Here's a pic of the platform I made for them over a month ago that is separate from the deck. The Blue Jays sure do like it.

Here is a pic of a Magpie liking the platform too (even has it's leg up to show).

Not sure Claire if they will roost here in the bird houses or not, I guess we will see. I think they were hanging out at night under the deck during the windstorm and rain. When they got done eating they would just drop off the railing and not fly away and not be in the yard.

I caught Crooked Beak under the deck one day with three of her babies. They were all on the edge of this plastic container and she was talking to them and kept jumping in and out as they watched her. But I know they go under the deck too.

Well, I went ahead and just downloaded the video of the magpies chasing the eagle that was over the house about two and half weeks ago.
I didn't really want to post the video because it was during the time I went to the dentist and my mouth was still numb and made my voice sound funny. The magpies didn't mind my voice though, lol.
It was still windy out during the time as you can hear in the video, but they still proceeded to chase the eagle off.
Hope you like it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPxQT6SdIhw&feature=youtu.be

I forgot to mention, that isn't my account, it's my daughters.

That's terrific news about Crooked Beak (no longer crooked)! Her life has been made a whole lot easier now that she has a normal or near-normal beak - I'll bet that once the upper beak started coming off she worked really hard to get the lower part off too.

That bird on the railing looks like a Red-breasted Nuthatch, not a Downy Woodpecker. We only rarely get them here, but I saw one a few days ago hanging around with the chickadees and titmice.

Claire

Love the video, you must have posted it while I was writing my last post so I didn't see it until later.

Those magpies looked really proud of themselves (justifiably) when they came in to your deck for their victory celebration. Gutsy birds to chase off an eagle!

I really wish I had magpies here.

Claire

Yeah Claire, Crooked Beak looks a lot more happier now, you can see it in her eyes.

Thank you for the correction on the Red Breasted Nuthatch too Claire, you are right and good call. You know in my 'Birds of Alaska' book, it doesn't even have that name listed. Well, I guess that is another type of bird added to the list that has stopped by here, lol.

I'm glad you liked the video too. I went ahead and set up my own account there on youtube and added a couple more videos for now.

The magpies are very protective of the house, I think they consider it theirs too. They stick around here very close all the time. I know If I go out and call for them, they'll show up in a matter of minutes if not less no matter where they are. I've had them follow me to the store too and be waiting and walking around in the parking lot by my truck. They are very loyal, that's for sure.

Maybe one day your wish might come true.

Here is a video Claire, I made of Crooked Beak when she first started bringing her babies here back in the beginning of July.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi8YIkIaT9g&feature=plcp

Hope you like it.

Ed

Ed: I'm getting a picture of a flock of magpies riding in the bed of your truck, sticking their heads out the side and flapping their wings in the breeze while singing loudly.

Those are noisy birds in the video! I love that stage where a parent manages to get the babies to a feeding area and they're practically standing in the food, but they still demand to be fed. Then comes the epiphany - there's food just lying around here! I don't have to wait!

I'm glad none of the babies have the crooked beak. Do you have any idea what caused it?

Claire

That's hilarious Claire what you said. It might come down to doing that, with them being in the bed of the truck, lol.

Actually, I think it's pretty cool when I go out, whether it be at the store, Post Office, at the park or when I least expect it, one, if not more, will show up.

The other day I parked in the middle of the parking lot at Walmart (I don't normally do that), when I came out and got in the truck, guess who comes walking out between the cars and across the lane where I was at and started talking? You guessed it, lol.

Yeah, the babies are funny when it came to wanting to be fed. It's even funnier when they come in the house and do that towards me. They'd come in, walk up to the plate, then look at at me, then screech and flutter their wings. I'd tell them to eat, then they would start eating.

What causes the crooked beak (they call it "avian keratin disorder"), could be for a number of reasons. I think in Crooked Beaks case it was vitamins and nutrients deficiencies. U.S. Geological Survey did a article on it. They say it occurring more often. Here is the site with the article: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2633#.UGLJHK5LeF-

Here shows a chickadee with the same disorder:
http://gallery.usgs.gov/photos/11_01_2010_lqh6KwvJIE_11_01_2010_0#.UGLJNK5LeF9

You want to talk about them being noisy. There are certain magpies that If I have the blinds closed, they will peck at the door, fly around to the kitchen window, pack at it, then fly to the other windows and do the same. They will go on top of the chimney and talk through it too, so you can hear them in the fireplace.

Here are some talking (loudly) outside the door for about 5 minutes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-IYiBhu6fA&feature=youtu.be

Hope you like and it's not too hard on the ears.

Ed

I forgot to add the photo gallery of birds with crooked beaks from Alaska Science Center.
alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/beak_deformity/gallery.html

Ed: I don't know if you should think of it as being under constant surveillance by the local authorities, or whether they're giving you an honor guard whenever you go out. If I were you, I'd go for the honor guard. You're definitely an important personage in the local magpie world.

In your video it looks like one magpie is doing most of the talking and the other is listening and occasionally commenting. Both of them are looking up as if they're calling for another magpie to come, but they're ignoring the ones that do. Is the one on the right a baby?

That Avian keratin Disorder is horrifying and it affects so many different species of birds. Since it's limited to south central Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, the first thing that comes to mind is the Exxon Valdez oil spill, although there are other possibilities being considered. At least you're helping to prevent it by giving the magpies good food.

