Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Weapon of choice

Nikon 10x50
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Sorry guys; the rod and reel take second fiddle. This is what it's all about for us.

Very cool, Bski. I enjoy bird/critter watching as well...good optics make all the difference.

That's 90% of what hunting is all about for me...just watching and learning.

"Captain Spaulding's Expedition to the Okavango: Day 37, still searching for the Filigreed Angolan Foo Bird"



(Those are a nice pair o' bins, Bski)

Hey!!!! That's my wife, buddy!

No one ever implied Captain Spaulding lacked taste or forethought when planning an expedition.

I saw a Bald Eagle yesterday. That makes 2 or 3 this year.

Last October I saw 4 in a group soaring at a 1000 feet or so. That was pretty cool.

No ground breaking species sightings to report, but I got an excellent look at a couple of barn swallows yesterday sitting on this fence. They were the most remarkable iridescent blue color.

Brettski, any luck with the Wood Ducks nesting yet?

nada

I saw an Oregon Form 40N yesterday. We don't get many of those in California. Sure we see a lot of Arizona 140s and of course California 540s are everwhere. But an Oregon Form 40N, what a treat that was.

Be sure and record it in your book.

Brettski, the spot your have your wood duck box in the pic looks great. Hopefully the woodies will find it soon. I love the flooded timber look. Does the water stay that way year round or just during the spring high water?

I set up a game camera on the creek near our cabin hoping to get some different pictures and got this one:



As of yet, they aren't nesting. In years past they've used our boxes.

They are so beautiful it's hard to believe they exist...seriously - I love Wood ducks.

Definitely the most beautiful and striking of any waterfowl IMO.

Bski -

Since I built the ponds last year there are three new species of birds I've identified for the first time in my life:

Bobolink
Baltimore Oriole
Wood Duck

the fourth is some kind of a prairie sparrow I can't get close enough to identify. I'm trying to get a recording of it's call so I can hit the websites and try to determine. I will keep you posted. Have you made any unexpected discoveries at your place?

The crib we cashed out to develop this new project was our biggest leap in bird exposure. I don't know that there is another place as bird-diverse as the Tippecanoe River. LNP has turned out to be a good deal for birding, but it's still developing as the pond matures. This page is general rundown. It helps us keep track.

We saw our first Orioles at the Tippy place. We had a piece of 1 x 4 x 36" pine board with 4 pc of 3" drywall screws poked thru it so the screws stick out one side. The board was screwed to a tree and we would cut oranges in half and impale a 1/2 orange on each of the drywall screws. The orioles would gorge themselves on the oranges. They stand on top of the orange, lean over, and pick out the fruit. Crazy.

Which species of oriole do you have out your way Brettski? In my area the Baltimore species loves to build it's nest right on the edge of a water body. They often take fisherman's discarded fishing line to construct their hanging nests with.

Do you guys get any gold finches, we have plenty and the males are just starting to turn brite gold, it almost hurts your eyes.

I've seen hundreds of pics of Orioles, Wood ducks, Bobolinks - I even recognized some of their calls from recordings, but when you really ID one on your OWN PLACE it's some kind of sublime moment.

AP - I have 10 feeders in my backyard in surburban Lincoln, NE, and get Goldfinches all Fall, Winter and now they are turning bigtime and will be headed to the country to get their thing going. Canary yellow right now - really something!! Last two winters I've been rewarded with Pine Siskins and Red Breasted Nuthatches both of which are pretty notable for Lincoln. Must be a shortage of forage up in the N woods?

Bski

I know I keep sayings this - bou have a breathtaking place, ability for capturing great photos, and a kick*ss website. I love fishing...but like you I'm trying to do more of an Aldo Leopold thing....

BTW - when's the last time you stewards of the environment read Sand County Almanac? Dust it off...really keeps me aligned to what my responsibilities are!

Baltimore, but haven't seen them since departing the riverfront property.

TJ, goldfinches or as my dad calls them salad birds are unusual in that their nesting season is later July into August. It is timed with the peak of their food supply abundance. Almost no other species of bird nests that late in the year. I love their call, such a cheery sound! They sure do love thistle seed....

Sand County Almanac was required reading for my introduction to wildlife and fisheries science class at Penn State. Definitely a great book!

Ditto @ UW Stevens Point for me.

Brettski:

Have you ever tried digiscoping? When I get more time I'd like to get an adapter for my spotting scope and give it a try. I've seen some amazing pics taken that way.