Re: [cayugabirds-l] Robin ferocity- Salt Point
Thanks for reporting this interesting sighting, John. When Kevin McGowan gave part of the recent Lab of O. Seminar on Crows, he remarked on some reasons some people do not like crows. One reason was they eat baby birds from the nest. To which he replied (paraphrased here), Well you want to know what else eats baby birds?! - Cute little chipmunks! Then he showed a photograph of the 'cute little chipmunk' with his face in a bird's nest eating a nestling. That Salt Pt. Robin knew what it was doing when it attacked the chipmunk! Donna Scott Lansing - Original Message - From: John Greenly To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Sent: Monday, May 26, 2014 1:06 PM Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Robin ferocity- Salt Point I was at Salt Point taking bad photos when I saw a chipmunk crossing the dirt road near its dead end at the concrete blocks on the North side. The chippy was heading toward the base of the big scrubby juniper on the east side of the road, and suddenly out of the tree a Robin came streaking down, hit the chippy so hard it tumbled head over heels. The bird chased it back into the brush across the road, with continuing scuffling sounds. The Robin came back to the tree; the scene was repeated twice more in the next 5 min or so. Finally the Robin began marching back and forth on the road like an armed guard in front of a palace, and thereafter no more sign of the chipmunk. The attacks happened so fast that I failed to get a decent photo. I think of chipmunks as pretty quick on their feet, but this one was no match for the Robin, it got nailed every time. Needless to say, the Robin does have nestlings in that tree. Other birds to mention- at least two singing Willow Flycatchers; E. Kingbird seems to have moved in- I see one regularly; Mourning Warbler heard as Jay reported in the ravine across the tracks from the north end; Green Heron on the creek; at least two singing Yellow-throated Vireos- one seen near the RR bridge; fly-over Wood Duck, heading for the creek upstream of the RR bridge. --John Greenly -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Robin ferocity- Salt Point
I attended the Seminar on Crows at the Lab of O and enjoyed it very much. When Kevin related the information about the chipmunk eating baby birds, I was reminded of an incident I witnessed in PA a few years ago. (I think I posted it to the Cayugabirds list.) From my dad's kitchen window, I saw a chipmunk attack and kill a female cardinal who was nearby, pecking at seeds fallen from the feeder. The chipmunk grabbed the cardinal and in the struggle, her neck was broken. We should have just watched, I guess, but we rushed outside and the chipmunk raced off, scolding. We put the dead cardinal on a nearby stump and went out on an errand for a short time. When we returned, the cardinal was gone. Don't know if the chipmunk came back and dragged her away or if a neighborhood cat had come by. In any case, we learned that chipmunks are tough! Kathleen Kramer Newfield On 5/29/14 10:54 AM, Donna Scott wrote: Thanks for reporting this interesting sighting, John. When Kevin McGowan gave part of the recent Lab of O. Seminar on Crows, he remarked on some reasons some people do not like crows. One reason was they eat baby birds from the nest. To which he replied (paraphrased here), Well you want to know what else eats baby birds?! - Cute little chipmunks! Then he showed a photograph of the 'cute little chipmunk' with his face in a bird's nest eating a nestling. That Salt Pt. Robin knew what it was doing when it attacked the chipmunk! Donna Scott Lansing - Original Message - *From:* John Greenly mailto:j...@cornell.edu *To:* CAYUGABIRDS-L mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu *Sent:* Monday, May 26, 2014 1:06 PM *Subject:* [cayugabirds-l] Robin ferocity- Salt Point I was at Salt Point taking bad photos when I saw a chipmunk crossing the dirt road near its dead end at the concrete blocks on the North side. The chippy was heading toward the base of the big scrubby juniper on the east side of the road, and suddenly out of the tree a Robin came streaking down, hit the chippy so hard it tumbled head over heels. The bird chased it back into the brush across the road, with continuing scuffling sounds. The Robin came back to the tree; the scene was repeated twice more in the next 5 min or so. Finally the Robin began marching back and forth on the road like an armed guard in front of a palace, and thereafter no more sign of the chipmunk. The attacks happened so fast that I failed to get a decent photo. I think of chipmunks as pretty quick on their feet, but this one was no match for the Robin, it got nailed every time. Needless to say, the Robin does have nestlings in that tree. Other birds to mention- at least two singing Willow Flycatchers; E. Kingbird seems to have moved in- I see one regularly; Mourning Warbler heard as Jay reported in the ravine across the tracks from the north end; Green Heron on the creek; at least two singing Yellow-throated Vireos- one seen near the RR bridge; fly-over Wood Duck, heading for the creek upstream of the RR bridge. --John Greenly -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* Welcome and Basics http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Information http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leave http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm *Archives:* The Mail Archive http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirds http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Net http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html *Please submit your observations to eBird http://ebird.org/content/ebird/!* -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Robin ferocity- Salt Point
I was at Salt Point taking bad photos when I saw a chipmunk crossing the dirt road near its dead end at the concrete blocks on the North side. The chippy was heading toward the base of the big scrubby juniper on the east side of the road, and suddenly out of the tree a Robin came streaking down, hit the chippy so hard it tumbled head over heels. The bird chased it back into the brush across the road, with continuing scuffling sounds. The Robin came back to the tree; the scene was repeated twice more in the next 5 min or so. Finally the Robin began marching back and forth on the road like an armed guard in front of a palace, and thereafter no more sign of the chipmunk. The attacks happened so fast that I failed to get a decent photo. I think of chipmunks as pretty quick on their feet, but this one was no match for the Robin, it got nailed every time. Needless to say, the Robin does have nestlings in that tree. Other birds to mention- at least two singing Willow Flycatchers; E. Kingbird seems to have moved in- I see one regularly; Mourning Warbler heard as Jay reported in the ravine across the tracks from the north end; Green Heron on the creek; at least two singing Yellow-throated Vireos- one seen near the RR bridge; fly-over Wood Duck, heading for the creek upstream of the RR bridge. --John Greenly -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