Claire

Lol Claire, I kind of feel like I'm under surveillance with them sometimes. But really it's a pleasure having them around

Yeah, in the video, the one talking the most is the youngest. You can tell because it is standing on the concrete block and the other isn't. They aren't being aggressive towards each other and I think the younger one is just trying to explain itself to the other.

I also feel like I have bodyguards too, particularly with Scruffy. Like I said before he is Crooked Beaks baby and is very protective. He feels this is HIS house and deck. He is one of them that will call for me repeatedly until I open the door and blinds up for him. Once they are open, he thinks it is his time and his time only. He will try to run the other birds off and I have to tell him to be nice. But at least he listens. He loves to come inside the house and he has even flown up on the fireplace mantel and hid food behind the pictures there. Yes, he comes back later to get the food. I think that's why he hides the food in the house, it gives him a reason to call for me to open it up for him. Here is a video I took of Scruffy after he was calling for me and I had already opened everything up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnuqjQV1u64&feature=youtu.be

I wouldn't be surprised Claire if the Exxon Valdez oil spill had something to do with Avian keratin Disorder amongst other things . The mess there in Valdez still isn't cleaned up and it's been over twenty years now. If you go to Valdez right now and walk along the shoreline and dig or turn over a rock, you will still see oil residue.

I am so grateful that the babies don't have same disorder as Crooked Beak.

Ed

Ed: Scruffy certainly acts like he owns your place (and you). I wonder if a day will come in the winter, in the middle of a blizzard, when he'll just refuse to leave and you'll have to somehow either evict him or set him a place at the table and a cushion on the couch.

Claire

Lol Claire, Scruffy does kind of owns the place (and me) until momma (Crooked Beak) shows up and then his attitude changes totally. She sort of puts him in his place if he gets out of line when she is around. There are times when he will hang out on the railing just waiting for one of the other birds on the deck to not pay attention to him. When that happens, he will run up on them (sometimes flapping his wings) hoping to startle them.
Crooked Beak knows this game he plays and when she sees him on the railing getting ready to startle someone, she will run up to him and chase him off the deck. It's funny to see it happen.

But if that day comes when I have to decide whether or not to keep Scruffy or any other magpie for that matter in the house due to blizzard conditions, it would be with no problem for him/them to come stay inside until blizzard conditions disappears.

I had ten of them inside when we had the rain and windstorm and that was very interesting. Some refused to leave because they liked the environment inside better than what it was outside. They pecked at the carpet and cleaned it real good that day.

Ed

Hi Ed,

I have been an occasional visitor here and have read your posts which are thoroughly delightful. Recently, I watched your video of the magpies chasing the eagle and this morning, while doing laundry and listening to music on my iPod,when the overture of an opera was playing, I immediately thought of your magpies taking flight and returning to the nice home you've made for them. Even if classical music is not your favorite, if you play the link below and push the button up to the minutes of 3:34 to 4:21, I think the composer, Rossini, perfectly captured the spirit and movements of the magpie. Good job, Ed, and keep posting, please. I'm sure many folks are reading your story.

Kindly,
Jane (give the youtube link a few seconds to start playing music)

Here is a link that might be useful: The Thieving Magpie, Overture La Gazza Ladra

Wow Jane, thank you so much for the classical music. When I listen to it, it most definitely put me back to that moment when I saw them flying rapidly around the place and everything seemed to be going at a fast rate. It probably would have made the video better too had that song been playing.

I'm glad you enjoy the posts too, I will be adding more updates, pictures and videos soon. We just had our first snowfall on the 29th of September, the record for earliest snowfall is the 20th of September. Last year we broke our snowfall record, so I'm getting thing ready here this year a little earlier.

Here is a video where I'm just standing in the doorway and some visitors stop by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14U_ML5Uvxw&feature=youtu.be

Update.

Well, it seems the chickadees are eating the crushed peanuts more than the bird seeds now. The chickadees are even to the point where they are doing low flybys when the magpies are eating, trying to get them away from it.

Crooked Beak and some other magpies are guiding some other little (skinny) magpies this way. I had one show up by itself for the first time that came into the house. It came in and walked up to the plate and made this real high pitch sound. It was acting like it was telling me someone told it that is was alright for it to come in the house to eat. I told the little fella that it was 'ok' and it began to eat comfortably. It comes by quite a bit now to eat inside and visit.

Some other magpies came up with a clever plan to put obstacles in the runners of the sliding door while it was open to keep it from closing. They are really trying hard to keep the door open for a longer time for them.

More Blue Jays are coming by, I had one come into the house and bounced all the way over to the fireplace and then turned around and bounced its way out.

Nuthatches came into the house twice too. One came in and landed on the monitor a couple feed away from me with a mouth full of bird seeds and the other nuthatch flew into the kitchen, sang and hung out there a bit before leaving.

Crooked Beak has been busy getting ready for winter because her visits here are brief. She likes the food huts and eats in them more than the food that is outside. She is still trying to get used to the little birds that have been coming by a lot.

Here is a video of some new magpies along with some chickadee and nuthatch that showed up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ouNjcW8j34&feature=plcp

Here is a video of Crooked Beak eating in one of the food huts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVW2U_FLDGQ&feature=youtu.be

Ed

Here is a video of the Blue Jays that are coming by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fFsYzbj7hM

Here is a video of a Blue Jay and some of the new small Magpies that I was talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blQ4vPjyQRw&feature=youtu.be

Ed

Ed: I love the story of the magpies putting obstacles in the runners to keep the door open - you're going to have a very crowded winter inside with lots of chilly drafts if they have their way. Interesting that the new magpie talked to you before eating inside. Magpie etiquette?

