2012 Yardbirds Competition

I'll take what I can get

2012-01-26T22:23:00.002-05:00

A brief flurry (no, not snow, that's almost unheard of here this year) of activity in the tree line to the west this morning. 23 AMRO, 14 CEDW & 2 NOFL were helpful in making the Kitty uncomfortable. This is the first serious birding I have done in the yard in ten days. How is it possible that I'm tied for third with such little effort?! Come on slackers pick up the pace! I'm at it full tilt from here on!

I know you're all going to laugh....

2012-01-25T12:13:00.001-05:00

But, I got a good bird at the Haas Tract today! Some might say it was the Hoary Redpoll that came in with the finch hordes today.

Shot through the window, so not the best of photos, but unmarked undertail, white rump, larger then the commons, the buffy "hoary wash", pale scaps, yadda, yadda, yadda... Always nice to see......

But then there is this little lady!

I might be only one of a few in the Midwest who gets more excited when a House Sparrow shows up then a Hoary Redpoll. This is not an annual bird to the yard, matter of fact I believe this might only be my 5th occurrence in the yard. Put another way I've only had 3 more House Sparrows then Solitaires.....

Oh! My Hoary came back here at the end of the day.
What a blob...

#30 - Ring-necked Duck in late January!?

2012-01-23T14:48:00.000-05:00

We got probably 6-8 inches of snow last week, and promptly lost most of it overnight during some freak thunderstorms/rain. The ensuing snow-melt pooled up nicely in the golf course and a pretty large number of Mallards were happily utilizing the newly created habitat when I walked out to my car this morning. I ran back inside to grab my bins and came back to see a male Ring-necked Duck pushing its way through water that is only inches deep - dabbling in the grass right next to Mallards!?

Who knows where this guy came from - the only open water in the vicinity (that I know of) is a small amount of open water within FermiLab that is closed to the public, and portions of the Fox River to the west are open. Either way - he is a most welcome addition to my '12 year list for The Wetlands - and he may be my last post-worthy bird from here.
Oh yeah - I almost forgot to mention this bastard-child of a ABDU and MALL that was also gracing the flooded golf course. Seriously - could have used a pure one for the year...

I'm moving north in search of PIGR, BOCH, and BBWO. 6 miles is better than nothing I guess!?

Nailed It!

2012-01-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

So Caleb....

Where does this rate on your "gettable" list???
Take no Haastages..........

New Taxa of Redpoll documented in Escanaba

2012-01-21T07:09:00.012-05:00

I photographed this cute little fella at the feeder yesterday, at first I thought it was a pale redpoll from Nunavut but with further study it appears to be a new taxa of redpoll, I believe endemic to the central U.P.

With the overall frosty cool look, discreet black mask, tidy red-poll, and limited streaking on a white rump, I believe it to be most closely related to HORE.

Thoughts?

A wizard and a call finch

2012-01-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

Two nice Janaury snags for me- yesterday a Merlin buzzed the H-tract and this morning (FINALLY!) delivered me a Hoary Redpoll hopping on the table feeder with 30-some of its more "common" conjoiners.
What took it so long?

My first left fielder

2012-01-20T02:09:00.005-05:00

You guys are so toast this year.

So don't forget, I have 179 'gettables' and another 46 'left fielders' possible this year. Make that 45. I have just now returned from a late night party in Grand Rapids at 1:45AM to the chorus of a pair of countersinging GHOW in the calm dead of the night (it is probably 5 degrees out). So, I dutifully decided to do a 20 minute point count with playback for BDOW. Again, surprisingly, no luck. Not sure where the local BDOW are right now.

Then as a closing note I played a bunch of NSWO tapes (about the fifth time since Jan 1). This time, however, was one of about 5 times in my life I actually got a response, and I was completely shellshocked. Within a minute I had an obvious NSWO series of "bark" notes, the exact note I was broadcasting (my track from the Evans and O'Brien nocturnal flight call CD rom). Here is another recording of the note I am referring to:

http://macaulaylibrary.org/search?taxon=saw-whet&taxon_id=11991363&taxon_rank_id=67
(Click the file "Audio 49738", 21 files from the top)

I literally couldn't believe my ears as this bird responded. It was clearly flying around me trying to find the perpetrator, calling from the west and northeast (in the pines). The time it called from the closest (150 feet tops), I put my iPod touch into record mode and took a long video clip hoping to capture it, but the bird refused to vocalize while I was recording. It never sang, just gave 3 of these "bark" notes from close range, and a few notes from farther out, including at least 2 of its namesake 'saw-whet' calls, one of which was very loud.

So, to sume up: the fact that I have Red Crossbill and Northern Saw-whet Owl for 2012 as of Jan 20 is not boding well for those of you hoping to keep up with me. Time for some sleep now... And here's the eBird checklist:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9635575

Photoshopaholic

2012-01-18T17:42:00.006-05:00

Wow, that took a while! Here are a few of the originals I manipulated to put together our classy header:

SEFI, loves the new buckteeth (you're welcome):

Mankini?

2012-01-18T15:39:00.006-05:00

Nice header captain, the mankini is really a special touch. You outdid yourself this time...

Curious why Haas gets to be a SBGU hybrid? Though I hafta admit he looks pretty in pearl necklace wings....

I also wanted upload my entire image to show it wasn't photo-shopped like the others. That was one humongous cuckoo.

He's Back Bay-breasted-by!!!

2012-01-17T12:39:00.000-05:00

I figured to let you all have a head start before I start laying down the yard birds on your sorry asses. Just got back from an extended stay in the southern lands and apparently brought a few strays back up with me. Yard bird # 1 for this blog's most northerly participant was of course a singing Cardinal out the window. Was I expecting my first 2012 yard (Or UP for that matter!) Woodpecker to be a Red-bellied? Nope, but I'll take it. This is not a gimme bird for my yard and hopefully just the warm-up act to a exciting year of piciformes in the Haas Tract. Supporting players of Siskins and Redpolls have already found the recently unburied feeders and I know that white lady of the night, er I mean north is just days away from showing up.
Silly Putty- Even with you now having lakeside property I am still going to destroy you....

You guys aren't the only ones in on the CORE party

2012-01-15T15:12:00.002-05:00

44 just arrived, and it is an important pickup for me, no doubt. I have to say I wasn't sure they were inland yet at my latitude so this is perhaps a sign I'll have a chance for HORE before winter's end?
It is also not lost on me that I already have 6 finch species on my 2012 yardlist, more than any of you guys I believe (update your google doc spreadsheet so I can be sure). Couldn't have predicted that!

Mixin' it U.P.

2012-01-15T15:00:00.006-05:00

brutal cold today and getting a little frosty too...

big influx of finches with AMGO leading the way, followed by PISI, CORE, and a single HORE. A few HOFI too for measure. Out in the Portage I had 2 RLHA working the Point but I couldn't get them for either yard as they were gone by the time I got out of the marsh. Did see a NOHA again for the lair. Field Sparrow still sticking it out AND had my first car chase bird; we saw a AMRO on our way to breakfast about 1.5 blocks down from the Chase Place. I laid some rubber and peeled out a 180, only to miss the bird by milliseconds as we pulled into the driveway. Guess that's the way it goes in the high-stakes game of yard birding.... Rock On! See you Robin, in April....guaranteed.

Pine Grosbeaks

2012-01-15T00:02:00.002-05:00

Hey Losers, I had four Pine Grosbeaks in my yard yesterday. You've probably seen this species in your field guides, as opposed to your yards (or counties, or even, for some of you, states). Bwahaha!

Score

2012-01-14T20:51:00.011-05:00

Couple of new birds this morning:

Blue Jay which is a rare winter visitor in the yard. Last year I went the entire winter without one and this is the first in the yard since Oct/Nov.

