We had a surprise visitor to Tiger Gardens this week. There it is perched in a tree in the frontyard. BJ is a bird dog and he found it in the front garden pecking around for bugs. It is some type of guinea that was busy looking for bugs. It got quite a shock when that big old bird dog (BJ) 'flushed' it out and caused it to find a safe perch high in a nearby tree. There it sat all night long, nice and quiet.Then around 5:15 it woke up. Or might I say it WOKE me up? It was quite a squawk or crowing or whatever these birds do, and it was LOUD. A very good alarm clock indeed. The bird left shortly after it 'crowed'. Good riddance too as I don't need that kind of alarm here!
It was quite interesting to see this bird up close though. I believe these types of birds do a good job eating ticks and we sure need that around here, just not in the yard due to all the dogs we have here.
Anyone else have these 'problems' in their gardens? I know some of you have peacocks, ducks and geese-how about turkeys and chickens?
in the garden....
Man!! I have seen some Guinea hens down lower into Seaford, but not close enough to our house to have them crow for us! What a surprise for the dog! At least the bird got up into the tree to be safe.
ReplyDeleteWhen the windows are open in the spring we hear all sorts of night calls... Screech owls, Great Horned Owls, Bobwhites, and various others. Kind of fun...as long as none are an alarm clock!!
That bird is huge! No alarm clocks for me here...just the usual chirping and twittering.
ReplyDeleteQuiet up here, I do have a new bird, a cow bird. Never saw one close up before.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen one of these. You got a great picture. Wonder if he is gone for good?? :)
ReplyDeleteGood morning all! No alarm clock this morning-ha!
ReplyDeleteJanet, This was quite a treat. They live across the street and I'd been seeing this small flock for weeks now. I thought them partridges and I thought them cute. I was SO happy it got away as it would have been ugly had BJ got it. He is a bad ole dog to get the birds here. I would love to hear screech owls. Not sure if I've heard them before. We do have owls but not these kinds I don't think. Too cool!
Kanak, Now chirping and twittering are good. I can live with that-but boy I thought this was a rooster. Made me certain I would not want one in my yard!
Dawn, Cowbirds are pretty neat! Pretty too. I don't see them here. Wonder why now that I think of it.
Linda, Me neither-at least not up close. It was so cool! It is not gone for good but is at least safe now. Apparently they live across the street. I don't know if they brought these birds in or they came on their own but there are a few of them.
I could use a tick eating bird...but we really don't want the alarm! Our neighbors might not like it either! I wonder if a farmer nearby keeps them Tina? Have a good day...looks like more rain here, weren't the cooler temps wonderful! gail
ReplyDeleteGail, Yes! The cooler temps are wonderful. I hope to get my school work done so I can work outside today. Sigh. Doubt it. I do believe my neighbor across the street may keep them. They have several acres so it is not a problem for the critters to run. Not in my yard though. Neighbors, yup, they might have an issue. You have a good day. I may go to Gro wild. I am touring the gardens in Belle Meade, so I'll see if Gro Wild can fit in. I am excited as I haven't done garden tours in Nashville before!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a flock of Guinea hens to eat the ticks that the deer bring home. Since poultry is against our neighborhood covenants, my son and I have "hatched" a few schemes about how Guineas just wandered up, but we haven't tried that!
ReplyDeleteThere was a flock of Guinea hens that came up everyday at a previous house. I must say that they don't seem very smart as they were always crossing the road. They stopped traffic most of the time.
Cameron
There is a old farm down the road from us that still has a rooster that you can hear 'cockadoodledooing' every morning. :)
ReplyDeleteNot too many aggravating birds around here, other than the crows that drive my husband to shoot bottle rockets in the mist of their flock in hopes they will not roost in our trees. It's cool to see the different birds from time to time though!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina, I've thought about getting some chickens but we have so many coyotes here. One lonesome guinea visited me last year. It only stayed a day. They are not happy without their own kind and move on until they find them.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
A peacock walked through my parent's yard the other day but it didn't cause any trouble. The mockingbird is the biggest problem here which isn't much of one. They keep the other birds away.
ReplyDeleteThat's really cool! I thought at first you were going to talk about that big yellow fellow from Sesame Street! :)
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, I had 10 to 15 turkey vultures that took up residence in my back yard for about a week. No idea why, no idea why the left and haven't come back.
ReplyDeleteJust glad their gone! I was afraid to go outside!
