Birds in your garden

[AjarnNorth]

Kind of an interesting experience I think.

I have a habit of playing recordings in the early morning while I am watering my garden, feeding my ducks and fish and the like.

I have some good sized speakers outside so I can hear them all over the property,

I often play recordings of things like meditation bells, or rain storms ( I know, I'm strange )

Recently I started playing recordings of things like birds of the rain forest.

On about the third morning, I noticed the Myna birds were mimicking the calls of the birds of the rain forest !

Where do you live? And what kind of Myna? Hill Mynas are amazing mimics. I had one near my place here in Chonburi where i run and it would mimic sirens and often call with what sounded like a human saying "Wow!" Common and White-vented are most common here and they seem to to mimic so much.

[willyumiii]

Kind of an interesting experience I think.

I have a habit of playing recordings in the early morning while I am watering my garden, feeding my ducks and fish and the like.

I have some good sized speakers outside so I can hear them all over the property,

I often play recordings of things like meditation bells, or rain storms ( I know, I'm strange )

Recently I started playing recordings of things like birds of the rain forest.

On about the third morning, I noticed the Myna birds were mimicking the calls of the birds of the rain forest !

Where do you live? And what kind of Myna? Hill Mynas are amazing mimics. I had one near my place here in Chonburi where i run and it would mimic sirens and often call with what sounded like a human saying "Wow!" Common and White-vented are most common here and they seem to to mimic so much. here a

I live on the outskirts of Chok Chai, about 30 km south of Korat.

I do not know what kind of myna they are, but there are quite a few of them.

[dick dasterdly]

Saw my first Indian Roller of the year, in the garden.

Sitting on a branch and diving on insects in the lawn.

Where do you live? Indian Rollers should be common year round throughout most of Thailand.

Having read these posts, I think I've been misidentifying some Indian Rollers as Kingfishers!

[dick dasterdly]

No 50 on patch list is Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker(female). Managed to confirm ID today with a few rushed snaps. Too quick and too small for any keepers. Attached are for ID only!

A long time ago I mentioned a tiny, fast bird feeding on aphids (?) on the trailing plant around the patio. Another possible identification.

Thanks everyone for all the 'photos!

[jak2002003]

Kind of an interesting experience I think.

I have a habit of playing recordings in the early morning while I am watering my garden, feeding my ducks and fish and the like.

I have some good sized speakers outside so I can hear them all over the property,

I often play recordings of things like meditation bells, or rain storms ( I know, I'm strange )

Recently I started playing recordings of things like birds of the rain forest.

On about the third morning, I noticed the Myna birds were mimicking the calls of the birds of the rain forest !

Great... but that is going to make some bird watchers confused when they hear the strange bird calls and can't ID them!

You never know... the mynah birds may spread this new 'language' all around Thailand. I will keep my ears out for some exotic bird calls coming soon.

[BLACKJACK2]

Quick list of my easily identifiable birds

Greater coucal

Common myna

Red jungle fowl

Rock pigeon

Ashy drongo

Dollar bird

Collared scops owl

Oriental magpie robin

Greater racket tailed drongo

White throated kingfisher

Spotted dove

Baya weaver

Spotted owlet

Loads of others but it's hard to get a positive I'd, enjoying trying though

Edited June 23, 2016 by BLACKJACK2

[Skeptic7]

Snapped these Indian Rollers from my 5th floor lanai a couple weeks ago. Not up to the standards of you other posters, but worth sharing i hope. I especially like the photo bombing White-vented Myna!

[Goldieinkathu]

White-Breasted Waterhen. Not new to the patch but have been trying to get a photograph for ages. The birds are very shy, skulking and nervous! Got this shot from 1st floor terrace when the bird ventured into the open for a couple of minutes.

Here's one of it's offspring, I found it in the middle of a road the strangest looking chick I've ever seen, it's legs were really long!

[Goldieinkathu]

Here's a few pics of some birds in my garden over the years:

[isanbirder]

Skeptic7.... Indian Rollers are traditionally hole-nesters, but in my area there are few available holes, so they take over disused Mynahs' nests. That may explain the antagonism!

[AjarnNorth]

Goldieinkathu where do you live? No address necessary... I mean general area. And did you need IDs on any of those photos? All pretty easy except for the fledglings which at first glance all I can say is probably one of the bulbuls.

[Bredbury Blue]

^the first one is a Kookaburra ;-)

[AjarnNorth]

^the first one is a Kookaburra ;-)

Clearly. And the second is a pterodactyl.

[thetefldon]

Got a decent shot of one of the Racket-Tailed Treepies that visit the garden a couple of days ago. Hadn't seen them for a while then this one turned up for a drink.

[Goldieinkathu]

Goldieinkathu where do you live? No address necessary... I mean general area. And did you need IDs on any of those photos? All pretty easy except for the fledglings which at first glance all I can say is probably one of the bulbuls.