Bouncing is a good term for Blue Jays' movement. They bounce around a lot here too, while other birds stride (or toddle like the doves).

Do you think Crooked Beak and the other magpies are caching food somewhere since they fly off with a beakful?

I wonder if you will see Red-breasted Nuthatches all year round now that they've found your deli. The Cornell sites show them on the extreme south coast of Alaska only. We get the White-breasted Nuthatches all year here but the Red-breasted ones only in irruptive years.

Claire

Yeah Claire, it might be Magpie etiquette that they are following. They tend to have certain guidelines on particular things that involves a code of conduct demeanor.

Most definitely Claire, they have food caches all around the area here. Some try to stash their food here in the house too, like behind pictures, under the heat registers, under the couches, between the cushions on the couches, IN THE RUNNER of the sliding door, on the stairway, under the end tables etc etc. But at least they come back and get it later in the day or someone else does.

Only time will tell if the Red-breasted Nuthatches will stay all year round, more than likely they will stay. The Red-breasted Nuthatches along with the Chickadees are starting to listen when I call for them. It only takes about a little over a minute for them to arrive. There are certain sounds I make for each type of bird. The Chickadees will usually respond back to me (when I whistle) from a distant before they land on the deck. The Nuthatches will just show up after calling for them.

Here is some videos I uploaded showing me calling them. Here I am calling the Magpies (you might want to turn volume down):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTVFUHYohpQ

Here I'm calling a Chickadee and a Red-breasted Nuthatch (you might want to turn volume down):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H23AKQhAfes

Here I called a new baby Magpie to come by and eat. Watch how it takes one mouthful and puts it to the side and gets another mouthful and then joins them together before departing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8o4cnZ-Byc

Ed

Great videos, as always. Have you considered taking the next step and setting up a webcam? The only problem would be that you couldn't add the running commentary which is part of the fun of it.

How do you make the sounds you use to call the birds? By yourself or with some kind of device? I can't make the sounds you do, although that doesn't mean much; you may be gifted that way. I remember the old little Audubon bird caller thingies - a red wooden tube with some sort of metal insert you twisted to make the sound. I have no idea if they're still available.

Have you tried the heat lamps yet in the food huts?

It's interesting that when you call the magpies only one or maybe two show up. I wonder if they're taking turns or humoring you (keep the person happy so he'll keep putting food out).

Claire

Well Claire, I haven't really thought about setting up a webcam yet and not sure what it all entails.

I make the sounds by myself with my mouth. All I do is make a clicking noise by putting my tongue to the roof of my mouth. It's a universal animal call. It's the same sound as you would use with a horse. It works with other animals as well. I've had success calling dogs, cats, bunnies, squirrels, beavers, moose etc doing that. It's fun at the zoo here too because I do the same with the bears, llama, camels, tigers etc that are there and they respond to it. The main thing in doing the calls is the amount of times you click your mouth. With the magpies or any other animals, I HAVE to click more than 5 times in a row to have them come. Best to click between 7-10 times in a row to get a response out of them. After they arrive, you need to talk to them. Start out by telling them "thank you for coming" and then talk sweet to them (how nice or sweet they are). They will understand you as long as your intentions/vibes are good. Just follow the Laws of The Universe as I do and you shouldn't have any problems. (Laws of allowance, Laws of balance, Laws of intent and Laws of attraction).

When Maggie the Elephant was up here, the clicking of my mouth worked with her too. There was one time when I called Maggie and she came over and was eating the grass that was right by me. There was this guy there about 10 feet away in a black cowboy hat that was giving me a bad look with bad vibes. He was like staring and glaring at me for awhile. He seemed to be more focused on me than Maggie. Obviously Maggie sensed the vibe that he was giving off and picked up a rock with her trunk and tossed it at him, hitting him with it and then made this grunt sound at him. The guy was very shocked and surprised and left there in a hurry. Others that were there watching were surprised at her actions as well, but Maggie calmed down and turned back to eating once he was gone. I saw him again later when I was petting a camel that I called over. He stayed far enough away that time.

I haven't done the heat lamps yet (been good weather here), but I'm hoping to do it this weekend.

The only time I really need to call the magpies is when they are napping because normally they would be here (if they are awake). But it at least gives the younger, skinnier magpies opportunity to come and eat by themselves before the older, bigger magpies show up.

Here is a video of me calling the Blue Jay and it arrived in under a minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQrRGaJC-JQ&feature=plcp

Ed

I don't check the forum too often any more but SO GLAD I found this thread! What a wonderful story, thanks so much for sharing this story and for all the great photos! She is one very lucky Magpie to have found you!!!

Thank you so much Janie May for the kind words, it mean a lot to me and I'm glad you like the thread. Welcome back to the forum too!! It's my pleasure to share this journey that I'm on with everyone here. I feel grateful to be able to help Crooked Beak plus the other magpies that are in need.

Here is a short video of some handicap magpies that Crooked Beak brought over to show where food and water is at. The first magpie that starts eating is missing the right leg/claw from the kneecap down and the other magpie that is drinking water has like a bubble on it's right claw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO1C1wI6XsA

Thanks again for your comment,
Ed

Update:

Ok, I was going to put heat lamps in the food huts to keep the birds and food from freezing during the wintertime but have opted for outdoor heating pads by Petsafe instead. They will fit better in the floor of the huts and are more energy sufficient than the heat lamps. I think the birds will like it better too. I had to order them, so I have to wait for them to come in.

