Bird Watching

[knoppers]

seen some morning doves today in big lake, this is a little early for these to be back arn't they?

[The Grebe]

Knoppers...been seeing a few, off and on all winter, down here closer to the twin cities. Seen a flock of Robbins, about 15 of em, about a month ago, have seen about 20 or more so far this winter.

While enroute to do some fishing on Thur., we seen a nice bunch of Turkeys, just off a dirt road, about 20 miles north of Mora, son tried to get some pictures, don't know if the camera was up to the task?

[buzzsaw]

Thanks Dotch! You've obviously been to the football forum eh. I can't help myself and have fun with the Packer fans. I live on the backside of Orchard Lake in Lakeville and my backyard butts up against Murphy Hanrehan park reserve so I see a ton of wildlife... yesterday a Piliated Woodpecker was chowing in the rain and an occasional Hawk or Owl will come by, but not to often. In the spring time we get approximately a dozen Orioles, 3 or 4 couples of Red Breasted Grosbeaks, Hummingbirds, Grey Catbirds, Pine Siskins, Bluebirds (not many), one Indigo Bunting last year, junco's, Brown Thrashers that run around like a road runner, Red Bellied, Red Headed, Hairy and Downy woodpeckers, Northern Flickers (not often), Cedar Waxings in the fall on the berry bushes in my neighbors yard, Purple and house Finch's, Robins, Warblers, Sparrows, Chickadees, Bluejays and Cardinals up the wazzoo, Starlings & Black birds that drine me nuts... Ospreys are in the Park and around Orchard Lake, Brown headed Cowbirds, Swallows, Morning Doves, One Americal kestral in the Park last year, and the most friendly of them all the Goldfinch... they stay around year round and hang out on the thistle feeders. If your looking for a good area to see birds and or Ducks go to Murphy Hanrehan park from the Middle of April through the summertime and you'll have action. Come early in the year for the Duck scene.... Mergansers, Bufflehead, Canvasbacks, woodies etc...

I have yet to see any of these species: Scarlet Tanager, Vireo, pine or evening Grosbeaks.

[Dotch]

Yep, definitely been keeping an eye on the football forum. One always has to keep those Packers fans on their toes, those that survived their suicide attempts following the playoffs anyway!

Living in prairie pothole country the birds seen here can seem rather mundane (starlings & blackbirds included) although many of the birds you mention have been seen moving through during spring and fall. Travelling around as is my wont, luckily get to view more than just what shows up in my backyard. Am particularly curious to see what kinds of waterfowl will appear on the pond this spring. Last spring there wasn't enough moisture to maintain a constant water level so the ducks and geese that did show didn't hang around long. Should be no issue this time around. Given the recent February thaws, seeing the cowbirds riding around on the sheeps' backs, hearing the meadowlarks sing and watching the rooster pheasants' courtship display can't be far off.

[M.T. Bucket]

Try putting out oranges or a dish of jelly in May for tanagers.

We have several vireos in Minnesota. The Red-eyed Vireo is by far the most common of them. It moves constantly among tree branches, often up in the canopy, and can be difficult to see. Fortunately, they are tireless singers with a relatively distinctive song.

Sibley gives a pretty good description that is easy to remember:

"...simple, hurried, whistled phrases *here-I-am, in-the-tree, look-up, at-the-top*; averages one phrase every two seconds."

Trust me, once you hear the song and place it with the bird, you'll never forget it.

The other vireos have songs that sound like a corruption of the Red-eyed Vireo song.

[buzzsaw]

MT, I attract alot of the Orioles and Grey Catbirds with Grape Jelly, it seems to work better than everything else I'm offering. I will continue to put out Oranges, they just haven't been as excited about them it seems.

The mealworm tray is big for all species, I try to fill this up when Bluebirds are in the area otherwise all the other birds mow through them in no time.

[fishface5]

Where do you get the meal worms at? And, How much do they cost? What other(besides Bluebirds) kinds do they attract? I've been kicked out of my house,(Women !) but I've been trying to keep my feeders filled. I think the Redpolls and Siskins have been workin' them over pretty good! I miss my birds!

[buzzsaw]

I believe it's called "The Wild Birdstore" in burnsville, however there are more of these stores around. I don't buy them in the winter, only in the spring. As far as cost goes, they are fairly expensive and when "other" birds besides bluebirds are around they will go through a small plastic tray of these in no time. So it can add up quickly.

[DARK30]

People sure do spend a lot of money on the birds...I don't mind spending my share! I'm on my 4th or 5th 50# bag of sunflower seed. Course I'm feeding a bunch of squirrels too. Then theres the cracked corn, and the suet, and the thistle....can't wait to get the nectar out by the monarda plants.

Looks like we could use a forum just for bird talk!

