2026-10-16T12:05:05Z https://njump.me Outside My Window (Unofficial) https://njump.me/npub1x7ux7c36xwpqnw5dwzqlm60knjpe9jhrf99l6c2cfcgpyuctl0gqe7a4ud https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f58b.png https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f58b.png https://njump.me/nevent1qqsqtd8tuy4fq2qc3z8qzd65tzkyxetndudyqsd39tq35en4f88c9hgzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaqwmrfw9 Birds Wearing Masks<br/><br/>Gambel’s quail pair (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>29 October 2026<br/>With Halloween around the corner, some birds are already wearing masks even though they don’t have “masked” in their names.<br/>The male Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii) has fancy white edges on his mask.<br/>Green jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) wears overlapping masks, blue + black.<br/>European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) wears a black eye-mask (a domino) on top of a red mask.<br/>Green Jay in Texas (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>European goldfinch (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>The domino or Lone Ranger mask is a popular choice for quite a few birds including …<br/>Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)<br/>Kentucky warbler (Geothlypis formosa)<br/>Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas).<br/>Cedar waxwing adult (photo by Cris Hamilton)<br/>Kentucky warbler (photo by Tony Bruno)<br/>Common yellowthroat (photo by Steve Gosser)<br/>p.s. Did you notice that the Kentucky warbler and the yellowthroat are in the same genus, Geothlypis?<br/>According to Wikipedia: The genus name Geothlypis combines the Ancient Greek ???-/ge?- meaning “ground-” or “earth-” with ??????/thlupis, an unknown small bird. Uncertainty is baked into their name.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/29/halloween-birds-wearing-masks/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/29/halloween-birds-wearing-masks/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GAQU_wiki.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GRJA_Cyanocorax_luxuosus_Laguna_Atascosa_NWR_Texas_wiki.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/EURGOL_072_Wild_European_goldfinch_at_the_Parc_Jura_vaudois_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent_wiki-1024x683.jpg"> <br/><br/>#wearingmasks #geothlypis #birds #greenjay #common #gambel #cedar #crishamilton #stevegosser #tonybruno<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-29T16:21:20Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqsdx2g37fg6v59309q73s9uwae5p2tluvdtrhc7qv6whqd45rmcfwqzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaq8rp0nt Seen This Week: Colorful Leaves, a White Cocoon and Pine Siskins<br/><br/>Red sweetgum leaves in Oakland neighborhood, 20 October 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>26 October 2026<br/>Fall leaf color has been weak this month. The maples turned red early but their leaves were blown off in strong winds about a week ago. In the city’s urban heat island, the oaks have not changed yet so it was a relief to find bright red sweetgum leaves in Oakland (at top).<br/>Leaves were still green in Schenley Park last Friday, though the sun rays were a nice touch.<br/>Sun rays at Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>Insects are getting ready for winter. Last week I found a caterpillar heading down the curb into the street. Google Lens said it’s a yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli), a food generalist that pupates underground. This one was in for a rude awakening when it found asphalt beneath the fallen leaves. In farming country this caterpillar is a pest because it eats crops.<br/>Yellow-striped armyworm caterpillar, Bayard Street in Pittsburgh, 21 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>On Friday in Schenley I also saw this very white cocoon attached flush to a stem along its length (side view at right). Do any of you know what this is? Please leave a message.<br/>Mystery cocoon in Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St John)<br/>This month’s surprise has been an influx of pine siskins (Spinus pinus) in western Pennsylvania. Based on my reading of the Winter Finch Forecast 2026-2027, I didn’t expect them to reach Allegheny County. Yesterday I saw them at the Hartwood Acres Mansion hemlocks. Steve Gosser got an excellent photo.<br/>Pine siskin, Hartwood Acres Mansion hemlocks, 25 October 2026 (photo by Steve Gosser)<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/26/seen-this-week-colorful-leaves-a-white-cocoon-and-pine-siskins/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/26/seen-this-week-colorful-leaves-a-white-cocoon-and-pine-siskins/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/leaves_20261020_175833039_RSZ_kms-1024x771.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/scene_schenley_leaves_mist_rays_20261023_132609987_RSZ900x_kms-771x1024.