Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

[Guest guest]

I have never seen an ibis, but I would love to. Even tho our neighborhood has many cats, we have even more birds. From eagles and peregrines to little sparrows and wrens. I love watching them. There are three different types of hummingbirds that come here and nest each year.

While hiking the wildlife I see is so incredible. One day I was waling past a small lake and there were both eagles and hawks fishing. I sat on a log to eat my lunch and there was a bald eagle perched on a snag. I enjoyed so much just sitting there and sharing the peace and quiet with him. One of those things you never forget.

Jane

The only scarlet ibises I have seen were at Walt Disney World at an aviary on an island which is closed now that they have Animal Kingdom. It must be quite different and more wonderful to see them in the wild. We saw a bald eagle near here flying from the gulf, presumably to his home, with a fish in his talons. It was an entirely different experience and a hundred times more thrilling than seeing them captive.

The glossy ibis is black with a greenish sheen to its feathers. If it is common here, I never noticed, but there are other black waterbirds in the area, and one would have to get close enough to see the downcurved beak to positively identify it.

You have obviously had an extremely interesting and varied life with some incredible travel experiences. I would love to hear about some of the places you have traveled.

Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

I've been captivated by the ibis since seeing my first one, a white one. Another time I saw at least ten scarlet ones in a tree at the Hong Kong zoo. What a sight! I took many pictures but none did that scene justice. It's planted firmly in my mind though.

Elaine

On 1/15/08, labtrek1941 <labtrek1941bellsouth (DOT) net > wrote:

Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed, and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and happy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular scarlet ibis.

We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird, we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property. We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

W

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Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

i think you mentioned the Ibis before, but i dont know if you

summarized it or just mentioned it in passing along with the rest of

the Katrina events, but this is a really good story about him. I'm

glad you posted it.

laurie

>

> Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after hurricane

Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated somewhat, my

daughter and I went out to see what was left of our neighborhood. All

was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo complex to the south of

us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the south and east, a Walmart

was gone, its contents scattered (for the next two summers plants and

seeds from the garden center sprang up everywhere - tomatoes,

petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we were looking at all the

soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a large black bird with a

slender, downcurved beak staggering in the rubble. My daughter found

a drink cooler in the rubble and we were able to put the stunned bird

in it and take him home. Becca put him in her bathtub. The first

night he stayed right there huddled. The next day Becca walked to a

wetland near our house and caught him several tiny frogs and put them

in the tub with him. A couple of hours later the frogs were gone and

the ibis was out of the tub walking around the bathroom, and turning

it into a guano mess. The next morning we had decided to leave, and

knowing there was no possibility of getting to the wildlife rehab

facility or if it was even there (it was not) we decided that the bird

was probably going to be as well off as anywhere in our backyard which

was full of downed trees, and our neighbor's backyard was underwater,

and we knew would be full of baby frogs in a few days. We believed

that he had damaged wings as he had not been holding them tightly

against his body but sort of drooping them. We released him into the

backyard just before we pulled out of the driveway, and lo... he flew.

An omen of hope if there ever was one. He flew into a tree in the

backyard, king of all he surveyed, and we like to think, regained

strength and went to live a full and happy bird life. Later research

revealed that our visitor was a glossy ibis, a relative of the better

known and more spectacular scarlet ibis.

> We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks and

when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We did

not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird, we

believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed trees

giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property. We

never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

> W

>

[Guest guest]

I've been captivated by the ibis since seeing my first one, a white one. Another time I saw at least ten scarlet ones in a tree at the Hong Kong zoo. What a sight! I took many pictures but none did that scene justice. It's planted firmly in my mind though.

Elaine

On 1/15/08, labtrek1941 <labtrek1941@...

> wrote:

Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him several tiny frogs and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed, and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and happy bird life. Later research revealed that our visitor was a glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular scarlet ibis.

We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird, we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property. We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

W

[Guest guest]

The only scarlet ibises I have seen were at Walt Disney World at an aviary on an island which is closed now that they have Animal Kingdom. It must be quite different and more wonderful to see them in the wild. We saw a bald eagle near here flying from the gulf, presumably to his home, with a fish in his talons. It was an entirely different experience and a hundred times more thrilling than seeing them captive.

The glossy ibis is black with a greenish sheen to its feathers. If it is common here, I never noticed, but there are other black waterbirds in the area, and one would have to get close enough to see the downcurved beak to positively identify it.

You have obviously had an extremely interesting and varied life with some incredible travel experiences. I would love to hear about some of the places you have traveled.

Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

I've been captivated by the ibis since seeing my first one, a white one. Another time I saw at least ten scarlet ones in a tree at the Hong Kong zoo. What a sight! I took many pictures but none did that scene justice. It's planted firmly in my mind though.

Elaine

On 1/15/08, labtrek1941 <labtrek1941bellsouth (DOT) net > wrote:

Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed, and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and happy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular scarlet ibis.

We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird, we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property. We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

W

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[Guest guest]

There are three different types of hummingbirds that come here and nest each year

I love hummingbirds and believe that I have a hummingbird as a totem animal. Totem animals choose to come into your life at times of significant change. Even though I had had hummingbird feeders for three years, I never saw a hummingbird. Then, even though it was mid July, right after I was attuned to Level I Reiki, a pair of hummingbirds appeared at my feeder and they have been coming there ever since. The humming bird totem has to do with healing.

Unfortunately on the East coast we only have one variety, or so I have read. But since they started coming, I have been developing a hummingbird garden at the side of my house and this year will develop it further. Even though we are in the midst of a serious drought, the hummingbird garden is at least partially in containers and I will buy water for it.

JanetStart the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

What an experience, Jane. Also, I envy you the variety in your hummingbirds. We usually only see the ruby throats. One that was another kind was at a feeder this fall. We assumed he was moving south getting a last drink before setting out across the gulf. Becca looked him up, but I have forgotten what kind he was. We plant a lot of penta which the hummingbirds and a couple of kinds of butterfly love. Becca has been researching which foods not just the butterflies like, but what their caterpillars eat. Since learning that eastern swallowtail caterpillars much prefer parsley, she has planted more and more each year, and we are now seeing far more of the swallowtails. The caterpillar numbers seem to expand to meet the quantity of food planted.

W

Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

I've been captivated by the ibis since seeing my first one, a white one. Another time I saw at least ten scarlet ones in a tree at the Hong Kong zoo. What a sight! I took many pictures but none did that scene justice. It's planted firmly in my mind though.

Elaine

On 1/15/08, labtrek1941 <labtrek1941bellsouth (DOT) net > wrote:

Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed, and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and happy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular scarlet ibis.

We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird, we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property. We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

W

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Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

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[Guest guest]

I had heard of totem animals, but had not given them a lot of thought. I think that the hummingbird is a lovely totem, and sounds perfect for you.

After thinking about it for a bit, I think mine would have to be the pelican. I love to watch the brown pelican, which became endangered at one time because of the DDT issue, but have again become plentiful. But in the 24 years since I have been back on the coast, I have seen white pelicans three times. The first time they were flying in a flock horizontal to the coastline just above my head. The second time was the only time since I have been back that there was ice in the coastal waters and a flock was standing on the beach at the shoreline. The third time there was a flock in the water in a circle herding fish as I later read that they do, so different from the way the brown pelicans catch fisn. My father told me that they nest on the islands away from people, and avid fisherman that he was, said that in a lifetime on the waters he seldom saw them except offshore. At any rate, those three sightings were high points of my animal watching, so maybe white pelicans are my totem animal.

Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

There are three different types of hummingbirds that come here and nest each year

I love hummingbirds and believe that I have a hummingbird as a totem animal. Totem animals choose to come into your life at times of significant change. Even though I had had hummingbird feeders for three years, I never saw a hummingbird. Then, even though it was mid July, right after I was attuned to Level I Reiki, a pair of hummingbirds appeared at my feeder and they have been coming there ever since. The humming bird totem has to do with healing.

Unfortunately on the East coast we only have one variety, or so I have read. But since they started coming, I have been developing a hummingbird garden at the side of my house and this year will develop it further. Even though we are in the midst of a serious drought, the hummingbird garden is at least partially in containers and I will buy water for it.

Janet

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

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[Guest guest]

I also love hummingbirds and there are many where I live. I see them at the feeder on my patio as well as flying around in the nearby trees, around flowers, etc.

For two years I had hummingbirds nest on my patio in a little ficus tree. Last year there were three nestings, each one taking place two weeks after the hatchlings left the nest. I took pictures of the first ones every day of their lives until they left. It amazes me to see them drinking that cold (sugar) water on freezing mornings. Since I got a cat, they no longer nest but they still come to the feeder.

Elaine

There are three different types of hummingbirds that come here and nest each year

I love hummingbirds and believe that I have a hummingbird as a totem animal. Totem animals choose to come into your life at times of significant change. Even though I had had hummingbird feeders for three years, I never saw a hummingbird. Then, even though it was mid July, right after I was attuned to Level I Reiki, a pair of hummingbirds appeared at my feeder and they have been coming there ever since. The humming bird totem has to do with healing.