[M.T. Bucket]

Mealworms...the final frontier. I don't live in a good bluebird area, but even if I did, I doubt I could spend the $$$ on them. Must be a lot of fun watching bluebirds at the feeder though.

I suggested a forum for "Non-game wildlife discussion, questions, and photography" or something like that to Rick one time. It seems that he thought the idea was decent, but there wasn't anyone to be a moderator. This thread alone has had over 2,000 views--so there's definitely interest. I like the variety of forums on this site. I bounce around to all of them--except the golf forum. Golf sucks. Sorry, that was a cheap shot for another thread.

[Dotch]

It is sort of interesting to see what lengths some people will go to when it comes to feeding the birds. Usually we blow thru 3 50# bags of sunflower, 1 50# bag of safflower (enough to annoy the sparrows), boo-koo suet cakes, a large garbage can or two full of ear corn for squirrels, bunnies, pheasants, oyster shell and 30 lbs or so of thistle seed. In summer, the thistle seed and sunflower feeders are kept full as well as adding the oriole feeder and a couple hummingbird feeders. This is pretty small potatoes tho compared to some people I know.

Have thought about the mealworm thing but finding them here might be an issue. Used to find them in the oats that got spilled on the granary floor sometimes as a kid. Not sure how best to go about propagating them tho. Am fighting a constant battle with the sparrows occupying the bluebird houses. They will kill the tree swallows on the nest and seem to keep the bluebirds away. I keep putting up more houses, fighting the sparrows and hoping.

Just visited with my Mom on the phone a little bit ago. She loves watching the birds at the feeders outside the window on the old home farm. Told her about the nuthatch (krenk, krenk) silhouetted against the tree trunk at sunrise on the way in from doing chores and that made her day. She's been rehabbing at the care center after a knee replacement and can't wait to go home again to start feeding "her birds".

I like the forums too MT. There sure are plenty of interesting outdoor topics to browse thru and most people are pretty congenial. If they're not, the moderators do an excellent job. Certainly makes me want to try to do business with some of the sponsors when there's an opportunity anyway.

[Dotch]

from this week's Fencelines:

"As usual it’s time to put in a plug to remind farmers & landowners they need to get their tree orders in to the Waseca Soil and Water Conservation District. The sooner you get it done the better selection you will have. We have some spare order sheets at the Mall for Men if you want to do some scribbling on your own before you head up that direction. Am always impressed by the quality of the stock. The nannyberry shrubs I got from there last year were outstanding and the hackberries almost all grew after I sweated them. Trees are a wonderful legacy to leave to the next generation. They provide wildlife habitat, protect our soil, air and water as well as keeping the wind from blowing up your backside while out doing chores or loading grain.

Thought the birds were perhaps on sabbatical on Saturday but once the snow fell, they began feeding in earnest. Still too many sparrows and starlings but lots of downies, hairies, juncos, goldfinches and an occasional nuthatch that make up for those I really don’t care about. Have been no chickadees here once again and have resigned myself to thinking they show up here on the prairie primarily when we have tougher winters. Can hear the pheasants crowing and drumming in the mornings in the heavy cover. Lately they’ve been staying away from the feeder given the open winter conditions but suspect they’ll make an appearance in the yard again if the snow sticks around. Wonder if building some snow pheasants would help bring them in?"

[Finns]

The Bluebirds are back. Saw three on the power line above the box I have out for them at about 07:15 today. Ahh spring might be here.

Finns

[buzzsaw]

Thats an early return!

[buzzsaw]

Here are a few pictures from my backyard from last year as well as this past week...

[Dotch]

Nice pics buzzsaw! They take awhile to load on the landline but they're worth it. From this week's Fencelines:

"Bird watching this past week was a blast. Saw on a forum I frequent that bluebirds are back in MO around St. Joseph. Locally, the pheasants have returned to their ear corn feeder, which is okay except they’ve started crowing and drumming at about 5:30 AM. Don’t know if that was such a good idea or not as the feeder is about 40’ from the window. Still, last Thursday morning when the sun pillar was evident, the sun reflecting off the bronze front of the roosters only intensified their already vibrant spring colors. There are more scout geese on the wing this past week noticed by many including yours truly. Not large groups but definitely some checking to see what’s where. Mom was home finally from her stint in the care center doing knee replacement rehab so had to fill her feeders. Was being scolded by a grumpy little chickadee from across the driveway. No sooner were the feeders full and a feeding frenzy ensued. There was a male & female cardinal, a blue jay, a red-bellied woodpecker, goldfinches, juncos, and of course the chickadees in a matter of minutes. Was almost as if they were saying “Welcome Home” to Mom after a months absence."