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/insect_yellow-striped_army_worm_Spodoptera_ornithogalli_20261021_175214730_RSZ_kms.jpg"> <br/><br/>#whitecocoon #schenleypark #pinesiskins #leaves #john #kate #october #acresmansion #hartwoodacres #oakland<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-26T16:08:18Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqs939p05phu0p7khyfulw5qh3m30drmkqknnhrjsguxskps4hegxuqzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaq2xzanu A Very Good Flight of Northern Saw-whet Owls<br/><br/>Northern saw-whet owl banded at Sewickley Heights Park, 17 Oct 2026 (photo from Bob Mulvihill on Facebook)<br/>22 October 2026<br/>When Bob Mulvihill announced the start of this year’s Project Owlnet to band northern saw-whet owls, he was not optimistic about the weather.<br/>The predicted weather for tomorrow night’s [Friday 16 October 2026] start of the fall owl banding season at Sewickley Heights Borough Park is not ideal, to say the least. There is a chance of showers, and the wind may be a bit strong. Nevertheless, I plan to show up and give it the old college try!<br/>— Facebook post from Bob Mulvihill on 15 October 2026<br/>Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) migrate through Pennsylvania from mid-October through early December. Though they are one of the most abundant owls in North America, they are very small and secretive. Project Owlnet is usually our only chance to see one.<br/>There were no owls on opening night but the next day, Saturday 17 October, was spectacular. The project captured and banded the unusually high number of four owls! Steve Gosser and Jeff Cieslak took photos.<br/>Northern saw-whet owl at Project Owlnet banding station, 17 Oct 2026 (photo by Steve Gosser)<br/>Each owl was weighed and measured and its feathers were assessed to determine its approximate age. One of the best ways to age these owls is to look at the underwing in black light.<br/>Here’s a hatch-year bird, evident because all the feathers are the same age.<br/>Hatch-year northern saw-whet owl underwing in black light, 17 Oct 2026 (photo by Jeff Cieslak)<br/>And here’s an adult owl showing some feather replacement.<br/>Adult northern saw-whet owl underwing in black light, 17 Oct 2026 (photo by Jeff Cieslak)<br/>When the season started Bob Mulvihill said, “It promises to be a very good flight of Northern Saw-whet Owls this year after last autumn’s very low count!” You bet!<br/>Project Owlnet continues every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evening through 5 December 2026 at Sewickley Heights Borough Park. (Owls are not guaranteed.) All birds are captured and banded under a federal permit issued by the Bird Banding Lab, part of the U.S. Geological Survey.<br/>For more information see Project Owlnet on the National Aviary website or the Facebook event at: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1743625620080263/1744676026641889">https://www.facebook.com/events/1743625620080263/1744676026641889</a><br/>p.s. How hard is it to find a northern saw-whet owl? eBird species abundance maps are generated from eBird reports. If no one sees or hears the bird, it isn’t a dot on the map. This is especially evident with northern saw-whet owls who “toot” a lot in early April, are silent in thickets in July ,and are listed at banding stations in November. Notice how the abundance reports change for this bird in the weeks of 5 April, 26 July and 1 November. April: Lots of birds heard. July: nothing seen or heard. Nov: birds recorded at banding stations and perhaps a few toots.<br/>Pennsylvania shows up on the November map because we have a robust banding program.<br/>Many &#34;tooting&#34; owls reported at breeding grounds<br/>Owls not reported because they&#39;re silent<br/>Owls reappear, reported at banding stations<br/>eBird weekly abundance maps for northern saw-whet owl starting with week of 5 April<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/22/a-very-good-flight-of-northern-saw-whet-owls/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/22/a-very-good-flight-of-northern-saw-whet-owls/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/NSWO_saw-whet_owl_4th_banding_SHpark_20261017_bobmulvihill.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/NSWO_saw-whet_owl_banding_SHpark_20261017_sgosser.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/NSWO_saw-whet_owl_blacklight_hatchyr_SHpark_20261017_jeffcieslak-1024x768.jpg"> <br/><br/>#goodflight #sewickleyheights #bobmulvihill #verygood #projectowlnet #owls #heightsborough #october #jeffcieslak #boroughpark<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-22T15:39:52Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqs2ttwph7jv7d0a9t6pejceklt9k50trw5m96zp5ujnyqg56edhzxczyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaqau4mvk The Ocean is Unforgiving: Part 2<br/><br/>House collapsed in the ocean at Rodanthe, May 2024 (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>21 October 2026: Part 2 of The Ocean is Unforgiving When You Build Your House on Sand<br/>When I was a teenager my family used to vacation on the beach at Nags Head, North Carolina in cottages across the road from Jockey’s Ridge sand dunes. Fifteen years later when my husband and I visited Nags Head, the ocean was closer to the road, the beach was narrow, and the cottages were gone.