WILMINGTON ~ JULY 2011

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:45 pm

Greg, I think the light was playing tricks on us because you can see in other pictures that the bill is small.

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:47 pm

Greg Inskip · **Joined:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:47 pm **Posts:** 1081

Well, a long way around the block for a mourning dove.

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:55 pm

Do MODO's have light legs/feet and bill?

Greybird · **Joined:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:21 am **Posts:** 21

I think modos have reddish legs and feet.

Greg Inskip · **Joined:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:47 pm **Posts:** 1081

Kim Steininger wrote:

Do MODO's have light legs/feet and bill?

This bird has pointed wings, a brown back and black spots on that back. That looks like mourning dove to me. The falcons kill many of them each week, so that's how I'll use my second chance.

First picture still looks like a kingfisher, though.

SusanE · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:23 pm

Interesting discussion about the prey in Kim's fantastic pictures, technically correct or not. :wink:

Got a good laugh at Greybird's wolf whistler. :mrgreen:

We were here yesterday (Thursday) morning from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.:

View of 2 hack boxes from the North Overlook:

The view the kids have from their cliff boxes (I think the dark spot is a TV):

Closer view of box #2 where most of the action occurred. Here, they are eating at around 9:40 a.m.:

More tomorrow after I go through my pictures and compose my notes.

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:37 pm

Thanks for sharing those Susan! I was going to ask some questions but I just re-read your post and it looks like there's more to come tomorrow so I will try to be patient. :)

Jane · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:06 pm

Glad to hear the Modo issue has been resolved. Susan, those are some beautiful pictures you posted on here. Were you there on vacation or snooping around, or both? Is that Grandview place right near the New River Gorge Bridge? If so, I've been at that overlook many years ago.

catwoman · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:17 pm

Thanks for the great photos, Kim & Susan & the interesting discussion on what the prey was this morning. Susan, I will also be looking forward to seeing more photos & hearing more about your trip! They do have a beautiful view outside their box--I'd sure like a home with that view! :smile:

REENIE · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:57 pm **Posts:** 19893

THANKS FOR ALL THE POSTS TODAY AND PICTURES! YES KIM, KEEP THEM COMING. I KNOW THE FEELING, BEEN THERE AND SEEN ALOT OF ACTION EARLY MORNINGS IN HBG AND IT'S A SHAME THE LIGHT ISN'T THERE :-(

BUT WE WILL TAKE WHATEVER YOU GOT :-)

LOVE THE WOLF WHISTLER, JUST BEAUTIFUL! FUNNY TOO!

FUNNY, MY FIRST GUESS OF THAT BIRD WAS A MODO WITH SOME FEATHER OR SOMETHING STUCK ON IT'S BEAK MAKING THE BEAK LOOK BIG. BUT WHAT DO I KNOW? I GET LITTLE MODOS IN MY YARD EVERY YEAR, SO CUTE. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME EVER IN MY YARD, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS A BABY MODO, LOL!

CorvaCXVI · **Posted:** Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:51 pm

The wolf-whistler is a beautiful bird! I like the idea that birds can have a sense of humor.

Great discussion about the ID of the prey in Kim's picture. I'm no where near as able to identify as others, so I have nothing to offer.

I can't wait to read more from Susan and see more of her pictures!

Thanks everyone for the day's posts and pictures.

REENIE · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:57 pm **Posts:** 19893

KIM GOT DOWNTOWN AT 4:45 AM! ALL WAS QUIET UNTIL 5AM WHEN BOTH KIDS JUST STARTED SCREAMING. THEY WERE BOTH ON THE ROOF OF THE BW BLDG.

5:06 KIDS ARE CHASING EACH OTHER.

5:09 SOMEONE LANDED ON THE ROOF, NOT SURE IF IT'S ONE OF THE BOYS OR AN ADULT, NO SCREAMING NOW.

5:26 BOTH KIDS SITTING PATIENTLY ON ROOF OF BW BLDG.

5:31 AN ADULT CAME IN AND LEFT SOMETHING ON LEDGE SHE THOUGHT, BUT BOTH KIDS ARE SCREAMING.

5:32 SHE HEARD AN ADULT CALLING FROM THE EAST.

5:34 ONE BOY EATING, ONE BOY SCREAMING.

5:36 RG ON HER PERCH ON 1201. SHE'S PROBABLY TELLING CJ TO QUIT PREENING AND BRING HOME SOME BREAKFAST!!

5:39 BOTH KIDS SCREAMING AGAIN AND CJ JUST FLEW TOWARD SHERATON.

5:50 ONE OF THE BOYS JUST FLEW WITH HIS BREAKFAST TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE ROOF.

5:58 RG JUST DID A FOOD DROP! GOT PICS, BUT KINDA FAR AWAY (WE KNOW THEY WILL BE GOOD ONES :-)

)

6:25 ALL HAS BEEN QUIET. CJ IS PREENING (AGAIN) ON BW BLDG AND SHE THINKS KIDS ARE ON WT BLDG.

6:53 CJ HAS GONE AFTER SOMETHING 3 TIMES BUT SHE DOESN'T THINK HE'S CAUGHT ANYTHING. OR AT LEAST HE'S FLOWN OFF AND COME BACK.

Jane · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:02 am

Wow, what a great report from Kim this morning. Certainly is the early bird. 4:45 is an hour I'm generally not familiar with!

