Our Feathered Friends

[bvimatelot]

Any bird watchers out there? Photos show sparrow like birds but with forked tails like a swift. Came onboard about 200 miles off the Florida coast (in the Gulf). 7 of them huddled together on the port side deck scupper drain but 3 of them didnt last the night. 2 or 3 others took up residence in the cabin (pity about the poop on the pillow). They stayed a couple of days then, nearer to The Keys, headed off.

Later in the trip, another small flock arrived and again stayed a couple of days before heading off into the Bermuda Triangle......Tony

[MarkJ]

Welcome Swallows Hirundo neoxena

One of the most welcome of birds!

We LOVE them!! They love boats!

[Blue Stocking]

When NASA had the tracking station here in Bermuda with the big radars for the space shuttle work, I attended a number of the launches. We were told that they often worked with the avian enthusiasts in tracking gigantic flocks of birds during the migrations. Apparently they often fly at great altitude, way beyond what one would think.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Welcome Swallows Hirundo neoxena

...I'm more inclined to go with Hirundo rustica.

A swallow, though, for certain.

[Jesse]

Looks like interesting fun, and the birds look to be identical to the swallows that inhabit the picnic shelter at Oro Bay 3,000 mi. away in the PNW.

[hummingway]

Any enemy of the mosquito is a friend of mine. Swallow story sort of ...

I bought a house in the West Kootenai region of BC. The front yard was all sand and summer brought tens of thousands sand wasps to the yard, so many that the ground shimmered. I had my son and occasionally young visitors and was at first concerned so I went out and sat amongst them but they showed no animosity to humans so I let them be. I would sit and watch them it was so beautiful. I would notice the swallows swoop and grab a snack and the wasps would give chase. A group of them would form a cartoon like V and try to catch the swallow but without a chance, the swallows were so fast. One evening a robin flew over, minding its own business, and landed in a tree nearby. Meanwhile, I saw the V take off and couple seconds later heard a yelp from the robin, the only time I've heard a robin yelp, and I guess the robin got bit for the swallows transgession!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Bash

...I'm more inclined to go with Hirundo rustica.

A swallow, though, for certain.

Bash,

Look carefully at the photos below....
I clearly feel its nothing like Hirundo rustica but clearly Hirundo Sea Lifus!!

[Ocean Girl]

Thats Mr Chirps to you.



Mr Chirps having a bit of fun in the chives (Gulf of Mexico). This is one of my favorite pictures of all time..look at his little feet dangling and his feathers spread so pretty .

Great thread.
Erika

[MarkJ]

What a fat little tummy Mr Chirps has! How far did he fly before doing a belly flop?

Thats definitly the cutest photo

We had a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on board and he wasn't quite the full quid in the upstairs department. He thought he could hang onto the shroud!
Yep, the spreader was easier

[Ocean Girl]

Too cute, what did ya name him? Einstein?
Mr Chirps arrived one morning, we were smack dab in the middle of the Gulf. When he arrived he started talking to me and did not stop talking untill it was time for him to fly off . Boy, those single handers, when they finally see someone you just can't shut em up He was not shy with me but did not let anyone else get close to him, which naturally endured him to me (I felt so special!) I was so sad when he flew away a day later (chatting all the while).. snif snif, but thats Mr Chirps for ya love em and leave em.
Erika

[Puddlefish]

I burst out laughing when the thread went from the latin names to Mister Chirps. Erika wins!

[Ocean Girl]

I lend a certain sophistication to this forum

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Bash,

Look carefully at the photos below....
I clearly feel its nothing like Hirundo rustica but clearly Hirundo Sea Lifus!!

...Hirundo nauta.

[zeehag]

finches and swallows make nice company on a long passage--we had both visit and hitch hike in florida..was cooool....the grand total was, in the course of a year, 3 finches, kat got one..and 6 swallows --i think--i might be off by one of two----on the swallows---our first one hid in the people food after sitting in the cat food for a bit---laughed as i figgered that was sooo appropriate!! bubba watched the swallows closely but didnt try to catch them--he only killed a finch because it startled me out of sleep by trying to land on my shoulder..LOL..

[Hirophant]

I hate to bring up the dreaded Jessica W name in this thread but does anyone know what a "groppy" might be? In the Indian Ocean she recounts

Yesterday we found a flock of 'groppies'. These birds spent the day landing in the water next to us, watching us sail past, drifting off behind, then taking off to fly around in a big circle, landing next to us again.

She doesn't give any other name for them and no photos. Groppy is not a word I have ever heard before either as a descriptive term or bird name.