Guest guest Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Today I was putting some fresh food out for the birds and squirrels. Just after exiting the door, I heard the "Kreeee!" of the hawk. Looking back over the house, I say one and then another. It was interesting to watch them fly in the heavy winds. Moving side to side or with the wind they didn't have any real problem and facing into the wind they could hover and do a fair job of holding station. But they had a unique means of flying into the wind. As I watched, they would climb a bit either by beating the wings or using the wind to push them up. Once they climbed a bit, they would tuck their wings and dive forward and down a short distance. They would then pop out their wings and swoop up again using the momentum to move forward into the wind and regain some altitude. Unfortunately, by the time I got back outside with my camera to film this, they had flown on. At least with them gone the squirrels came out. Where moments before there were none, suddenly there were 5 around the feeders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 In a message dated 1/30/2006 12:07:07 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, mikecarrie01@... writes: I love watching birds fly, dive, drop and land and the different ways each variety has. I can see that they get enjoyment out of flying, as well. We always think of the prey birds diving and dropping, but have you ever seen how quickly a 'lowly' sparrow drops? I also like how the chickadee flys in a quick wave-like way. Yes, I have watched birds fly many times. That's interesting what you say about the chickadees because I have noticed that too. What they do is flap a few times to gain a little altitude and speed, then rest as they coast and drop some, then repeat. I've been feeding the birds here for years, so long that many types will wait in the trees while I fill the feeder and come to it before I'm even back in the house. One problem we have is that the birds will fly around the house very close to it. A number of times I have been coming in or out of the house or just standing near the bushes when one of them has come careening around the corner and come so close I could hear their wing beats and sometimes feel the wind. On the funny side, they almost always let out a startled chirp, probably much like the way humans cuss when they are surprised. I haven't been hit yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 I love watching birds fly, dive, drop and land and the different ways each variety has. I can see that they get enjoyment out of flying, as well. We always think of the prey birds diving and dropping, but have you ever seen how quickly a 'lowly' sparrow drops? I also like how the chickadee flys in a quick wave-like way. > > Today I was putting some fresh food out for the birds and squirrels. Just > after exiting the door, I heard the " Kreeee! " of the hawk. Looking back over > the house, I say one and then another. It was interesting to watch them fly in > the heavy winds. > > Moving side to side or with the wind they didn't have any real problem and > facing into the wind they could hover and do a fair job of holding station. But > they had a unique means of flying into the wind. As I watched, they would > climb a bit either by beating the wings or using the wind to push them up. Once > they climbed a bit, they would tuck their wings and dive forward and down a > short distance. They would then pop out their wings and swoop up again using > the momentum to move forward into the wind and regain some altitude. > > Unfortunately, by the time I got back outside with my camera to film this, > they had flown on. At least with them gone the squirrels came out. Where > moments before there were none, suddenly there were 5 around the feeders. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 " That's interesting what you say > about the chickadees because I have noticed that too. What they do is flap a few > times to gain a little altitude and speed, then rest as they coast and drop > some, then repeat. " Oh. I'm glad you have good eyes because they are too fast for me to have seen that. I'll have to look again to see if I notice the progression. > " I've been feeding the birds here for years, so long that many types will > wait in the trees while I fill the feeder and come to it before I'm even back in > the house. " I've seen them wait in the trees while I fill the feeder, too. Sometimes if I stay outside after I fill it, some of them squawk irritatedly! " One problem we have is that the birds will fly around the house > very close to it. A number of times I have been coming in or out of the house > or just standing near the bushes when one of them has come careening around > the corner and come so close I could hear their wing beats and sometimes feel > the wind. On the funny side, they almost always let out a startled chirp, > probably much like the way humans cuss when they are surprised. I haven't been > hit yet though. " That's funny. It seems like they get too comfortable. I can never feel too confident that they'll get out of the way of my car, because of this overconfidence or lack of sufficient care on their part that ends up doing some of them in, but I guess it weeds out the not-so- smart or not-so-careful birds. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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