Bird Watching

[msm1018]

hey Hobby, those are some awesome pictures, I mean that rivals some of the best I have ever seen.

[buzzsaw]

New rule, Hobby you have to take a few pictures through windows on a dark rainy day!! your killing me bro! No really once again great pictures, glad I have DSL.

[M.T. Bucket]

I'm glad this thread finally rolled over to a new page so I could open it in less than 10 minutes Seriously, the photos are great though.

Man I wish they'd create a forum for these types of topics, seeing how we've really discussed dozens of different topics in this one thread. It could have really been broken into several.

By the way, anyone who is good at duck identification should check out my thread in the Ducks forum.

[WAG416]

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Man I wish they'd create a forum for these types of topics, seeing how we've really discussed dozens of different topics in this one thread. It could have really been broken into several.

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MT- My thoughts exactly, I know I havent contributed to this thread but it has been an enjoyable one to read, considering I don't see over 90 percent of these birds here in Warren.

I was just about to post the exact same thing, but you beat me to it.

This has to be the biggest topic that I can recall,.....well, since the (dog pee'd on my ice house) thread. Still that one wasn't half this long.

I vote for a Birdwatching forum.

WAG

[The Yeti]

Up near McGregor this recent weekend, we saw orioles and yellow finches. Very colorful birds.. Although, I do recall seeing a Grebe at my house recently. He was also a colorful character..

[Dotch]

From this week's Fencelines:

"Bird watching was a bittersweet experience this past week. More new birds but it appears that the predators have ruined the start for many of the waterfowl thought nesting near the pond. Many raccoon tracks noticed and only one pair of teal was seen in my foray through the CREP on Sunday. The reeds, sedges and cattails could’ve used some warmer weather to become more well established judging by the frost that nipped them. There were some reasons to smile however. A meadowlark broadcast his song from high atop his perch in the old cottonwood tree and there was a yellow warbler drinking near the tile intake. Found some humor in the fact there are tree swallows nesting in the cavernous wood duck house. At least it wasn’t occupied by house sparrows. A pair of savannah sparrows was spotted and 4 or 5 male bobolinks sang their burbling melody. Saw more shorebirds including a pair of Wilson’s phalaropes and spotted sandpipers. The phalaropes are unique in that the female is actually the more showy bird of the pair in summer plumage anyway. Several common terns flew off to the center of the pond when I startled them, maintaining a comfortable distance between themselves and my binoculars.

In the yard, orioles, goldfinches, house finches, pine siskins and even a hummingbird hung on through the ugly, cold weekend. How the hummingbird managed to consume enough calories to maintain that high metabolism on such a chilly Saturday was beyond me."

Am detecting an undertone that those of us who enjoy watching the birds should have our own forum. Maybe you guys have already done it, but would suggest contacting the forum administrators to get 'r' done. Suspect they might be game since this thing is getting huge. BTW buzz, was at the Legion last nite visiting with a retired teacher friend over a beer who lives near St. Olaf Lake. There was a scarlet tanager at his oriole feeder yesterday too. Kinda woodsy over there.

[The Grebe]

Buzz...Of all things my wife seen a Bluebird at our feeder today and she said it was the bluest blue she had ever seen.

It flew up into our apple tree then it took off.\

I have only seen one once before and that was down by the river, near our house. I hope this one remembers our feeder and comes back. Do they sing?

[M.T. Bucket]

Grebe,

They sing, and if you can play .wav files on your computer, click here to find out what they sound like.

By the way, for anyone who wants to quick hear what a particular bird sounds like, go to www.findsounds.com and type in the bird you want. (You can also find some humorous bodily functions to get the kids laughing while you're there.)

[D_Heintz]

The picture of the sawbills coming off the water was so good it's now my background! (hope you don't mind)

I don't do much bird watching, only casual feeding and watering of the in-town variety, but I greatly enjoy this forum.

With this much activity, shouldn't there be a separete heading for bird watching so you can keep separate threads going for different types of activities associated with it?

