Bird Watching

[Dotch]

Seeing no other obvious place to post this, figured this is probably as good as any, a fairly generic area of the site. Like several others, while I enjoy hunting and fishing, I also enjoy watching and feeding the birds. Everyone please feel welcome to jump in. What I see in SC MN and other areas I travel to may or may not be the same as what you see. Regardless, it is always interesting to see others observations. I also write a column for our local paper that frequently includes bird observations for the week as they mark the changing of the seasons here. Will start it off with an excerpt from this past week's column:

"Trees were loaded with a clan of house finches over the weekend. The rose colored morning sunlight really made them look stunning as it shone off their already rose colored bodies. Was amused Monday morning following chores to come back towards the house and see the thistle sock I’d bought from Edna a couple months ago practically encased in little brown birds of some kind. At first glance they appeared to be goldfinches in their winter plumage. A closer look once inside through the small binoculars revealed them to be pine siskins. As the light of the dawn grew stronger one could easily make out the striping on their breasts and the yellow wing bars. They will hang with goldfinches and sure enough, there were a few of them mixed in with their siskin brethren."

Note to Rick: if this is out of line or out of place, feel free to chew on me and we'll go somewhere else with it.

[Slyster]

I'm big into birding too. I go every spring to the Frontinac area to see what's up.. we see so many things in that part of the state.. 100+ species in a day.. and so many warblers. What a great thing to hear their sharp songs in the spring! In past years I have gone on a number of birding trips with groups too (MOU) to Big Rock, up to Aitkin and other areas of the state. So many good memories with a good friend and his dad.. now days the Frotinac trip is my only big birding day.. although I am aware of birds (by sight and sound) at all times while outdoors. In fact, as part of my unit (I teach biology) I have my students learn the 25 most common birds by sight AND sound.. they end up loving it.. and always tell me how much more aware they are come sping.. they cannot HELP hearing sounds and saying "a Red Winged Black Bird!" or "Robin!" or "Nighthawk!".. I think stuff like that sticks with them for many years.

[fishface5]

Good job Dotch! I love watching birds! I like how you write too. If Rick doesn't mind I'd love to read your column on this site "somewhere" each week or when ever you put it out. With my current schedual bird watching is one of my few remaining links to the outdoors. It shouldn't be permanant, I pray, but untill I can get back to fishing and hunting as usual, I'd greatly appreciate anything I can get as far as a birding education goes. I need to watch the Goldfinches closer! We have tons of them around now. Some may be something else ay? What kind of feeders do you put out?

[Boss Hogg]

During the last few years of deer hunting, I have been putting out a small bird feeder by my stand. It really helps keep from getting bored. Getting a deer isn't that important anymore. Matter of fact, I get more shots with a camra than with a rifle.

[The Grebe]

Hey, birds are great! I'm not a dyed in the wool bird watcher, taking a trip to watch the Swallows come back to Capistrano, but I do like them and so does my wife.

She puts out bird feeders and since we live just a short ways from the Mississippi river, we get all different kinds and colors of birds that come to our yard and we both enjoy watching them through the patio doors.

When I fish, or hunt, I always have my eyes open observing the different birds...I also keep my ears open to listen to the different melodies, trying to identify which bird it is, makes you more aware in the woods.

It's cool being able to identify a bird to someone that has'nt a clue what type of bird they are looking at.

[Wishin2BFishin]

Once while hardwater fishin I caught a Crappie and left it on the ice under some snow. I went to check a tipup and when I turned around a Sea Gull was pecking away at the Crappie. Not knowing what kind of germs or whatever I could get from a Sea Gull I decided to give the Crappie to him and threw it about 20 yards away from where I was fishin. I looked back after a few minutes and was amazed to see a Golden Eagle ripping at the Crappie! What a pretty bird! The sun was on him and he was brilliant! I wanted to see how close I could get to him and got about 10 yards away before he grabbed the Crappie in his tallons and flew away! Another time hardwater fishin my buddy was cooking up some Venison and two big Trumpeter Swains went close over our heads and landed in some open water near us. They came right up to us and my buddy hand fed them some of the Venison! I allways thought Swains were vegetarians? They were cool looking with their big black webbed feet.

[Dotch]

Wowsirs! What a pleasant surprise to see there are several others like myself who share an interest in the birds when they're outdoors. Way kewl observations, all of them I might add. Yes, fishface, there may be some siskins mixed in with the goldfinches or there may not. This fall is the first I've seen of them for many years. Like the goldfinches, they appear to be nomadic. Just can't get over how many of them there were on that thistle sock the other morning. Was almost like it was alive!