The second was a single redpoll that "scored" nicely on the Hoary scale. I did a little Crossley action on him....

Below is the Sibley chart of repolls (based on Declan Troy's phonetic analysis of redpolls published in the Auk (1985)) I found a couple of week's ago while looking over last year's blog effort. It was referenced by J.D. to accompany an interested hoary-like redpoll in his yard last April. Great write-up on the bird BTW

http://euclid.nmu.edu/~jophilli/hoary-redpoll2.htm

How do you think it scores??! Chris scored it a 15 (6,4,5) and I scored it 1 for the yard list!

A change of pace

2012-01-13T15:09:00.002-05:00

The yard list here in ANJO-land remains stalled under 20 species; it took until today to see the year's first Tufted Titmouse, and narry a raptor has graced our skies or woods yet. But the snow-less doldrums are over; Cleveland is getting perhaps half a foot of snow in this snowstorm, and the birds have finally started using the feeders more heavily. What a difference 24 hours makes.

Nice spring we're having

2012-01-11T14:42:00.002-05:00

It's 55 degrees, and raptors are moving north over my house (not joking). I am in shorts and comfortable. So were these:

42

43

44?

Yardbird Projections- a new exercise

2012-01-11T12:57:00.004-05:00

So first off, today I've had 2 separate HOLAs fly by (41). It's gonna slow down for me quite a bit now, I fear, as there aren't many easy ones left, BDOW being the easiest, until spring migration begins.

More importantly, I want to suggest a new yardbird exercise: projecting your 2012 yardlist, both those species that are reasonable if you're trying hard, and those unexpected "left fielders." Part of my motivation is to figure out just how many species I can plausibly get. It also allows me to narrow down my species specific effort to those 'gettables' I need during any particular period of migration, and to keep me aware of what rarities to be paying attention for which I wasn't already thinking about. Anyway, I have added a new tab to the googledoc entitled "Yearlist Projections." I created 2 columns for myself "SIPU Left Fielders" and "SIPU reasonably gettable". Take a look, and follow suit if you feel so inclined.

For reference, the former column (left fielders) includes stuff that is possible but that I won't expect to get in any given year, like Golden Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Long-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Snow Goose, White Pelican, American Bittern, Great Egret, Night-Heron, Pluvialis sp. flyover, Connecticut Warbler, Lapland Longspur, etc." In any given year I might get a few of these, perhaps 5-10 if I am doing really well. The other category includes gimmes plus those species which, even though I know I will miss many of them in any given year, are absolutely plausible and borderline expected with proper effort. Obviously, subjective judgments will have to be made here. But for me, I am including stuff like Merlin, Peregrine, Least Bittern (I have a beautiful small, protected lake within earshot with perfect habitat), Marsh Wren (ditto), Forster's Tern (not common, but will be present on lake, and should be had if I scan often enough that time of year), Solitary Sandpiper, Mourning Warbler, Yellow-bellied Fly, Olive-sided Fly (I have beautiful habitat between the lakes), Rusty Blackbird. Again, it is obvious that I will miss some of these "gettables", but the exercise is still revealing.

My results: 179 "gettables" and another 46 "left field rarities" (!). My guess is that I'll likely miss ~15 of the gettables, but that I will get a few left fielders, which could put me in the range of 165. More likely, between missed warm fronts away from home and a handful of stupid misses, I would say high 150s might be more realistic. But if nothing else, this exercise has motivated me to burn the candles at both ends more than ever before, because if I get up near 160-165, there is a legit possibility that the likes of the normally unreachable RIBR and JOKA become mere mortals. Sleep tight, gents!

SEND ME YOUR PHOTOS FOR THE HEADER, BLOG MEMBERS

2012-01-10T23:22:00.000-05:00

pleeeeeeeaaaaaase :)

(did that get your attention)

Disgusting....

2012-01-10T19:41:00.002-05:00

You guys and your Snowy Owls & Red Crossbills, your Northern Shrikes & Long-Tailed Duck, your Ruddy Duck & Cackling Goose. Absolutely disgusting. Complete vomit material. You can't do any better?! I'm almost ashamed to be in this competition with you whimps. Me, well, I'm downright proud of the two special birds that got me to the 20 mark this morning: Sturnus vulgaris & Larus argentatus. Nothing could surpass that I'm sure. And tomorrow I'm gonna reach even higher and try for Larus delawarensis & Anas platyrhynchos. Try to beat them apples!

Hey, that isn't a swan butt.

2012-01-09T20:19:00.005-05:00

..... true nuf, I kept ebirding the swans from the Chase Place, noticing one was in a perpetual state of tip-up. I put the scope on it to wait for it to take a breath when I realize it was a pure white snow owl. Ghostly, as it was only 50 feet away from where the immy died a couple of days ago.

other newbys for the yard; cardinal and Canada Goose (also in the photo). I'm on a rally!

The Haastage held hostage

2012-01-06T20:42:00.002-05:00

Just wanted you all to know that I have a semi-unexpected (and very infrequent) visitor at the PuttHutt, who won't be birding his far northern yard tomorrow since he'll be here helping me reach yearbird 40. Yes me, the modern day BEWA.

Chase Place

2012-01-06T18:45:00.002-05:00

The Chase Place tied the Swamp Lair today -- it's going to be a knock-down drag out for those two neighbors this year.

Added a pile of goodies the last couple of days to the Chase Place; Long-tailed Duck, Northern Harrier (two different birds), Common Merg and Goldeneye, Tundra Swan.

The landbird scene is still sorely lacking - the feeder hasn't kicked in yet though I did snag a White-breasted Nuthatch.

Just got a line on an unlimited supply of beef suet. Swamp Kat is formulating a plan - there are a 1000 distant gulls in Little Bay de Noc. Come to papa.

The season's first good one

2012-01-06T11:17:00.004-05:00

So I am out there scoping my yard's first Mute Swans (34/81), and my year's first Bald Eagle (35) when Cedar Waxwing finally flies over (36). Then I begin to hear an unfamiliar finch coming in from the north, something obviously out of place. It has to be WWCR, right? Nope, although it's close to that in cadence, the tone is weird, lacking the CORE like 'scratchiness.' Tik-tik ... tik-tik ... tik-tik ... Uhhh, Beavis, I think we have a Red Crossbill. Instead of scrambling to get out of the woods and see it (it was obstructed completely from my view), I opted to listen and see if it was going to land. It didn't, heading SSW right over my house. (Side note: I need this for Kent Co. still, which is 1.5 miles due south of my house, right where the RECR was heading; food for thought).

And that, my friends, is 37. COGO, COME, and AMCO are next, with the 3 RBME out on Whitefish Lake a more distant possibility. The arm of the lake these guys would need to go to enter my line of sight is shallow and not typically where the divers hang. The WWSC appears to have left Whitefish Lake at least a week ago, and no HOGRs remain either.

Snowy Owl

2012-01-05T21:21:00.005-05:00

An odd thing happened today with the Snowy. I noticed it was near the same place as last night and went out to see if it was O.K. It seemed a little non-responsive, so I went to market to get it something to eat and as I started to walk back towards about an hour later I checked it with binoculars and it had died.

Starting to get out of hand

2012-01-05T16:08:00.004-05:00

Found an even better view, and yes that is open water in the front of the view:
SEFI's trashtalk in the last thread just ignited the fire, and you all will suffer for it. I can (I think) safely say that I will be in the yardbird lead at least through March. Have a go at what I just saw and heard while looking at my yearbird Mallards as they floated in Whitefish lake:

Later a RBGU flew by my view, but so far the AMCOs have eluded me (just a matter of time). And there are at least 6 NOFLs in this spot too, surprisingly. Other species on Whitefish Lake I need: MUSW, both mergs, COGO, and even WWSC. Not to mention I am still missing BAEA, CEDW, and SSHA for the year. Enjoy my taillights, boyz.

