1.) DParker - 09/27/2017

A pigeon flew in front of my truck while I was driving to work this morning. The explosion of feathers made for an impressive display, and was reminiscent of 4th of July fireworks. "Oooooh! Ahhhhh!"

This makes my 3rd bird-suicide-by-DParker-vehicle. Hopefully I won't need to pressure wash it out of my front grill like I did that turkey vulture.

2.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

Was your dash cam working at the time?

3.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

Remind me never to get on a plane with you.

4.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

"Everything's slower in Texas ..."


:p

5.) DParker - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=bluecat;51935]Was your dash cam working at the time?[/QUOTE]

Yep.

[video=youtube;Gk1vkevZSsE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk1vkevZSsE&feature=youtu.be[/video]

But with the benefit of slow-motion I see now that it wasn't actually a pigeon, and looks more like a jay of some kind. Even better....those bastards are mean as hell.

6.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

You might be right on that. I've stopped the footage and initially, the white wing patches reminded me of a mockingbird. It might have been chasing an insect and lost it's bearings.

7.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

It also reminds me of a magpie but Texas typically doesn't have them. It's definitely got some black and white going on.

8.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

I'm going with a woodpecker.

Can't wait for the grill-cleaning to find out ...

:pop:

9.) DParker - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;51946]I'm going with a woodpecker.[/QUOTE]

That might be a good bet. We've got a bunch of different woodpecker species in this area.

10.) DParker - 09/27/2017

Actually...it looks like we were all wrong...and I have cause for some embarrassment. What I hit appears to have been a specimen of [I]Mimus polyglottos[/I], aka the Northern Mockingbird.....aka the state bird of Texas. I found several photos of them showing the same distinctive pattern of white feathers on the wings, and the wide bar of black feathers running down the middle of the tail, so I'm fairly confident in the ID.

11.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=bluecat;51942]You might be right on that. I've stopped the footage and initially, [B]the white wing patches reminded me of a mockingbird[/B]. It might have been chasing an insect and lost it's bearings.[/QUOTE]

That was my first inclination. They hover and dance around in the air as they go after insects. They can mimic anything.

12.) DParker - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=bluecat;51952]That was my first inclination. They hover and dance around in the air as they go after insects. They can mimic anything.[/QUOTE]

Oops...yeah, you did peg it first. I only scrolled back as far as your magpie comment. I hereby award you 25 internets. Just 100 more and you can redeem them for a toaster oven. So you've got that going for you...which is nice.

13.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

I thought mockingbirds were more gray and white than black and white. But then I've never seen one in flight, where the black and white might come out more. Not sure we have many here.

14.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

Just wanted to make sure I got some street cred. [:gold_grill_icon]

15.) bluecat - 09/27/2017

16.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

:-)


This mockingbird is making the sounds of nearly every bird I've ever heard ... LOL

17.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

I've got three cats looking up at the kitchen window right now..."Eyeing little birds with bad intent ..."

18.) DParker - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;51954]I thought mockingbirds were more gray and white than black and white. But then I've never seen one in flight, where the black and white might come out more. Not sure we have many here.[/QUOTE]

There are something like 30 different species of mockingbirds, so there's a fair amount of variation in feather coloring between them.

19.) Swamp Fox - 09/27/2017

Yeah, but your ID seems pretty solid. It's just kinda startling that so much black and white comes out of that bird in flight when it doesn't look like he has a lot of black or white when sitting.

20.) DParker - 09/27/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;51960]Yeah, but your ID seems pretty solid. It's just kinda startling that so much black and white comes out of that bird in flight when it doesn't look like he has a lot of black or white when sitting.[/QUOTE]

Black feathers...white feathers....can't we all just get along?!

[video=youtube;GC7JJy9fvbA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC7JJy9fvbA[/video]

21.) bluecat - 09/28/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;51958]I've got three cats looking up at the kitchen window right now..."Eyeing little birds with bad intent ..."[/QUOTE]

+ 2 :-)

22.) bluecat - 09/28/2017

Look to the cookie Swampy.

23.) Swamp Fox - 09/28/2017

Peace, love and beads, man ...


:cool: