Field,Wiley, Tom, and Hale

[LenDawg]

Pete, thanks for the trip report. And nice picture!!

 

[Tom Rankin]

So, can someone give me a comparison of an ADK high peak to a NH peak?

That's probably a good thread starter question.

The peaks we've been talking about (Field, Willey, Tom, Jackson) are all fairly modest in height. They have decent views, and I'd say Jackson has the best, but none of them are truly 360. They are all fairly close to the road, and like Julie said, you can combine them. So, maybe we're talking about doing the Wolf Jaws, or Big Slide and the Brothers, or Cascade and Porter, or Dial, something like that.

Is that what you were asking ? Other comparisons can be made, but I'll stop here for now...

 

[BorealChickadee]

Thanks Tom, that's exactly what I'm asking. I have zippo experience with NH mountains and knowing abouat what to expect will be a huge help in planning. Mostly for how much sleep I need to get after driving. I find I need that more than I used to

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Gray jays in the Willey Range and Jackson

I have found that the gray jays in the Crawford Notch area just love Nature Valley crunchy granola bars, with the pecan bars being their favorite. I break the bars into little pieces that they take right off my hands, with no shyness whatsoever.

 

[Cruddy Toes]

feeding wild animals

Should wild birds be fed processed foods? I am wondering of this is harmful to them. Can some bird experts explain? It is awful tempting to feed these guys, but should we?

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Are these gray jays wild?

I believe that there was a long VFTT thread on this debate some time over the last year or so. IMHO, these birds are no longer wild, and probably have not been wild for many generations. Although maybe not domesticated, they are really tame. I realize that this sad fact is probably not a very good excuse for bad human behavior. I rationalize my bad behavior by not eating their kin, including chicken, turkey, and other animals.

 

[BorealChickadee]

Processed foods are a very poor nutritional choice birds, not even considering about the ratio of chemicals to the few body ounces of a bird.

Birds need food that is nutritionally dense that THEIR bodies can use. And Oreos ain't it! Think about how calorie and fat rich and usable energy must be available to keep them alive in the winter while you're home in bed with the heat on. This is true whether winter or summer. Breeding season puts a huge energy demand on birds and then comes migration for many birds. Some birds fly thousands of miles nonstop while migrating. You can't do that on Wonder bread.

Carry black oil sunflower seeds. You can't go wrong. You'll have fun. The birds will be eating well (probably better than some of the crap we put in our bodies!) and you'll get pictures to show all your friends.

Black oil sunflower seeds.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Carry black oil sunflower seeds. You can't go wrong. You'll have fun. The birds will be eating well (probably better than some of the crap we put in our bodies!) and you'll get pictures to show all your friends.

Black oil sunflower seeds.

Great suggestion, BorealChickadee! I once carried some generic bird food with me to Jackson, held it out in my hand, the gray jays took turns landing, looked and pecked at it a little, then looked at me as if to say what is this stuff, then flew away. So, then I tried my crunchy granola bars, which are nuts and grains, unfortunately processed, but at least without raisins or frosty coatings or chocolate, and the jays seemed to be really pleased. But, I will take black oil sunflower seeds on my next visit to the area.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Carry black oil sunflower seeds.

I was wondering if I could bring some of the seeds from a plant in my garden:

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmp/garden.jpg

I was thinking that it would make bird watching real interesting.

 

[prino]

I was wondering if I could bring some of the seeds from a plant in my garden:

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmp/garden.jpg

I was thinking that it would make bird watching real interesting.

No idea what those weeds in the middle are and I don't know how Echinicea (Purple Coneflower)will make Bird watching interesting

 

[king tut]

Those Gray Jays are nuttin' (pun intended). I remember in Yosemite the Stellar's Jays would literally unzip the side pockets on our packs and pull out the contents. I won't talk about the Yosemite bears cuz that would be thread drift.

Those stellar jays in yosemite were definitely on some sort of mexican imported drug, them suckers were aggressive!!

 

[Neil]

Killer bird in Quebec.

Killer bird destroys Prino's hand.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Killer bird in Quebec.

OMG!!!! They're in Québec now? They must be coming after me. MUST HIDE!!!

 

[prino]

Head Games

There getting closer Pete....spotted near St Donat yesterday.

 

[Mike P.]

Have seen & sometimes fed Gray Jays at:

BSP just below Chimney Pond - ate part of my Cliff Bar, did not like Power bar
The Col between Avery & West Peak of Bigelow

in NH they seem to like elevations around 4,000 feet with trees, never seen them on Washinton but have on:

Hale - Summit & lower on Lend a Hand - Fall & Spring (with Middle school kids I figured out how to get 15 kids to be still & quiet looking silly with their hands out & not making a fist) don't recall seeing them in winter but it was not a good day
Between Zealand & Zeacliff - Spring
Liberty - Spring & winter
Garfield - at Jct of Garfiled Ridge & Garfield Mt. - late fall (mid Nov.)
North Twin - fall
Field, June & winter
Tom, same as Field