Revelations

2012-01-05T10:59:00.006-05:00

First a side note: the 2012 spreadsheet is up and running, so please go in the normal way and start updating your totals, gents.

On a good note (for me anyway), I just explored the far back edge of my house's property and just realized that I can get a VERY slight angle on both of the lakes behind my house, a good sized chunk of the smaller lake and a very thin slice of the much larger Whitefish Lake, which is about 1/3 mile as the crow flies. Luckily for you guys, the lakes are both either completely (the smaller) or partially iced over, making it harder for me to score any of the 400+ AMCO still on the lake or other waterfowl (MUSW, MALL, ABDU, COME, RBME, COGO, etc.). But I will keep trying and see what I can get. Until leaf out occurs, I must warn you guys that this is going to be potentially dangerous since I have will my first ever yard access to waterbirds and waterfowl! Here is the view (though not as crisp as in real life). The visible water in the foreground is the small lake (which could easily have breeding LEBI come June, plus VIRA/SORA/GRHE/COGA(?):

and through the scope, with Whitefish lake in the background:

OK, for this morning, at the PuttHutt (my new name for my "Swamp Lair"), in order to fend off the ever persistent SEFI, I got the following yearbirds:

EABL (3+ hanging in the field across the street)
BEKI- calling repeatedly from Whitefish Lake area (yard lifer)
BRCR (about time)
NOFL (hanging out down near Whitefish Lake as well

There are plenty more options available to me but it's going to take some time to get them. Rest assured that since I like being in the lead for a change, I won't rest easy until all the easys are on my year yardlist.

Hasta,
SIPU

24

2012-01-04T18:10:00.002-05:00

While listening to JOKA gloat about a bird he was watching at dusk in his yard on Lake Michigan which I struggle to find anywhere in my entire county (I'll let him break the news to you all), I reciprocated with this beaut just to maintain my lead: First visual sighting for the yard ever, and 2nd observation.

A lead is a lead

2012-01-04T15:49:00.001-05:00

Well, folks. Since I know once March/April arrives I have no chance being in the lead in this contest, I made it a point to jump into the lead immediately, only to have freakin SEFI steal it away today. I will be out owling tonight to attempt to gain 2-3 more species and steal it back. EASO would be yard lifer material too.

Just added PIWO flyby today which was yearbird 23.

Expect a full post on 2012 blog membership and changes within 1 week's time. Details are almost finalized, and much change is in order...

Birding in the year of the Great Transformation

2012-01-03T10:14:00.012-05:00

While we contemplate the future of 2012 on the yardblog, I figured I'd be the first to pounce with my 15 species (13 on Jan. 1, two more on Jan. 2) including the Best Yardbird of 2012 in form of the Field Sparrow currently overwintering at my feeder. A nice surprise on Jan. 1 was 71 Cedar Waxwings that came into the yard after scarfing berries in a neighbors Mnt-Ash.

I have also submitted my first 2 complete checklists to ebird as part of a record-keeping resolution. The yard list tally on the site is pretty sweet, I hope to keep nudging the Swamp Lair northward in the World rankings. AND, I plan to do it without lying.

The only other "new" change planned for 2012 is listing both yards in Escanaba. I've been holding off birding the new place heavy because I wanted to give the Swamp Lair a chance to mature and blossom into its own. The "Chase Place", however, is so superior for waterbirds and shorebirds that I feel I'm doing myself a disservice by not investing in a yard I have a good chance of birding the rest of my life.

All the best in 2012 and hats off to "Big Rig" for putting us to shame with both quantity and quality in 2011. A triple nod to Sean F. for the only "committee-worthy" specimen with Prairie Falcon (if it didn't get rejected because of those jesses), and finally an impressive honorable mention to the GRSP in Haas-dogs yard; that was one displaced and misplaced urban bird.

Remember with the end of the Mayan long calendar on Dec. 21 there's a possibility of the competition getting cut short. On the good side maybe Common Phoenix will be a possibility.

Wordle

2011-12-23T00:45:00.002-05:00

Two life yardbirds on Dec 16!?

2011-12-16T10:01:00.001-05:00

This morning I went out to get a complete checklist in for the third week of December (one of the few holes left in the eBird bar chart for my place). I didn't have great aspirations (hoping to relocate the SWSP that's been hanging on with the junco and tree sparrow flock), but the warm weather and rain from the past couple of days reopened the water at the wetlands, greatly increasing the potential diversity for the morning.
I ended up with three birds I didn't expect (including 2 life yardbirds!)... All bolded below:

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 830
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1 male associating with small group of MALL in shallow pond (#171 for the yard)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 18
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 4 (2 males and 2 females)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1 Immature bird with bum wing. I'm astonished to see this bird alive and preening on a log this morning. This pond froze up 6 days ago and almost certainly didn't open back up until the temps came back up on Wednesday and rain thawed things on Thursday. I checked the snags and logs last Saturday to see if it was still alive sitting above the iced over pond and was unable to see it. How did it survive at least 4 days of ice!?
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) (Buteo jamaicensis borealis) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 6
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 4
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) 1 Singing bird in shrubby crabapple along the margin of golf course. Lots of tall grass/brush and cattails with numerous sparrows and rodents around, possibly could winter in this area? (#170 for the yard) (photo taken on 12/17 as the bird obligingly hung around to be counted on the FermiLab CBC!)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 17
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) 3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) (Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis) 12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 17
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 3
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 8

I didn't bring a camera out this morning (as I expected to be pulling teeth birdwise), but I'll try to relocate the NSHR tomorrow or Sunday morning and get some photos.

Good life yardbird

2011-12-06T18:11:00.001-05:00

Just had a WISN fly over the house at dusk, giving the scrapy, reedy, single note repeated at a regular, slow interval. Bread- hate to say it but you are TIED for the year with someone who started on 20 September!

steady now

2011-11-30T09:50:00.004-05:00

It's time like this that make me wish I'd moved into this place just 2 weeks earlier- so my current additions would add to my lead rather than inch me closer to not being in last place (!). But that is my reality, and there are many species left to add. Just had this puppy fly over (72/72):Also, last Wednesday I was birding with RAZL under 1 mile from my house when we had these unexpected beauts:
Here's hoping they make the jaunt into the spruce in my yard instead. Mic is listening as we speak.

Update: within 20 minutes of making this post I started to hear PISI through my mic (73/73) so I went outside and as I scanned the spruce in the front yard I flushed 8 WWCR (74/74) off the top of that tree!! Ridiculous. No pictures as they departed heading NE, but if they come back I will try again. Can't believe we are having another WWCR invasion year.

Bread- now you really better watch out: 1 to go and you are tied for 2nd to last. All it would take is one RLHA or AMKE...

Yarding in My Dreams

2011-11-21T13:36:00.002-05:00

So, one sleep deprived night, the deep hooting of a pair of Great Horned Owls woke me out of a dead sleep. I shot up in bed to confirm, then my wife asked me what was wrong. Everything after that is a blur...

Fast forward two weeks and again, I had to crawl out of bed at an early hour so that I could get on the road for an early start to my work day...and it hit me. Didn't I hear a GHOW a couple weeks ago? At this point, I was convinced that it was one of those vivid dreams but as the day went along, I started recalling more details about this memory. When I got home, I asked Em if she remembered my waking up to a calling GHOW. She confirmed and thus yard bird #83 was born.

I'll refrain from the use of "epic" here so I'll settle for "Neato!"

Nov. 20th Grasshopper Sparrow!!!!

