Mis Pishification
We had our first cold front hit the Twin Cities this weekend. It was in the upper fifties, lower forties this weekend and rain moved in for a good chunk of it. This is my favorite time of year--nothing like breaking out the sweaters, taking a shot of scotch to warm up and my most favorite, stealing a few extra minutes in the morning to snuggle with a warm husband under the covers--all this when not spend hours on end watching hawk migration in Duluth. I even tried out a FANTASTIC squash soup recipe this weekend that I found in a cranberry recipe book (I omitted the cranberries and still really enjoyed the soup).
Warblers were passing by throughout the weekend. Sunday morning I heard few chips and looked out the window to find a mixed flock of Nashvilles, redstarts, Tennessees and a lone magnolia warbler! I started pishing before I could help myself and the magnolia (above) was very interested in the sound (I wonder what my neighbors in nearby apartments think when they hear me doing that?).
The magnolia flitted about by the living room window and then darted around the corner towards the bedroom and bathroom and I followed. I dashed to the bathroom window and started pishing. Just as I was focusing the camera on the warbler, a squirrel popped into view (above)! The more I pished, the closer it came. I have never, in all my years of pishing, had a squirrel come to check it out. Two squirrels actually came within a foot of the window to inspect the sound, but then noticed each other and started fighting.
Warblers were passing by throughout the weekend. Sunday morning I heard few chips and looked out the window to find a mixed flock of Nashvilles, redstarts, Tennessees and a lone magnolia warbler! I started pishing before I could help myself and the magnolia (above) was very interested in the sound (I wonder what my neighbors in nearby apartments think when they hear me doing that?). 
The magnolia flitted about by the living room window and then darted around the corner towards the bedroom and bathroom and I followed. I dashed to the bathroom window and started pishing. Just as I was focusing the camera on the warbler, a squirrel popped into view (above)! The more I pished, the closer it came. I have never, in all my years of pishing, had a squirrel come to check it out. Two squirrels actually came within a foot of the window to inspect the sound, but then noticed each other and started fighting.
posted by birdchick at 7:40 PM
6 Comments:
When we moved from upstate NY to North Carolina, we noticed that the NC squirrels are much skinnier. Good to see a photo of one of those northern squirrels with some meat on its bones.
I recently got up the nerve to pish and I am so glad I did. Birds are so nosy...they just can't help it.
I hope that cold front hits Ohio!
Ha, I never have the nerve to pish when there are people around unless I'm actually with a group of birders (that way at least I won't look like a lone crazy). The first time I heard someone do it I was deeply impressed.
I have found that at outdoor parties or cookouts, pishing impresses non birding folks. It gives the illusion that you can control the birds.
Most people (non birders) don't know a cardinal's chip note. If you hear it at a cookout announce, "There's a cardinal!" Start to pish and when it pops out to inspect the pish, the party guests think you're awesome.
LOL! I'm totally going to try that one!
Yes, I heard rumors of some cold front...
I wouldn't know though. The weather was beautiful in California! And most of the bird shots I got are pretty identifiable: Bald Eagle, Pelican, Hummingbird, etc. Although if I run into trouble on the "birds that run around in the ocean surf" ids you may well get another of my "What the heck is this!" emails. :)
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