Tuesday, May 25, 2021
With an "OK" to perform a "2021 Grassland Breeding Bird Survey" in the Lab, I was there today to do the pre-breeding portion
of the survey. All the desired grassland birds were represented:
Sedge Wrens (17),
Field Sparrows (12),
Grasshopper Sparrows (2),
Henslow's Sparrows (only 2, a little disappointing),
Dickcissels (8),
Bobolinks (9) and
Eastern Meadowlarks (16). A general census
throughout the morning and early afternoon produced an about-average
total of 65 species. Some remarkably interesting birds were found
starting with an apparent pair of
Peregrine Falcons around Wilson Hall. Other highlights included a
Pied-billed Grebe, a
Turkey Vulture,
Ospreys (5, all 3 nests were still occupied and Nests 1 and
3 may have hatchlings), a
Sandhill Crane,
Yellow-billed Cuckoos (2),
an
American Kestrel, a
Great Crested Flycatcher,
Eastern Kingbirds,
an
Alder Flycatcher (singing near Sparrow Hedge),
Purple Martins (a
pair at the Dusaf martin house), a
Wood Thrush,
Cedar Waxwings, an
American Redstart (at an historic breeding site for this species), a
Vesper Sparrow, a
Savannah Sparrow, a
Swamp Sparrow, a buzzing
Clay-colored Sparrow,
Baltimore Orioles and an
Orchard Oriole.
Wally added the following birds to the week's tally:
Spotted Sandpiper,
Great Horned Owl,
Downy Woodpecker,
Northern Flicker,
Warbling Vireo and
White-breasted Nuthatch. Dave
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Wally's top highlight for the week of May 16-23 was seeing a pair of
Peregrine's at Wilson Hall. Other birds of interest for the week
were:
Wood Duck,
Chimney Swift,
Sandhill Crane,
Spotted Sandpiper,
Green Heron,
Turkey Vulture,
Osprey,
Cooper's Hawk,
Peregrine Falcon,
Eastern Phoebe,
Great Crested Flycatcher,
Eastern Kingbird,
Warbling Vireo,
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher,
Brown Thrasher,
Eastern Bluebird,
Cedar Waxwing,
Grasshopper Sparrow,
Henslow's Sparrow,
Eastern Meadowlark,
Baltimore Oriole,
American Redstart,
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and
Indigo Bunting.
Dave
Sunday, May 16, 2021
Wally flushed an adult
American Woodcock while working in the Main Ring, then later located a nest with 3 young woodcocks. Other highlight birds found for the week of May 9-16 included:
Mute Swan (2 in Lake Logo),
Chimney Swift,
Sandhill Crane,
Caspian Tern,
Green Heron,
Turkey Vulture,
Osprey,
Cooper's Hawk,
Barred Owl,
Red-headed Woodpecker,
Eastern Phoebe,
Great Crested Flycatcher,
Yellow-throated Vireo,
Warbling Vireo,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher,
Marsh Wren,
Brown Thrasher,
Eastern Bluebird,
Chipping Sparrow,
Swamp Sparrow,
Bobolink,
Eastern Meadowlark,
Baltimore Oriole,
Black-and-white Warbler,
Common Yellowthroat,
American Redstart,
Northern Parula,
Magnolia Warbler,
Bay-breasted Warbler,
Yellow Warbler,
Yellow-rumped Warbler and
Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Dave
Saturday, May 8, 2021
It was a cold start to this year's Spring Bird Count (SBC), just a
few degrees above freezing. It did warm quite nicely due to the
sunny and calm conditions. Increasing clouds and wind later in the
afternoon again dropped the comfort level and appeared to reduce
bird activity. I guess I'm trying to give reasons for our poor
showing of only 78 species, but the spring, to date, has not been a
migration bargain. The highlight of the small variety of waterfowl
was a pair of
Mute Swans on Lake Logo. Others included
Canada Goose (44, including the one brooding eggs in the eagle's nest),
Wood Duck (6) and
Blue-winged Teal (11) and
Mallard (26). Other water related
birds included
Pied-billed Grebe (5),
Sora (6),
Sandhill Crane (pr),
Caspian Tern (2),
Double-crested Cormorant (3),
Great Blue Heron (13),
Great Egret (4) and
Green Heron (2). Our lone shorebirds were
Killdeer (6) - we're talking very dry conditions around the Lab.
One of our two best birds-of-the-day was a
Peregrine Falcon, picking
apart its breakfast (most likely a pigeon) near the top of Wilson Hall. Other raptors were
Osprey (4, including brooding on all 3
nests),
Bald Eagle (pr),
Red-tailed Hawk (6) and a
Great Horned Owl.
Swallows, the one family well represented, included
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (8),
Purple Martin (pr),
Tree Swallow (78),
Bank Swallow (5) and
Barn Swallow (43). Also flying with some of the
swallows were
Chimney Swifts (12).