2011-11-21T10:35:00.001-05:00

Well, well, well....... Now you fellas are known to just toss around the word epic so often that the word begans to loose it's meaning. In the words of Inigo Montoya- You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIP6EwqMEoE&feature=related

Gentlemen- allow me to educate- Tufted Titmouse in Ohio is not epic. However a Grasshopper Sparrow on Lake Superior, on November 20th, in the snow, in a suburban yard in the center of a decently sized city, providing not only the UP, but the entire State of Michigan with a new record late date by a matter of 3 weeks (with the former record being both mine and surpassing any other records by several more weeks!),
Well...... now this is epic. Matter of fact, if it weren't for that damn Prairie Falcon, I would take the blue ribbon of rarities in the yard for the year.

So there ya have it boya's- enjoy, weep, hang up the binoculars, cause it aint gonna get better then this for the rest of the year.

late date

2011-11-11T19:09:00.003-05:00

Had a couple of tardy yardbirds this past week. At my place in Hancock I snagged a Blackpoll Warbler -- the previous late date for the Keweenaw was September 30!

A Field Sparrow at the feeder in Esky today was only the third for the yard (first in fall) and late for the UP.

I passed someone! (sort of)

2011-11-10T15:06:00.002-05:00

So last night, as CUDY alluded, I heard 2 flocks of TUSW go over my house. The first sounded like it was alighting on Whitefish Lake, the second clearly flew over heading south. Thanks for the tip!

Also awoke this morning to 2 Purple Finches "pikking" from the treetop above the feeder. This brings me to 69 life yardbirds, which makes me officially ahead of the Boonedoggle's Slab in IL. Yeah, yeah, it's an inactive site, but I need something to keep me going. ANJO you are next boy! Might want to protect yourself and do a little yardbirding??

CUDY is Back...TUSWeet!

2011-11-10T02:12:00.009-05:00

I know it's been a LONG time since I've posted (or even been paying attention to) this blog, but I'm back. I won't go into detail about my long hiatus, but it's legit.

So, I've added a couple of life yard birds in the mean time (one of which came tonight and was the impetus to post) and a couple year birds too.

The 2 year birds are:

9/22: Northern Parula (98) - at the bird bath

9/22: Blackpoll Warbler (99) - ditto above -

*That makes for 25 warbler species for 2011 - which is only one shy of my life yard warbler list (I missed CERW this year - DANG IT!) and makes for the highest total of warbler species for 2011 on this blog....am I right RIBR?

Here are the 2 life yard birds:

9/11: Eastern Screech Owl (97/121) - after many failed attempts to call this bird it just happened to start singing from across the street one random September night...upon which CAPU was over and got to share in the joy. Go figure.

11/9: Tundra Swan (100/122)- after talking to CAPU about my biggest county nemesis earlier this evening (and one I never seriously considered chasing cross-county for), 2 flocks (heard only) just happened to fly over my house late tonight in the strong, gusty west winds. So I called CAPU back with the news, at which point he turns on his mic and later emails me the news that he's now added it as a life yard bird to his new pad. You're welcome Putz.

Ok, now I think I'm up-to-date.

3 more yard lifers

2011-11-07T13:00:00.004-05:00

Given how many easy yard lifers I still need (most waterfowl, RLHA, any falcon, AMPI, PUFI, etc.) it is not surprising I keep on knocking em down. But it is kind of fun getting the common ones anyway. Today had a NOHA drop out of the sky, investigate the field across the road and move on. Followed by Herring Gulls (not sure why it took so long with them present daily on the lake .5 miles from the house), and my first American Tree Sparrow. Northern Shrike is next, gents. The habitat across the street is good enough that it might even hold one for the winter... 67 and inching up on Booner and Jonesin.

Another Lifer

2011-11-06T21:04:00.003-05:00

The north winds let up a bit on Friday morning, but not before they delivered 6 Canvasback into my field of view. I love the joy and exhilaration of a new bird no matter how inconsequential it's standing. In this case it's a new yardbird, 154/189. During that half hour between dawn and work I was also able to scope 4 COLO and 10 scaup sp. Like yesterday, these were also with the vantage west as they headed south above the treeline along Lake MI. Can't imagine what I've missed being at work during the majority of these fabulous flights.....

Today a single Snow Bunting (155) flew over while I was scoping the Kalamazoo River drainage from the roof top. This bird was expected. Now, where are you Tundra Swan?!

A Ducky Day

2011-11-03T21:16:00.006-04:00

North winds for a change prompted a distant "lake watch" this morning before work. I actually can't see Lake Michigan from the yard as it is a mile away and hidden by trees, but the land to it slopes gradually downhill and waterfowl picked up by a consistent strong wind can sail high above the treeline and even fly a short ways inland. Today I was not disappointed. In the short time (45 mins) I had to scope from the west boundary of the yard I picked up 3 year yardbirds one of which was a yard lifer. Among the hundreds of waterfowl moving south I picked out one ABDU (151/188) in a flock of MALL, 35 GRSC (152) and a dozen RBME (153). Yup, as lackluster as ABDU is as a lifer it's more than welcome!

On the other hand, another great bird got away. I had my rooftop mic running as I was getting ready to get out and bird when through it came the chatter of one and possibly two White-winged Crossbill as they made their way over the house. As fast as I could get outside I could not relocate them. This was exasperating because, and correct me if I'm wrong, according to the rules of the game, this is not a countable observation due to the intervention of the mic. Hopefully, these WWCR are the start of more to come, although RECR is of greater importance to me for the yard and county.

Trick or Treat

2011-10-31T19:47:00.003-04:00

I walked outside this evening to look for trick-r-treaters and our dog Lilly ran out and around the corner. The next thing I saw - at eye level - was an immy goshawk coming around the corner. I'm pretty sure it was trying to nab one of our hens. It curved around the front yard and looked like it perched in the neighbors yard but I never saw it again. #151 on the year and #180 on the two year. Also from the yard --the Marble Godwit.

yard birding- the nightmare edition

2011-10-25T09:18:00.002-04:00

I awoke this morning from an incredibly vivid dream, the kind that you really have to convince yourself that "no, that didn't happen, it was just a dream..."

My dream was i had a Townsend's Warbler hopping around the ground in my yard with the sparrows- oh the horror! Im sweating.....

closing the gap

2011-10-21T19:50:00.003-04:00

Hot day on the lair. The best was seeing Skye and Ryan The Force in my yard. Second best was five yearbirds. One lifer - horned grebe - replaces podiceps sp...

Highlights:

Gang of 6 meadowlarks flying down Portage Point going west. That bird is going dirt!

Marbled Godwit!

Horned Grebe - the first ever id'ed to species (146)

Gadwall pair (phew) - First of year (#147)

Rough-legged Hawk (#148) - first of the year

plover - undoubtably Black-bellied. Two, but not enough clarity to go diagnostic...makes me second guess the American's a few days back....humm.

In the evening - half dozen snow buntings (#149) roosting in the marsh.

A large flock of Redhead -- #150!

RBNU in the spruce grove

2011-10-20T10:12:00.000-04:00

This makes 82 for the year at The Cheddarlands.

slowly but surely

2011-10-18T11:27:00.002-04:00

Been adding only a few new ones lately. The weather has the yard much hoppier than usual as of late. Why this one took so long is seriously beyond me, but as I was mentioning to Sean on the phone my frustration at not being able to get it, one appeared on the feeder...

Also had 2 of these Red-eyed Sparrows show up today, joining the longstanding flock of WCSP at the feeder. This was an unexpected yardbird tooOn a serious note (that was a Kent tick for me), I also finally knocked off my first Accipiter in the yard, a SSHA which took a few swipes at the feederbirds. 61 and counting. Watch it Boonedoggle.