I looked more into the webcam thing too and decided to order a 16 channel DVR with some security cameras that I can record the birds with during the day when I can't see them. I got the cameras already and have them hooked to a monitor for now to watch the birds, just haven't got the DVR to record them with yet.
Interestingly though, is I got some IR (Infrared) LED CCTV security cameras and they pick up some stuff at night with the IR that you can't see with the naked eye. What I'm talking about is 'orbs'. A bunch of them will start to rise from the ground usually ten minutes after the last bird has left for the night. Even before the sun sets, the orbs come out and there is lots of them, all going in different directions. After it is completely dark, it almost looks like it's snowing upwards with them. There are some that are faint, some that are normal and then there are some that are bright, but still transparent. Some will flash and others that blink. It's very interesting to say the least. I did record some with just the camera because of not having the DVR.

I got the Wildlife Habitat Certificate from National Wildlife Federation in the mail the other day and already have it framed and on the wall. I'll be getting a sign too from them to put on the outside of the deck for other to see.

We got snow last week and here is a video of one of the Chickadees hanging out and getting a bite to eat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKB-6Mh_Sak&feature=plcp

Ed

Ed: Crooked Beak has a good heart, helping out the other magpies. That one with the bubble on its foot looks like it stepped in asphalt or concrete or tar of some sort that couldn't be cleaned off.

The outdoor heating pads sound great - nice even heat without fire danger.

What on earth are those 'orbs'? Can you post a picture of them?

I'm sitting on the deck now watching a chickadee visit a dish full of seed. A Downy Woodpecker stopped by earlier to eat and a Carolina Wren stopped but didn't eat.

Yesterday afternoon I was out for lunch and I had a mug of cold tea sitting on a tray. A chickadee flew over, perched on the mug about two feet from me, took a sip of the tea then flew off. I shudder to think of snow already.

Claire (looking forward to the webcam)

Yeah Claire, it looks like tar on it's claw but it is definitely a growth and looks like a bubble. I'm calling him Bigfoot for now.

That is so cool that the birds are visiting you. You know that if they see you putting food/water out for them, they will get an imprint of what you look like and pass it on to others. If you talk and communicate to them (and not just observe) it is even better because they will learn the tone of your voice as well.

I can tell that the chickadee that took a sip of your tea is trying to tell you something, just talk softly to it and have the intention of being friends and it will visit you more often.

When it did snow, it melted shortly thereafter and hasn't been that bad.

I went ahead and downloaded the orbs I was talking about, but it was with the camera because I haven't got the DVR yet. The quality isn't all that great but you will get the just of it. Try not to blink or you might miss some of it, lol. Just look for the balls of light floating by in different directions, those are orbs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDlm7UnrQmY&feature=plcp

Ed

Ed, I have different types of feeders all over the front yard along with a number of birdbaths so the birds know me and my refill schedule very well.

The dish on the deck started out as just a few peanuts for a chipmunk and it's escalated. The deck is in the backyard and it's attracting chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and woodpeckers - birds that are willing to come by while I'm still sitting out there. Not to mention a squirrel or two.

I think the chickadee that drank my tea was telling me that I should put the nearby hummingbird feeder back out. Chickadees like to drink out of the center moat. This was one of two hummingbird feeders - one in the front yard and one in the back yard. I'll keep one feeder up for a while longer just in case, but I haven't seen a hummingbird here since mid-September so I don't see the need for two feeders, even if the chickadees like them. There are plenty of other water sources by the deck so they're not deprived. Chickadees are just pushy.

I'm amazed at your orbs - is it time to call in the Ghostbusters? or is this some artifact of the infrared camera?

Claire

That's great Claire that they are visiting you while your sitting outside. In fact, it sounds like you have established a positive/trusting relationship with them that has grown. I'm really happy for you!!

Doesn't it usually start out with like one dish with a little something in it that grows into a bigger, better feeding situation for them, lol. It's nice though because once they start coming around and you have interacted with them, it makes one feel closer to nature and becomes one with it.

For the chickadee that drank your tea, it must have liked that particular feeder better than the other one you have out or it just liked your tea. Maybe you should put a little cup/dish of tea out when you go out on the deck and make the chickadee feel special. It might even drink tea with you if you will allow it.

The orbs are real and the cameras are good with nothing wrong with them. Like everything else, the orbs have a schedule too. They start coming out 10-15 minutes after the birds leave for the evening, just before sundown. Then the orbs go away for a bit, just before midnight and then when they return, there is more of them plus they are more active and excited. I've got a IR camera for the front of the house too and it shows orbs. The orbs seem to be just on the perimeter of the property and doesn't extend any further than that. They are very interesting to watch on the monitor.

Ed

Update:

Finally got the stuff in the mail (except for other cameras). Already have the heating pads in the huts and they are working out pretty good. They keep the food from freezing. Crooked Beak didn't even hesitate going in the huts after the heat pads were in. She went around and checked out each hut. The other birds like the pads too and adjusted fairly quickly to them. Some of the birds are hanging out during the day in the heated huts now.

I ended up getting the birds a heated water bowl too and they like that even though it's a little large.

Got the DVR in the mail and finally got it hooked up to 4 cameras and just waiting for more cameras to arrive. I will be able to run up to 16 cameras if need be through the dvr.

