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Daryl

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tawny Frogmouth...has the stares!

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Gold Coast, Queensland Latitude 28S. Mild, Humid Subtropical climate. Rainfall - not consistent enough!

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4 hours ago, Daryl said:

Tawny Frogmouth...has the stares!

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:yay: SOOO CUTE!! :wub:

Naples (inland), FL - technically 10a but more like 9b in the winter :hmm:

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Through my window this morning. Mrs Macropus agilis, (Agile Wallaby) with Macropus agilis Jnr.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We got a little snow last night and the birds are taking it in stride. Robins are all over the holly tree finding shelter and eating the berries. 

A hummingbird is staying close to the food source. 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, Palm crazy said:

We got a little snow last night and the birds are taking it in stride. Robins are all over the holly tree finding shelter and eating the berries. 

A hummingbird is staying close to the food source. 

 

 

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Grate pictures! How much snow fell?

Have to say the Hummingbird looks a bit  *Angry bird*-'ish  at the moment, though, lol:lol:

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Around 2"-3" but father north got 7"-8".  Yea that hummer doesn't look happy but they are pretty tough for their size. 

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9 hours ago, Palm crazy said:

Around 2"-3" but father north got 7"-8".  Yea that hummer doesn't look happy but they are pretty tough for their size. 

Not bad.. but feel free to keep it up there, lol.. 

Tough for sure.. Anything that can tolerate snow covered flowers, let alone buzz around chasing rivals in the garden, or vocally harass me for not re-filling their feeder when it's 115F out ( and i'm hiding indoors) is a tough cookie.. 

Waiting to see what happens across the S.F. Bay Area overnight.. hearing the snow level around San Jose may fall to 1000' ..with a not-so-outside chance flakes could be seen down to 4 or 500' (..or lower, esp. in the North Bay) by tomorrow morning, if any showers are hanging around at that time. Pretty sure all local peaks, and a few that rarely see any, will be capped, and / or dusted nicely should that happen.  Rare for sure, but happens every few years. Wasn't all that long ago Santa Cruz, at sea level, saw more than a few snow flakes.. 

Yesterday was mild / humid but somewhat Seattle-like with drizzly rain and low clouds most of the day here. More rain on the way.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's something you don't see too often, not in my garden anyway. It's a rare Lamington Spiny Crayfish and only found in my local area.  To be honest, I didn't even know they existed.

 

 

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Steve, doesn't look like a lamington :lol: . Great colour scheme. None of our species come up out of the water, not voluntarily anyway.

 

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Green Anole on my P. Sylvestris. They’re not really visitors but more like residents of my yard, lol. 

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On 3/20/2019 at 6:16 PM, Estlander said:

Green Anole on my P. Sylvestris. They’re not really visitors but more like residents of my yard, lol. 

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Always had about  half a dozen Greens hanging out in my plants when in Bradenton, along w / Brown Anole ( all over the place ) ...which i'd find napping in various things at night. 

While not documented, as far as i am aware, i come across Brown A's around here every so often. Green Anole have also apparently started colonizing parts of Southern CA, esp. around San Diego County in the last several years.  Browns have also been sighted in the same spots also.  Always interesting how they'll sit on their branch, and glare at you w /one eye before running off.

While apparently displaced in my neighborhood / this area of Chandler, Desert Spiny Lizards ( pictured below ) are often common in yards that border local open spaces / parks, etc. While they look big, they're actually pretty docile, especially once used to people. There are Y.T. videos of these guys running up to people who feed them meal worms. Some will even come to your  patio door at X time during the day for lunch or dinner.. Pretty smart for a Lizard.. Very colorful as well.  Most other Lizards here, inc the Ornate Tree Lizards that occupy the Mesquite and block wall out back keep their distance. 
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  • 3 weeks later...

A pair of Green Tree Frogs doing.... err..... something .... in the bird bath. I have buckets, tubs and the wheelbarrow full of tadpoles at the moment. Have to put the containers up off the ground to stop the Cane Toads laying in them.

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That time of year again for spotting rarer birds hanging out in "The Beast" out back..  Because this particular Mesquite is one of the bigger trees in the neighborhood, and isn't trimmed too often, it attracts the attention of anything w/ wings that either hang out year round,  or might be passing through the area on their way south or further north / up into the mountains for the summer..  Aside from the usual suspects that are seen or heard on a daily basis, have seen several less common species including Warblers, Oriole, Tanagers, and a Roadrunner ( weirdest sound i have ever heard ) Every so often, i'll find the neighborhood Hawks or Owls up in the Canopy also. Pretty sure if there were a couple more Mesquite of similar size surrounding the house, even more rarities would show up.