Toying with the big fella

2011-10-18T06:12:00.002-04:00

After an April godwit sp. I was pleasantly surprised last night with a trip to the Swamp Lair; out amongst the sandbar Mallards and Black Ducks was a bantam sized Marbled Godwit.

The heavy winds this week have sucked all the water out of Portage Bay so I can now see shoreline from the platform, and with cooler temps I'm getting decent resolution (I'm exactly 1 mile from the mudflats). Other recent shorebirds have included a Pectoral/Dunlin, a second helping of Sanderling, and an American Golden Plover to replace a small handful of Pluvaris sp. of last year. The flurry doesn't change my overall yard total but inches me up to 144 for the yea

150

2011-10-17T15:05:00.002-04:00

Figured with the strong west winds this morning something should be pushed inland from the big lake. Sure enough a couple female Northern Pintail (150) obliged mixed in with a flock of Mallard. A young peregrine liesurely flying south was 149 and an Am. Pipit before that provided 148. Fun again now with the Kat on my tail.

4 yard birds in one day

2011-10-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

Best day since spring migration? Or just a measure of how poor my yard has been this year. I say the latter as two of the birds were the normal gimmes of Palm Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow. Both of those birds not only should have happened months ago, they should have happened several times over already! As for the other, Hermit Thrush is not regularly detected here at the Haas Tract, and Swamp Sparrows are not seen too often on my sandy, high elevation, aspen/oak suburban neighborhood.....

Best Starling imitation EVER!

2011-10-12T13:11:00.011-04:00

I thought I heard a RUBL (common here in late fall) mumbling from the red maple above the house. While trying to block out the calls of a flock of RWBL in a neighbor's tree to focus on the Rusty I took notice of an incessantly signing bird that sounded dead-on for a meadowlark (albeit the song was whispery). I figure it was a EUST but when I tried to find the starling I came up an EAME instead. - Su-prise! It flew to an adjacent tree and sang every 1-3 seconds, including an occasional chatter, for approximately 15 minutes. I'm not use to fall meadowlarks signing non-stop in migration, so Im delighted. Lifer #179 for the yard and #140 for the year. Fall-of-the-year....

The Big Joke

2011-10-06T13:11:00.001-04:00

Haven't downloaded the whole thing yet but what I heard scared me....

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-big-year/id384462918

Update

2011-10-05T14:46:00.003-04:00

Well oh well, I have already blazed past Mr. Ireland in the life list competition (which took about 1 week), and Booner is about to be taken down as well. And I still don't have Hairy Woodpecker nor lots of other gimme species. Been monkeying with the new Canon DSLR/telephoto (which is SWEET) and still learning the ropes on exposure, aperture, and ISO. Here are some of the locals currently in the yard:

MYWA

SACR
TUVU
Unidentified Locustella sp. (identified solely by rectrix tip spacing):
TUTI
WCSP (nice flock at feeder currently)
RCKI (new today)
Gone' be interesting whether RIBR can hold on with Kat on his tail... Also, where are our esteemed colleagues Jonesin, RAZL, Warned, and Bread?!?!? Are you guys still alive?

Hat Trick

2011-10-02T21:23:00.008-04:00

October 1, 2011

Woke early, checked the radar, nice flight. Clear, Orion high in sky, the odd seep note. Went back to sleep. Woke at dawn, high wispy clouds; perfect for migration. Gale force winds of the day before now calm, perfect again. I brewed coffee, gruffed at the empty feeder, then settled down in the chair to finish reading the BIG YEAR.

The tinge of guilt that has been pestering me all year was as strong as the coffee. I really should be out working the last vestige of migration. I kept turning pages. I should fill the feeders, scope for ducks, walk outside and listen. Instead I read about Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller making good on their obsession birding across American. I couldn't musser the enthusiasm to travel across my yard. The story isn't that compelling, though I marvel at the author's ability to keep a three way “competition”, that began and ended on Attu (Komito spent more time there than the other two), "fresh".

I finished the book by 10 am. Feeling motivated, I made another cup of coffee. I fantasized about hiring guides to bird my yard and call me about missing birds while I loaf on the couch that we don't have. I felt a tang of motivation; IF I gave it my all I might be able to catch Big Rig Komito by the years end. My list of missed yardbirds for the year is impressive and some are still within the range of possibility.

A trumpet of cranes heard inside the house broke my reverie. 50 were flying over in a V.... I called for Chris and she came to look too, responding “what’s that other bird circling”….still amped from the Big Year I frantically scrambled inside to find my bins and cried “where, where”, sure-nuf a sky high Red-tail inched me closer to my own Sandy Komito: Big Rig Brigham. That was #137 for for the year….I kept scanning overhead; another tail, then a couple sharpies, broad-wing, another sharpy. With Golden Eagle nagging I went inside to pack for my trip downstate (Tigers baby!). Never thought my dreams of a yard-guide would be fulfilled so quickly.

Around 2 pm, I decided it was time to fill the feeders and check passerines on the way to the platform. I stepped into the backyard and was meet with movement at my usually lifeless water feature; Blue-headed Vireo…. #138 for the year and a life yardbird, #177.

I knew I had to make it a Hat-Trick so I could pound on here about my exploits. I walked 200 feet through alder and buckthorn to the platform. At the end of the trail I caught movement through dense cover --- a medium sized bird darted away. It looked awfully like a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher which meant it had to be a cuckoo – and this time of year undoubtably a Yellow-billed Cuckoo; a Code 3 Fall Vagrant in the UP and a Code 5 UP yardbird. A Cuckoo lost in a sea of alder, buckthorn, and willow. I climbed the platform and spent time contemplating how to salvage the title to this blog post. Was cuckoo sp. appropriate for a silhouette? Would I honestly answer this rhetorical question? I scanned the vegetation for sign of the cuckoo -- after 10 minutes of contemplation there it was, 50 meters away perched motionless on the branch of a white ash, just the way it was suppose to be. I retreated for my guide (Chris) and digiscope. #139 for the year and #178 for the yard. o.k. where's the snowcock??

hello Huffy

2011-09-30T14:30:00.001-04:00

We're now tied at 52, with the addition of BAWW and MYWA.

Shoulder

2011-09-28T15:08:00.002-04:00

Been a lot slower the past few days since the last big push of neotrops went over, but was pleased (and not surprised given the habitat behind my place) to have a calling Red-shouldered 2 days ago. Since then the pickins are slim.

On a side note: my awesome 21c microphone from Oldbird.org bit it on the first rainstorm, with 1 inch of water inside the watertight compartment! Called Oldbird and this is the first in 30+ which have come back. Fortunately for me their customer service is tops and it is being replaced as we speak. Looking forward to being able to listen to the sky from inside ASAP. Hussey- 2 more sp. and you are destroyed on the life yardlist competition, and Booner, get busy cause 71 ain't gonna last in 12th place for long, m'boy...

The Big Year?

2011-09-28T07:55:00.003-04:00

Um, has anyone else see the trailer for this copy-kat movie?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCBAP2wId5M

No similarities with any of the characters on this site....

biggest thing for birds since Silent Spring?

Skeet-Skeet!

2011-09-27T09:56:00.001-04:00

Hey finally a bird to report!

I just had a Solitary Sandpiper go over the Haas Tract, calling away in the fog. This is only the 2nd or 3rd time I've had this bird from the house, and its been a few years. A flyover Greater Yellowlegs from a few weeks ago is my only other shorebird for the year here. Still annoyed at JD for scoring a Spottie on his forested hilltop a couple miles south of me....

Well I have never had such a dead yard in the many falls I have lived here, its completely ridiculous. I have NO idea where the birds are, my yard can be such a good spot to watch fall warblers in, this year, they have been near completely absent- its terrible.

On the good side, I am up to 91, my sights on Curtis and Boots in my rear-view mirror...