Had a mama moose and her calf sleep in the backyard the other night. I heard the fence rattling the following morning and looked out the window and saw the mama jump the fence, so I got the camera and video the calf jumping the fence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUaNl7HhALE&feature=plcp

Had a very odd thing happen too. There is this magpie I named "Squatter", the reason being, he doesn't like to show his legs too much. He does when he first lands but then he goes to a squatting position. Even when he eats and walks, he'll squat.

Anyways, he has been hanging out on the deck a lot and he had been doing it for a long time, but each time he'd stay longer and longer. Crooked Beak is usually the last one to leave here for the evening. Well, the other night Squatter showed up after she left and decided to spend the night on the deck. He stayed up on the top most hut where they have a plate of food and a milk jug bird feeder I made for them. He ate for a bit and then decided to go, of all places, in the milk jug bird feeder. He stayed in there and slept with his tail sticking out of it. You would think that he would have gone in one of the heated hut. But I guess he was comfy.

Another odd thing was there was a lot less orbs that came out when he was here for the night.

Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3E1Ep9AmC8&feature=plcp

Ed

That moose calf just barely cleared the fence, although if you heard a lot of fence rattling maybe the mother doesn't jump well either. I hope the wire mesh doesn't protrude above the railing and scratch the jumpers.

It sounds like Squatter has some sort of leg deformity - maybe he has trouble grabbing onto a tree branch so he's looking for an easier place to roost? Since magpies usually roost in trees, he's probably going to want to roost as high as possible, and that milk jug is a nice safe enclosure off the ground. Does any heat leak out of the heated boxes so the top is warm? Can magpies get into your birdhouses without a perch or platform to land on? I'd think the birdhouse would be more comfortable than a milk jug, although I've never tried to get in either myself.

Those orbs are fascinating. Are they affected by wind? Do they show up on cloudy dark stormy days in the daytime, or only when the sun goes down? Have you tried putting a small light on the deck at night to see how they react?

Claire

The fence doesn't protrude past the railing and I've already checked before when they've jumped it years ago, no hair or fur. They jump it all the time, that's why it looks the way it does, kinda sagging.

It seems like the cold has a factor on the magpies legs. A lot of them after napping will land on the deck and have a little limp until they've walked it off. Some will limp, then squat down for a bit and then walk fine afterwards.

There might be a little heat radiating from the pads but not enough to heat the top of the huts. Any food you put on top freezes.

The magpies can go into the birdhouses but they opted to let the chickadees have them, I find that interesting. So I guess the magpies like the milk jugs, go figure,lol.

The orbs don't seem to be affected by the wind, they move at their own rate/speed/direction(s). Sometimes they look like they are floating ever so slowly. I uploaded a video where you can see some blinking in the daytime too, but it is faint and if you blink (not like them), you'll miss it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuEnrJTSI2M

But like I said before, the orbs have like a schedule they go by. The schedule can change depending on the moon cycle too. I will try the light thing on the deck and video it and show you what happens.

Here's some more orb videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9NRPD0MFOE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5xVhmLT9to

Here are some magpie videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP8ro71sYAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EVCyUX7094

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmsIxPUbYjA

Ed

Ok, I finally got the small light that would work properly and videoed the reaction with the orbs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OT9DYtKpvM

Very odd, still no snow. Had around 28 inches (normal) this time last year but only have around 3 inches as of now for this year. It's suppose to be clear for the rest of the month too.

Still waiting for other IR cameras in the mail.

The birds are managing the cold and some will hang out in the huts while others will hang out outside.
You can see where they are bringing new ones by and showing them what kind of zone it is. When they come in a group, it is more easier for the new ones to adjust going in the huts than it is when they are alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Kvjp1EY5I

Ed

So the orbs don't react to visible light and to the heat in the huts. I wonder about magnetism - do you have a magnet you could put out on the deck to see what they do?

I wonder what they eat, if they do, - do they eat each other? or just don't need sustenance?

Are they just outdoors or do you see them in your house as well?

Back to magpies - is Squatter still roosting in the milk jug at night? Your food huts have become a wonderful feature for the birds, and you've probably single-handedly accounted for the winter survival of a lot of magpies.

Claire

Good question Claire, I grabbed some magnets, one from a big speaker and a few others used for welding, so they are pretty powerful. Here is the reaction with the orbs-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zoAWuuaHZE

The orbs don't need to eat anything, they are I would say 'exotic energies'. I believe they run off the energy that is in the air or like 'zero point energy'.

Maybe they get the energy from the sun like most things do.

The orbs have like certain levels from what it appears. Some act different than others.

I've had activity in the house as well. As of now, we catch glimpse of things out of our peripheral vision and hear things all the time.

I'll be mounting a camera or two in the house to see what will show up.

Squatter is still hanging out like he does during the day either on the deck or in the trees in the backyard.

But at night I think he goes under the deck now along with 'Squeaker'. Squeaker is Crooked Beaks partner that I've taken of for a long time too.

It's Funny because during the night you can occasionally hear little squeaks coming from under the deck.

Here is a little video of Squeaker that will give you an idea of how he squeaks. He can speak normal when he wants to. He makes the squeaks to let me and the other birds know that it is him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTS4OFcR9s0

Also Claire, thank you for your kindness.

Ed

I forgot to add about the Red breasted Nuthatch that was watching the orbs this morning. It was very odd, normally the orbs are gone before the birds arrive or vise versa-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4RrAO5mSic

Ed

There doesn't seem to be a major reaction to the magnets that I can see; at least they're not clustered around the magnets or flying away. Is that their normal speed or are they zipping by the magnets faster? When you took the magnets away did it seem like they were looking for them in the empty spot?

