Bird Watching

[M.T. Bucket]

Johnny,

Your photo is of a male House Sparrow. Fortunately, they're not too common this far north. If you have any nest boxes and you get House Sparrows...evict 'em! They're not native and they're very agressive toward birds such as Bluebirds. They'll actually go into an active Bluebird box, kill all of the chicks, and build a nest right on top of them. Not good for the Bluebirds.

You're grosbeak came from further south than Mexico! Here's a map showing their summer and winter range:

If you define "vulture" loosely, we have 3 vultures/buzzards in the US - Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, and California Condor. Except for a couple of records of stray Black Vultures at Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Turkey Vulture is the only one known to occur in Minnesota. Hwy 53 in Orr might be the most guaranteed spot in northern Minnesota to see Turkey Vultures--must be a lot of roadkill deer up there.

Crane Lake area...I did Golden-winged Warbler (a species of national concern) surveys up there last year--they're everywhere in that neck of the woods. Listen for a 'beeee-bzzz-bzzz-bzzz' out in the clearcuts and alder swamps. Here's a GWWA (that's the official bird bander alpha code for Golden-winged Warbler

fishface,

Sounds like I should have gone to Sherburne this month instead of last. Hey, I think it's actually easier to tell the female Purple and House Finches apart than the males. One time I had a male of each species sitting side by side at my feeder--it was a great comparison, I wish I had a decent camera for that one.

Ah, my avatar... If you're ever on the outdoor discussion (and some of the other forums) the ol' "treehugger" label gets thrown around as the mother of all insults--I think you're a more savory character around here if you're known as a "Dahmer-hugger" than as a "treehugger"

I figured I'd just fess up.

[jonny_redhorse]

thanks MT for compiling the info......maybe that grosbeak was sitting on the Inca pyramids on the yucatan penninsula before lighting on the tree in my front yard ....if they could only talk...lol!....i didn't realze that those sparrows were so intimidating to our local birds!.......i did see a blue jay drive off that house sparrow! ...that sparrow didn't stand a chance at the bird feeder....lol!...those jays are a force to be reckoned with if your a bird..

[Dotch]

Yep jonny, those house sparrows are trouble. When you posted that pic, my trigger finger got itchy! In addition to taking out the bluebird chicks, sparrows will go so far as to kill adult tree swallows in the nesting boxes. This has happened many times here over the years and intensifies my efforts to thin their ranks every time I find it. MT is right about their distribution too. There were very few house sparrows in NC ND where I once lived, even on the farmsteads. Like a lot of the farmers, even the sparrows didn't enjoy the winters 6 miles from the Canadian border...

[jonny_redhorse]

i promise....no more house sparrow pics!.......lol!...apparently the "jeffrey dhamers" of the bird world....i think i'll now put them into the same class as those pigeons suckin my bird feeders dry!.lol!........starlings and grackles aren't far behind either and "cow birds"

[buzzsaw]

Time for some more color on this site guys! Sunday in the backyard mister we had a Red breasted Grosebeak bathing and a Hummingbird hanging around... actually theres about 8 or so of those hummingbirds hanging around, the Males do some in air battling around the liquid feeders...

[image][/image]

[MedicDan]

Thats a female(no red) red breated humingbird.

[buzzsaw]

Not sure if you were posting that because you thought that I thought it was a male (bacause I was discussing the Males doing battle) or because I didn't mention that it was a female???

[buzzsaw]

oops

[Dotch]

Actually in buzz's most recent photo layout, both the rose-breasted grosbeak in the first photo and the ruby-throated hummingbird in the second photo are males. There is a distinct red patch on the throat of the hummingbird pictured at the feeder. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird native to MN. Prior to this weekend, we'd seen primarily males here but as of today, there were several females as well. They are devoid of any red on the throat as the previous poster pointed out. You've got a great spot for watching birds there buzz. Checked the wood duck house today and see there are two white tree swallow eggs in it. Wonder if there's enough room in there for them?

[buzzsaw]

Thanks Dotch! Where is Bugtussle?? Just when I thought I knew most of Minnesota right?!

[Dotch]

Quote:

---

Thanks Dotch! Where is Bugtussle?? Just when I thought I knew most of Minnesota right?!

---

South of Hooterville and Mt. Pilot but west of Mayberry. Small town at the intersection of MN Hwy's 13 & 30. Can't miss it...well, actually, you could. I think it's where the pioneers used to get off the wagons to use the restroom, all the while being careful so as not to step on the prairie chickens.

[M.T. Bucket]

A suburb of Waseca.

Dotch, you're 235 miles nearly directly south (maybe 182 degrees) of me. (I got GIS )

[buzzsaw]

Waseca has suburbs??? come on now.

[Rick]

I make a forum just for Bird watchers (I believe at Dotch's request), move this thread in here and it promptly dies????

Was it a bad move?