P-bird

2011-09-24T20:46:00.003-04:00

Streaking over the yard this afternoon.

I'll be stuck in Brazil for the next week, missing more of fall prime time, so will be real disappointed Haas if you haven't landed a nice counter punch in the "epic" battle for 8th place.

Update

2011-09-23T09:47:00.004-04:00

Well, with apathy and lameness as the status quo here (watch out Booner, you're first to fall), I may have the lead here in shorter order than I expected. (if only I'd have moved in August when EAKI, BAOR, Empids, RTHU, and countless other early fall migrants were still around). It is fun building a life yardlist from scratch, and here is how it has gone in the first 3 full days:

9/23
YTVI (still singing)
BRCR
SOSP
PIWO
COYE
CMWA (nice spanking adult male)
RBWO
COGR
KILL
ROPI (nice after trying and missing for 2 years at the last place!)
HOSP (yes this took 3 days to add)
HOLA

9/22:
RHWO (wow- this species took 1.5 years to get at my last house, not 1.5 days!)
DOWO
REVI/WAVI/PHVI (mew call heard only)
WBNU
GCTH - NFCs
SWTH - NFCs
WOTH- 1 NFC (probably Veeries were in the mix too- but I need to look at sonograms to be sure)
TEWA
RWBL
HOFI

9/21
BDOW (singing at night)
RTHA
TUVU

Guess who's back?

2011-09-21T21:00:00.008-04:00

Silly Putty, my friends, is back in the saddle BABY, after a long and dismal respite never to be discussed again. Though the hour is late for calendar year 2011, the insides are again churning for yardbird domination. Why? Because I am the newest resident of Montcalm County, where I just moved yesterday into a small rural house well-suited for beating the tar out of a bunch of... er, let's be real, getting my ass beaten all over again with pure enjoyment.

This house is on 1 acre of wooded habitat, not far from a quite large lake with adjoining smaller lake well-suited to Ixobrychus exilis and other gems. Witness:
This house will undoubtedly outdo my last in waterbirds if for the proximity of such a large waterfowl and waterbird magnet. Across the street lurks an overgrown old field (a bit late for BRTH and FISP this year, perhaps, though I'll try):
The view of the horizon above the old field is rather impressive too, totalling almost 180 degrees of the sky hemisphere, which should help for flyover raptors and waterfowl. Another added benefit is the presence of low thickets of vegetation in the back yard (something totally lacking at my last residence, which is why I never recorded COYE, SWSP, LISP, MOWA, etc.):Anyway, since finishing moving in less than 24 hours ago, I have mounted the brand spanking new Bill Evans 21c microphone on the roof (currently recording and listening to a live feed featuring 20+ SWTH, 1 GCTH, and 10+ warblers since starting typing this message), plus set up the feeding station and watering hole, and lured in the local BCCH flock to check for any lingering early/mid September warblers I am about to miss (only MAWA obliged):So, to sum up, GAME ON, beeches.

Here is today's and yesterday's eBird checklists for this newly minted patch:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S8837298
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S8837324

Sanderling

2011-09-21T13:43:00.001-04:00

Sanderling only 6585.20 feet away! #176.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

2011-09-12T13:34:00.002-04:00

The Cheddarlands hit #71 yesterday when a YBFL turned up in the neighbor's ash around 830AM. I had GREAT looks at this guy for about 30 minutes. Then an hour later, I went back out to look for more migrants. The YBFL was still in the same tree, flycatching like no tomorrow. This went on for the entire day, until I last went out around 730PM. This is by far the most extensive study of this species that I've ever had. I even managed scope views on a couple of occasions.

Other migrants were AMRE and REVI. I'm finding that the silver maples (which nominate the neighborhood) just do not pull in many migrants. From my vantage point, I have yet to see an oak species in any of the neighbor's yards.

Other highlights yesterday were southbound BWHA and a few mid-day groups of CONIs.

Preview - butterfly knots.

2011-08-29T15:48:00.005-04:00

I've done my best to avoid working the new yard but last night a Red Knot in scope view was a nice little preview of the kind of whoop-ass I'm going to unload next year on you beeches when I lock and load with a new abode. How's that for trash talk (conspicuously absent in recent months)?

Unfortunately, I've also not doing a good job working the swamp lair.....I've lost my mojo, not even a new Pominar has turned the tide. I have been enjoying a flush of wildflowers and butterflies in my "new" prairie. I've also been going ape-shit on the buckthorn. It failed to deliver a mockingbird so now it has to pay the piper.

Round-U.P. ready!

Made it to 65

2011-08-28T22:42:00.003-04:00

No warbs to speak of on this GORGEOUS day at The Cheddarlands. But I did eek out three new yard birds:

CLSW #63
RBGU #64
BAEA #65

All of the birds were high flying birds heading due North.

The dam has busted!

2011-08-28T15:58:00.002-04:00

Three new year yardbirds today and a host of f.o.s. proves things are on the move. Thank god the bird drought is over! EASO, RSHA & PIWA add up to 147. Warblers of the day were NOWA, WIWA, CAWA, BAWW, MAWA, PIWA & AMRE.

Details here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S8732796

Come on Irene!

2011-08-27T19:54:00.004-04:00

Hurricane Irene delivers yard bird #100 - 6 Forster's Terns miraculously appear from the outer bands of the storm this afternoon.

Was dreaming of a frigatebird, but I'll take 'em.

NOWA is better than later

2011-08-26T21:34:00.003-04:00

A big push of birds last night according to radar. Although I didn't get out this morning to survey, this one (#144) joined me for breakfast. While I ate blueberry pancakes it picked off some tasty bugs from the surface of the water feature.

Yard Lifer #62

2011-08-24T10:16:00.003-04:00

Lucked into this guy while looking for a calling EAWP. I had a flyover CONI on 22 August but I'll take this obs too.

Nighthawk Lifer Yardbird -- #175

2011-08-15T07:47:00.002-04:00

Five or so silhouetted over over Portage Point/Marsh last evening on a big fat rising moon answered the question why I missed this puppy last year.... they migrate through here in mid-August when I'm off banding loons.

#62??

2011-07-20T22:11:00.002-04:00

So I found what was likely an EASO pellet on the roof of my wife's car this evening. Does this mean I can count it?

That's about it for summer yardage for me. Although I did manage to get a photo of the female COHA that is terrorizing the neighbor's mini terrier (you know...the kind of dog that has bows in its hair and get's a weekly pedicure...).

Month of nothing.....well, almost nothing

2011-07-13T13:17:00.003-04:00

The site feels a little abandoned ....like a lifeless crapscrape...I mean moonscape. I've had very little yard action in the last month; my second yard INBU (a singing male), and two year birds in the form of Cedar Waxwing and Green Heron (#130).

One interesting bird of note - I've seen a EUCD down the street three times since June 6th directly across the street from a house Chris and I made an offer on when we first moved to Escanaba. I think that's notable for a yardbirding blog in the "near miss" category (for house and bird).

Got my water feature up and running for the first time this season, that shows you my level of motivation.

Bring on the fall warblers, huh Curtis?

May out like a lamb, June in like a lion

2011-06-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

It always amazes me how spring migration (or at least the feeling) stops dead on June 1.

This year is no different except I've added a few new birds -- like a drip.

Today, heard PUMA, saw a Red-eyed Vireo carrying food, and added a lifer yardbird in the song Eastern Wood-Pewee (#127, #174). Have also added recent Fee-bee-o and Phoebe.

For the summer survey I made sure I heard two YELLOW RAILS calling on June 2. Tic, tic, tic.

FreeeBeerrr!!!

2011-06-03T19:01:00.000-04:00

Well, thats what I wanted to have after getting my 142nd yard lifer here at the Hasscienda. But no time to rest for the weary (...or the wicked). I guess my timing was just right to pull up into the driveway today and observe an empid foraging low in the lilac bushes.