Do you know how high up they go? Do they mostly stay within 5 or 10 feet off the ground or is that just where you can see them easily?

Do they seem to go through solid material or over and around it?

It's interesting that they seem to avoid the birds. Do they avoid you or your dog or other animals? or your truck?

Claire

Ok Claire, I got some of the new cameras up last week, they finally came in. So now I might be able to answer some of your good questions.

We finally got some snow too of about 5 inches while I was mounting the new cameras last Saturday. We had flurries until Wednesday and then it snowed again another 4 inches,so I couldn't video any orbs until it was clear (didn't want to get a false reading/observation).

After looking at the video with the magnets again, it did look like there were some orbs that seemed to be looking for the magnets and even had one go right in the spot where the magnet were. I think I'll try that experiment again and see if they respond the same way.

As far as how high the orbs go, I mounted one of the cameras right under the eave of the house pointing at one of the trees in the backyard for reference. You can see they go well beyond the height of the house and trees.

The orbs tend to go through solid material rather than over or around it.

I still need to mount some cameras in the house to see how they react, especially with my dog. When I was testing the cameras before mounting them outside, I did see orbs in the house as well.

Here is a video where you can see it starts out calm with the orbs but then gets busy and then calms down again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtN4HuLCGzA

This video shows lots of orbs just shortly after midnight, it almost looks like it's snowing, but it wasn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdlFZ0StgT8

Oh, and here is a video of Crooked Beak having time to herself. All of the other birds gives her this time when she wants to be alone. It looks like her bottom beak is growing out again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSvm9DptYs8

Ed

All I can say is: WOW.... A REAL BIRDLADY!!! Beautiful photos and stories! I love it!!!!

Ed, your new cameras really show those orbs.They're strange.

Ed: The videos with the new cameras are startling - the orbs are so clearly shown that I don't think anyone could argue they're an artifact of the camera. Have you contacted any of the paranormal organizations or NOAA?

Just summarizing what you've shown us (I may have missed something):

A. There are some entities you call orbs that are visible to infrared cameras but not to the human eye. They may be visible to birds which are known to be able to detect a wider spectrum of light wavelengths than humans. To the infrared camera they appear as floating points of light in constant movement.

B. The orbs seem to be centered around (and in) your house and don't go too far outward although they do travel high and may extend far up right above you.

C. They seem to be able to pass through walls (which are made of non-living materials) but they seem to avoid living materials such as birds and maybe trees. All living organisms as far as I know have a bioelectric field associated with them. They also seem to avoid cars and trucks except when covered with snow. Maybe the metal carries a charge?

D. They're not particularly affected by wind or heat or light or magnets, although they may notice the magnetic field.

E. They appear in loose groups on a fairly regular schedule; around sunset and then again around midnight. The activity of the groups is very variable - sometimes slow and sometimes very excited.

F. You're located in Southern Alaska which is near the Arctic Circle.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
All this is very strange and also very interesting. I've been asking questions mostly related to different forms of energy, on the assumption that an energy based orb might be sensitive to other types of energy. I'm running out of forms of energy available to the typical homeowner, but I have a few more questions.

Question 1. You're in aurora country, do they react to auroral activity? Today activity is low, but we're near solar maximum and the Auroral Oval could easily extend out to Southern Alaska when activity increases, as it does on a day by day basis. Auroras are chock full of energy which could affect your orbs.

Question 2. What about sound, which is another form of energy? You have neighbors so you can't just go blasting out strange music (or you shouldn't), but if you set up a camera indoors you could play with sounds of very low and very high pitch, as well as everything in between.

Question 3. Do they come out when it snows? You said you didn't film when it snowed because you "didn't want to get a false reading/observation", which is very reasonable, but maybe you could put a cover of some sort over a camera and a dark background to see if they're there. My thought is that snowflakes are charged so that might affect the orbs.

Question 4. What type of light did you use for your test? Incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, LED? Maybe a 'black light' bulb that produces UV light would have an effect.

Question 5. Would they react to a battery? Batteries have an anode and a cathode so there might be an attraction or repulsion to one end and not the other.

Question 6. Winter Soltice is coming up this weekend and it might be worth looking to see if there's any difference in activity. There's a lot of cultural history and also hype about the solstices, but maybe there's something to be seen.

I have no idea what's going on, but I'd really like to understand it. Thanks for bringing the orbs to our attention.

Claire

P.S. I'm really sorry that Crooked Beak's bill seems to be growing back.

-edited 12/21/12 to add "To the infrared camera they appear as floating points of light in constant movement."

This post was edited by claire on Fri, Dec 21, 12 at 7:17

compost_hugger_nancy-
Yes, Claire is a REAL BIRDLADY, and a GREAT one at that. She helped me identify the Red breasted Nuthatch when I called it a chickadee, lol. Plus has helped with other things too. Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you like the photos and stories.

bob414-
They are different, I've been around them my whole life, so I'm use to them. I have photos (before digital) from 20 years ago where you see orbs spiraling down the hallway of the house I used to live in. I have photos of them in cars I would restore. I would have to take a lot of photos just to make sure the orbs weren't in the way.

Claire-
No I haven't got a hold of any organization concerning the orbs.