Phuket. I know what they all are thanks, the first is a white-throated kingfisher, comes every day. The second is a Barn owl that nests up the road, the chicks are yellow vented Bulbul's and the last is a Bee-eater .

[Goldieinkathu]

Oops, the last is a Coppersmith Barbet - my bad.

[KarenBravo]

^the first one is a Kookaburra ;-)

Same family (Kingfishers).

[AjarnNorth]

Forgot to include this in my yard list - from about two years ago - I have it as Japanese Sparrowhawk but am willing to hear dissent on that. I have Shikra near daily and know full well that Shikra is the default accipiter whenin doubt, but i was fairly certain on this and now have to read again to remember why. Anybody? If i have it right, that would be 87 for the yard list.

[Goldieinkathu]

^the first one is a Kookaburra ;-)

Same family (Kingfishers).

[isanbirder]

Forgot to include this in my yard list - from about two years ago - I have it as Japanese Sparrowhawk but am willing to hear dissent on that. I have Shikra near daily and know full well that Shikra is the default accipiter whenin doubt, but i was fairly certain on this and now have to read again to remember why. Anybody? If i have it right, that would be 87 for the yard list.

From that view, I would have to say Shikra.

[AjarnNorth]

Forgot to include this in my yard list - from about two years ago - I have it as Japanese Sparrowhawk but am willing to hear dissent on that. I have Shikra near daily and know full well that Shikra is the default accipiter whenin doubt, but i was fairly certain on this and now have to read again to remember why. Anybody? If i have it right, that would be 87 for the yard list.

From that view, I would have to say Shikra.

I see Shikra nearly every day at very close range and have dozens and dozens of pics of them... on my TV antenna, on trees next to my house, even have photos of a Juv trying desperately to get into a "cruelty free" rat trap (with a live rat in it) on a table in my neighbor's yard. The minute I saw this bird my mind said "not Shikra." First reason - "Jizz." Second, it was perched far closer to the ground than I ever see Shikra. I will try and dig up any other photos I may have of it, but for starters... Shikra, as per Round and all sightings I have, "densely-barred pale rufous" with females "underparts with broader cinnamon-brown barring." This bird has very narrow bars and they were/are dark brown. Also on J. Saprrowhawk, Round notes that females (this is clearly a female accipiter) "Entire underparts whitish, narrowly barred dark brown." Also notes that J. Sparrowhawk "In all plumages, from Besra by mesial throat stripe either faint or lacking." This is a very close range shot and still mesial stripe still very faint. My Robson is at work so I will check that later, but I do not think this is a Shikra.

Edited June 29, 2016 by AjarnNorth

[AjarnNorth]

Ooops. Should also note that the bird in question was seen in late March and Round's big book on Central Thailand notes that J. Sparrowhawk often outnumbers Shikra in the area from during Spring and autumn migration and this bird was seen in late March, fight in the middle of Autumn migration for J. Sparrowhawk. But really it's the narrow dark brown barring that I think pegs it.

[Skeptic7]

Forgot to include this in my yard list - from about two years ago - I have it as Japanese Sparrowhawk but am willing to hear dissent on that. I have Shikra near daily and know full well that Shikra is the default accipiter whenin doubt, but i was fairly certain on this and now have to read again to remember why. Anybody? If i have it right, that would be 87 for the yard list.

From that view, I would have to say Shikra.

By no means the final word, as I'm not much familiar with Asian accipiters. However, am very familiar with American accipiters...specifically Cooper's & Sharp-shinned hawks. When I first started birding decades ago, my mentor was and still is an amazing birder, bugger, photographer and all around naturalist and has several excellent books published on said topics. Anyway he used to quiz me on accipiters. One day I just called out Sharp-shinned hawk. As usual he asked why? I said it just is. Even though correct, he said I wasn't experienced enough yet to just say that. Hadn't seen enough of them. FF a year and he accepted my calls at face value.

That's "jizz". Once you've seen them enough and done the homework and field work, you just know what it is or isn't. After reading AJN's description, studying his pic, consulting field guides and other sources and truly understanding "jizz"...

...i say #87. Japanese Sparrowhawk

[AjarnNorth]

For those unfamiliar with the term "jizz," here's a link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizz_(birding)

And it should be noted that Isanbirder taught me tons about birding in my fist couple years when I made some miscalls which now seem hilarious to me. He also introduced me to the term "jizz"...as well as ID'd Collared Scops Owl for me by call while staying at my place in Surin one night, a call I was previously unfamiliar with but notice always now, as well as spotting the first Common Coot from my terrace overlooking Huai Saneng reservoir, Surin.

When you can look at a small silhouette from a 100 yards away and know beyond doubt what it is, that's jizz. When you flush a snipe and can tell by how and how far it flies whether it's a pintail or a common, that's also jizz.

