Birding

[Hrbowski]

We have a food thread, and we had a book thread, so why not a birding thread? Just in case you don't know what birding (some fanatical birders like myself prefer "twitching") is, it is the hobby of watching and identifying different bird species, and many birders keep life lists, year lists, county, state, etc.

 

My life list is at 218, and I added a Varied Thrush today! I like to keep track of my lists and up to date with what is going on at moumn.org, ebird.com, and aba.org.

 

Do any of you bird? If so, do you keep a life list?

 

Discuss.

 

http://www.briansmallphoto.com/images/Varied-Thrush-03.jpg

[Mike Sixel]

Awesome. We tracked for awhile. But our Peru trip had bad weather in the rain forest, and we stopped. I would guess we are in the 100 range. If they could get the sound identifier working, that would be awesome. Maybe I will start again, but detail orientation is not my greatest strength. Even though the rainforest was less than perfect, we did see the cock of the rock, and thousands of parrots and other birds at a lick.

[Hrbowski]

 

Awesome. We tracked for awhile. But our Peru trip had bad weather in the rain forest, and we stopped. I would guess we are in the 100 range. If they could get the sound identifier working, that would be awesome. Maybe I will start again, but detail orientation is not my greatest strength. Even though the rainforest was less than perfect, we did see the cock of the rock, and thousands of parrots and other birds at a lick.

We have some great birding areas in the Twin Cities such as Minnesota Valley NWR, Old Cedar Avenue Bridge, and right around this time of year you can see several rare gull species at Black Dog Lake, Lake Calhoun, and Lake Harriet,( right now there is an Iceland Gull being seen at Lake Harriet, and last year my family and 4 others saw a Mew Gull at Lake Calhoun, which was the first seen in Minnesota since 1998, but beware, gulls are a difficult challenge in the field.) Old Cedar and MVNWR are my favorites, as they are easily accessible, and during the spring you will get birds that you would never dream would be in Minnesota. As for the detail orientation, a pair of binoculars and a field guide should make it pretty easy to identify most birds.

[Mike Sixel]

We started hiking in MN Vally and Old Cedar this year, for the first time in the 50 or so years I've lived here. Great spot. I have nice binocs......but I am not awesome at using them yet.

 

I suppose I should start tracking here before we move......

 

sounds like you are having fun and family time with it. That's awesome.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

A few years ago I watched a peregrine falcon for almost an hour down at the bluffs on the Mississippi River. It was just slowly patrolling up and down the river. Nothing exciting happened but like fishing, that's half the fun.

[Hrbowski]

Today I stopped by Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet on my home from my cello lesson, looking for the Eared Grebe and the Iceland Gull that have been reported there this past week, and although I didn't see them I did see a Bald Eagle catch a fish very close to the shore. 

[Mike Sixel]

I might have to take this up again, I feel inspired by this idea again. Thanks for the thread.

[Hrbowski]

I forgot to say, but I found the Eared Grebe on Sunday, making it #219 on my life list.

 

My goal for next year is to become the second person in the state of Minnesota to see 300 species in a year before graduating from high school. Here is a really cool video about birding made by the first person to do it, Bob Dunlap:

 

(scroll to the bottom of the page)

 

http://bobthebirdman.com/me/

 

 

 

[Hrbowski]

 

I might have to take this up again, I feel inspired by this idea again. Thanks for the thread.

Consider it your part in the conservation effort!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Hey Hrbowski do you have this one?

 

http://www.startribune.com/rare-appearance-of-ivory-gull-causes-stir-in-duluth/364432021/

[Hrbowski]

 

Hey Hrbowski do you have this one?

 

http://www.startribune.com/rare-appearance-of-ivory-gull-causes-stir-in-duluth/364432021/

I'm going up on Sunday to add that and a Golden-crowned Sparrow that is being seen in Duluth.

[Hrbowski]

So, I went up to Duluth today...

 

Ivory Gull

 

Glaucous Gull (in the center of the picture)

[FattCrapps]

Nice.

 

I plan on checking out the winter birds of southern New Mexico in a few weeks.  Snow Geese, Ross's Geese, Sandhill Cranes..should be fun.

[Mike Sixel]

Took pictures of a few birds in Puerto Rico...... Will try to figure them out today.

[Craig Arko]

Don't mess with the birdwatchers...

 

http://thelapine.ca/79-year-old-bird-watcher-takes-down-oregon-militant-with-old-high-school-wrestling-move/

[Mike Sixel]

 

Took pictures of a few birds in Puerto Rico...... Will try to figure them out today.

 

Well, at some point I will do that.......

 

Crane of some kind, blackbird of some kind, gull of some kind, rooster of some kind, a few smaller birds. It was really dark in the rain forest so only 1 picture there.....

[Hrbowski]

Tomorrow I am heading up to the Sax Zim Bog to add a bunch of more species to my year list, but the one I really want is a Great Gray   Grey Owl.

[twinsnorth49]

 

Tomorrow I am heading up to the Sax Zim Bog to add a bunch of more species to my year list, but the one I really want is a Great Gray   Grey Owl.

FIFY.......

[Craig Arko]

Thought this would be a nice addition here.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31604026

[Craig Arko]

This is one special bird.