President's Quote, "A bird club with excellent bird knowledge" -- Kelsie
Most Recent Photos
European Eagle Owl
This Eagle Owl was massive! I couldn't get over how big it was. At the Falconry Centre (http://www.cotswold-falconry.co.uk/) they currently have about 150 birds that they care for and train.
--Joseph Jackson
Submitted Mar 05, 2018
Bateleur Eagle
I thought the plumage on Frank here was impressive. I don't know why he stayed tufted up like this the whole time, because he didn't seem agitated. Nevertheless, he showed off his feathers for me.
--Joseph Jackson
Submitted Mar 05, 2018
Barn owl
For Ian's 12th birthday, we went to the Cotswolds Falconry Centre, where they specialize in birds of prey. There were flight demonstrations for five of the birds, including this Barn Owl.
--Joseph Jackson
Submitted Mar 05, 2018
Mallard
These mallards were up and down the river through this village. They would swim toward people, probably expecting a crumb of bread or something.
--Joseph Jackson
Submitted Mar 05, 2018
Bird Brain Blog
Dubai Birds
Feb 20, 2013I went to Dubai for work and was able to get some time to visit Dubai Creek Park. This is a large park on the side of the creek that runs through Dubai. I was surprised by the number of birds I saw there. After getting home I found out that it is a great place for birding. I'm glad I took the opportunity. I had two favorite birds that I saw. First the Hoopoe.
I was amazed at how much it looked like a dinosaur. I saw
some Hoopoe a few times and they were always in groups of 2-4 in short grass.
It looked like the feathers on the back of the head were a crest that they
could fan out, but I didn't see any of them do it. Wiki says this is the
last extant species of it's family, but at the next level up it is related
to kingfishers and rollers, which brings me to the roller.
Emily asked me to not bring home a physical
souvenier, but instead requested pictures of birds. One day I
was in the large back yard of the Grand Hyatt and successfully photographing
some new species for Emily when I saw this blue streak fly through the air
and land on a distant tree. It was about the size of a Blue Jay or maybe
a little bigger. When it landed it was mostly brown with a little blue
peaking out so it was hard to find. Each time I got close enough to set
up to take a picture with my 10x zoom it would fly away. My coworker told
me he was going on a walk so I decided to go with him. He took me to Creek
Park and we spent a few hours there getting pictures of new (to me)
species. On the way out I saw the blue streak again and tried a little
harder. Once again, it would fly away, but I managed to get two blurry
pictures of it. You can see more
pictures of the roller at this external website. -- Brandon
Saving a Downy
June 18, 2012The Spotlight Bird is the Downy Woodpecker.
Yesterday Ruby saved a Downy Woodpecker's life. It bumped into our deck
window. Ruby cried, " A bird flew into our window!" Emily said,
"Was it the one that did that in the living room?" "No, just now."
We went out. We saw a poor Downy Woodpecker on the deck, with its wing
stuck in a crack of the deck. Emily lifted it out of the crack. It was terrified,
so we tried to put it in a shoebox, and it recovered. It is now happy.
-- Kelsie