Unfortunately on the East coast we only have one variety, or so I have read. But since they started coming, I have been developing a hummingbird garden at the side of my house and this year will develop it further. Even though we are in the midst of a serious drought, the hummingbird garden is at least partially in containers and I will buy water for it.

Janet

Start the year off right.

Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

lolol! cute!

One of the things that is a common misconception is that we have blue jays on the west coast...in fact true blue jays only live in the east. We have juncos here, robins, gray jays, Steller jays, and scrub jays(the ones people usually call blue jays)...our humming birds are 's, black-chinned ( a really pretty green), and 's..... We have crows, Phoebe's, red-winged blackbirds, Brewer's blackbird, chickadees,song sparrows, lessor goldfinches, towhees, and several others I have not identified. I have seen all these in my backyard at different times. Oh yes acorn woodpeckers and on's Sapsucker.

I love watching them when I get the chance. On day I was sitting still out there and a finch landed on my head and made me really jump! lol

Jane

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

since your daughter is so good at this, i wonder if she could figure

out what kind of butterfly moth we have here.

they are fuzzy, fat, black on both ends and rust red in the middle.

Even though they used to be as common as dirt here in the pastures, no

one seems to know what they turn into.

I havent managed to take a good picture yet or find a picture

anywhere. I will try again this year, they come out of hibernation on

sunny days in Feb.

laurie

>

> Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after

hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated

somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our

neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo

complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the

south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the

next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up

everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we

were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a

large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the

rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were

able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him

in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The

next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him

several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours

later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking

around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next

morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility

of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it

was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off

as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our

neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby

frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had

not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping

them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of

the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was

one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed,

and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and

happy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a

glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular

scarlet ibis.

> We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks

and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We

did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird,

we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed

trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property.

We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

> W

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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>

>

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> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release

Date: 1/14/2008 5:39 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

>

>

>

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release Date:

1/14/2008 5:39 PM

>

[Guest guest]

you may only have 1 variety locally, but it is possible some other

kinds may migrate through.

we have 's hummingbirds, they are so cute. they dont look very

bright until they pulse their throats when they sing and then you'll

see this bright flash of green and then it will disapear. it's like a

strobe light sometimes. i've seen some other varieties come

migrating through, i have no idea what the other birds are called, one

of my friends wife said they were Junkos? and there's all different

kinds of finches and some of them have crossbred with zebra finches

and you get some funny colors!

i have blue jays, camprobbers, woodpeckers, robins, the hummingbirds,

there used to be kestral, but i think the crows & ravens have chased

them off. I get to see pergrin falcons on my drive in and red tail

hawks on occasion. I also get to watch the Great Blue Herons and

smaller herons fly over my car when I cross the bridge on the way

home. there are some little tiny fluffy owls that live nearby too, we

heard another hooting a few weeks ago as well, we're not sure what

kind that one was as we couldn't see it at all. We love watching all

those birds,i wish i knew the names better.

did i tell you my Red tail story? I dont think so.

A few weeks ago we were on the freeway stopped on an offramp under

construction and ethan says, " look mommy it's a duck. " I'm looking

all over. Tom finally see it, " over there, by the median, I think

it's a pergrine. " I look over, no, it's a Red Tail, one of the big

ones that lives over there by that exit. I tell Ethan it's not a duck

and he replies, " no momma, that's definitely a duck! "

laurie

>

>

> In a message dated 1/16/2008 1:07:21 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> jjsmth@... writes:

>

> There are three different types of hummingbirds that come here and

nest

> each year

>

>

> I love hummingbirds and believe that I have a hummingbird as a

totem animal.

> Totem animals choose to come into your life at times of

significant change.

> Even though I had had hummingbird feeders for three years, I never

saw a

> hummingbird. Then, even though it was mid July, right after I was

attuned to

> Level I Reiki, a pair of hummingbirds appeared at my feeder and

they have been

> coming there ever since. The humming bird totem has to do with

healing.

>

> Unfortunately on the East coast we only have one variety, or so I

have read.

> But since they started coming, I have been developing a

hummingbird garden

> at the side of my house and this year will develop it further.

Even though

> we are in the midst of a serious drought, the hummingbird garden is

at least

> partially in containers and I will buy water for it.

>

> Janet

>

>

>

> **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.