<br/>I wasn’t there to see what happened to those cottages. Were they demolished and carted away before the ocean took them? Or was it like this episode in Rodanthe in which a fully furnished house collapsed into the sea?<br/>Notice the furniture in the debris field. Click on the photo to enlarge it.<br/>Identifiable debris associated with house collapse, Rodanthe, May 2024 (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>Because this is a National Seashore, the National Park Service collects the debris …<br/>Collecting debris associated with house collapse, Rodanthe, May 2024 (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>… and loads it up to cart it away.<br/>Loading debris to haul away from house collapse, Rodanthe, May 2024 (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>Why do owners leave their houses fully furnished and just let them collapse into the ocean? NPR explains in this 9 minute video.<br/>video embedded from NPR on YouTube<br/>So, yes, these houses were built on sand but they were built far from the ocean. The ocean has come to meet them. 50 years ago the ocean was rising at 1.5 to 2.3 mm (0.06 to 0.09 inches) per year, but the rate of sea level rise is increasing. In 2023 it rose 7.6 mm (0.3 inches).<br/>While a few millimeters of sea level rise per year may seem small, scientists estimate that every 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) of sea level rise translates into 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) of beachfront lost along the average coast. It also means that high tides and storm surges can rise even higher, bringing more coastal flooding, even on sunny days. In a report issued in February 2022, U.S. scientists concluded that by 2050 sea level along U.S. coastlines could rise between 25 to 30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches) above today’s [August 2022] levels.<br/>— NASA Earth Observatory, August 2022: Tracking 30 years of sea level rise<br/>Alas, as NPR points out, FEMA flood insurance requires damage before it’ll pay out. So we pay twice. (1) FEMA insurance payout to the owner and (2) labor and expense to clean up the beach and haul away the debris.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/21/the-ocean-is-unforgiving-part-2/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/21/the-ocean-is-unforgiving-part-2/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/scene_rodanthe_debris_associated_with_house_collapse_-_53752059402_wiki-1024x768.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/scene_rodanthe_debris_identified_in_house_collapse_53752059402_wiki-1024x601.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/scene_rodanthe_collecting_debris_associated_with_house_collapse_53753242008_CROP_wiki-1024x592.jpg"> <br/><br/>#ocean #nagshead #part #rodanthe #may #house #northcarolina #npr #august<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-21T15:32:45Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqszckpll56cwgxcvw8tgzr9zd32n4veqtx562v2nm3xvqcadftvndczyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaqm7wdhx Pitt Peregrines Having a Quiet October<br/><br/>Ecco visits the nest at 6:30pm 19 Oct 2026 (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)<br/>20 October 2026<br/>Three weeks into October the Pitt peregrines, Ecco and Carla, have an established pattern to their days. Hunt, eat, sleep, cruise around, and keep an eye on the sky in case a new peregrine arrives to claim their home.<br/>Hunting is easy because the local prey population (birds) is at its highest after the breeding season. Also, fall migration brings a new batch of southbound birds every night.<br/>In mid to late October Ecco and Carla might see an arctic peregrine migrating south overhead but the arctic individuals are unlikely to stop. They have a long journey to the coast of Chile; they keep moving.<br/>Early this month, on 3 October, Carla and Ecco had a long pair-bonding session at the nest. (Slideshow photos from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh).<br/>Carla (in back) initiates bowing<br/>5 minutes later she&#39;s ready to leave<br/>The bonding continues<br/>Carla might leave but...<br/>Ecco leaves first.<br/>Carla stays to preen.<br/>Nowadays they’re seen on camera less frequently. Ecco usually stops by before dawn. This morning he called for Carla and left shortly thereafter. I imagine she answered “I’m over here.”<br/>Ecco calling at the Pitt peregrine nest before dawn, 20 Oct 2026 (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)<br/>November will be quiet too.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/20/pitt-peregrines-having-a-quiet-october/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/20/pitt-peregrines-having-a-quiet-october/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pitt_2026-10-19_18-30-16-80.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pitt_2026-10-03_15-32-49-66-bow-a-LONG.