Category: fall weather
Late October Birds 2012
It is almost the end of October. We spotted 52 different species so far this month. Early Fall is over, the last warbler of the season, the Yellow-rumped left us on Oct 22. We still have 2 White-throated Sparrows that seem almost determined to stay, but I am sure they will gone to soon. The late fall birds are here. Fox Sparrows have started to show up, almost every day. We have started seeing American Tree Sparrow. Mostly they have come to the lake landing, but I hope they visit our feeders. Red-breasted Nuthatches and Siskins have been regular visitors for the last few weeks. I have no idea if they will stay through November but it is nice to see them.
The lake will be frozen by the end of November so we are using every opportunity to see visiting waterfowl. We have had the odd Swan or 2 since September. Today there must have been 10 or so, Trumpeter Swans, far enough away to make identication difficult. We are getting Wood Ducks and Pied-billed Grebes every day.
Mid October Bird Slowdown
The October slowdown in bird observations is in full swing. The trees have lost most of their leaves. The migrating warblers may be done. I saw one Yellow-rumped Warbler yesterday but the noisy active flocks are gone. Our migrating Sparrows are slowing down. From multiples of White-throated that have been visible for a few weeks were are left with stragglers. So, today I saw one White-throated Sparrow and one Harris’s Sparrow. I took my last photo of a White-crowned for the season on Monday.
There are many birds that nest in Minnesota that avoid busy lakes during the summer. Now that our lake is more or less empty we are starting to see those birds more regularly. We actually been seeing Swans irregularly since early September. The loons have lost their summer plumage and are ready for winter. When I walk Sierra in the afternoon. I usually manage to scare a Wood Duck or two.
For the last week or so Red-breasted Nuthatches have been active in our yard. They are not too skittish but they have a habit of grabbing some food and running for cover so they don’t linger at the feeder for long. They are visible in Minnesota most of the year but only erratically at our feeders. So, we don’t know how long this visit will be but we will enjoy it while it lasts.
Welcome Fall Sparrows 2012!
I could have titled this post ‘Welcome Zonotrichia’ since that is the genus of Sparrow I am talking about. Each Spring and Fall we are visted by 3 closely related Sparrows: the White-throated Sparrow, the White-crowned Sparrow and the Harris’s Sparrow. This year the visits have come earlier than usual. The White-throated showed up on Sept 3rd. That is 3 weeks earlier than normal. The Harris’s has been around since Sept 24th. The White-crowned arrived on Sept. 26, which is about normal. These birds are just passing through on the way to their winter homes. Last year they were gone by the beginning of November. Given the earlier seasons this year, I wouldn’t expect any of them to last that long here, but we will enjoy their visit as long as they choose to stay.
Fall Warbler Migration
My days off are now Friday and Saturday so that is when we expect to see the bulk of the birds each week. This week was no exception. We saw 33 different birds on Friday and 47 on Saturday. Friday was extra-special because we had our first appearance in the year for the Red-breasted Nuthatch and our first sighting in MN of the Black-throated Green Warbler. We also had a Nashville Warbler grace our yard. Not a rare bird but welcome all the same. Saturday we saw some of the same birds in Pillsbury State Forest (North of Pillager, MN). At home of Saturday we had a Pine Siskin snacking from the seeds on our driveway. I wasn’t totally sure I had a Siskin until I looked at my photos this morning.
The Fall migration season seem to be starting just a tad early this year. Leaves are also turning early, though this is probably a response to the drought. The Fall foliage will probably be spottier than normal. Some patches of sumac that should be bright red are already a dull rust color.
We also have some confusing birds. I took photos on a local lake yesterday and I still cannot figure out what it is (might be several different birds). My fist assumption was a pied-billed grebe. I have been using the Crossley ID book as an aide. Still not sure. Below is a photo of 2 Swans, I think they are Trumpeter Swans but I will accept corrections if I am wrong.
Last visit of the year
When I lived in NJ I paid attention to the migrating birds. In Spring, I knew when the Warblers came in and what the peak times for migration were. Fall migration seems more extended. Some birds are going South by mid August, but birds are still migrating in October. In Minnesota migration seasons aren’t quite as dramatic but the end result in