Prairie Home Visits

For the past few days, my wife and I visited southeastern Minnesota.  While we didn't pick any life birds, we did see some awesome birds.  Most people visit Minnesota and go north to see the Sax-Zim Bog, we did not.  While it is a site that we definitely want to go see, we just didn't have the time during this trip.  Hope
fully next time!  We did visit two awesome sites that were definitely worth the visit.  Oxbow Park and Quarry Hill and the Whitewater State Park and Wildlife Management Area.

Oxbow Park yielded some great looks at some Minnesotan Black-Capped Chickadees which are pretty big compared to the Connecticut BCCHs.  We also got a look at some WBNH and a Rusty Blackbird that was hanging out with some sturdy American Robins. Link Here

Whitewater State Park and WMA - This was definitely the most exciting place we stopped at.  Before I write any more, let me give a shout out to the Minnesota State Park Naturalists.  Their attention to our query (about the golden eagle) was answered and they told about atoll the other boss we could see and enjoy as well.  We missed out on the Golden Eagle and Townsend's Solitaire, we did get to see Bald Eagles and some very active Northern Shrikes.  Even the drive to the Whitewater was productive.  We picked up a ton of horned larks, Turkeys, and even got to see an American Kestrel hunting in thesnow covered farm land.
I look forward to the next time we can come back to the Land of 10000 Lakes.  They have done a great job in protecting a lot of their environment  and open farmland.  Link Here.

Until the next time, get outside and go birding!

A Gaggle of Turkeys in Oxbow Park

The Chickadees were huge in Minnesota.

Horned Larks getting a jog in as they search for food

A Juvenile Wild Turkey joining in on the fun of running

2014 Year Birds: 122
Notable Additions:
American Kestrel
Northern Shrike (Subject of our next blog)

Why not, Red Knot?

There are few birds that capture the imagination like a Red Knot.  They travel awesome distances, gather in spectacular fashion, and embody a plight of all nature, dwindling numbers.  Many people will tell you that the Red Knot's story is dwarfed by others who also face the same struggle.  For me though, the Red Knot was one of the first birds to really understand their plight and their migration.  The Story of B95 is one that is widely well known and shows the great story of the Red Knot and other Shorebirds.

Shorebirds are amazing birds.  I don't think I need to sell many people on how amazing they are but its a good reminder and exercise to do so.  Red Knots were one of those amazing migrations that I had always wanted to see and witness.  It was a definite moment when I was hit with the unicorn effect when I found this Juvenile Red Knot.  I can't wait to see more of migration and hopefully more Red Knots.  I can't wait for the opportunity to try and chase some Red Knots in breeding plumage to round out my experience of them.  Until then..

Juv. Red Knot

Snowy Egret Hiding in the rocks

Northern Waterthrush at Jamaica Bay

A Cicada

2013 Year Birds: 261

Coming Up:  More Fall Migration!  Hawk Watch!

Black Skimmers

The Black Skimmer.  What an interesting bird.  In many ways so similar to a shore bird, but also so very different.  The Black Skimmer is black, white, and has a long orange and black bill.  Much like every other shorebird, until you get a look at their bill.  They are a strange looking bird.  One that makes you think you are just imagining them, that their long bills and unique behavior are just figments of your imagination.  They are however, very real and very awesome birds.  Connecticut is their most northern limit but there are a few nesting records here in the state.

Seeing them reminded me of the power of the Unicorn Effect.  When I heard about their being sighted in a near by site.  Being out in nature, provides any number of opportunities to be lost in it.  To be feel connected to it and feel its presence.  The Black Skimmer reminds me that I can reconnect myself to exotic nature in my own backyard.  Richard Louv, in Nature Principle, writes that "Near is the new far" and the Black Skimmer reminds me of this fact and that I re-live this again and again when I go outside!

All About Birds: Black Skimmer Link

All Photos (C) Me

2013 Year List: 227

Black Skimmer (308 Total)

Room to Spare

So this post has been a long time coming.  I've been working for a long time at becoming a better birder, naturalist, and outdoor enthusiast.  For this year, I set the goal of getting my life list up to 300 Birds and my Year list up to 200.  Its been slow going with my list and ebird has been a tremendous help.  Its helped me keep an excellent record of my birds and where I've seen them.  So I am pleased to announced that I've met both Goals.  My Life List stands at 307 and my Year List Stands at 216.

So here's an update of the Birds that got me over the hump:
Cerulean Warbler
Veery
White-Eyed Vireo
And all the Texas Birds I got last weekend

A Cerulean Warbler (C) Mdf

Veery (C) All about Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

White-Eyed Vireo (C) Alastair Rae

Finally a Wood Duck!

I took a walk around my local birding haunt.  Having a regular birding haunt helps you to appreciate the change in seasons and the importance of habitat for birds.  There's a nice loop of fresh water lakes, brush, woods, and trails near my house.  I finally got a Wood Duck.  The Wood Duck is one of my all time favorite birds.  As I began to learn about birds, the Wood Duck seemed to be this mysterious icon of birds.  A local gem that would only reveal itself when one trekked long journeys and scaled great trails.  I saw these wood ducks by the side of a busy well traveled road.

This brings me to my next point.  As birders, sometimes we find ourselves as having insight into a world that is unknown to others.  We travel in odd packs and see things that are truly amazing.  Some see a dump, we see a learning ground and a habitat.  Some people just see a road, we see the brush habitat and edge habitat.  Birds are adaptable and everywhere, at least for now.  There are of course many dangers to birds and their amazing migrations.  Something to think about as the beautiful habitats that help our feathered friends.

 A Male and Female Wood Duck 

 A Flying Common Merganser

A Hidden Brown Creeper

2013 Year List: 89
Only Addition:
Wood Duck