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pitt_2026-10-03_15-40-16-69.jpg"> <br/><br/>#pittperegrines #october #nationalaviary #carla #quiet #ecco #pittsburgh #univ<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-20T15:34:49Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqsvmwc7mc8cfnrx5mf3dls6lzxp9u0dltw886ulzyx2507ddajp06qzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaq28r3qg Woolly Aphids That Won’t Dance<br/><br/>Woolly alder aphids (photo by Bob Lepak, Bugwood.org)<br/>19 October 2026<br/>Until the first killing frost woolly alder aphids (Prociphilus tessellatus) actively coat alder branches like fluffy white socks. I found some in late September 2020 but didn’t know what they were. This month a group of birders found them at Yellow Creek State Park and Ed Donley shared the bug’s identity with the group at Buckeye Yard &amp; Garden Online: Woolly Alder Aphid.<br/>Named for their host tree, woolly alder aphids (Prociphilus tessellatus) are similar to beech blight aphids (Grylloprociphilus imbricator) — the ones that do the boogie-woogie. However, alder aphids don’t move when frightened. Instead they just stay in a tight cluster.<br/>The woolly protection comes from structures on the bugs’ backs that are arranged in a block pattern. You can see the pattern on these nymphs who haven’t fully exuded / unfurled the wool.<br/>Woolly alder aphid nymphs (photo by Bob Lepak, Bugwood.org)<br/>These aphids suck phloem sap from alder trees and excrete a sweet “honeydew” that attracts harvesters such as carpenter ants and adult green lacewings.<br/>Carpenter ants harvesting honeydew from woolly alder aphids (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>Green lacewing adult (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>Green lacewings have a dual purpose at the aphid cluster. The adults eat the honeydew and the females lay eggs (on “poles”) near the aphids. Lacewing nymphs are carnivorous so the eggs are placed among future food.<br/>Lacewing eggs (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>The honeydew also attracts mold which turns it gray/black.<br/>Aphids are white. The black material is black sooty mold Scorias spongiosa (photo by David Stephens, Bugwood.org)<br/>It would be fascinating to watch a woolly alder aphid cluster go through these phases, but it will have to wait until next summer when the next generation of aphids hatches.<br/>Meanwhile watch beech-blight aphids do the boogie-woogie in the video embedded in this vintage article.<br/>Boogie-Woogie Aphids<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/19/woolly-aphids-that-wont-dance/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/19/woolly-aphids-that-wont-dance/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/a-insects_woolly_alder_aphid_5062060-SMPT-768x1024.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/b-insects_woolly_alder_aphid_mold_5062057-SMPT-768x1024.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/d-insects_woolly_alder_aphid_and_carpenter_ant_37503326801_wiki-1024x682.jpg"> <br/><br/>#woollyalder #aphids #boblepak #green #gardenonline #buckeyeyard #creekstate #statepark #yellowcreek #lacewing<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-19T15:33:53Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqsffg0638qj035t4qq7x6jr5292357yc0hxl0plr698jl32cjpcy4gzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaq0cqhfe 88s, Stoplights and a Confusing Sister in Veracruz<br/><br/>88 butterfly ventral view, Santa Rosa, Veracruz, MX, 5 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>18 October 2026<br/>As we walked the road from Santa Rosa to Cascada de Texolo on 5 October, we were impressed by the butterflies as well as the birds.<br/>I had been hoping to see “88” butterflies and my dream came true when one posed nicely for us near the waterfalls overlook. The dorsal side was much more difficult to photograph so when our guide Roland found a dead one, he opened it so we could see its back.<br/>Deceased 88 butterfly dorsal view, Santa Rosa, Veracruz, MX, 5 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>I don’t have my own photo of a stoplight catone (Catonephele numilia) but it was certainly an impressive bug. I wish I’d been able to take its picture but it was too fast, so here’s a photo from Wikimedia.<br/>Stoplight butterfly (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>I love the iridescent blue stripes on this butterfly, identified in Google Lens as Iphicleola Sister or Confusing Sister (Adelpha iphicleola).<br/>Iphicleola Sister or Confusing Sister butterfly, on the road to the waterfalls, Veracruz, MX, 5 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>On 3 October on the Cofre de Perote road we saw many Mexican dartwhites (Catasticta nimbice)<br/>Mexican dartwhite, 3 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>The WINGS tour description included a photo of the Bromfild’s beauty (Smyrna blomfildia) butterfly. (Maybe it’s rare?) When one flew across the road to the waterfalls, we tried to photograph it unsuccessfully until it landed on our driver’s head and paused to taste his hair gel.<br/>Bromfild’s beauty landed on our driver’s head, Santa Rosa, Veracruz, MX, 5 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/18/88s-stoplights-and-a-confusing-sister-in-veracruz/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/18/88s-stoplights-and-a-confusing-sister-in-veracruz/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/butterflies_88_santa_rosa_ver-mx_20261005_181835297_RSZ_kms.