Outdoor Ontario

Discussion => General Discussions => Topic started by: Trillian Flummox on February 10, 2013, 12:02:24 PM

Title: Bird Cams
Post by: Trillian Flummox on February 10, 2013, 12:02:24 PM

After reading a post about the bird cam at the Science Centre (which my kids have enjoyed in the past - especially the interactive element that allows them to report what they see), I was curious to see just how many bird cams are available on the internet. Well it appears there is an endless supply however the quality of most is pretty dodgy. Cornell has two of the best with their Red-tailed Hawk and Great Blue Heron nest cams, however there's not much to see in the off season. So, while we're riding out the rest of Ontario winter, here's a lovely bird cam full of sunshine and tropical birds from the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Texas:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sabal-palm-sanctuary

Enjoy!

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: thouc on February 10, 2013, 02:13:31 PM

I saw Green Jay, Black-crested Titmouse, Northern Cardinal and Mourning Dove (I think).

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: rcflier on February 10, 2013, 02:50:37 PM

I watched the Cornell cams (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2422&ac=ac (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2422&ac=ac)) last year from egg laying, to piping, to fledge. It was an incredible experience. They also have an Osprey cam which will come online later in the spring. I gave them a "cam" donation, and now  Ireceive their "Living Bird" magazine. It's good too.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Bluffs Birder on February 10, 2013, 05:23:45 PM

Very nice view.  Saw a couple of Black-crested Titmice and a bunch of doves so far.  Will continue to watch.  Thanks Kris for posting.

Continued watching for another 30 minutes and saw a Green Jay, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and a female Cardinal.  The doves appear to be White-tipped Doves.  A couple of times 2 small birds flew in and bathed in the pond.  Not sure what they were.

This sure is a welcomed change from shoveling snow!!!

Walter

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: thouc on February 10, 2013, 06:40:06 PM

3 Plain Chachalacas on the platform now. Pretty cool.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: thouc on February 11, 2013, 12:20:32 PM

The doves came closer and onto the platform today and they were not Mourning Doves. I think they are White-tipped Doves.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Howieh on February 11, 2013, 01:40:25 PM

Very nice, and HD to boot! Thanks for posting.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Reuven_M on February 11, 2013, 05:28:33 PM

Great cam, I've been checking it on and off, so far I've seen chachalaca, white-tipped dove, long-billed thrasher, golden-fronted woodpecker, cardinal, olive sparrow, green jay and black-crested titmouse.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Trillian Flummox on February 11, 2013, 05:48:21 PM

Glad I'm not the only one doing a little "armchair birding"!  Love the Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, the Green Jays and Altamira Oriole. The Titmice are hilarious the way they chase each other around. And it seems so strange to me to see Cardinals amongst tropical plants!  I keep missing the CHACHALACAS!

-kris :D

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: thouc on February 11, 2013, 07:47:44 PM

I have seen the Golden-fronted Woodpecker now too and Thrasher and Sparrow on the ground, but they were too tiny to identify. Reuven, did they come closer or were you able to identify them anyway?

Still haven't seen the Altamira Oriole. And the Cardinal is the only one I've seen in real life. Really different bird life down there.

I have also seen Raccoon (comes when it gets dark) and Human  :D

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Reuven_M on February 11, 2013, 07:53:40 PM

Somewhere on the page it mentions that long-billed thrashers are common and olive sparrows are the only sparrow present, I haven't actucally seen them well.

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Bluffs Birder on February 11, 2013, 10:41:29 PM

Today I added Plain Chachalaca and Olive Sparrow to my ever-growing 'Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Brownsville, Texas, USA Life List'  :lol:

The Olive Sparrows are the small birds that usually show-up around or in the pond.  I heard one of them call today and then immediately confirmed it with the Peterson birding app on my cellphone.

Haven't seen an Altamira Oriole myself as yet but I did notice that there's a short clip of a Hooded Oriole under the 'Video' section on the page.  I'm hoping to see both species coming to the feeders.

Best birding!
Walter

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Bluffs Birder on February 12, 2013, 08:05:35 PM

For anyone who is unaware, check out Phoebe, the world's most famous Allen's Hummingbird.  She's in Orange County, California.

There's at least one egg in her nest right now.  :D

http://www.ustream.tv/hummingbirdnestcam

Walter

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: Trillian Flummox on February 13, 2013, 09:31:48 AM

Here's an unusual webcam - a Great Horned Owl nesting in a planter box in Oklahoma City. She currently has two eggs which are expected to hatch around Feb. 20th.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/alessondra-s-owl-cam

You can find yet another Allen Hummingbird cam in Southern California here:  http://www.ustream.tv/worldofhummingbirds  This one currently shows two busy feeders and will switch to a nest when they find one.

-kris

Title: Re: Bird Cams
Post by: thouc on April 27, 2013, 07:09:33 PM

There are lots of Baltimore Orioles and some Rose-breasted Grosbeaks there now, so I guess they're coming up her soon :)