[buzzsaw]

Settle down Tonto This is going to be one of the largest threads on the entire site. I'll be sure and keep it going strong. I just had a female Grosebeak at my feeder and I was getting ready to snap a picture and my beloved two year old son came through the front door of the house and off she went! It was what I call perfectly horrible timing, it happens alot when young kids are present.... but I still love them!

Heres a House finch from lunch today.

[MedicDan]

I get MOU's daily bird active/rare list here's a higklight from today:

Message: 4

Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 14:27:45 -0500

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: [mou] Arctic Tern refound in Duluth

Mike Hendrickson just called to report that he and several others refound the adult Arctic Tern off Park Point in Duluth. This is presumably the same

individual originally found by Mike on the 20th and seen by a number of Hawk Ridge Birdathon

participants yesterday. The past two days, it was seen on the lake side of Park

Point near the community center (Lafayette Square) at 31st Street. Today, the

Arctic Tern and most of the Common Terns were foraging closer to Canal Park. The

Arctic Tern is currently being seen from the public access across from the "Tot Lot" on Park Point (approximately 12th St).

[Dotch]

Quote:

---

I make a forum just for Bird watchers (I believe at Dotch's request), move this thread in here and it promptly dies????

Was it a bad move?

---

No no, it was a good move. We'll get some separate topics started in awhile. Just got home a bit ago. Ran into a beautiful day and farmers planting soybeans here after two weeks of being rained out. That and I'm still trying to figure out what that guy in MT's avatar is doing to that tree. Not much time to look at the birds although I loaded the thistle feeders this morning after chores. The finches pulled on the seed pretty hard today. The oriole feeder will need to be refilled in the morning I see. The birds were partyin' hearty when I stopped in to use the facilities after lunch. Corn isn't tall enough yet...

[M.T. Bucket]

Crasher,

They really turned up some cool birds in Duluth over the weekend. I'm trying to see if I can sneak down to the Shore this weekend, despite the wife's protests, to check out some of those birds.

[MedicDan]

M.T., This is an email I got from yesterday from MN MOU from duluths Rare Bird Alert:

Message: 7

From: "Jim Lind" <[email protected]>

To: [email protected]

Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 19:45:58 -0500

Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 5/22/05 (Hawk Ridge Birdathon)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Sunday, May 22nd, sponsored by

the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The report is being updated

today to report on yesterday's Hawk Ridge Birdathon.

Fifty birders on 16 teams came up with an impressive composite total

of 205 species, including 169 within the city limits of Duluth. The

winning team of Tom Auer, Mike Hendrickson, and Mark Ochs found 154

species.

Some highlights from the birdathon include:

ROSS'S GOOSE at Interstate Island, SURF SCOTERS, BLACK SCOTERS, and

WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on Lake Superior on Park Point, RED-THROATED

LOONS at a number of spots along Park Point, including an amazing

flock of 61 out from the water pumping station past the Sky Harbor

Airport, a WESTERN GREBE at Park Point, and an EARED GREBE and RUDDY

DUCK at the Biwabik sewage ponds.

YELLOW RAILS were heard in Sax-Zim on CR 7, a mile north of CR 133,

and along the Stone Lake Road.

A flock of 75 MARBLED GODWITS was seen on Interstate Island, and two

PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen on Park Point, out from the recreation

area. A GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was also seen at Park Point.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen in Sax-Zim, and BLACK-BACKED

WOODPECKERS were found along the McDavitt Road. Two RED-BELLIED

WOODPECKERS were seen on Park Point. At least five different GREAT

GRAY OWLS were found in and around the Sax-Zim area. BOREAL

CHICKADEE was found along CR 52, two miles west of the Stickney Road

in Sax-Zim.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was found at the scenic overlook over Boy

Scout Landing in west Duluth.

26 species of warblers were found, including BLACK-THROATED BLUE

WARBLER at Park Point.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, May 26th.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum to [email protected], or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.

[buzzsaw]

ohhh oh! Too many posts without another picture... here goes!

[image][/image]

[fishface5]

Man those picts. are good! Educational too. I have House Finches. (But the doc says I'll be ok.)

[buzzsaw]

Thats funny!! Heres todays visitors to our special sugar blend.

[image]http://[/image] [image]http://[/image]

and a nuthatch.. [image][/image]

[fishface5]

Those Picts. are incredible! You have even captchered BUGS! So if I go and spend $200.00 on a digital cam. I too can get picts. of similar quality? I just love the clarity, and detail in the picts.

[buzzsaw]

Thats funny that you also noticed the immature mesquitos in the background, it's the same in my avatar behind my dog... they just hatched and are everywhere! I'm not sure if $200.00 will get you what or not, it may very well. I only spent $425.00 like four years ago on a Fuji Fine pix 2800 and it seems to have been a good purchase as we use it all the time... and if you think we take alot of bird pictures you should see all the kid pictures we have... thats more of my wifes doing.... I'm nature boy as my friends call me...

[buzzsaw]

saturday morning brought a Grey Catbird gathering grasses for the nest they were building close by.

[image]http://[/image]