As far as my feeders go they're nothing fancy. A couple tube feeders with metal reinforced feeding holes so the resident squirrel doesn't gnaw on them. I feed black oil sunflower seed in them primarily altho I did mix safflower in with it for the cardinals that showed up for the first time in the 20 years we've lived here last winter. There's the thistle seed sock I mentioned and a thistle tube feeder as well as a couple suet feeders for the woodpeckers. Used to get raw suet from the locker plant for a song but the price on suet cakes is reasonable and it's less messy. All these feeders are in the 2 large ash trees in front of the house. If the snow gets deep, I keep some ear corn in a feeder made from an old ear corn drying tube for the pheasants. They have shelter & protection from the hawks & owls on the edge of the yard in the sumac & plum thicket. Also keep oyster shell available for them. Planted a bunch of nannyberry this spring which is native to the area. It should provide cover and the berries will feed many kinds of birds. The foliage turns a bright red in the fall too for an added bonus. Plan on more planting this next spring so any suggestions others may have on brushy, shrubby, berry type vegetation, I'm all ears. Just glad my parents encouraged me to watch the birds and make plantings that are beneficial to them. Have noticed a marked increase in their numbers since we started doing it.

Don't know if anyone has heard of Al Batt but he is an avid birder from the local area. Encourage anyone who gets a chance to listen to him speak to do so. He also writes a column in the local paper. A super nice man.

Will submit a copy of my column to Rick and if he deems it appropriate, we'll see what we can do.

[metro 1]

Who would have thought my wife and I would get such a kick out of feeding birds.We have had 57 kinds of birds at our feeder and one kind of Grey squirrel and even a family of flying squirrels.The birds are a great example of a work ethic .They head out each day and gather food all day,and for the most part they don't store any of it .They trust in their ability to gather enough everyday.

My mother in law has moved in with use for hospice care and I hope to get her into watching , and feeding the birds. fun thread,Metro

[Pistolero]

I’ve gone to the Boreal Birding Festival a couple of times and had a great time. I have also spent time birding in the local parks, watching the migration of the warblers.

http://www.grandmarais.com/birding/

[huskiesplayer15]

I watch birds too, just sooner or later I start shooting.

Best Fishes

Chris

[M.T. Bucket]

Dotch,

I'm a birding nut myself. Even though I live in city limits in a small town, I keep 5 to 7 bird feeders going, depending on the time of year. I've had 44 species of birds so far. I like to bird all over northern Minnesota. To date, I've observed 194 species of birds in 2004 in Minnesota. Some of the best sightings for me this year were a Lark Bunting by Nashwauk, Northern Hawk Owls by Zim and south of Swan River, Boreal Chickadees by Orr and Littlefork, and 5(!) Three-toed Woodpeckers south of Littlefork. A couple of friends and I did a Big Day in Itasca County in May and found 117 species of birds in a single day. Just a little boasting.

Anyone who wants to get involved in watching birds should consider taking part in the upcoming Christmas Bird Counts. I can post more information if there is interest.

[The Grebe]

Huskieplayer15....Yup, Grouse drumming on a log, Turkeys struting their stuff, Ducks and Geese setting their wings, all fine things to watch in the off season, but it does come down to the shooting! Same with Deer.

Thank goodness we have the non-game species to observe year round, without intrusion!

[bucketmouth64]

This year has been a good year for me seeing all kinds of birds. Not only are the many colorful song birds at my feeder fun to watch, but the big birds in the open too. For the first time this year I have noticed many sandhill cranes. Man are they huge. Also had a pileated woodpecker at my feeder chomping at the suet. First time I have seen one where I live that don't have a lot of trees. Keep the feeders full for the winter.

[The Grebe]

Rain day...I can fart around with the computer We had a big Pilated Woodpecker pounding away on our neighbors Katelpa tree this morning and for the better part of yesterday and today, a Downie Woodpecker has been widening the hole in one of our hanging bird houses.

Today we watched him finally gain entrance and right away he started cleaning house, throwing out all kinds of bedding the last occupants had acquired. I hope he stays around for awhile!

[Dan Thiem]

Hey Bucketmouth,

How big is a sand hill crane? I was down in the backwaters of the Mississippi near Kellog and I saw a group of about five or six big big birds.Walking, really tall. I can't remember what time of year it was.They were a long ways away but they almost resembled ostriches?