> http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

>

[Guest guest]

I assume that you are talking about the caterpillar. Your moths and butterflies are probably going to be, for the most part, different from ours. However, we have a couple of really good buterfly books which show the caterpillar as well and the mature butterfly or moth, so we will try to do some research and, at least, narrow the field. I will turn the job over to Becca, and we'll let you know what we find.

Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

since your daughter is so good at this, i wonder if she could figureout what kind of butterfly moth we have here.they are fuzzy, fat, black on both ends and rust red in the middle.Even though they used to be as common as dirt here in the pastures, noone seems to know what they turn into.I havent managed to take a good picture yet or find a pictureanywhere. I will try again this year, they come out of hibernation onsunny days in Feb. laurie > > Forgive me if I have already told this. Just afterhurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abatedsomewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of ourneighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condocomplex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to thesouth and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for thenext two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang upeverywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As wewere looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw alarge black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in therubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we wereable to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put himin her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. Thenext day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught himseveral tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hourslater the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walkingaround the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The nextmorning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibilityof getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (itwas not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well offas anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and ourneighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of babyfrogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he hadnot been holding them tightly against his body but sort of droopingthem. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out ofthe driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever wasone. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed,and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full andhappy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was aglossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacularscarlet ibis. > We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeksand when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. Wedid not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird,we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downedtrees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property.We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share. > W> > > > > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------> > > No virus found in this incoming message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - ReleaseDate: 1/14/2008 5:39 PM> > > > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------> Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year. > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------> > > No virus found in this incoming message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release Date:1/14/2008 5:39 PM>

[Guest guest]

I have seen the Steller jays in the parks in Utah, and just love them. So different from our eastern blue jays. '

Re: Re: After Katrina - The Ibis and the Egret

lolol! cute!

One of the things that is a common misconception is that we have blue jays on the west coast...in fact true blue jays only live in the east. We have juncos here, robins, gray jays, Steller jays, and scrub jays(the ones people usually call blue jays)...our humming birds are 's, black-chinned ( a really pretty green), and 's..... We have crows, Phoebe's, red-winged blackbirds, Brewer's blackbird, chickadees,song sparrows, lessor goldfinches, towhees, and several others I have not identified. I have seen all these in my backyard at different times. Oh yes acorn woodpeckers and on's Sapsucker.

I love watching them when I get the chance. On day I was sitting still out there and a finch landed on my head and made me really jump! lol

Jane

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

i couldnt remember about the jays, i think they are stellar jays, they

have really dark dark blue nearly black crested heads. we call the

scrub jays " camp robbers " and the gray jays live up the mountain near

the timberline. and those dang cicadadas. i hear they arent really

cicadadas, but they are loud and obnoxious all the same. we seem to

have 2 kinds here. the mountain kind buzz like my tinitis and drive me

to absolute distraction and the city ones make this steady chirping

sound like the electrical transformers used to make back when they

were old & noisy. hard to describe. i can tolerate the city ones

much better. i've never seen a city one, but i've seen the mountain

ones, they are huge and black & beetle like with big long wings, i

spent my camping trip one year squirting water at them so they'd be

quiet. they went on all night taking turns. there were 3 of them,

one in the middle of our camp and 2 hanging around the perimeter.

hard to get a good hike in the next day when the cicadas have kept

you up all night!

laurie

>

> lolol! cute!

> One of the things that is a common misconception is that we have

blue jays

> on the west coast...in fact true blue jays only live in the east. We

have

> juncos here, robins, gray jays, Steller jays, and scrub jays(the

ones people

> usually call blue jays)...our humming birds are 's,

black-chinned ( a really

> pretty green), and 's..... We have crows, Phoebe's, red-winged

> blackbirds, Brewer's blackbird, chickadees,song sparrows, lessor

goldfinches, towhees,

> and several others I have not identified. I have seen all these in my

> backyard at different times. Oh yes acorn woodpeckers and

on's Sapsucker.

> I love watching them when I get the chance. On day I was sitting

still out

> there and a finch landed on my head and made me really jump! lol

> Jane

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.

> http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

>

[Guest guest]

For two years I had hummingbirds nest on my patio in a little ficus tree. Last year there were three nestings, each one taking place two weeks after the hatchlings left the nest. I took pictures of the first ones every day of their lives until they left.

Elaine,

Wow, I can't imagine seeing their nests! They are such tiny little things! I am going to work to develop my hummingbird garden this year and hopefully I will see them more than I did last year

JanetStart the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

they went on all night taking turns. there were 3 of them,one in the middle of our camp and 2 hanging around the perimeter.

