Couple from the park

[penolta]

Grackles and blackbirds don't have a corner on noise - Florida and Southern California have ideal climates for parrots of all sizes and descriptions, and many have escaped from captivity and become established in noisy breeding colonies - their yammering flocks are really noisy as they fly around raiding fruit trees in neighborhoods. The fig trees on a local college campus bring in so many that their noise disrupts classes at times.

As for Roy's grackles, there is (was?) a combined roost of blackbirds and gracklesupriver fromBaton Rouge at an oxbow lake called False River that had so many birds that they litterally blackened the sky when they came in to roost in the late afternoon!

Roy, the pose of that grackle is priceless! And the pelican landing is a super pic - the ruffled feathers on its back show the turbulence from stalling as it slows for landingand its feet areready for water skiing as it touches down.

[mtngal]

Roy - love your pictures, though I don't envy you your loud birds. There was a flock of parrots occasionally turns up in West L.A. - you always know when they are around. I'm sure many don't like them, but they are a nice break from the usual blackbirds, crows and pigeons.

[robar]

i just setup a flat feeder in the crook of three trees about 20 meters from the back door. hopefully this will attract the smal winter birds here this winter. there are plenty of stages for them also. time will tell.
also just fixed my 500/4.5. well i still have to put it bach together.

roy

[ennacac]

Love the shot of the Pelican Roy.

Tom

[danielchtong]

robar wrote:

scott,
that's exactly what they've done here. one of the links mentions chicago. the electric company here is doing all they can to keep from harming them but it may be a losing battle.. here's another from yesterday. didn't even get out of the car. hey--- it was a drive by shooting... lol

roy

Pict quality-wise is ok considering you were driving. Likely even soft because of camera shake or lens qual. But O man that left hand holding up! Absolutely cool/timely.
Roy you took too many pict.

Daniel

[PinonMesaJon]

Those are Quakers!

Quaker parrots; otherwise known as monk parakeets. I've never seen them in the wild, but have heard lots about them. Also know some people who keep them as pets. Some states outlaw owning them; they're supposed to cause trouble when they get out in nature. Cute little devils.......

[NonEntity1]

Neat shots of the parakeets Roy, the first one looks like a tough shot to focus correctly. The shot of the pelican is great! Super sharp and you caught it at just the right moment.

Tim