[CASTnBLAST]

I graduated in 1980 and during the ninth grade we were required to keep a bird identification log,at the time it was kind of a pain but it is one of the few things that have really stuck with me.It's neat spotting a bird that most people would pass off as just another tweety but knowing it's identification and the fact it's somewhat uncommon.I hope they continue such learning,I appreciate it now that I'm older(and wiser?).Also it's important to teach the young ones before letting junior out with the BB gun which birds are appropriate targets.

[The Grebe]

I think that in most cases, at least in the city and first ring suburbs, Jr. and a BB gun are a thing of the past! A more effective killer has taken over....cats!

I know about cats and how they act, we have one and I've seen him in action. They learn real quick where to bag the birds!

Don't get me wrong, I like cats, but I like birds also. To a cat, a bird is a toy, a plaything, as is any small critter such as a mouse...they catch them and bring them home to you as a present..."Hey, look what I brought home for you!"

I sure don't know where the balance point is between having a cat and bird watching, but I have asked my wife not to put out so many feeders and we don't let the cat out when there is an abundence of bird activity around the yard. Either that or we will let the dog out first, to scare things away. When this cat expires, we won't be getting another.

[The Grebe]

My wife and I tried to name all the different kinds of birds we have had in our yard, or have been spotted form our yard.

We live just a few blocks off of the river, so we see alot of different migratory birds.

We have seen numerous types of hawks, Turkey Vultures drift on the air currents, up and down the river, Bald Eagles, Cranes, Egrets, Swans and of course, the ever present Geese.

We counted 25 species that we have actually had in our yard and I"m sure there are a number I hav'nt mentioned and some we did'nt know what they were.

English Sparrows, Rose Finch, Robins, Purple Grackles, Blue Jays, Orioles, Cardinals, Thrush, Wrens, Gold Finch, Flicker, Crows, Starlings, Nut Hatch, Chickadee, Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, Pilated Woodpecker, Warios (I think that is what they are called?), Redwinged Black Bird, Common Blackbird, Humming Birds, Doves, Mallards, and I just thought of one more, Cedar Waxwings.

[M.T. Bucket]

Sounds like you're in a great location. Undoubtedly you've seen a lot of warblers where you're at as well. I think the "warios" you refer to might be "vireos"? Anyway, I wish I had the bird traffic you have.

I've been keeping records of the birds I see in the yard for 4 years now and the best visitors I've had are Scarlet Tanagers and Cape May Warblers at the oranges and jelly we put out, Bohemian Waxwings in the mountain ash tree, Pileated Woodpecker, and a pair of lost Wood Ducks that spent some time in one of our boxelder trees--kind of odd in town.

If you want to keep track of your sightings, you can download a checklist of Minnesota birds here.

[bucketmouth64]

Dan, Sandhill crane is a very large tall bird. Blend in the grasses. The first pair I saw was in the grasses, all the others were in farmer fields. The first time I saw one it was a long ways away. It wasn't until I got out the binocs to see what they were. I thought they were a couple of small deer at first. They have long necks, legs, and large body. I started seeing these in the spring and sporadically thru the summer.

[The Grebe]

M.T. Bucket...thank you very much! I printed out the list and now I can refer to it and see which birds I may have over looked.

You are absolutely correct sir, it is Vireo, Wario is'nt that the woman that was knocking off truck drivers afew years back?

Hey this list is good...this internet stuff is way cool..."I like it, I like it alot!"

[metro 1]

I have had a few birds that I had never seen before Like an Indigo Bunting ,this bird has the most brilliant blue in the bird world . they are blue as blue can be. Another is a Shrike these are a nasty little bird that are meat eaters,they kill smaller birds and hang the in the trees or on wire fences to let the carcass decompose then they can eat it.Their beaks aren't made for shredding so this is necessary for them to eat.I have watched them just pound the sparrows in years past.I had a Scarlet Tanager this bird is blaze orange.My wife called me at work to tell me about this colored bird and wanted to know if I knew what it was,I asked the guys at work and they told me that if it was orange it was a state worker bird and if I waited awhile ten more would show up and do nothing either.And the Pileated Woodpeckers can fly off with a hole suet ball with no problem at all .Metro

[knoppers]

good topic, ever since I was in wildlife biology in high school when we were on bird spieces identifaction, I always have been intersested on watching birds. and to this day, 23 years after high school, I still know many birds when I see them. my best sightings have come over the last year, when I seen a couple of magpies in the aitkin area.

[HOGEYE]

Correct me I I am wrong, but I believe that both Sand Hills and Tundra Swans are legal to shoot when in season in N. Dakota. I hear that they are both great table fair as well.

[knoppers]

I hear they taste like crow ;-)