Laurie,

From their perspective it was THEIR camp and you were parked in the middle of it! lol And their idea was to make you uncomfortable enough to LEAVE, not to stay and enjoy your hike! lol

JanetStart the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[Guest guest]

http://www.bobcongdon.net/images/woolly-bear.jpg

Is this it, Laurie?

Elaine

since your daughter is so good at this, i wonder if she could figureout what kind of butterfly moth we have here.they are fuzzy, fat, black on both ends and

rust red in the middle.Even though they used to be as common as dirt here in the pastures, noone seems to know what they turn into.I havent managed to take a good picture yet or find a pictureanywhere. I will try again this year, they come out of hibernation on

sunny days in Feb. laurie

food planted.> W> Re: After Katrina - The Ibisand the Egret> > > > I've been captivated by the ibis since seeing my first one, a

white one. Another time I saw at least ten scarlet ones in a tree atthe Hong Kong zoo. What a sight! I took many pictures but none didthat scene justice. It's planted firmly in my mind though. >

> Elaine> >

> > > Forgive me if I have already told this. Just afterhurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated

somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of ourneighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condocomplex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to thesouth and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the

next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang upeverywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As wewere looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw alarge black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the

rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we wereable to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put himin her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. Thenext day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him

several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hourslater the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walkingaround the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The nextmorning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility

of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (itwas not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well offas anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our

neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of babyfrogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he hadnot been holding them tightly against his body but sort of droopingthem. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of

the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever wasone. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed,and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full andhappy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a

glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacularscarlet ibis. > We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeksand when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We

did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird,we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downedtrees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property.We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share. > W> > > > > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------> > > No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - ReleaseDate: 1/14/2008 5:39 PM> > > > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------

> Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year. > > > > >----------------------------------------------------------> > > No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release Date:1/14/2008 5:39 PM>

[Guest guest]

You are so good! that is exactly it! now i finally get to look up

some info about it now that i know the name.

laurie

> > >

> > > Forgive me if I have already told this. Just after

> > hurricane Katrina had passed, after the winds and rain had abated

> > somewhat, my daughter and I went out to see what was left of our

> > neighborhood. All was in rubble. A 20 building, 160 unit condo

> > complex to the south of us was washed away. About 1/2 mile to the

> > south and east, a Walmart was gone, its contents scattered (for the

> > next two summers plants and seeds from the garden center sprang up

> > everywhere - tomatoes, petunias, marigolds among the weeds). As we

> > were looking at all the soaked items around the Walmart, we saw a

> > large black bird with a slender, downcurved beak staggering in the

> > rubble. My daughter found a drink cooler in the rubble and we were

> > able to put the stunned bird in it and take him home. Becca put him

> > in her bathtub. The first night he stayed right there huddled. The

> > next day Becca walked to a wetland near our house and caught him

> > several tiny frog and put them in the tub with him. A couple of hours

> > later the frogs were gone and the ibis was out of the tub walking

> > around the bathroom, and turning it into a guano mess. The next

> > morning we had decided to leave, and knowing there was no possibility

> > of getting to the wildlife rehab facility or if it was even there (it

> > was not) we decided that the bird was probably going to be as well off

> > as anywhere in our backyard which was full of downed trees, and our

> > neighbor's backyard was underwater, and we knew would be full of baby

> > frogs in a few days. We believed that he had damaged wings as he had

> > not been holding them tightly against his body but sort of drooping

> > them. We released him into the backyard just before we pulled out of

> > the driveway, and lo... he flew. An omen of hope if there ever was

> > one. He flew into a tree in the backyard, king of all he surveyed,

> > and we like to think, regained strength and went to live a full and

> > happy bird life. Later rsearch revealed that our visitor was a

> > glossy ibis, a relative of the better known and more spectacular

> > scarlet ibis.

> > > We went off to a mountaintop in North Carolina for six weeks

> > and when we returned, wondered if, perhaps, we would see our ibis. We

> > did not, but when we pulled up to our house, a huge white waterbird,

> > we believe one of the larger types of egret flew out of the downed

> > trees giving a call and look as if we had tresspassed on his property.

> > We never saw him again. Guess he did not care to share.

> > > W

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------

> > >

> > >

> > > No virus found in this incoming message.

> > > Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> > > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release

> > Date: 1/14/2008 5:39 PM

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------

> > > Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new

year.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------

> > >

> > >

> > > No virus found in this incoming message.

> > > Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> > > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1224 - Release Date:

> > 1/14/2008 5:39 PM

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>