[Birdtalk] birding experiences

[Roostertael at aol.com]

Hi,
 
A couple of things. 
 
Huntington, McDougal and I started our new list Monday. One unusual  sighting 
was a fly over by a White-faced Ibis at Farmington Bay. (or was it a  
Glossy?) 
 
Oh, and my first bird of the year was a Mourning Dove. 
 
I was going to write one fun experience but last night reminded me of  
another. I was standing at my sliding glass door last night, when several  Mourning 
Doves landed on my platform feeder. One landed on the deck rail. I  started to 
back up slowly as to not scare it when it flattened itself on the  rail. I 
thought it was watching me, but it flew down to the deck and out the  bottom as 
a Cooper's Hawk came over the top of the rail. It missed, but just  barely. 
 
I guess my # 2 birding experience was when I was setting up my camera on my  
deck to take some photos of hummingbirds. The lens has a focal length of 4  
meters, so I was making sure it would focus on the feeder when I felt something  
brush by my left shoulder. I turned to see a Cooper's Hawk chasing a  
hummingbird. It missed because the hummer made it to the neighbors Austrian pine  
just in the nick of time. Every time I think of that, I wonder what I would have  
done if I had not been looking through the camera. If I would have had to go, 
I  might have. 
 
My number 1 had to be the arrival of the female Rufous Hummingbird that  
graced me with her presence almost the whole month of November. I have a feeder  
by my kitchen window that I can see while I am watching television. I was  
watching the early news when I caught a glimpse of a hummingbird at the feeder.  I 
exploded out of the chair and my dogs thought we were being attacked. They 
ran  out the pet door barking and scared the bird away. I was sure that it had 
to be  an Anna's that late in the year and I had noticed a central spot as it 
flew  away. I went back in the living room and waited. She showed up again and 
just my  movement to get closer scared her away. I went downstairs and got my 
binoculars  out of the safe and waited. Not too long and she arrived at the 
feeder. Maybe a  little disappointment on her not being an Anna's, but that soon 
faded into  excitement each day when I got home and she was still there. I 
will never know  if she finally migrated or perished during those 4 degree 
nights we had. Quite  an emotional roller-coaster. I am not sure if I will have a 
feeder up late next  year or not.
 
Happy New Year to all,
 
Jack Binch
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