[mou] Pine County Birding - great Warblers! (long)
markfalcon@comcast.net
markfalcon@comcast.net
Thu, 18 Aug 2005 03:40:22 +0000
--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_12536_1124336422_0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Rich Peet and I headed north at dark thirty to arrive East of Kerrick, just SEof the Nickerson Bog in Pine County at a half hour before dawn. We were rewarded with calls of Sora's and Virginia Rails and many warblers lifting off from alder and willow thickets to begin the day. The Warblers and Vireos numbered in the hundreds and were only really very viewable in the alder thickets that border meadows and wetlands in the region. The only bird heard singing were Sedge Wrens right at dawn, then hundreds of Red-eyed Vireos and a Philadelphia Vireo (seen well singing and recorded) the rest of the day. Sandhill Cranes were very common; a single private residence treated us to the spectacle of more than 25 Hummingbirds feeding from an array of feeders, what a view! Only two adult males seen in the fracas. We captured sound and video, these buggers sing so high and their humming is so low in frequency, it posed a technical problem for us. I found when a hummer screams by 1 foot awa
y at full speed he sounds more like a passing NASCAR racer than a bird the size of a strawberry - Doppler effect and all! 2 Evening Grosbeaks have shown up at feeders east of Kerrick after a 2 month absence. Bluebirds are flocking up and seen in many places. Tree Swallows were flocking and swarming on telephone wires, and the Sandstone Sewage ponds had hundreds of Bank Swallows. I heard what I am fairly certain is the "feed me " call of a Great Grey owl east of Kerrick, yet I could not see the culprit, we captured it on audio, though. This is where Mark Martell and I saw one feeding actively in mid April. Olive Sided Flycatchers seen but not heard also. Warblers and Vireos were very active and easy to find only from 6 am till 7:30 am then scarce to find. Call notes were given, we recorded many, but in an active flock of 40. try picking them out. These birds should be in the cities shortly. My advise is get out at dawn and try and find them in the short stuff. The toughest
ID's were the fall Cape May Warbler and confirming the ID of a Philadelphia Vireo giving it's Red Eyed Vireo call. If you hear a Red Eeye, take time to check it out, I was only alerted by seeing a Philadelphia Vireo in the area, so I checked out 2 calling birds, one was the Philadelphia! It will be nice to compare the sonogram to compare the frequencies of the two.
We saw 73 birds today in 6 hours of birding, and covered hardly any area at all. I think we have major fall movement right now and if the rain pins the birds down the next few days, it may get even better. Pine Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Bank and Tree Swallows all were abundant today. And of course, enough Ruby Throats to fill a Hummer (each maintaining territorial space, of course). Good Birding!
Incidentally, if you re not using the MOU seasonal reports on line, you are missing the boat, it is easy and informative and fun! Check it out, it is a real joy to use a tool so aligned with the needs of a MN birder. Thank You Dave Cahlander! Enjoy!
--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_12536_1124336422_0
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
<html><body>
<DIV>Rich Peet and I headed north at dark thirty to arrive East of Kerrick, just SEof the Nickerson Bog in Pine County at a half hour before dawn. We were rewarded with calls of Sora's and Virginia Rails and many warblers lifting off from alder and willow thickets to begin the day. The Warblers and Vireos numbered in the hundreds and were only really very viewable in the alder thickets that border meadows and wetlands in the region. The only bird heard singing were Sedge Wrens right at dawn, then hundreds of Red-eyed Vireos and a Philadelphia Vireo (seen well singing and recorded) the rest of the day. Sandhill Cranes were very common; a single private residence treated us to the spectacle of more than 25 Hummingbirds feeding from an array of feeders, what a view! Only two adult males seen in the fracas. We captured sound and video, these buggers sing so high and their humming is so low in frequency, it posed a technical problem for us. I found when
a hummer screams by 1 foot away at full speed he sounds more like a passing NASCAR racer than a bird the size of a strawberry - Doppler effect and all! 2 Evening Grosbeaks have shown up at feeders east of Kerrick after a 2 month absence. Bluebirds are flocking up and seen in many places. Tree Swallows were flocking and swarming on telephone wires, and the Sandstone Sewage ponds had hundreds of Bank Swallows. I heard what I am fairly certain is the "feed me " call of a Great Grey owl east of Kerrick, yet I could not see the culprit, we captured it on audio, though. This is where Mark Martell and I saw one feeding actively in mid April. Olive Sided Flycatchers seen but not heard also. Warblers and Vireos were very active and easy to find only from 6 am till 7:30 am then scarce to find. Call notes were given, we recorded many, but in an active flock of 40. try picking them out. These birds should be in the cities shortly. My advise is get out at dawn and try and find the
m in the short stuff. The toughest ID's were the fall Cape May Warbler and confirming the ID of a Philadelphia Vireo giving it's Red Eyed Vireo call. If you hear a Red Eeye, take time to check it out, I was only alerted by seeing a Philadelphia Vireo in the area, so I checked out 2 calling birds, one was the Philadelphia! It will be nice to compare the sonogram to compare the frequencies of the two.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We saw 73 birds today in 6 hours of birding, and covered hardly any area at all. I think we have major fall movement right now and if the rain pins the birds down the next few days, it may get even better. Pine Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Bank and Tree Swallows all were abundant today. And of course, enough Ruby Throats to fill a Hummer (each maintaining territorial space, of course). Good Birding!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Incidentally, if you re not using the MOU seasonal reports on line, you are missing the boat, it is easy and informative and fun! Check it out, it is a real joy to use a tool so aligned with the needs of a MN birder. Thank You Dave Cahlander! Enjoy!</DIV></body></html>
--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_12536_1124336422_0--