[M.T. Bucket]

Dotch,

I'm not sure where you're at, but you must be in some good pothole country to get those birds. Which meadowlarks do you get--Eastern or Western (or both)? Up here in Itasca County we typically get Eastern with the occasional Western showing up. (I should add that we get very few meadowlarks in general...so they're quite a treat.) When I was in the Montevideo area a few weeks back, there were lots of Westerns and no Easterns. They're tough to tell apart--the plumage and habitat differences are subtle--until you hear them sing (check out my previous post). I kind of like the Eastern song a little better (more fluid), but they're both great to hear--and interesting that 2 birds so similar have very different songs.

[buzzsaw]

hey guys, Lakeville was bird haven today at noontime!! Heres a few pics... I saw many Ruby throated hummingbirds, red breasted grosebeaks, orioles, male and female scarlet tanagers, yellow warbler and an Indigo Bunting all in 45 minutes!!!

After spending the winter in the canopy of the northwestern South American tropical forest, Scarlet Tanagers begin their nocturnal migration north through Central America and across the Gulf of Mexico. Males arrive first and begin singing short phrases alternately high and low in pitch, reminiscent of the American Robin's song but characterized by a throaty burr. Males perform courtship displays from low branches, holding their wings drooped and slightly away from the body, with their neck elongated to display their scarlet backs, as the female looks on from above. After pairs are formed, the male's singing comes from mid-heights, and he accompanies his mate as she forages. Females are also known to sing, although with a somewhat softer voice than the male. A distinctive call given by Scarlet Tanagers is chip-churr, with the first note higher in pitch.

Despite the male's bright coloring, these birds can be difficult to see as they slowly and deliberately seek out beetles and caterpillars high in the tree canopy. These tanagers can remain motionless for periods of time, concealed amid dense foliage. During cold or wet weather in early spring, however, they may seek their prey on the ground, and, at other times, they sally after bees and wasps in the manner of flycatchers. Females, which tend to forage higher in trees than males, also engage more often in fly catching. Fruits, berries, and buds augment their primarily insect diet. Oak trees are favored both for foraging and nest building.

Scarlet Tanagers inhabit deciduous forests, pine-oak woodlands, parks, and suburban areas with large trees. The summer range extends throughout eastern North America from Minnesota to Maine, south to northern Mississippi and central Georgia. Where the range overlaps with that of the Summer Tanager (P. rubra), Scarlet Tanagers tend to occupy denser habitat, whereas Summer Tanagers tend to occupy more open habitat. Both Scarlet and Summer tanagers respond to each other’s songs and maintain nonoverlapping territories

[Dotch]

Hey thanks MT for including the way kewl HSOforum. We have some of both types of meadowlarks according to my ears and that HSOforum. I cheat tho, when and where I grew up in SE MN, there were lots of them. The easterns were less common there so I was more familiar with the westerns. As a kid, frequently there was a western singing from the top of an ancient red oak snag not more than 60' - 70' from the house, especially after a rain. The eastern's song sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Not that I don't like it, it's just not the song I'm used to hearing. Still awaiting the arrival of the dickcissels!

The area here is a transition zone just to the west of I-35 not far from Ellendale & south of Owatonna. There are some woods around some of the small lakes here (Beaver, Lonnergan and St. Olaf) and the terrain is more rolling than what one might think of as typical prairie pothole country. There are several small restored wetlands including our own. Since we pasture several acres around the wetland and don't overgraze the pasture, the number of different ground nesting birds seems to have exploded in the past couple years. Am still working on getting bluebirds back but have been fighting an uphill battle with the house sparrows. Mice with wings!

Those tanagers are sure gorgeous buzz. Have only seen a few and that was in SE MN not far from where I grew up. Are you sure you're not sticking those little fake red birds you can buy in the store up in the tree and snapping photos of them to fool us? You think we're White Sox fans or what...lol!

[buzzsaw]

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Are you sure you're not sticking those little fake red birds you can buy in the store up in the tree and snapping photos of them to fool us? You think we're White Sox fans or what...lol!

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Ha ha that was good! The males do look whack!! I had a darn closeup from like 8 feet away while it was on the orange and grape jelly feeder with full zoom on my digi waiting for birds.. this guy fllys in and I can't for the life of me get my camera to focus on the object!! I have to push my picture button down halfway and either let go quickly or hold it halfway until it registers a clear picture. Then he flew up in the tree and I was absolutely beside myself becuase we don't get many of them around and when we do they don't stay too long! arghhhhh... The white sox, nice closing! I'll be home at lunch again tomorrow and see if I can make you a believer (just kidding, I know your playing).

