be affected by distance. I will pay greater attention to the actual call next time I am up north and see if I can figure it out.

One of these days, I am sure to find him nesting in our corner of the forest!

Favorite one...hmmm...must be the scissortail flycatcher (state bird of the great state of Oklahoma). They hang out in the fields around our house and wait for the wayward insects to fly in their path. Such graceful flyers, too. Love the long tails.

Next favorite...the red-tail hawk. We see them all around this area, but only one per field, roughly. They sit on the fences, posts, power lines and wait for small critters to happen by. Saw one take off with a snake in its talons.

All the others fall into 3rd place. I like birds. Hearing a great horned owl while camping in Maryland one night...kept me awake. Seeing the great seabirds flying over the shoreline in Hawaii was awesome. Hummingbirds...so delicate, but strong for their size. Too many to mention.

I would say it's nice to live in a state that has a state bird that is unique and found only here and in small parts of neighboring states. Different than other states with state birds like mockingbirds and cardinals....nice birds, but hardly unique.

Oh my gosh - I forgot to mention the Common Loon! The loon is my fave! All of their calls are hauntingly beautiful.

Didnt know Alan had a hauntingly beautiful call mig. Still suppose he must he is a big loon.


Kevin

Good one, Kevin

My bad for not mentioning the state bird of Minnesota! I don't hear it as often, but it is a beautiful call.

i'd love to hear a loon out in the wild! i've only heard them on tv or the computer. they do have such a hauntingly beautiful call.

that reminds me, speaking of water fowl. the wood duck is beautiful! had a breeding pair in our back woods when we lived in that house in maryland with the swampy woods behind us. they stayed a few weeks, looking for a nesting site, but alas, did not stay! that would've been so cool.

the NY state bird is the bluebird. but i loved them first when we moved to maryland, my first experience seeing them, having them live in the houses we put up, raising several broods over the years. then we had them live with us in virginia. was afraid that we wouldn't see them when we moved up here to NY, but were delighted to see that they had made such a comeback. one reason we decided to buy this house is because the neighbors had bluebird houses and said they routinely had bluebirds raising babies. they are one of my favorites.

Hi all, have read the comments for a while now and finally joined the site today and thought i'd tackle this topic as I should be able to cope with this!
I love the jay, robin red breast, kestral, reed bunting, blue tits and the jenny wren. We had loads of birds round where I grew up, never really appriciated them till I was older. No real favorite but LOVE the dawn chorus.