I've only spent about 7 days total this May at my home and getting new birds, I'm sure a ton of spring warblers just passed right through as I was off birding the coastlines. The only other thing of note was about a week ago, I got my long-awaited and somewhat over-due yard lifer Blackburian Warbler. Oh the joy. Passed Caleb on the yard lifer list too, his brief stay a bird ahead of me was just too unbearable to stand for, and hell, I enjoy picking low-hanging fruit.

I'm off to my cabin in the Big Two-hearted River country this evening, so a temporary yard list shall be duly provided when I am back in front of the computer again. There, Blackburian is a daily yard bird.

Mini-ching

2011-06-02T13:19:00.002-04:00

After forcing myself to look at pretty much every one of the thousands of Mourning Doves that fly through my neighborhood, I finally found what I was looking for. White-winged Dove, rare (but regular) bird in the Grand Valley. Mini-ching! Also, the first Common Nighthawk of the year - peent!

Less(er) Birding Time

2011-06-01T03:08:00.004-04:00

Picking up what I can with a newborn baby girl in one hand, binoculars in the other, toothpicks holding my eyes open, and a 15-month old hanging from my leg. Can't keep up with all you damn warbler magnets. Time to pull out a huge bird bath, buy more trees, set bowls of mealworms, orange slices, and grape jelly everywhere, build a marsh, and shoot all the Dumpster Finches. A Lesser Goldfinch singing from the aspen in the front yard was a good start though. The 55-mph winds coming out of Utah tomorrow better blow in another Common Black-hawk (seen last week a few miles east of my house)...

A.M. Bird Alarm

2011-06-01T00:12:00.004-04:00

This a.m. I woke up to my alarm clock as normal...but what really got me out of bed was the music coming from outside my open window. "Vireo" I thought, "but that's NOT Red-eyed. It's too light, sweet and slow. PHILLY VIREO!" I threw my clothes on and ran outside for looks at this rare visitor to the yard. Sure enough I got great looks at the bird - even watching it catch a caterpillar. That's only the 2nd yard record for PHVI here.
It was a nice reminder that even though migration is winding down, there are still birds to be had! I'm due for Acadian Flycatcher and Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Nervous tics. . .

2011-05-31T15:46:00.004-04:00

With all of Joe's damned tics, I'm starting to feel like Clouseau's boss in the Pink Panther. At least the rest of us photograph our birds, like this little guy from over the weekend:

RAZLing DASL

2011-05-31T00:16:00.003-04:00

RAZL DAZL - just passed you up for 2011. Just thought I'd let you know that I'm again leading you in all categories.

5/26 - Mourning Warbler - singing male (94) - that ties me with RIBR at 23 Warblers for 2011.
5/30 - Great Blue Heron (95)

tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic,tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic,tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic,tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic,tic, tic, tic,

2011-05-30T14:56:00.006-04:00

Though I've only counted it once I'm now smitten with TWO Yellow Rails in my yard. tic, tic, tic. It's like my yardbirding world has come to a standstill. I've updated my totals (#123, #173) having added two yardbird lifers in the last week; Canada Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler (#173). I see Big Rig has a sizable lead -- I recall last year he led by 1 for most of summer. Obviously it's a different story this year though the fall is when the swamp lair really shines so don't get to smug up there at the top, Rig.

Dozed off listening to YELLOW RAIL #2 last night on the platform with my honey "B" only to be awoke by Spotted Sandpipers migrating over....

tic, tic, tic....weep,weep,weep.

Heard Great-cr. Flycatcher this morning from inside the house, so there's still some migration happening in the northlands.

CUDY Yard Update and #120

2011-05-25T02:23:00.005-04:00

Here's what's been added this year to the yard (and one for life-time):

5/17
Gray-Cheeked Thrush (88)

5/22
Bay-breasted Warbler (89)
Wilson's Warbler (90)

5/24
Canada Warbler (91)
Yellow Warbler (92)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (93/120)

The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher came in to the bird bath and did a few swooping passes over the water, dipping in each time - SWEET! I managed a photo of the Gray-Cheeked at the bird bath (see below). Canada Warbler was singing this a.m. and showed at the bird bath later too. Yellow Warbler is surprisingly hard to get in my yard. My guess is that it's because it has plenty of good habitat nearby that it does not need to stick in the yard.

I couldn'ta been a contenda

2011-05-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

I knew this moment was coming. Just smoked by JD, with more of you lunatics to soon come screamin by.

Spring migration has been appallingly slow in the yard (big surprise). Plenty of warblers transiting above without even a call note. Not even a thrush, though hoping for some night migrants tonight with the recent weather system moving out.

Time to reset priorities and hone in on that mega ...

15,600

2011-05-19T22:39:00.005-04:00

thats how many LTDU flew past the liar in one hour tonight. You can see it on Nexrad from the MQT station just before dusk. Check out line that develops north of Little Bay de Noc, after dark it is obliterated by birds taking off from the UP, showing a perfect outline of the south shore of Lake Superior. Another cool aspect of this flight is that after dark (10pm) the LTDUs start flying over the house (almost constant calling) so instead of going north they fly NW.

The Gaylord station recorded a massive flight after dusk, lots of translake migrants last night.

I've tried to upload video of the flight but the resolution here is not the best.

Not completely WOTH-less

2011-05-16T12:24:00.004-04:00

Itsbeen a week of birding for me, so I've lumped in some of this weeks sightings into this post. Its typical lazy birding style for me. Tuesday, before I went up to Lake Erie for a few days, I had a Black Vulture steal this perch from a TUVU in my yard.

More Pine Siskins in my yard, making this my highest grossing year ever for them. Also the day before that I took a walk out back and got my WOTH for the yard-year, as well as a NOWA (same one?) and some other good stuff like YBCH, OROR, NOPA, YTVI, YTWA. A few days ago I had a YBCU, always fun. Up at the lake I nailed down my final normally occurring warblers for my Ohio year, making this the first time I've had 38 warblers in an Ohio Spring. Here's a pic of K-dubs for you to enjoy as well. He put on a show for many in Columbus, so close I could hardly call it a chase. I should pick-up Swainson's Warbler down in WV next week on my climbing trip, still need it for OH. YYL: 109

Couple of life yardies (Pine Warbler and Indigo Bunting)

2011-05-15T08:15:00.005-04:00

Wish I could say the kat's on fire but that wouldn't be accurate, though the Yellow Rail is still in the yard....

New life birds as I race to 100 (currently #98) this season include a Pine Warbler (#170) on May 13 (sang one from the top of the neighbors Ash Tree before heading out) and Indigo Bunting (#171 finally) on May 14....I heard one call last year in the yard but was in a hurry at the time thinking I'd catch up with it later .... later never came until yesterday. Nice to get these overdue birds outta the way so I can bump it up a notch --- here cuckoo, here chestnut-sided Warbler, here Morning Warbler.....

Northern Waterthrush (first spring record - second yard) and Field Sparrow (2nd yard record) and Am. Woodcock (2nd record).

Not sure if I can catch Chewy or not this year, if I do it certainly won't be this spring. The guy is on fire....White-eyed Vireo, geeeez.

It's BATH TIME!

2011-05-12T02:07:00.000-04:00

Today was the day for the bird bath. I did not have opportunity to get out for a complete survey...but I'm not sure it much mattered...especially when yard bird #119 showed up (also the 28th warbler species in 3 years time). I just about did a backflip! It's hard to add new warblers when already in the upper 20's - and now that's 2 new warbler additions in less than a week! See below for a photo. I also had multple male Scarlet Tanagers, Cedar Waxwings, a Baltimore Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird and a line-up of 7 warbler species (NAWA, TEWA, BTNW, AMRE, CSWA, MAGW and... isn't the suspense killing you - just LOOK BELOW!) all seen/heard from my bedroom window at or near the bird bath. I posted a few pictures of my visitors below. The pictures are all diginoc shots...so not great quality, but you'll get the idea!