A. (There are some entities you call orbs that are visible to infrared cameras but not to the human eye. They may be visible to birds which are known to be able to detect a wider spectrum of light wavelengths than humans. To the infrared camera they appear as floating points of light in constant movement).
True, birds even have like a sonar (radar) that they can pick up other birds with and energies like a tracking device that is in the air. I think if there is too much energies (orbs included), it will interfere with their tracking and they may not fly. Most of the orbs stay in constant movement but some don't.
Here are some dancing-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhdSd2SrhOU

B. (The orbs seem to be centered around (and in) your house and don't go too far outward although they do travel high and may extend far up right above you).
True, it may be a portal.

C. (They seem to be able to pass through walls (which are made of non-living materials) but they seem to avoid living materials such as birds and maybe trees. All living organisms as far as I know have a bioelectric field associated with them. They also seem to avoid cars and trucks except when covered with snow. Maybe the metal carries a charge)?
True and false. They avoid birds but not necessarily trees. I've seen still orbs on the branches with a little bit of flicker. Bioelectric field is basically Orgone Energy (natural energy)that was discovered by Dr. Wilhelm Reich back in the forties. I have orgone devices in and around the house, even on the deck. They don't avoid vehicles, I have pics of orbs in vehicles that I was restoring.

D. (They're not particularly affected by wind or heat or light or magnets, although they may notice the magnetic field).
True

E. (They appear in loose groups on a fairly regular schedule; around sunset and then again around midnight. The activity of the groups is very variable - sometimes slow and sometimes very excited).
True

F. You're located in Southern Alaska which is near the Arctic Circle.
True

Question 1. (You're in aurora country, do they react to auroral activity? Today activity is low, but we're near solar maximum and the Auroral Oval could easily extend out to Southern Alaska when activity increases, as it does on a day by day basis. Auroras are chock full of energy which could affect your orbs).
There is probably lots of them during aurora borealis due to the amount of energy available in the air.

Question 2. (What about sound, which is another form of energy? You have neighbors so you can't just go blasting out strange music (or you shouldn't), but if you set up a camera indoors you could play with sounds of very low and very high pitch, as well as everything in between).
True, even though I might be inside the house, I know there is some 'music' that seems to bring more of them around. I will show you the test when I get the cameras up in the house. I had to order more cameras because two of the ones that came in were bad and not working. I will be pointing more cameras upward to see how they act with the auroras. I will be testing frequencies as well.

Question 3. (Do they come out when it snows? You said you didn't film when it snowed because you "didn't want to get a false reading/observation", which is very reasonable, but maybe you could put a cover of some sort over a camera and a dark background to see if they're there. My thought is that snowflakes are charged so that might affect the orbs).
The orbs do come out when it snows and you can see them going against the direction of the snowflakes and some go sideways. I can also do the covering of the camera with the black background just to see how their behavior is.

Question 4. (What type of light did you use for your test? Incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, LED? Maybe a 'black light' bulb that produces UV light would have an effect).
I used an LED light. Good idea on the black light, I need to get one and perform that test.

Question 5. (Would they react to a battery? Batteries have an anode and a cathode so there might be an attraction or repulsion to one end and not the other).
I went and did that test, here is the video-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dI_h1gnm6w

Question 6. (Winter Soltice is coming up this weekend and it might be worth looking to see if there's any difference in activity. There's a lot of cultural history and also hype about the solstices, but maybe there's something to be seen).
True, I took a video at 1am because they were acting different, shocking-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef18lpRjQow

It's my pleasure passing on information like this. If you look into lets say Orgone Pyramids, you'll understand more about the energies around us and how you can change things for the better where you live.

P.S. Almost forgot to mention about the ravens that have been coming by lately-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Pgb-KrsBU

Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Sat, Dec 22, 12 at 9:38

Season Greetings and Happy Holidays to Everyone!!!

Well Claire, I went and dug out one of the pics of an orb that was in the interior of a car I was restoring 12 yrs ago. See why I had to take so many pics? I didn't have digital camera back then.
When you try to show a before and after pic(s) of a car to people and if the orbs are there, it sort of distracts from the car.

Here is another with a different camera 23 yrs ago in the hallway I was talking about.

A lot of information to absorb, Ed. It's interesting that there was a strong reaction during the solstice.

A few more questions:

1.Were you also living in Alaska when you saw the orbs years ago in a different house? Was the garage at the same place? I'm wondering if this is a phenomenon related to (and limited to) the aurora circles. If so, then maybe you should take a trip to Antarctica with your cameras....

2. Could the orgone devices be attracting the orbs?

3. Have you been able to get a picture of an orb not in motion? I guess you would need a super-fast shutter speed to catch a still orb, not flickering.

RE Ravens:

Maybe your friendly group of ravens was a bunch of juveniles and not so territorial yet? Kids out playing in the street.

I've been really wanting to see ravens here, but so far just crows (American Crows and Fish Crows). I've read that they're coming back to Massachusetts, though, after being wiped out years ago. I keep watching and scrutinizing.

Claire

Hi Trickyfingers! Just wanted to say that this has been a wonderful thread to read thru - haven't been on the Bird Watching forum for a long time and the story of the Magpies is just great (except for the ignorant neighbor...). And hi to Claire too!

I saw a show a few months back on how smart Ravens are. Not only do they build tools, but they showed this obstacle course, and the Raven figured out how to pull up the string to get the tool, and then use that tool to get to another tool, to finally use that one to get to the food! They can figure out a series of logical steps to get to their goal, very intelligent.

Happy New year everybody!

Great thread Trickyfingers,..showing your love for nature!

My experience with Magpie is not all that rosy.
Too many of them will push other native birds away....thus, one has to say that you have a pest on hand. I would advise not to feed these birds in great numbers.