[M.T. Bucket]

Pretty busy birdwise in your neck of the woods, Dotch. It's been pretty slow up here. I did see a Northern Hawk Owl and a Great Gray Owl on my survey route tonight.

The real story up here is the Bald Eagles. I saw 15 of them north of Winnibigoshish on Wednesday, and another 13 near Bowstring today. Many pairs and a couple of groups of 4. There was a pair sitting on a nest tree near Deer River today.

[M.T. Bucket]

McGregor Important Bird Area Nominated

Where do people go to see tens of thousands of waterfowl in the fall? Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Where do people go to hear and see yellow rails? McGregor Marsh Scientific and Natural Area. Where do people go to see and hunt grouse? Kimberly and Grayling Wildlife Management Areas. What’s the one town in Aitkin County where you can hear yellow rails and American woodcock calling in May - from town!!? McGregor. Add all these places up and it tells a great story of an Important Bird Area.

Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Aitkin County Land Department and Audubon Minnesota have teamed up to propose the McGregor Important Bird Area. The Important Bird Area Program is an Audubon bird awareness, appreciation, and recognition program of areas already important to our birds. The Aitkin County Board of Commissioners voted to support the nomination in late January and the nomination has been sent in to the state technical committee. The recognition does not place any restrictions on land use or management, but it will bring more tourists to the area, stimulate the local economy, and lengthen the tourist season. Birdwatching happens year round and money spent here can help out local businesses when snowmobiling and fishing traffic is low.

Approximately 70% of the proposed Important Bird Area is publicly owned. The proposed area includes Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Kimberly and Grayling Wildlife Management Areas, the McGregor Marsh Scientific & Natural Area, State Forest lands, and land administered through the Aitkin County Land Department. The community of McGregor is also within the proposed area. If you have questions, please call Michelle McDowell, Wildlife Biologist at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge at (218) 768-2402; Pam Perry, Nongame Biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at (218) 828-2228; or Mark Martell, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Minnesota at (651) 739-9332.

[The Grebe]

There was an article in the Star Trib about an outbreak of salmonella that is killing large numbers of Redpolls.

They figure that the birds are contracting the salmonella at the bird feeders and they reccommended discontinuing feeding and washing the feeders.

It's in the Friday edition if anyone cares to check it out.

[knoppers]

McGregor is a great birding area. I do some of my best grouse hunting in this area. I saw a few bald eagles this weekend up there, and heard many birds that migrate in winter, that are back. seen one eagle sitting on a nest, back to her area.

[M.T. Bucket]

Happy birthday Knoppers!

I plan on spending more time birding the McGregor area this year. I've birded the area north of Palisade on CR 18 & 15 quite a bit, but I have only passed through McGregor and I haven't spent much time around Rice Lake either. My other goal is to get to Agassiz NWR for the first time this year.

Grebe, I've heard about the outbreak. I get a lot of pigeons, so I'm suprised I haven't had dead birds before. I plan on letting my feeders run empty and cleaning them good as well as scooping up all of the junk underneath. It's to bad that feeding has to be so messy. I'd buy the sunflower hearts if I didn't have to worry about the pigeons gobbling them all up.

It's getting to be that time of year when the eagles will be pairing up on the nests. Two years ago in mid-March I was walking through the woods in Cass County and I stumbled upon an eagle nest near a powerline ROW. Those eagles didn't cut me any slack getting out of there.

[fishface5]

To ALL who kept this thread rolling throughout the winter! Thank you for keeping it interesting and current! I truely enjoyed all the picts. and posts!!!!! Keep it up!!!! Thank you, Jim

[M.T. Bucket]

Hey FF! I concur.

Bird watching is one of the most popular (and for me, addictive) outdoor activities in the US. They're all around us, you don't have to be an expert, they're fun and beautiful to watch, you don't have to have any equipment...how much more accessible can a hobby be?? Did you know that Minnesota ranks among the top 3 states in the US for percentage of the population that decribe themselves as birders/birdwatchers? I don't know what the other 2 states are, but I'm willing to bet Florida and either Texas or Arizona. I'm pretty sure we're the biggest birdbrains north of the Confederacy.

Countless times I have been stuck out of town for work and managed to make the best of the situation with a pair of binoculars I stashed in my backpack. I just find a trail, gravel road, little wooded area, bird feeder...whatever near the motel, camp, or other accomodation I'm using and go see how many birds I can find. I've got some great birdlists from those out of town stays.

[knoppers]

the best time of year is just arriving for birding, all ducks are in there most colorfull dress of plumage. I always enjoy early spring of the northward migration.

[buzzsaw]

Heres a Pheasant from the backyard that was taken recently....

and a few Turkeys that were strolling by Orchard lake in Lakeville last week.

and a yellow headed blackbird from a near by pond last spring...