Seagull vs octopus
They met, and one became the other’s lunch murder victim. Can you guess which way the battle ended? BirdFellow has the story, complete with photographs.
Filed in birds,sea creatures One Response so far
Archive for the 'birds' Category
On raven communication
Here’s something to ponder next time you hear ravens calling. From the New York Times: Ravens Can Recognize Old Friends, and Foes, Too. Ravens have the ability to recognize old friends, a new study reports. And just like humans, they react negatively when seeing a foe. [continue] I’m convinced they think Dog is a foe. [...]
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Plastic pollution and birds
Are there still golf balls washing up now and again on Whalebone Beach? And are you still finding plastic on the beach, too? If you’ve ever needed a reason for packing up that stuff and taking it home, surely this will be it: Coming to Grips with Plastic Pollution, One Bird at a Time.
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Caring for the birds
This week’s Sounder has an article about the hiring of contractors and sub-trades for Fire Hall construction. This is the part I like: Fire Chief Rick Jackson said he had been considering getting the site cleaned up sooner, but there are currently birds using the piles of debris for nesting. Come June, once the nestlings [...]
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When the herring spawn
The herring are spawning all around Gabriola, and that leads to scenes of nautical magic as huge numbers of birds and sea creatures gobble lunch and cavort past the beach. Have you been down to watch it all? Cheryl has, and she sent us this photo: Isn’t that stunning? This is even better: a close-up [...]
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island,sea creatures 5 Comments so far
How birds navigate
Here’s something to ponder next time you watch the shore birds flit about at Drumbeg. From physorg.com: Birds evolved compass ‘head up display’. It’s well known that birds, such as the European Robin, can detect the Earth’s magnetic field in order to help them navigate on long migratory flights. This ‘compass’ sense must be associated [...]
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That bird
I read something a few months back about progress in digital camera technology. I think the upshot was that tiny cameras will soon have the shutter speed and quality we’re used to in big and expensive digital cameras. (And do you think I can find the article now? No, I can’t. Though this is awfully [...]
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island 11 Comments so far
Regiment of robins
John Peirce has written to ask: I have been surprised by the dozens of robins all around our place at the south end. I’d be curious to hear the birders explain their sudden appearance in great numbers. Does this mean spring is really on the way? (Posted with John’s permission.) What do you think, Gabriola [...]
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island One Response so far
Ravens use gestures
From physorg.com: ‘Look at that!’ — ravens use gestures, too. For two years, Simone Pika und Thomas Bugnyar investigated the non-vocal behaviour of individually marked members of a wild raven community in the Cumberland Wildpark in Grünau, Austria. They observed that ravens use their beaks similar to hands to show and offer objects such as [...]
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How hummingbirds cope with wet weather
Your comments on previous hummingbird posts show me that some of you are rather taken with these birds. So don’t miss what the BBC has for you: Hummingbirds shake their heads to deal with rain. They’ve got video and everything. They explain: Slow-motion footage has revealed how a hovering hummingbird is able to cope with [...]
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Turkeys here, turkeys elsewhere
How often have you stopped to let a flock of turkeys cross the road? As you pause and let the birds go by, remember that other communities have feral turkey flocks, too. [continue] The nerve! Now, by the way: are there any laws that would prohibit the catching and eating of wild turkeys on Gabriola? [...]
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Eagle at Drumbeg
A Gabriola photographer (and blog reader) spotted an eagle sitting in a tree at Drumbeg the other day. She sent us this photo:
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island One Response so far
On woodpeckers and their brains
We’ve got several kinds of woodpeckers on Gabriola, including my favourite, the pileated woodpecker. If you’ve ever watched and heard them peck (or listened from your bed as they attack your metal chimney at 6 am), you might wonder how they manage to do all that pecking without addling their brains. The BBC explains: How [...]
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island One Response so far
Playing the birds
Do we have sets of five wires anywhere on Gabriola? If so, this seems like a fantastically fun thing for local musicians to try: playing the musical score created by birds who sit on those wires.
The caring owl
You’ve read lots about Gabriola owls and local owls. Now on to South Africa for a remarkable account (with photos) of a rescued owl, now all healed up and free to fly, who returns to the rescue to feed another owl, a cat, and a human. (!) From The Owl Pages: The Caring Owl.
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People smuggle hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds flit about Gabriola in the warm months, and (I suppose) flit somewhere else the rest of the time. They’re wild, of course, as they should be. Have you ever heard of people catching and smuggling hummingbirds? Now you have. Tai-wiki-widbee has the story and photos: Hummingbird smuggler caught with his pants down.
Filed in birds 6 Comments so far
Gabriola’s road-cleaner
When a squirrel gets squished in the middle of North Road, who removes the remains and cleans up the mess? Raven, of course. Here’s Raven in the evening light, having just finished a snack of squirrel.
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Whose feather, Gabriola?
Now this is a handsome feather, and I’m wondering what sort of bird it belonged to. Owl, maybe? What do you think?
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island 6 Comments so far