Regarding your orbs,..I think most of them can be explained by
natural phenomena , like dust particles, bugs, snow, tricks of the camera, slow shutter speed etc. sure, some are real, still, not much is believable when one reads about them. The only possible explanation on this is when I have read here...

I have read and heard many reasons and explanations as to what "ORBS" are?
iam told they are dead people, angels or family spirits/ghosts (you call Fluidal Energy) Iam currently reading up as much as possible as to 'What' they are! I have got many of them i have caught on camera,different,colours,sizes,brightness.
Whats your view? Is it all Esoteric Nonsense? Whats yours/Plejarens explanation as to what 'Orbs' Are or mean?

Any answers would be appreciated Thanks
___________________________

Answer..
They are bio-organic life forms, but certainly NOT dead people, angels or family ghosts and other nonsense. And "bio-organic life forms" is a term with far-reaching meaning.

Source,..link, scroll down to Jan. 23, 2011

Here is a link that might be useful: Miscellaneous INFO

Hi Claire, I haven't performed any other tests yet, the orbs have been acting different lately, zipping around real fast but I'm hoping to do some tests this weekend.

To your questions-

1.Were you also living in Alaska when you saw the orbs years ago in a different house? Was the garage at the same place? I'm wondering if this is a phenomenon related to (and limited to) the aurora circles. If so, then maybe you should take a trip to Antarctica with your cameras....

- _Yes I was living in Alaska at the time years ago. The garage was at a different location from the house with the hallway pic. I don't want to go to Antarctica, way too many things buried there. Besides, I wouldn't be back on time for dinner.

2. Could the orgone devices be attracting the orbs?

- _I didn't have the devices when I was a kid and the orbs where around then. Not sure if the devices help attract the orbs but the orbs don't seem to mind them.

3. Have you been able to get a picture of an orb not in motion? I guess you would need a super-fast shutter speed to catch a still orb, not flickering.

- _Not yet, I had an orb land on one of the lens the other day and was pulsating for a bit, then it took on a shape with edges on it and then in a snap, it disappeared.

RE Ravens:

Yeah, the ravens act like juveniles. Here's a video of some getting more comfortable being in the yard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqzDL44AY2E

Hopefully Claire, you will be seeing ravens sooner than you think. They are fun to watch. Here is a video were it shows the magpies going under the deck and the ravens watching. Then one of the magpies tries to show the ravens how to go under the deck, but the ravens don't have the courage yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ZE0_slQ4E

-----------------

Hi Terrene, thank you for the kindness and welcome back to the forum! I'm glad you like the thread.

The ravens are a joy to watch, but there are some that need talking to, lol. Your right when it comes to their intelligence, I think they are working with all the other birds pertaining to the boundaries around here. They won't come on the deck where the magpies, chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays and woodpeckers are.

Here is a video that shows about 16 ravens in the yard, but not one of them flew up to the deck where the other birds go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vE9rMN5gTs

-----------------------

Hi konrad___far_north, thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you like the thread.

Sorry that your experience with the magpies wasn't a positive one. The magpies that I have don't push any of the other birds away unless it is an eagle, which is understandable. I show in video(s) where the different birds get along and still do.

I have been taking care of the magpies going on three years now and haven't had a problem with them being pests. They are more like pets then pests.

With all due respect, it's obvious that the orbs aren't dust particles, bugs, snow, tricks of the camera, slow shutter speed etc.

There is no dust or bugs here in the wintertime (Alaska).
I don't have to worry about shutter speed on video, just the still shots. I haven't seen real snow/dust shoot upwards or sideways yet (without wind) or blink for that matter. Can you show me any that does?

No tricks with the cameras either if that is what you are insinuating.

Interesting site you gave, but when someone says bio-organic life forms is a term with far-reaching meaning, that to me is saying 'they just don't know'. It is all just speculation.

If you ask me and from what I've gathered, I feel that they are an exotic energy with self-knowledge.

Hope this helps,
Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Sat, Jan 5, 13 at 11:54

Ed: This thread is almost at the 150 post mark when Garden Web closes a thread down and recommends a new thread be posted if you want the discussion to continue. I hope that you do continue - this has been fascinating, to me at least.

Re orbs: Someone who is aware of your orb story has directed me to the website OrbStudy.com and the Initial research study that has been conducted. You really seem to be in a hot spot for potential orb study.

Re Ravens: What are your ravens eating in your yard and in the street? Are you feeding them, or are they possibility eating grit/sand for their gizzards?

The ravens seem to have awfully big feet, like snowshoes, although maybe it's just the way they pad around. I'm hoping that by watching them I'll get familiar enough that I can quickly identify a raven when it finally shows up here among the crows.

Claire

IMO.. some of the videos show snow to me, I have these cameras also and showed virtually the same thing, very small particles,.. even after several hours no snow can be seen outside.

Some more explanation on orbs, not from Billy this time, from ET, Ptah,..they are another form of the RODS

Contact Report 478 Translation

Billy
A question: Is the term orb, respectively orbs, known to you?
Ptah
Yes. Why do you ask?
Billy Billy
They are luminous ball-shaped objects that are seen and photographed all over the world, as I've been told.
Ptaah
That is correct. They are another form of the RODS, therefore electromagnetic bio-organisms, that are actually energy structures, have an energy intelligence and that also react upon a human consciousness, respectively upon thoughts and feelings.

We already spoke about this at the 402nd official contact conversation on the 29th of October 2005.
Billy
Then the matter is clear.

Thanks for the explanation.