Bird watchers

[jebartle]

I'm sure there was a pair of sandpipers in the back yard, isn't that unusual....Any other unusual bird sightings in the Villages?

[Midge538]

BALD EAGLES have been soaring regularly ... above the turkey vultures.

[Ohiogirl]

Saw a bluebird (2 different times the same day) perched on our CYV wall - in the middle of TV (Sabal Chase) and we don't live all that close to a meadow or golf course.

[Bosoxfan]

My backyard is a big horse farm with lots of trees & fields.Everyday I awake to a variety of bird sightings.Here is a list I can think of off the top of my head that I've seen :
Bluebirds-Bluejays-Cardinals-mockingbirds-Morning Doves-House Finches-Gold Finches-Sparrows - Crows-Woodpeckers-Flickers-Sapsuckers-Great Horned Owls-Hawks & A one time sighting of a Bald Eagle ! I wouldn't trade my little piece of paradise for anything!

[HawkeyeBarb]

Another reason to move to TV! Love feeding and watching birds! Hopefully, I will be able to see some different species than we have here in Indiana. Our backyard this morning had sparrows, juncos, chickadees, cardinals, bluejays, nuthatches, titmouse (mice?), starlings, crows, doves and a redtailed hawk flew in and that sent them all in the air! We will usually get woodpeckers, too. Also goldfinches and house finches (purple finches). Would love to see a bluebird...have never seen one here or in Iowa...also am looking forward to seeing "water birds"..herons, etc. What is the most unusual bird you all have seen? I guess an owl here in West Lafayette would qualify for mine.
Love the birds!!

[graciegirl]

I wouldn't know a sandpiper if I fell over him/her. I know I like these different Florida birds, especially the white ones that look real beachy. When we bought our house I started painting large canvases of Florida birds from google images to hang in all the blank spaces.

But I still don't know what they are.

[HawkeyeBarb]

Could those white beachy ones be ibis? I think my daughter's yard was full of them one morning when they lived in Apopka near Orlando. There are a lot of those in Disney World, too! Have to watch above when walking under certain trees in Downtown Disney!

[pooh]

We had two Fulvous Tree Ducks wandering through our back yard. Mighty fine looking ducks...and fortunately, Lucy wasn't around to say, "Those look like pretty good duck trees to me!"

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/psylviaod/ducksadj.jpg

[jebartle]

dumb dumb (that would be me) spelling sightings, sittings, dah!....I like "spell check" cleaning up my typooooos....Ugh!

[swrinfla]

Gracie and Barb:

The white birds are probably either Cattle Egrets or White Ibis. You have to see them fairly close up to tell the difference. The ibis has a long, down-turning beak, wheras the egret's is shorter and straight. Both are around.

Good watching!

SWR
:beer3:

[Whatever]

I'm sure there was a pair of sandpipers in the back yard, isn't that unusual....Any other unusual bird sightings in the Villages?


they could have been killdeer which resemble the sandpiper and can be found away from the water. They will also lay their eggs in the open among rocks that seem to camouflage them.

[jebartle]

they could have been kildeers which resmble the sandpiper and can be found away from the water. They will also lay their eggs in the open among rocks that seem to camofloge them.

they seemed larger than sandpipers but the same appearance....thanks "Whatever".....Hummm!...Let me try that again, Whatever, thanks....giggle...

[skyguy79]

Could those white beachy ones be ibis? I think my daughter's yard was full of them one morning when they lived in Apopka near Orlando. There are a lot of those in Disney World, too! Have to watch above when walking under certain trees in Downtown Disney!In the Tiki Room too?:rolleyes:

[jebartle]

they could have been kildeers which resmble the sandpiper and can be found away from the water. They will also lay their eggs in the open among rocks that seem to camofloge them.


They have a couple of strips under their throat, these did not....Sooooo
not sure.

[villages07]

Recently, I've noticed a lot of seagulls around golf courses, most notably Sandhill. Anybody know why they would be hanging out so far inland?

[pooh]

Recently, I've noticed a lot of seagulls around golf courses, most notably Sandhill. Anybody know why they would be hanging out so far inland?


Gulls come inland for food.
In 1848 locust descended on fields in Salt Lake City. Flocks of gulls arrived and made themselves tasty meals of the hoppers. Here's more of the story...http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/earth-navigators/a-hopping-plague/2931/

[brostholder]

Some of those crow sightings may have been boat tailed grackles.

[Dirigo]

Many bluedirds sitting on the fence in back of the house, kestrel, peregrine falcon (seen by a neighbor), red tailed hawk, turkey vultures, osprey, killdeer, blue jays, sand hill cranes, sparrows, Northern harrier, mocking birds (of course), mourning doves, a coyote, and a bunny. We haven't seen an eagle yet though, but we've only been here three weeks.

BTW- The Villages has an excellent birding club. Both the lovely Diane and I joined last winter. They meet at the Paradise Rec Ctr and have nice outings in the Central Florida area.