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/butterflies_88_ver-mx_dorsal_20261006_152039405_rsz_kms.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/butterflies_stoplight_catone_Catonephele_numilia_wiki.jpg"> <br/><br/>#confusingsister #santarosa #veracruz #oct #john #kate #iphicleolasister #mexican #googlelens #bromfild<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-18T15:33:29Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqsd0x2dx063e80u3vvx2fth9mrr770eeepcpm5g7e9qfdcaxzayyqgzyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaqzt2pwg Seen This Week: Fall Foliage, Nuts and a Turkey<br/><br/>American beech leaves turning golden yellow, 10 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>17 October 2026<br/>Leaves are changing color in Schenley Park. A lot of trees are still green because the oaks change later this month.<br/>A view of the wood on Falloon Trail, 10 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>Yellow is the main color right now: Beech (above) and buckeyes (below).<br/>Bottlebrush buckeye leaves turning yellow — veins still green, 14 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>Red is rare because we have few maples … except for this one at Phipps Conservatory.<br/>Bright red tree near Phipps Conservatory, 16 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>On 9 October I found a nut on a gravel trail in Schenley Park. Fascinated by its five-sectioned capsule, I peeled it to reveal the nut from a bitternut hickory.<br/>Bitternut hickory nut on the ground, intact, Schenley Park, 9 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/>Bitternut from another angle<br/>Peeling the capsule<br/>Nut inside<br/>Humans don’t eat bitternuts because they taste bitter. They aren’t the first choice for most wildlife, but the nuts have a high fat content and are worth eating to fatten up as winter approaches.<br/>On 10 October I found a nut-eating bird near the Falloon Trail, searching the leaf litter for food. Wild turkeys compete with deer, squirrels and blue jays for acorns in the fall. The bird was a happy find, the first wild turkey I’ve seen in Schenley Park since 2020.<br/>Wild turkey, Schenley Park, 10 Oct 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/17/seen-this-week-fall-foliage-nuts-and-a-turkey/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/17/seen-this-week-fall-foliage-nuts-and-a-turkey/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/fall_foliage_beech_schenley_20261010_184645592_RSZ_kms.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/fall_foliage_schenley_no_ground_cover_20261010_181755694_RSZ_kms.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/fall_foliage_bottlebrush_buckeye_schenley_20261013_174221850_RSZ_kms.jpg"> <br/><br/>#schenleypark #oct #john #kate #phippsconservatory #fall #falloontrail #nut #turkey #leaves<br/><br/>#rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit 2026-10-17T15:45:06Z https://njump.me/nevent1qqs0mv888y4yxrj92z38mq7z7jy807qwnrgmak8ckuwarm95pypwe7szyqmmsmmz8gecyzd634cgrl0f76wg8yk2udy5hltptp8pqynnp0aaqum9v0z Birds So Loud They Hurt Your Ears<br/><br/>Bare-throated bellbird, calling (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>14 October 2026<br/>Which birds are the loudest on Earth?<br/>For many years the white bellbird (Procnias albus) of South America held that title as the only bird louder than 120 decibels. At close range his voice is beyond the human pain threshold (110 decibels) and is as loud as jackhammers and chainsaws. Take off your headphones! and see what you think.<br/>video embedded from Guardian News on YouTube<br/>Last month two other South American birds joined the white bellbird in the Loudest category. A new study in the journal Evolution measured audio amplitude(*) and found that the bare-throated bellbird (Procnias nudicollis) and red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata) both exceed 120 decibels as well.<br/>To put this in context their calls are louder than live rock music which, at 108-114 decibels, is at the average human pain threshold.<br/>Here’s the loud one-note call of the bare-throated bellbird, pictured at top.<br/>video embedded from @BirdwatchersChannel on YouTube<br/>The red-legged seriema doesn’t look loud when he’s calling but don’t stand too close.<br/>Red-legged Seriema (photo from Wikimedia)<br/>Greg Ward filmed two seriemas calling in Brazil.<br/>Curious about decibels and their effects on human hearing? See this table from Purdue: Noise Sources and Their Effects.<br/>(*) Sound wave “amplitude is a major component of loudness and is crucial to our perception of sound.” — New York Times loudest birds<br/><br/><a href="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/14/birds-so-loud-they-hurt-your-ears/">https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2026/10/14/birds-so-loud-they-hurt-your-ears/</a><br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/BATBEL_bare-throated_bellbird_Procnias_nudicollis_248196419_wiki-1024x683.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/RELSER_red-legged_seriema_Cariama_cristata_417004439_wiki.jpg"> 2026-10-16T04:35:23Z