The species count of Sparrows was particularly good, but the overall
numbers were small. Those found were
Field Sparrow (9),
White-crowned Sparrow (3),
White-throated Sparrow (1),
Savannah Sparrow (1),
Henslow's Sparrow (2),
Song Sparrow (15) and
Swamp Sparrow (15). Warblers were sparse throughout the day with only 10 species
found and most in small numbers. The second bird-of-the-day was a
Louisiana Waterthrush (the first one found in the 2017-2021 survey
period). The other warblers included an
Ovenbird,
Northern Waterthrush (2), a
Black-and-white Warbler, a
Tennessee Warbler, a
Nashville Warbler,
Common Yellowthroat (5),
Yellow Warbler (9),
Palm Warbler (22) and
Yellow-rumped Warbler (11). Other birds of note
included a
Belted Kingfisher, a
Great Crested Flycatcher,
Eastern Kingbird (2), a
Bell's Vireo,
Warbling Vireo (5),
Red-eyed Vireo (3),
Sedge Wren (9),
Marsh Wren (2),
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (4),
Eastern Bluebird (4), a
Veery (the lone thrush),
Gray Catbird (12),
Eastern Towhee (6),
Bobolink (4),
Eastern Meadowlark (13) and
Baltimore Oriole (3). During the week preceding the SBC Wally reported contacting a
Barred Owl on both Monday the 3rd and Friday the 7th. Dave
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
It was a treat to do some birding in the Lab today, due to the
need
to renew my badge for this weekend's Spring Count. Peter, Donna and
I were approved to conduct the count, with restrictions. Bird activity was quite good, but migrants were not well represented,
particularly the flycatchers (none found), warblers and sparrows.
Sparrow found, albeit in small numbers, were
Field Sparrows,
White-throated Sparrows,
Savannah Sparrows,
Song Sparrows and a
Swamp Sparrow. Warblers, again in small numbers, included
Common Yellowthroat,
Northern Parula,
Yellow Warblers,
Palm Warblers and
Myrtle Warblers. All three of the original
Osprey nests had
female
Ospreys brooding eggs. The new eagle's nest was being brooded,
except the brooder was a
Canada Goose (about 40 ft above ground).
Other highlights included
Blue-winged Teal (quite a few around the
Lab),
Ruddy Duck (pr),
Chimney Swifts (quite a few in the Lake's Region),
Soras,
Sandhill Cranes (pr), a
Green Heron,
Turkey Vultures, a
Red-eyed Vireo (new),
House Wrens (new),
Sedge Wrens (new, quite a few),
Eastern Bluebirds and
Gray Catbirds. Wally in
on Saturday reported
Mute Swan,
Ruddy Duck,
Solitary Sandpiper,
Least Sandpiper,
American Kestrel,
Chipping Sparrow. Dave
Monday, May 3, 2021
Wally did report an uptick in the passerine migration this last week
of April. His most interesting observation was: "The highlight of
the week, well, I suppose it goes to my thought that I had observed
something never before seen in science (I looked it up; it does
happen, but rarely). A
Canada Goose has taken up residence in the
Bald Eagle nest. Based on seeing it in the nest 4 out of the last 6
days, I'd say she is sitting on eggs. I just think that is an awful
long drop for the babies. Interestingly, the
Bald Eagles are still
in the vicinity." Water related birds included
Mute Swan (4 in Lake Logo),
Wood Duck,
Blue-winged Teal,
Gadwall,
Ruddy Duck,
Pied-billed Grebe,
Sora,
American Coot,
Sandhill Crane,
Wilson's Snipe,
Spotted Sandpiper,
Caspian Tern,
Double-crested Cormorant,
American White Pelican,
Great Blue Heron,
Great Egret and
Green Heron. Warblers and Sparrows showed a marked increase including Black-and-White Warbler,
Nashville Warbler,
Northern Parula,
Yellow Warbler,
Palm Warbler,
Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Chipping Sparrow,
Field Sparrow,
White-crowned Sparrow,
White-throated Sparrow,
Savannah Sparrow,
Song Sparrow and
Swamp Sparrow. The bird of the week, with only one
previous sighting in the Lab, was clearly a
Summer Tanager. Other bird highlights included
Chimney Swift,
Turkey Vulture,
Osprey,
Cooper's Hawk,
Bald Eagle,
Great Horned Owl,
Barred Owl,
Belted Kingfisher,
American Kestrel,
Peregrine Falcon (3rd week in a row,
"We have seen remnants of at least 4 pigeons at Wilson Hall.
Potential nesting attempt?"),
Horned Lark,
Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
Tree Swallow,
Barn Swallow,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,
Gray Catbird,
Brown Thrasher,
Eastern Bluebird,
Eastern Towhee,
Eastern Meadowlark and
Rose-breasted Grosbeak. During a
brief visit on Friday, April 30 Peter Reported spotting a
Merlin, a
very good bird. Dave
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