Here's the line-up of year birds:

5/8:
Indigo Bunting (78) - male at the feeder

5/11:
Red-eyed Vireo (79)
American Redstart (80)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (81)
Magnolia Warlber (82)
and last but not least....Oh, heck, just LOOK BELOW would ya!

"

Hooded Warbler (83/119)!!! Can you say "Cha-CHING!!

SOSA!

2011-05-08T20:10:00.002-04:00

One of four solitary sandpipers flying over the hood this past weekend. Always a welcome sight in a waterless landscape.

2 more lifers, 8 more year birds

2011-05-08T01:30:00.004-04:00

The yard's been roll'n lately, but I've not been posting. Here's the update:

5/5 - Blue-winged Warbler (70) - at the bath

5/6 - Palm Warbler (71), Cape May Warbler (72), Winter Wren (73), Orange-crowned Warbler (74) and Northern Waterthrush (75/117) bopping around a measly brush pile 50 yards from the only water around (my bath). That's warbler species #27 lifetime for the yard.

5/7 - Tennessee Warbler (in the bath) (76) and Eastern Bluebird (77/118) - LONG awaited - singing to the N of the house and then flying east. Weird time to pick that one up...should be active at the nest (which there are none of nearby).

RAZL - I'm going to keep you at arm's length as long as I can!

Cheap Vireo

2011-05-08T00:08:00.002-04:00

This one quickly flew through loudly persisting multiple times that I "pick up the beer check!" The two times prior that this species visited it at least had the decency to share a drink with me. I shouldn't complain about picking up the bill for such uncommon company. Also on my tab today were BAWW, TEWA, WOTH & GCTH.

Tic, tic, ticker tape parade

2011-05-07T23:09:00.005-04:00

A nice parade of birds today beginning with Yellow Rail at 6:01 am from the lair followed shortly by Sedge Wren, then Yellow & Nashville Warbler and finally Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. #79-#83 for the year.

Pure bliss.

Constant Trickle

2011-05-07T21:17:00.003-04:00

A constant trickle of new yard birds, the latest being a flock of White-throated Swifts chittering away (#55), three unbelievable after second-year male Bullock's Orioles in the tall cottonwoods down the street (#56), a lone hungry Cliff Swallow flyover in late evening (#57), Pine Siskin zeeeeeeeeeering from the tree over the neighbor's feeder (#58), and Black-chinned Hummingbird (#59) zipping among the neighborhood feeders (ours isn't out yet - my wife said I "need to get it up quick", which is never a problem, and something I'm looking forward to). The next month is looking good for some serious birding. I can't go up to my field site (4 hrs away) because Meredith is almost 37 weeks pregnant and I have pretty bad cell coverage up there, so I have to make do by scoring more migrants around the house. Other good non-yard species were seen/head today while kayaking the Colorado and catching catfish, so I expect the spring scores will continue! Still looking for Zone-taileds and VEFLs, ever the optimist....

#41

2011-05-07T18:46:00.002-04:00

near MEGA....tic,tic.....tic,tic,tic

2011-05-06T08:26:00.003-04:00

While leaving the yard briefly to hunt down a signing OCWA I heard a Yellow Rail calling in a sedge edge along the Portage Marsh probably 100 meters from my "yard official". It give 3 series of calls lasting about 8 seconds each. No luck hearing it from the lair....but still what a fun bird to have outside the backdoor. I'm hoping with the wet spring we have had that this is a potential breeding site. Just beyond the YERA I heard the grunting of a VIRA -- a bird that I heard on the 4th along with the whinny of a distant Sora, though I'm holding out for a better "look" at the Sora before adding it to the menagerie.

Whip me a will

2011-05-03T11:46:00.003-04:00

MAY 2

It was so close and so loud I thought Haas was messing with my mind in the bushes. Only the second Will from the yard - the one last year was only a couple of distant "poor wills" barely audible. Not really a bird I'd expect but hey I'm not complaining....Fun to learn that it was exactly one day earlier than last year's installment. Also had a Lincoln's Sparrow in the yard - a day later than last year.

Today's installments include DCCO and WCSP (3 days later than last year) for #75 on the year.

A Temporary Fix

2011-05-02T22:12:00.005-04:00

Photographed are a couple of the highlights from the last two days. The RHWO came repeatedly for seeds this afternoon until dusk. The LISP actually showed up on Sat, but really got visible when I revamped the water feature which it can't seem to get enough of.

BGGN arrived on Sat as did WCSP & COYE. As anticipated, with the forecast south winds, yesterday delivered well with NAWA, WIWR, GCFL, LEFL, BANS, OVEN & CSWA. Besides woody at right today brought
a PIWO, OSPR & CARW. Hope this continues, 'cause I don't like going through withdrawals!

NOWAyy

2011-05-02T17:08:00.002-04:00

Birding was a little slow in my yard today (might have to do with the fact I woke up at 1:30pm) but I walked out back along the creek and heard my friend the NOWA call out. I got to watch him as he bopped around the oxbow area. Pretty cool, but not what prompted me to post. The bird I saw along the creek on my way back was just down right cool and made me exclaim "wow!" aloud. I was not expecting to see a MARSH WREN right along the creek! this elusive bird gave me great looks as it poked around the stream edge at no less than 15 feet away at times. It was pretty cool. I know some of you have this sp. before but it was a good Yard lifer for me today. Also had GCFL and some other cool stuff, NAWA, YTWA, MYWA(YRWA), CMWA (f) but overall slow birding otherwise. Last night the Barred Owls were hootin' it up. 65 species for the day, 95 for the year. Follow my list on eBird if you care, I'm on the yard totals list beta thingy.

Clay-colored Sparrow and Osprey

2011-05-02T00:15:00.002-04:00

White-crowned Sparrow was #39. Best bird today was Clay-colored Sparrow. An Osprey graced The Cheddarlands with it's bad-a-ness.

Oasis (in) Effect!

2011-05-01T23:13:00.003-04:00

I had fall-out type conditions today in the yard. At every turn I was finding new birds...kind of felt like the boardwalk at Magee to be honost. I woke to Blackburnian Warbler singing from the large red oak in my back yard and finished at dusk with a Scarlet Tanager dancing in the grass at the base of the same tree. I also had 3 male and 1 female Rose-breasted Grosbeak hanging around feeding and bathing all day and one brief water hole visit by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (never seen that before).
All told I had a 45 species day with 18 new year birds!!!
Here's the additions:

Blackburnian Warbler (52)
Blue-headed Vireo
White-crowned Sparrow
House Wren
Great-crested Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Turkey Vulture (long time coming)
Bald Eagle (59/116) - finally scored this with a high soaring imm. bird
Pine Warbler (2nd yard record)
Baltimore Oriole
Wood Thrush
Warbling Vireo
Swainson's Thrush
Ovenbird
Gray Catbird
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Scarlet Tanager (69)

Here's some pictures to drool over:

Grosbeaks and Warblers

2011-05-01T01:15:00.000-04:00

I had 2 male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the feeder at one time today. I managed to snap this slick shot as one flew off.
I also had 3 warbler species in the yard: Yellow-rumped, Nashville and Black-and-white (51). Considering Caleb's previous post, I may be adding a few on Sunday!

It's our turn in the s. LP

2011-04-30T23:21:00.000-04:00

BOOYA

The century mark

2011-04-30T20:25:00.004-04:00

Hit the century mark today in style with a Northern Harrier.