tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post113646439960188080..comments2023-09-23T07:30:55.854-05:00Comments on Rurality: Further adventures in bad bird photographyRuralityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616461213179182660noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1137426690929025162006-01-16T09:51:00.000-06:002006-01-16T09:51:00.000-06:00Yep I thought the same thing - no such thing as sn...Yep I thought the same thing - no such thing as snipe - until I got interested in birdwatching. I was also surprised that there was really a bird such as the cuckoo... and not just in clocks!Ruralityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06616461213179182660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1137085377374588902006-01-12T11:02:00.001-06:002006-01-12T11:02:00.001-06:00That snipe pic is cool -- arty, and it does captur...That snipe pic is cool -- arty, and it does capture how cryptic snipe can be. They show up here, but (within limits) I never know where or when I'll see one. It's funny when we see them and non-birders are around, like a few months ago at the Cosumnes River preserve. I think some people believe snipe don't actualy exist, that they're mythical, because of the old saw about going on a snipe hunt.<BR/><BR/>I mean, they <I>do</I> ... so do wild geese, of the wild goose chase. <BR/><BR/>We just ran down to Aquatic Park the other day to see the pair of hooded mergansers who've been hanging out there, probably the same pair that comes every winter recently. They were floating around right out in public that day, in a heavily trafficked park next to a freeway, but much of the time they hang out under some trailing cypress branches where they can't be seen. <BR/><BR/>I'm not sure what they were saying, but both were semaphoring like mad with those crests.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1137085368791633792006-01-12T11:02:00.000-06:002006-01-12T11:02:00.000-06:00I remember my first "snipe-hunt".The Scoutmasters ...I remember my first "snipe-hunt".<BR/><BR/>The Scoutmasters were (secretly) in stitches while 25-or-so hapless kids milled about through the woods at night with pillowcases and sticks.<BR/><BR/>Great mergansers!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136986291093348102006-01-11T07:31:00.000-06:002006-01-11T07:31:00.000-06:00Thanks y'all.Jerry some people seem to get great b...Thanks y'all.<BR/><BR/>Jerry some people seem to get great bird shots without a lot of fancy camera equipment, but I'm not one of them!<BR/><BR/>Hick I never noticed them before becoming interested in birds. But they are actually fairly common in farm ponds here this time of year. They can raise and lower that crest, which is fun to watch. They dive for fish - makes me wish we had an underwater game camera too!<BR/><BR/>RD I know what you mean. That crest going up and down makes me laugh! I only wish they were not so shy. (If I were getting shot at I guess I'd be shy too though.)<BR/><BR/>FC, I would imagine! I've never eaten any wild duck, but I've heard that the ones that eat fish (like the Merganser) are... not good.<BR/><BR/>Thanks Marie! I think I was having blogging withdrawals when I was so busy around Christmas time. It's good to be back - glad you're back too.<BR/><BR/>Sara, they are like little sewing machines, huh?! We don't normally get curlews here, but there is one lone long-billed curlew who regularly shows up on the lawn at the Battleship park in Mobile (on the Alabama coast). I'm not sure if he's still a regular fixture though - haven't been down that way in several years now.Ruralityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06616461213179182660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136965714678269732006-01-11T01:48:00.000-06:002006-01-11T01:48:00.000-06:00Snipes are common in some parts of Britain (marshy...Snipes are common in some parts of Britain (marshy parts, and moorland). They are charming birds that have a comical feeding style, which involves rhythmically punching their straw-like beak into mud as they wade around. Do you get curlews as well in your part of the world?Crowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11388457994412699926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136942173055875522006-01-10T19:16:00.000-06:002006-01-10T19:16:00.000-06:00It is like a breath of fresh air to read your blog...It is like a breath of fresh air to read your blog again...been away and glad I'm back.Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13368844217331366221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136927036693007802006-01-10T15:03:00.000-06:002006-01-10T15:03:00.000-06:00Mergansers, look beautiful, taste terrible.Mergansers, look beautiful, taste terrible.R.Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04905593499136090763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136909397565754352006-01-10T10:09:00.000-06:002006-01-10T10:09:00.000-06:00I love Hooded Mergansers. Whenever I see them, the...I love Hooded Mergansers. Whenever I see them, they make me so happy. The male is just beautiful-- for having colors as simple as brown, black, and white.<BR/><BR/>Cool Snipe. That's definitely a new one for me.robin andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13390482190562312928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136906764106972412006-01-10T09:26:00.000-06:002006-01-10T09:26:00.000-06:00I think those photos are pretty cool. I've never ...I think those photos are pretty cool. I've never seen a bird like that.Karen Schmautzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17882229236585238584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-1136901203392056982006-01-10T07:53:00.000-06:002006-01-10T07:53:00.000-06:00Nice shots. It's tough, even with a big lens I th...Nice shots. It's tough, even with a big lens I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com