Warbler sp.. Not sure on the exact species though. Could be an Orange Crowned but again, several species pass through the low desert this time of year, some look similar, esp female or immature. This one sat still long enough to get at least a couple somewhat decent shots.
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Today's "Taste of the wild" came while shuffling some stuff around in anticipation of a big wind event forecast for later today / tonight and tomorrow.. While moving one of my Cycads, caught sight of a Cooper's Hawk taking off from behind my shade house where my Basenji likes to sit and watch for Cats while sunning himself when outside.   After watching the Hawk perched up in the Mesquite for a few minutes, i walked over to see Ash ( my Basenji ) trying to get at something hidden between some pots in the Alley way between the house and shade house. Turns out it was an Inca Dove. Took off when i attempted to pick it up to see if the Hawk had grabbed it, before Ash chased off the Hawk.. and resumed sniffing around for the Dove. Happened too fast to run and grab my Camera so no pictures.

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That's why I go around with a compact camera (submersible to 30 metres depth of water) in my pocket. Even so, I still end up missing some great shots. Things happen fast, sometimes faster than you can get the camera out. But I did get a photo of a Rufous Owl killing a possum. Actually just after the kill - time it took getting my camera out.

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Dysphana numana or the 4 o'clock moth as known locally, having a spell under my house. Fairly common visitor to my garden.

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2 hours ago, tropicbreeze said:

That's why I go around with a compact camera (submersible to 30 metres depth of water) in my pocket. Even so, I still end up missing some great shots. Things happen fast, sometimes faster than you can get the camera out. But I did get a photo of a Rufous Owl killing a possum. Actually just after the kill - time it took getting my camera out.

LOL, mine is usually in my pocket,just for such reasons. Even so, i was on the complete other side of the yard when the Hawk swooped in just over my head. I almost ran and grabbed the camera anyway just to get pictures of him up in the tree but knew he would have flown off before i returned.. 

Whole situation reminded me of another " things happen too fast sometimes" moment last year when i'd put my camera down after getting shots of a sunset.. Turned around to head back inside as it started raining and was lit up by a Lightning strike.. in full view, maybe a mile away..  "If only i'd kept the camera going just a bit longer"..  Gotta love nature's timing sometimes..:rolleyes:

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One day I will get a good photo of the charming endemic San Pedrito birds (PR tody) or the introduced reclusive mongoose.

Many anoles and coquis I should post too!

Thanks to all for the many wonderful photos of garden visitors from around the globe! With our gardens large and small, we all help provide habitat for such amazing creatures.

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Cindy Adair

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This is the Rufous Owl, Ninox rufa, with the Northern Brush-tail Possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis (minus head).

I heard the fight going on up in the trees overhead but couldn't catch anything in the torchlight until the Owl settled down on the railing. It didn't appreciate having an audience while it dined so flew off soon after. Rufous Owls are quite powerful. Possums can put up a good fight and they're fairly heavy for an owl to fly with.

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Our local Avian D10 Bulldozer, The Orange Footed Scrub Fowl. They are part of the Megapod family, ie mound builders. One of the few local birds to have benefited from suburban sprawl. Lush moist tropical gardens mimics the birds natural environment of monsoonal vine forest. They mate for life and are very territorial. The video shows a pair running off some intruders.

I have had a resident pair in my backyard that cause extreme grief.... lol. Constantly digging and uprooting newly planted seedlings and building mounds. But as luck would have it they have moved 10' over the boundary fence to my neighbors yard and commenced to build a nesting mound ( much to his disgust haha ) Me chucking a bit of garden litter, mulch and soil over the fence has certainly helped the construction of the mound ( do any nefarious thing to keep 'em out of my garden lol ! )

This is a half grown one that the mated pair will run off soon.

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Mound commenced last week in the neighbors yard

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A cheeky visitor ( not my pic )

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/love-and-war-in-our-own-backyard/news-story/3333f1da2e2205b3e6c988990d656b83?nk=03d8e51fe9b803874e636321f74460ff-1554936280

And finally an interview I did on local radio describing my nefarious scheme to encourage the birds to move in next door.... haha....

 

 

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On 4/11/2019 at 12:25 PM, NOT A TA said:

Great interview Doug!  I wish I grew up where you did so I'd speak the way you do.

So here's the thing.... my neighbor was in on the joke.... he is the retired boss ( director/producer ) of the radio station that I did the interview on. His former emloyees thought it hilarious that he was on the end of the mound building caper, but I let him on the joke....

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7 hours ago, Palm crazy said:

Took a walk around the pond in West Olympia. 

 

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:greenthumb: Great shots, esp. the Red Wing..

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10 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

:greenthumb: Great shots, esp. the Red Wing..

I tried to get a photo of the red wing when they were flying but didn't come out good. The red feather really puffs out and are quite beautiful when they fly.  Thanks! :D

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On 4/24/2019 at 6:29 AM, Palm crazy said:

I tried to get a photo of the red wing when they were flying but didn't come out good. The red feather really puffs out and are quite beautiful when they fly.  Thanks! :D

I hear ya, ..one big reason my next camera will be something with better capacity for getting good photos of birds.  Red wing Blackbird  is one of my favorite songbirds. Not sure how someone knew this but on my 21st B-day, one of the gifts i received was a pair of wings that had been mounted in a frame. Probably one of the coolest things i have ever received..

