Birds!

[GermanStar]

If you're chased by a grizzly bear once, I doubt you'll stick around for a second bear to show interest.

My favorite member of the local fauna is our king of the roost, Peccaries. Nothing messes with these guys, and they fear nothing, save the occasional cougar. Babies/adolescents will flee humans, but most adults hold their ground. They are neither troublesome nor aggressive, but demand the same respect they willingly show you.

And talk about animals 'knowing', there are dogs everywhere here; few will bark at a Peccary. I've heard similar tales from across the state. Unfortunately, a substantial number of dogs are killed each year by Peccaries. They never start the fight, but always finish it.

[Harriet]

Went boating down the St. Johns River today and was all excited about getting bird and critter pictures... and we did see quite a few Herons, Ospreys and Bald Eagles; and the water is so high there are numerous floating ant hills, which are very weird to see.

It was a beautiful day, with neat stuff to photograph but either my camera body has worn out, or my hugely expensive lens is not set up right (heaven help me if it is broken!)... but I ended up without a single decent picture!

BAH HUMBUG!

[daiv]

Sorry to hear that Harriet. Hope it isn't the lens!

[frangipani]

We get a lot of great birds here in SA, but my favourite is undoubtedly the hadeda ibis. They're rather noisy birds, and a lot of people don't like them, but they have loads of personality and are great fun to watch. There's a pair that have been nesting in a tree next-door since 2004, and I'm very fond of them. A few days ago their latest eggs hatched. I've seen at least two babies - I hope there aren't anymore, because they've never been able to successfully raise three at one time. There's a high mortality rate among baby hadedas (probably less than smaller birds, though). Often all three babies will die. Still, last year the pair managed to raise two healthy chicks, so hopefully things will go alright with these ones.

Here's a picture of a hadeda I took at the Durban Botanic Gardens:

[daiv]

Harriet (or anyone else) - What in the world is this bird? I saw it here in Central MN near where I was cutting wood. It behaved much like a pheasant (typical galliform). It does not match any North American species and so must be an escapee.

Note the red around the eye and the iridescent coloring.

(click these to enlarge)

[jessr]

We had a bird convention on this little neighborhood lake back in October. I had never seen that many birds at once out there! There were another dozen plus flying around above the lake.

[Peterthecactusguy]

Daiv,
looks sorta like a bland partridge? but the coloration is way wrong so I am not sure. Partridges look sorta like quail tho. so I am not sure lol.

[cactuslee]

Looks like snowy egrets and comorants to me. they are around here quite a bit in the summer.

[Harriet]

Daiv I don't know what it is. Seems partridge like to me, but the coloring is wrong for most US versions. It may be an immature male or female, and so is harder to identify.

I'm going to go pull some bird books to see if I can find it. I can leave no bird unidentified!

[Harriet]

I'm striking out on the bird ID. Maybe a grouse, maybe an accidental blown in from farther north? Still guessing immature or female, but all of it is a guess at this point. We don't have birds like that on the east coast that I know of. Sorry Daiv, maybe someone smarter than be will come along...

[Panu]

I´d say a melanistic pheasant

[majcka]

A swan which I photographed was very excited that we are walking in his park. The guide told us that sometimes it gets so angry that comes up to the way by which visitors walk and attacks them.

[Peterthecactusguy]

Harriet, I thought a partridge too but it is the wrong color. a female or immature is also a good guess due to the coloration.

I really dont know.

[daiv]

Thanks for the input on this one. It has stumped other birder friends too.

I´d say a melanistic pheasant

I thought this, but can't seem to find a match. Lots of Chinese Ringnecks in the area, so it is very possible. However, it would have to be a female for sure.

[Harriet]

We frequently get "accidentals" here. Maybe that's what you have!