When it comes to accipiters, oh boy, big problems. But like I said, all my senses told me right away "not Shikra" and the reasons were size, color, the fact that it was well in the the forest and covered whereas usually my Shikras like to perch high and in plain sight, and etc. And i wouldn't have ID's as such back then without significant reading and resarch and reviewing the same reading and research today still feel it's a J Sph. But accipiters are some of the hardest to differentiate so I am perfectly ready to be wrong, but if I am wrong I need some reasons why.

[thetefldon]

On a wet morning in Phetchabun "my" female Scarlet Backed Flowerpecker turned up with her mate so now have a pair. Poor light for photgraphy but I got a few.

Most say the bloke knocks spots off the lady!

[isanbirder]

For those unfamiliar with the term "jizz," here's a link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizz_(birding)

And it should be noted that Isanbirder taught me tons about birding in my fist couple years when I made some miscalls which now seem hilarious to me. He also introduced me to the term "jizz"...as well as ID'd Collared Scops Owl for me by call while staying at my place in Surin one night, a call I was previously unfamiliar with but notice always now, as well as spotting the first Common Coot from my terrace overlooking Huai Saneng reservoir, Surin.

When you can look at a small silhouette from a 100 yards away and know beyond doubt what it is, that's jizz. When you flush a snipe and can tell by how and how far it flies whether it's a pintail or a common, that's also jizz.

When it comes to accipiters, oh boy, big problems. But like I said, all my senses told me right away "not Shikra" and the reasons were size, color, the fact that it was well in the the forest and covered whereas usually my Shikras like to perch high and in plain sight, and etc. And i wouldn't have ID's as such back then without significant reading and resarch and reviewing the same reading and research today still feel it's a J Sph. But accipiters are some of the hardest to differentiate so I am perfectly ready to be wrong, but if I am wrong I need some reasons why.

I've only seen Japanese Sparrowhawks once, a small party right out in the open in the middle of a rice paddy. My reaction to the picture was to go for default. In addition, this bird has a mesial throat stripe, which Round says is faint or absent in Jap SH.

Edited June 29, 2016 by isanbirder

[AjarnNorth]

For those unfamiliar with the term "jizz," here's a link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizz_(birding)

And it should be noted that Isanbirder taught me tons about birding in my fist couple years when I made some miscalls which now seem hilarious to me. He also introduced me to the term "jizz"...as well as ID'd Collared Scops Owl for me by call while staying at my place in Surin one night, a call I was previously unfamiliar with but notice always now, as well as spotting the first Common Coot from my terrace overlooking Huai Saneng reservoir, Surin.

When you can look at a small silhouette from a 100 yards away and know beyond doubt what it is, that's jizz. When you flush a snipe and can tell by how and how far it flies whether it's a pintail or a common, that's also jizz.

When it comes to accipiters, oh boy, big problems. But like I said, all my senses told me right away "not Shikra" and the reasons were size, color, the fact that it was well in the the forest and covered whereas usually my Shikras like to perch high and in plain sight, and etc. And i wouldn't have ID's as such back then without significant reading and resarch and reviewing the same reading and research today still feel it's a J Sph. But accipiters are some of the hardest to differentiate so I am perfectly ready to be wrong, but if I am wrong I need some reasons why.

I've only seen Japanese Sparrowhawks once, a small party right out in the open in the middle of a rice paddy. My reaction to the picture was to go for default. In addition, this bird has a mesial throat stripe, which Round says is faint or absent in Jap SH.

I would suggest that the mesial throat stripe in this pic is faint - this is a close range photo and still rather faint - and also note that Robson adds that in the case of female J. Sparrowhawk (in comparison to male) "more prominent mesial streak and more obviously barred underparts."

[isanbirder]

I would hate to have to put any money on it either way!

[thetefldon]

No 51 on patch list this AM. Yellow-vented Bulbul. Brief sighting in garden but easy to recognise with B+W head.

Been an active morning bird wise with three Scarlet-Backed Flowerpeckers, one looks like juvenile male, turning up. Also had a visit from a Black Shouldered Kite-being mobbed by Mynas and an unidentifed small raptor flyover.

I even managed to accidentally disturbed a Grey-Breasted Prinia nest whilst weeding- about half a metre off ground and a simple cup fasioned from a large leaf, bloody stupid place for a nest Three eggs and a really quite large chick......wonder could it be a brood parasite-Plaintive Cuckoo?. I haven't photographed it as I didn't want to disturb birds more. They seem OK as I confirmed Grey-Breasted Prinia when the birds started feeding the chick after I had returned things as they were.

Photograph of Yellow Vented BulBul from old patch just down road.

[thetefldon]

Another shot of the Racket Tailed Treepie who is hanging out in the garden a fair bit just lately.