No strange fowls here, although the geese occasionally stop here in between their watering holes. The guinea must belong to a local farmer? We used to have chickens when I was young, and I always thought it would be neat to have a rooster crow at dawn, until I realized I really didn't want to get up that early:)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I don't have an alarm clock like that. It's nice to hear the night sounds-- crickets, owls & such.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting find in your yard Tina! And if BJ had gotten it, he would only be doing his job as he is a bird dog. lol But I am glad he did not get the birdie. I have not seen any of these birds in our yard but have been hearing an Owl and the Bobwhite lately. I spotted a pair of Bobwhite with small chicks one year but they only hung around for a few days. I assume the fox or coyote had a good meal. Sigh…
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of ticks, OJ kitty had one on his hiney yesterday and I had the Saint hold him while I plucked it off. Since he is still a bit skittish, he scratched the Saint. Arg, not even my kitty and I was plucking ticks off his rump! lol...
Very interesting Tina --you know hubby is a hunter --well it's Spring turkey season and there were about 5 in our backyard --the girl model saw them but never told Daddy, hahaha :0) She said she was just watching them --they then went back over to the farmers field --I was laughing --thinking about it being season and all and the girl casually watching them:) They typically don't come up this far --maybe they were just trying to taunt my hubby who has been on daddy mode more than hunting mode these days:0) Which is nice:) We have to visit girl model for field day and Boy 1 for an awards assembly --must get the hubby motivated --I don't want to take the new guy around all those little kiddos but we might attend the high school awards assembly:) We can sit away from everyone yet watch our boy get his award --hmmm better move it if I want to do either. Have a great day y'all!!
ReplyDeleteVery neat!!! Glad BJ did not get it as ugly is the right word. In the link on them, they look so much like a turkey but I did not see that with the one in your tree. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteCool bird, I don't get anything of the sort around here. I wish I did, but I'd also have the issue with the dogs chasing them.
ReplyDeleteCoons, possums, owls, squirells, but nothing like that. But if I see one....I will let you know ;)
ReplyDeleteI think we are too "suburbia" for anything like that to happen around here. But it's cool. I wouldn't mind waking up to the sound just once (but not daily)!!! Sure started your day off in an interesting way, right?!!
ReplyDeleteThe neighbors' emus used to get out and come visit. Alarmed the horses. Last time the emus made a break for it the neighbors never did get them back. The turkeys have come down to visit too...
ReplyDeleteProductive day in the yard. Grass mowed, some weeds pulled, more flowers planted and seed planted in the herb garden! Love this time of year...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Congrats to Boy 1 with awards! I am sure Girl model will have so much fun at field day as will all the kiddoes on the field! Too funny about the turkey. ROFLOL... I spotted a turkey buzzard on the side of the road today having a meal of road kill. Ick, at first I thought it was a turkey then soon realized it was a buzzard cleaning up the roadway....
That is one huge bird. Nothing like that around here thankfully. I sleep like a rock anyway so I probably wouldn't have even heard it.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I've never seen that kind of bird before. Our neighbors have hens and at one time had a rooster too. The rooster used to wake me up but I loved it -- it made me feel like I was living on a farm! --Jackie
ReplyDeleteHey all, Busy day in the garden. I'm finding it harder and harder to get on here-I know everyone else is too! Please enjoy your spring-so much to do so little time. G'night all!
ReplyDeleteWow! Talk about a huge bird! Must have been quite interesting to discover it in your yard. Can't say I've ever seen anything that large in my yard.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina- I am going to get Guineas next year. The fact that eat ticks makes me happy. I pick tick off of my dogs all summer and that is with the Frontline I put on them. If I had a good spot for them now I would have them already.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! Guineas are pretty noisey! Chickens are only noisey if you have a rooster(-: Turkeys gobble in the morning but they never really bothered me. Ducks are pretty quiet(-: Hopefully the guinea won't stay around to long and disturb your sleep!
ReplyDeleteCiNdEeS' GaRdEn
Huge? No, that's monstrous! But if it does good to your garden, I guess you should be fine. I was actually trying to make out its head in the photo and I'm still wondering if it has a neck at all. I'd love to get peacocks here though :D
ReplyDeleteTurkey will wonder through my garden from time to time. But I think they know I have a shotgun. ;~O
ReplyDeleteNo, don't really have any critter problems. There is a bunny that hops around the front yard at night. I would love to have seen that thing close up and personal!
ReplyDeleteBrenda