Showing posts with label Birdwatching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birdwatching. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Lonely Planet: "No, I'm not a 'twitcher'!"

I saw the item in my paper.li website (Retire in Style Daily News).  The Top 10 Destination for Twitchers. Was that something I should know about?  Am I a twitcher?  I know that there is a term "curtain twitcher" for people that peek through their curtains so they can keep an eye on the neighbors.  I knew that I was not one of them. If I want to know what the neighbors are doing, I go out in the front yard and ask. I was fairly sure Lonely Planet was not talking about that variety of twitcher.



It turns out a twitcher is a bird watcher of the rare variety. They travel around the world looking for rare birds and adding the name to their list of said rare birds seen.  It is a kind of rare competition I think.  The article in Lonely Planet had some comments from people that I wouldn't want to meet...sort of mean and cross.  Evidently LP offended them in some way! Bird watcher really need for those of us that don't (watch birds) to straighten up.

However, since I live with a Dr. Doolittle that loves birds, I have had some pretty unusual experiences with our feathered friends.  See, my husband is the kind of guy that can get a bird to sit on his finger if he wants.  When we sit in the back yard he calls the hummingbirds and they come to the feeder to drink as we watch them. Their clicking can be heard as soon as we open the door. They will come in our park model living room in Arizona. If our bedroom window is open they will fly to the window to look at us.

We had a mourning dove come sit on our front porch in Arizona after a Road Runner had eaten her babies. We had chased the carnivorous bird away from the nest several times. She was sure my husband could get them back I think. It broke my heart.
Source: google.com via Barbara on Pinterest




On the other hand, we would never travel anywhere to find a bird. I don't think either one of us actually believes that we could find the birds.  Besides, why would be do that when the birds come to us? And, honestly, bird watchers that are very serious scare me a little bit. Especially if they are a twitcher.

b

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Arizona...Cold weather and Hummingbirds!

Black-chinned Hummingbird -- Moab, Utah, USAImage via Wikipedia
Murphy's Mom Blog
If your are thinking you are cold, take a look at this very cold armadillo caught on the grill of  Murphy's Mom car grill in Amarillo TX.  Check out this blog to see what she has to say.

This weather is so hard on animals.  We forget because, even when the car is iced over, our homes can be kept at an endurable temperature.  Even here in Arizona we see our hummingbirds are suffering from the cold.  They eat large quantities of food but rest in the sun as often a possible.  I see on a garden blog that the cold water in the feeder may be doing more harm good.  I will warm the water and take the feeder in at night so it won't be so cold tomorrow.   We leave our ourdoor lights on at night so they can roost near them if they choose.  Let it be said that we are trying to help as much as possible without interfering with nature....well maybe we do just a little!

Hummingbirds are cranky little territorial critters and will do war over the least intrusion into their world.  This cold weather has them zooming in their airspace and taunting each other.  We face south so our water gets warm quicker and the sun heats the front of our park model.  We have the hummingbird feeder of choice.  The hummingbirds are even following us down the street on our way to our mailbox...I guess they are a little suspicious of our activities and motives!

Blog links to Hummingbirds and other Desert Creatures

Have a wonderful day!

b


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