We’ve also seen them, last week and this past on our way to KC. No way to get a pic traveling 45 mph over the mile-long bridge, although I wish I could have.
Bird Migration and Misc Birding Thread
- Thread starter Kinch
- Start date
It sure is. Small 800 acre lake an hour east of St Louis. We see such a variety including song birds. Cardinals are my favorite and they come in masses to our feeders. Love end of day with sun hitting them. This was last evening.
I’ve been down in SE Arizona for five weeks, near the Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains. Fantastic for birding and great for hiking. By mid May there can be 14 different hummingbird species…just 3 or 4 now. Was extremely fortunate to see..and photograph an Elegant Trogan. Only a handful of males over winter…more males and females will arrive in April. I’ve been hoping to see one of these for many years…this one was very photogenic.
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Cool. I'll be down in mid April and at Madera Canyon for a few days and hope to glimpse an Elegant Trogan.
Madeira is a great location…you might research some of the Huachuca Mountains Canyons…Garden Canyon, Huachuca Canyon and Sunnyside Canyons are hotspots for Elegant Trogons…also the only places where Eared Trogons have been recorded. Much less visited, too.
Oh, I was asked about what camera for the Trogon pics. Tho I have some better (and more expensive ) lenses, my favorite is a Nikon 70-300VR DX and a Nikon D3300. You can pick this combo on EBay for under $300.
I am completely unfamiliar with the area. Going with some old college buddies, one of whom is sort of an expert birder. I am more of newb birder and retired guy hobbyist photographer.
Am looking for some other tips from a couple of acquittances. Seen some post photos of owls in Saguaro cactus cavities which would be quite the sight for a Minnesota guy. Even lovebirds in cactus would be cool to me even if they are not native birds. I do plan to try and spy a Burrowing Owl in one of the Phx spots, never seen one of those.
There are a couple hundred migrating pelicans hanging out at Robins Lake/Manhattan park backwaters of the Cedar in CR.
First bird babies of 2025. In the park next door to me, Great Horned Owl mom with two fuzzy owlets, might be a third but only spied two so far. Due to the height and a million branches in the way it's not a good view but good enough to catch a glimpse. Also appears they have something furry cached in the nest to the right.. Dad was in an adjacent tree, also very high in the air.
We had a pair bluebirds looking at one of the houses I built several years ago. I typically get house wrens in both of my houses, but would enjoy some bluebirds this year! I haven't seen them since this morning hanging out by the house so hopefully they come back.
Pelicans make unexpected stop at Ellis Park during migration
An unusual sight caught by visitors as dozens of pelicans were hanging out at Ellis Park in Cedar Rapids on Saturday.The unexpected sight caught the eye of peo
I gotta say, I'm really happy to have the birding thread to go to tonight. 
I have what I believe is a Cooper's Hawk building a nest high up in a tree in the woods behind our house. Going to try to get closer with binoculars today. Hard for me to differentiate between some similar hawk species. It's been neat watching it continually swoop back and forth bringing sticks up to the nest.
I was just going to mention that I get a kick of seeing this thread bumped while melt downs are happening.I gotta say, I'm really happy to have the birding thread to go to tonight.
The Spring 2025 issue of Iowa Outdoors (Iowa DNR magazine) has some interesting information on Cooper's Hawks. Page 64-65.
