I like how the sunrise was illuminating the crown of feathers. Happy Spring forward! 
Bird Migration and Misc Birding Thread
- Thread starter Kinch
- Start date
Red wing blackbird scouts are back down here in the Laplands. Oke-ah-leeee. Buncha swans on some farm ground south of town. Also spotted three buzzards last Sunday in Ottumwa. Might have come in on Amtrak.
Saw first owlet of the year today here in the Twin Cities, Great Horned Owl was feeding one of two (maybe three) small downy feathered owlets. Going to be a challenging weekend for them with the forecast high probability of over 12" of snow. This squirrels nest is pretty sheltered from north or west winds bu that's a lot of snow.
Couple years ago, same time of year, a we had a freezing rain and than snow and wind and friends came on an adult female GHO that had left the nest and than got wet and frozen and grounded. They took her to the U of Minn Raptor Center. Center kept her overnight and returned her. Her owlets had survived the day/night without her so happy ending! They were just big enough to make.
Couple years ago, same time of year, a we had a freezing rain and than snow and wind and friends came on an adult female GHO that had left the nest and than got wet and frozen and grounded. They took her to the U of Minn Raptor Center. Center kept her overnight and returned her. Her owlets had survived the day/night without her so happy ending! They were just big enough to make.
I'm back in eastern Iowa for a few days and saw two cranes together the other day.
This all but confirms for me that they're expanding their range as I never saw them here until maybe 3-4 years ago.
This all but confirms for me that they're expanding their range as I never saw them here until maybe 3-4 years ago.
Last month in Mexico I spied Ferruginous Pygmy Owls on three separate occasions while doing walkabouts on the perimeter of a golf course north of Playa del Carmen. It's mating season and there was a LOT of pygmy owl "tooting" going on just before dusk. They are daytime hunters so if you do see one it's likely to be with eyes open since they are not sleeping during the day. The little nuggets are not much bigger than a can of beer.
Back from first week of January in MN. First Saw-whet Owl I'd seen in two years.
The two owlets in this Twin Cities park are getting pretty big! Should be branching out of the nest next week.
Yes, because grackles have a wonderful call...As an old birder, I can tell you—there is a difference!Red‑winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Rusty Blackbirds, and Brewer’s Blackbirds are Iowa regulars, all part of the large New World order of Passeriformes in the Icterid family. That group also includes wonderful species like the Yellow‑headed Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, meadowlarks, and the ever‑troublesome brood‑parasitic cowbirds.
The European Starling, on the other hand, is an abundant nuisance and one of only two introduced North American members of the Sturnidae (starling family). The other is the Common Myna, which is spreading in southeast Florida and is already dominant in Hawaii.
I fondly remember waking up as a kid to the distinct songs and calls of many of the “blackbirds”—and grumbling at the sound of the starling.
Dirty, disgusting birds they are, that gang up on desireable birds who are in "their territory".
Waterfowl is still pretty good in southern Iowa but other birds also starting to migrate in as well. I was out yesterday and Merlin heard a Sandhill Crane. I looked around a while and couldn't find it. Then on my drive out I saw it walking along a tree line. I parked and grabbed my camera but by the time I got out I couldn't find it. Idk how you can't find a four foot tall bird but it's apparently possible.
I need to get a picture at some point but there’s a bald eagle nest on the north side of the west end of Lincoln way as it turns into highway 30. The nest is enormous.
I told friends I was going on an Easter egg hunt but for owls and not eggs. Ended up the day seeing 15 owls. Pretty sure that's a record for me. Visited five Twin Cities parks. Made for a fun afternoon.
Biggest surprise was Barred Owl owlets in a city park. Already fledged and roosting high in an oak tree. That's like 4 to 6 weeks early for barred in Minnesota.
Biggest surprise was Barred Owl owlets in a city park. Already fledged and roosting high in an oak tree. That's like 4 to 6 weeks early for barred in Minnesota.
Appreciate your dedication to "owling".
Best I could come up with today was what I believe to be an immature (all black) bald eagle land a top one of two mature Norway Spruces in my front yard. Not the first time they have perched there for a view but not a common occurrence. A couple hen pheasants that were probably feeding in the corn stubble across the road were quick to fly into and bury themselves in the pollinator patch across from my house
Living in the city I haven't seen pheasants in a long time. There used to be some in Theodore Wirth Park. Would hear their calls at times but that was a LONG time ago. And an eagle on your property is very cool. When I see them now I can't help but think how rare it was to see them when I was a kid (back in the DDT days).
I don't recall ever seeing an eagle when I was a child...what a huge success story the recovery and protection of eagles has been! Everytime I see one now I think of this lyric:
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Though he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky Mountain high
