What about the Australian grey butcher bird? Of course, if we’re talking about hummingbird prey, that wouldn’t make any sense. But I have read that the Grey’s sometimes use impalement for larger prey. (Though a quick search showed no photos of that. Unlike the shrikes.)
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Butcher birds do that, at least it’s written so about them, but mention of blue jay and checking @k-talks profile, they’re talking about the US, so yes, likely no Australian birds there.)
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Good job grackle.
Hmm, I do believe that other birds do that too. Although if I google the behavior I only get tons and tons of cute shrike photos and a few butcherbirds sprinkled in there.
You’re lucky you still have your fingers!
Great fishing story :]
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Pre-inat, I remember I was out and about on my birthday a few years ago. I sat down on a bench for a second, and a White-Throated Sparrow flew up onto the back of the bench beside me. After looking at me for a second or two, it flew back into the trees. I guess birds go humanwatching sometimes…
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That reminds me of one. I had gone out to explore Browns Valley, and I stopped at a frozen-yogurt shop. The juncos there were so used to humans, they were casually hopping about under the bench and under my legs, which were like a roof over them. Even if I made a startling motion, they only flew a short distance and soon returned.
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I deer hunt, requiring hours of idled sitting. I often have chickadees visit, and perch on me, they are very curious. I’ve had squirrels( grey, black, fox and red) and chipmunks and field mice run over my feet. Sitting in one place very quietly for hours can lead to many random encounters.
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Noice! How long did the coon get to live in your shed after your mom chased it with the broom?
At one point when I was 12, the spring before I discovered iNat, I became captivated (obsessed?) with the idea to feed birds by hand. I wasn’t willing, patient, or capable of staying still long enough to wait outside every day, so I built a “dummy” with some old clothes of mine. I built a stick frame, put the clothes on it, stuffed it with leaves, put on a pillowcase full of leaves for a head, added a hat, gloves, and shoes, and left it propped against a flowerpot outside the dining room window, by my feeders. Every day, I would place bird food and shelled peanuts on the gloves, the skirt, the hat, and around the feet. And every day, the birdseed disappeared very fast. Very fast. Though I saw some birds on it, they weren’t eating nearly enough of it to account for the swift disappearance of the bird food. Then, one day, I saw some chipmunks on it…
I had been planning to take down the “dummy” someday, wash the clothes, put them on, and sit down where the “dummy” had been, holding some birdseed. But one day, I wanted to do it, and I didn’t want to wash the clothes first. So I sat down beside the “dummy”, holding some birdseed. Some birds looked at me curiously, but they weren’t comfortable with me. But then, the chipmunks came! They had been living in a crack behind the front doorstep, and had skittered over to me. They sniffed all around me, decided the “dummy” had brought a friend today, and went about their business stuffing themselves with my hard-earned birdseed. I didn’t move, didn’t breathe, while one of them came closer…closer…closer…and ate out of my hand! It was thrilling to feel the slight weight and the soft, silky fur on my hand. Finally, it moved on, and I got up after they left. I had to take the dummy down soon after (my parents didn’t like it startling visitors when they came), and I never tried it again. But I have never forgotten!!
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I found an interesting-looking fly yesterday. Of course, I immediately grabbed my phone, macro lens attached, and got veeeery close to it to get a good photo for iNat. I didn’t realize until I came back inside and ran it through seek that having my hands centimeters away from this may not have been my best idea. Whoops.
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Whoa, look at the eyes on that guy !
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I thought they were beautiful too! Since I didn’t end up getting bit I think it was ultimately worth the risk just for that!
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I have no idea. I think that was the first time we encountered the raccoon.
Last summer I found a moth that I later discovered was part of a species complex and it could only be ID’d down to species by examining its underside. I didn’t get a photo of the underside so it’s forever stuck at the genus level. I finally spotted another one last night and thought “Yes! Another chance to see one and take more photos! I can do it right this time!"
It flew away before I could get even a single shot of it. I think I’m cursed or something. :(
Nearly a year later, the curse is lifted!
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Or you discovered you’re not cursed at all.
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I consider this random and amazingly lucky (like I might have used up all remaining “nature luck” for the year today).
Short backstory: I monitor my pollinator/native plant/xeriscape garden for critters and my goal is to document as many species as possible. Last year was the first year I was exposed to many insects for the first time, including wedge-shaped beetles (Ripiphoridae).
So, I’m out in the garden this morning watching the longhorn and sweat bees, paper and sand wasps, etc. There wasn’t anything exciting for a while and I’m about to head inside when I saw this:
(Quick comment: between my camera skills, slight wind, body color/position, and the morning sun angle, none of the pictures are ‘perfect’ - darn! I would have loved to capture a video of his funny front legs flailing as he tries to stroke her antennae.)
What do we have here? Thanks for asking! This is a pair of Ripiphorus neomexicanus. The species is known from 2 specimens in 1921, 1 other specimen pre-1929, 3 specimens in 1970, and 4 sets of photographs in my garden. This interaction today is:
- the 1st male Ripiphorid I’ve seen in person
- the 1st time I’ve seen mating Ripiphorids in person (goes with 1st male)
- the 7th time I’ve seen any Ripiphorids in person
- and, I dare say, the 1st time this species has ever been observed mating
After the male was done with his duty and flew off, she spent a few minutes ovipositing:
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Where was the female ovipositing? What a cool observation!
In my area, she lays eggs in Xanthisma spinulosum flower buds (spiny goldenweed). I’ve seen iNat observations on desert marigold, California buckwheat, fleabane, and more. After they hatch, first instar larvae hitch a ride to underground sweat bee nests when the host is foraging for pollen.
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What??!! Can you tell me more about its life cycle? What happens when the larva gets into the nest? And why are they so selective with the flower buds they lay eggs on?
This is so interesting and I have no idea about it, please tell me more.
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