JUST CALL ME THE BIRD WHISPERER

SWAMPSNIPER PRESS | October 29, 2009 | swampsniper

[SWAMPSNIPER]

The Grackles recognize the car now, LOL, I think I've started them on the welfare wagon!

[JoeProBono]

SUPER!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Pinglist

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Pinglist

[devane617]

Niiiccccceeeeeeeee...

[P.O.E.]

Beautiful, noble animals.

[BunnySlippers]

Very nice.

[3D-JOY]

LOL. Love your humor!

[GeronL]

Those are some wrinkled hands!

[GeronL]

did you go swimming first??

“Shrinkage!!”

[scottdeus12]

BIRD?? WHERE's A BIRD WHERE WHERE WHERE?????

[GeronL]

Great pictures by the way!

[scottdeus12]

How’d you do that?

[gaijin]

WOW!

[siamesecats]

Great pictures!

The birds are wonderful!

[RichInOC]

“I said ‘You shall not touch my bird!’”

[jagusafr]

Nasty, dirty animals when 10,000 of them gather in the HEB parking lot on De Zavala Road...

Colonel, USAFR

[KarlInOhio]

I liked the original better.

[Kimmers]

WOW !!!!!!!

Does this mean you will be getting your own show on animal planet ?

[grateful]

I’m guessing lots and lots and lots of patience. Many years ago, I used to hand feed scrub jays in my parents’ backyard. I stood very, very still with a handful of peanuts in my outstretched arm and though it took a while, eventually they’d fly right to me and land on my hand. I’ve done the same with gold finches in my backyard.

[Gator113]

Very cool.

[Daffynition]

I love it 'sniper! Did you check to see if you still had your watch?

Reminds me of the "camp robbers" of the PNW.

Superintendent Tomlinson holding gun with Camp Robber (bird) balanced on barrel at Indian Henry's Hunting Ground on Mount Rainier, September 1924

[Dysart]

That's great! I saw your last post on these Grackles. Keep em coming... I've been hand feeding the same pair of Mockingbirds peanut butter for about 5 years now I guess. I bang a spoon on the tree branch and they come flying in like heat-seeking missiles for their fix. Sometimes even if I'm just out in the yard working they will fly slowly about my head flashing their wing bars to get my attention. I'll try to get some shots and post to them here one day. However, my old digi cam broke from one too many drops, and I'm fixin to replace it. Nothin fancy. I'm considering a Canon SX20 VS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 VS Nikon Coolpix 90

This would be an all purpose camera, SLR not needed. Any recommendations among these choices?

[Dysart]

And btw, I know they do recognize your car. I’ve seen this bird behavior myself.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I shot these with a Panasonic FZ30, it’s a good camera.

[lysie]

Beautiful!

[Dysart]

Great. Thanks.

[fanfan]

Great shots!

How do you hold, and focus, your camera, while taking the shot with one hand?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Auto focus and a stabilized lens. You let the camera focus on where you expect the bird to be, and wait.

[goat granny]

You always post great pictures.......

[fanfan]

You let the camera focus on where you expect the bird to be, and wait.

Thanks, I get it now.

Did you see the new hummingbird feeder?

[pandoraou812]

Beautiful!!!

[gardengirl]

Beautiful as always! And beautiful hands!

I have the same affinity for animals. Mine manifests mostly with horses and dogs and goats, lately chickens. LOL

A couple came in the store today with a little chihuahua. I waited on them, rung them up, said something to the pup and reached out and petted him, scratched his ears.

The couple just stood there with their mouths open. The woman finally said, “I can’t believe you did that. He bites everyone that gets close to him!”

I just shrugged and smiled. I was thinking to myself, why would you take a dog that you know is going to bite out in public?

[Grammy]

Now that’s just fun!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

The local police used to get upset because I could walk right up to their dogs and get along like a long lost friend. When we had horses the vet would come out and hand me the loaded syringes, I could vaccinate all 5 horses in a couple of minutes, the vet would have had a rough time with them, they didn't like her.

Critters read you, you can't hide your emotions from them.

[Dinah Lord]

Unbelievable!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

You’re just jealous, they can fly a Hell of a lot better than you can!

[submarinerswife]

I will buy you a case of your favorite beverage to come take the 60 or so that invade my backyard feeders 3 times a day.

[gardengirl]

I get it from my dad, and his dad before him. Gpa was Welsh and Cherokee, and he could get horses and mules to do anything. Very few critters I can’t get along with, get them to do pretty much anything I want. Drives my hubby and kids nuts.

I knew I liked you for some reason! LOL

[GSP.FAN]

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Tsiya is “Otter” in Tsalagi. My maternal grandmother was from Redbird Smith’s line.

[P.O.E.]

10,000 of any animal is going to be an uncomfortable situation.

Same thing happened with the Canada Geese. Used to look at them as beautiful, until they started showing up at work in droves.

[Vinnie]

Terrific pics. Love the lens on that camera.

Reminds me of the gray jays I could hand feed up in the Colorado mountains one summer.

Do you have scrub jays around you? Another fascinating bird.

[gardengirl]

I’ve seen you explain Tsiya before. Have no idea who daddy’s people were. The only name I know is Belle Star—she was daddy’s gma on his daddy’s side, and full Cherokee, from NC I think. But the last name is Smith, so we’re probably kin somewhere. :)

I look just like a picture I once saw of Belle Star. Same round moon face, same body shape. Only diff is, I have hazel eyes and dark brown hair. Several of Daddy’s sisters favored the Cherokee side more, dark hair and eyes, as does daddy. All the women in his family have a two finger wide white streak in their hair right above their right temple. I have that too, and one of my sisters. I’ve seen it in a lot of women who have Cherokee ancestors.

[okimhere]

I had a scrub jay who would come for peanuts every day. If I was working in the yard and didn’t notice her, she’d land on my head. Then I’d put a peanut in my hand and she’d land there and take the peanut. Fun!

[okimhere]

How do you hold the camera so still with just one hand???

When the day comes that a flight of grackles flies above your vehicle as you drive down the road, will you have your grandson standing roadside to get a picture? :)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Awsome pics!
Thanks so much!

[airborne]

I’m guessing the back of that mirror is streaked in bird poop! ;^)

Nice pix!!!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

My sister and an aunt have the skin tone and dark hair, I've been told I have the skull shape.

Redbird took the surname Smith because he was a blacksmith. He had a lot of children.

There was a lot of intermarriage with other groups, we are junkyard dogs, LOL! I'm also related to the Patsy Cline Clines, and the Hatfields, and the McCoys! I come by my attitude honestly!

This is my maternal grandmother, Dora Launa Smith Pepper.

[gardengirl]

Lucky you, to have pics and to know. I’m afraid you’ve got the junkyard dog part right, tho! LOL

I think we all have a lot more relatives than we realize, esp if our grandparents came from big families and had big families themselves. Stuff gets lost after a generation or two because the older folks know who everyone is and don’t always think to explain the relationships to the younger ones, who often don’t care. :)