Mike

[Jackpine Rob]

Hey Buzz, some great pics here!

Not to be a jerk or anything (I save that for the Politics section) but is there any chance you could make those pics smaller before posting? It seems like the larger pictures make the whole page expand, and you have to scroll horizontally to read the posts.

[buzzsaw]

No problem, done deal! I agree, I just forget to resize and it takes 30 seconds to do it. Anybody got any good pictures to put on this thread??

[fishnutbob]

Hey Guys, Just checked this topic out been watching it for awhile, Those are all great pictures, I thought I was good at getting birds to my feeders. But buzzsaw I think your the King Im going to the feeder store let the competition begin

[CrappieJohn]

I have been watching the American Redstarts going nuts at the lake as I fish shorelines. These birds are certainly a bundle of activity. And friendly too. I canslip the boat using the electric right up to them and get a real close showing. The orioles are really starting to get noisy and we have a pair of Osprey that are just wild to watch when they are fishing.

Love this thread!

[jonny_redhorse]

I just saw my first rose-breasted grosbeak!...i was sitting on my front porch(i usually have my camera but didn't this time)...and a lone bright male red breasted grosbeak landed at my bird feeders and just stared at me!....picked through my seed offerings!.and flew off.......wish i would have got acouple of quick pics ....maybe he'll be back.......

[DTro]

Here's a pair of finches. I also get bluebirds and cardinals all the time I just need to snap a pic

[M.T. Bucket]

Here's something to ponder...

I wonder if any of us on this thread have ever fed the same individual birds i.e. - Say the Rose-breasted Grosbeak that stopped in Johnny R's yard was hitting up Buzzsaw for seed last autumn, hmmmm...

It must have happened at least once, right? Small world.

[Dotch]

Wondered the same thing, especially being more of a suthner than some who post here. Many of the grosbeaks, goldfinches, hummingbirds, etc., don't stay. I especially wonder where all the ducks that were here this spring wound up.

[fishnutbob]

Mt. Need to put a collar on them and track what feeder they visit.

I tried to see how close I could get to a Grosbeak in my feeder, about three feet it left, I thought if I could net it What a great bird for a birdcage, I dont think that's legal, but a pair would be great wouldn't want the male getting love sick

[Dotch]

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I have been watching the American Redstarts going nuts at the lake as I fish shorelines. These birds are certainly a bundle of activity. And friendly too. I canslip the boat using the electric right up to them and get a real close showing. The orioles are really starting to get noisy and we have a pair of Osprey that are just wild to watch when they are fishing.

Love this thread!

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It is a kinda fun thread, isn't it? Can see I need to get my digital camera figured out one of these days tho. There was an osprey spotted near Lonnergan Lake the other day. What area of the state were you in Tom when you saw the redstart? Used to see them in the woods near Fillmore when wetting a line there many moons ago.

[fishface5]

MT, Your avatars are the best! Very funny! I've been living west of Monti. Lately, (Female probs.). So I haven't been able to keep the feeders like I'd should. Even though, The little time I've spent home in Big Lk., I've seen LOTS of Orioles, House or Purple finches, (I can't tell one from another)and a bunch of different Warblers. Here in Monti. I have seen Bluebirds though, I don't have any of those in Big lake. Beeeutiful birds! I think I like the Indego Bunting a bit more, anyway... Let's get our own spot on the front page for this tread. Every one E-mail Rick. I love all the different pcts. too! What kind of cameras do you all use? If you don't mind list the Brands, and pixels. I'd realy like to get a digital for the birds and the fish.

[jonny_redhorse]

that sure would be something to know where that individual bird has been in it's struggle through life...who know's maybe that grosbeak i saw came from mexico or something!.....maybe it's a cats next meal ...anyway....couple of us went up to the vermilion river country(crane lake) yesterday to scout out the river for an up coming canoe/ camping trip ...on the way up there i was amazed at the buzzards(turkey vultures i think) that were flying around and along the highway......one was sitting on a dead deers carcass along the highway(53) up by Orr..menacing looking things ...black body with red on the heads...never got a pic even though i had the camera...was raining out.....to change the subject...here's a pic of a sparrow...not sure what kind....i think it's a house sparrow....this bird identification is quite new to me...lol!