There is a park not too far from the house in Gilbert that is a local birders' mecca. There's a lake that is maintained and remains full all year, and several others that act as percolation ponds throughout the year there.. Attracts all sorts of common and rare species of pretty much every bird type you can think of.  If i was staying here, i'd be looking into purchasing one of the larger properties located close to the park itself.  The picture(s) i'd posted of White Pelicans sometime last year ( in the Golden Mesquite thread, if i remember right..) were taken there.  If you're familiar with E-Bird, look up Gilbert Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.. The Species list recorded from there is pretty extensive.

Was reading an article today regarding a very ambitious plan to restore another large segment of the Salt River just south of where Tempe Town Lake is here ( Just east of Sky Harbor / Downtown Phoenix ) and part of the Gila River where it intersects the Salt, west of town.  If even half of the "ideal plan" becomes reality over time, i'm sure it would attract more of the rarer species that atm, are more easily found around Tucson.

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On 4/26/2019 at 6:55 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

I hear ya, ..one big reason my next camera will be something with better capacity for getting good photos of birds.  Red wing Blackbird  is one of my favorite songbirds. Not sure how someone knew this but on my 21st B-day, one of the gifts i received was a pair of wings that had been mounted in a frame. Probably one of the coolest things i have ever received..

There is a park not too far from the house in Gilbert that is a local birders' mecca. There's a lake that is maintained and remains full all year, and several others that act as percolation ponds throughout the year there.. Attracts all sorts of common and rare species of pretty much every bird type you can think of.  If i was staying here, i'd be looking into purchasing one of the larger properties located close to the park itself.  The picture(s) i'd posted of White Pelicans sometime last year ( in the Golden Mesquite thread, if i remember right..) were taken there.  If you're familiar with E-Bird, look up Gilbert Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.. The Species list recorded from there is pretty extensive.

Was reading an article today regarding a very ambitious plan to restore another large segment of the Salt River just south of where Tempe Town Lake is here ( Just east of Sky Harbor / Downtown Phoenix ) and part of the Gila River where it intersects the Salt, west of town.  If even half of the "ideal plan" becomes reality over time, i'm sure it would attract more of the rarer species that atm, are more easily found around Tucson.

Thank you very much for the website, E-bird is an awesome site, never would have found it without your help!  :D

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My pair of Orange Footed Scrub Fowl ( in the Australian vernacular 'Bush Chooks' ) improving on the nesting mound this morning.

 

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First Praying Mantis of the season, hanging out on the Plumeria out front.
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One of the many native Bee sp. here ( Possibly one of the Leaf Cutters ) caught after taking a dip in a Opuntia flower.   Observing them over the time period this particular Prickly Pear was flowering, i noticed some would rest in the flowers until the flower itself had nearly closed just after sunset.
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On 4/29/2019 at 10:44 PM, greysrigging said:

My pair of Orange Footed Scrub Fowl ( in the Australian vernacular 'Bush Chooks' ) improving on the nesting mound this morning.

 

Oooh they're sooo cute! I had to put wire fencing around all of my plants I want to keep mulch under due to my own domestic chooks!

Naples (inland), FL - technically 10a but more like 9b in the winter :hmm:

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One of a few neighborhood visitors i miss seeing from Florida..  White Ibis, Eudocimus albus.  While large flocks like these patrolling the front lawn were a less commonly seen treat, every time i went to Kopsick to collect seed, or just get pictures, there were always at least a couple Ibis hunting for something in the grass or mulch somewhere nearby. Out west we have White Faced Ibis, and increasing amounts of Glossy Ibis. While much rarer, there have been some observations suggesting Whites are apparently slowly expanding their range up the west coast of Baja, or into CA and Southwest AZ from Sonora, Mexico. Numerous other wading birds once considered rare or "accidental" in both states, but common to Florida and the Gulf Coast, have also expanded their territories north lately as well.
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On 5/4/2019 at 4:12 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

One of a few neighborhood visitors i miss seeing from Florida..  White Ibis, Eudocimus albus.  While large flocks like these patrolling the front lawn were a less commonly seen treat, every time i went to Kopsick to collect seed, or just get pictures, there were always at least a couple Ibis hunting for something in the grass or mulch somewhere nearby. Out west we have White Faced Ibis, and increasing amounts of Glossy Ibis. While much rarer, there have been some observations suggesting Whites are apparently slowly expanding their range up the west coast of Baja, or into CA and Southwest AZ from Sonora, Mexico. Numerous other wading birds once considered rare or "accidental" in both states, but common to Florida and the Gulf Coast, have also expanded their territories north lately as well.
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Well, that's something new for me... white Bin Chickens  ! ( Ibis ) Our two local species are called the Straw Necked Ibis and the Australian White Ibis. In Darwin they inhabit the local dumps in the 10's of thousands ( hence the nickname 'Bin Chicken' or 'Tip Turkey'

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There is even a pink colored species I saw in Bali.

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