Faith · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:27 am

Wow! What wonderful happenings yesterday and all the educational commentary.
Thank's to Greg, Jane, Kim, and other's that continue to educate me.

Love the Wolf Whistler! And the Barking Parakeet! So Cute!!

Kim, we will take ANY and ALL of your Pictures. Just fantastic. You do get the best of the best early in the morning. Even with Our backyard birds, Morning is the best!

SusanE, WOW you have "in person" pictures of the Gorge. SO GREAT! Makes Me a little Sad though, but grateful for all the Falcon's from the bridges that have a chance there.

REENIE · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:57 pm **Posts:** 19893

MORE FROM KIM AND I WILL BE POSTING A VIDEO WHENEVER IT GETS DONE OF SOME OF IT :-)

10:13 BOTH RG AND CJ IN NESTBOX EECHUPPING.

10:15 BOTH KIDS SCREAMING FROM ROOF OF BW BLDG WHILE RG AND CJ ARE DOING THEIR THING IN THE NESTBOX.

10:17 KID FLEW IN NESTBOX AND RG LEFT SHORTLY AFTER.

10:18 KID ON LEDGE AND THEN WENT BACK INSIDE.

10:19 CJ AND KID ON LEDGE

10:21 CJ FLEW TO A LEDGE ON THE BLDG.

10:23 KID JUST FLEW AROUND THE BLDG.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

Reenie...these are probably pics of your description above...Can't wait for your video as I only caught the end of this...

REENIE · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:57 pm **Posts:** 19893

HERE'S THE VIDEO. FALCONS WERE ALL OVER THAT BOX, LOL! I WOULD HAVE MISSED IT TOO IF KIM DIDN'T SEND A TEXT MSG TO GET ME BACK TO THE COMPUTER!

MORE UPDATES FROM KIM:

10:43 CJ JUST FLEW LIKE HE WAS GOING AFTER SOMETHING BUT THEN HE CIRCLED BACK.

10:44 ONE BOY JUST CHASED CJ AWAY.

SusanE · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:41 am

The decision to make a quick trip to visit relatives in West Virginia this past week caused me to check the map for proximity of the New River Gorge. Surprisingly, it was just too close to our route NOT to take advantage of a side trip on the way home.

7:30 a.m. – Arrived. Dense fog. Gorgeous blooming rhododendrons.
Here are signs warning hikers to respect the hack locations:

8:00 a.m. – Heard the first juvenile.
8:05 a.m. – Saw another juvenile fly out of tree top. Multiple juveniles vocalizing now.
8:20 a.m. – Saw one juvenile chase another.
8:30 a.m. – Three or four flying now. Train whistle sounded. Train runs along the river.
8:45 a.m. – Fog nearly gone.
9:00 a.m. – Lots of alarm calls. A man appears at box #2, messes around with the top of the box, then with the tray. Looks like he is tying prey to the feeding tray. (red arrow points to the guy; blue arrow is where he later appeared to tie the prey)

When the guy there, naturally all the kids flew out to nearby trees. They seem to prefer a long branch of a pine tree to the right as well as various branches of a pine tree to the left of the box.

Close-up of pine branch at right with 2 juvies:

The most I spotted at any one time was about 10. For the most part, they are flying pretty close to the hack box, out and back or out to one of the nearby branches. A few are flying farther out and around the bend out of sight, but still fairly close to the trees. No one had ventured out toward the river.

9:30 a.m. – Turkey Vultures (TVs) seen circling at a lower level over the river.
9:40 a.m. – Juveniles are eating now and lots of vocalizations. They came in slowly, but ultimately there were maybe 7-8 eating together.
10:00 a.m. – Lots of juvenile vocals – kakking, hoarse begging sounds, and normal begging sounds. (When I say “begging” it is that sound like “rah, rah, rah.”)
10:10 a.m. – Heard eechupp! A few minutes later, heard it again! Sounded like an adult, but I was not in a position to see. The juveniles suddenly became quiet and my husband saw a bird swiftly fly across our line of sight, but too fast to see who/what it was.
10:20 a.m. – Saw a bird (about the same size as the juveniles) soaring, circling higher and higher, met up with a second bird and they both finally soared out of sight. No juveniles had been seen that high when we were there, so I do not know what that was – hawk? Adult PF? TV? The juvies were quiet and no one flying during this time.

10:45 a.m. – Juvies still quiet, but there were several large birds perched in the pine tree to the left of box #2. I believe they were TVs. Several juvies sitting quietly on/near box #2.
10:50 a.m. – A couple of juvies flew out to the pine branch at right. The group of large birds in the other tree have dispersed.
11:00 a.m. – Juvies are vocalizing again now; 3 on pine branch at right; 5-6 sitting on/near box.

Here is a close-up of box #1. All the activity centered around box #2, but I wonder if there were juvies in box 1 waiting to be released . . . ?

This is a span of the Gorge view from the North Overlook. The first one is looking toward the hack boxes, with the others as I panned from left to right.

I could not see bands, unfortunately, but here is one juvie in a tree about 50 feet up:

And another one even farther away:

It was a bittersweet visit.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

WOW Susan....what wonderful pictures and wonderful report...I'm sure it was very bitter sweet, seeing all those kids and knowing that 2 of them were from Wilmington. Thanks so much for taking that side trip and giving us all a beautiful view of the area. It will be very interesting to see how all of this will play out...I do hope the 2011 "class" will be very successful.

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WILMINGTON ~ JULY 2011

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