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| Post Number: 1
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johnhens 
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Dec. 19 2012, 7:06 am |
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Hopefully the upcoming snow (12/19) will push the winter finches in WI our way (IL). I spoke to some birders who drove up to Door County to see the Hawk Owl. I may do the same at some point.
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| Post Number: 2
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WisMike
Group: Members
Posts: 797
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Dec. 26 2012, 8:47 pm |
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I was able to find both species of crossbills Christmas Day at Stute Springs at Kettle Moraine South, and I think both species continue in the Madison area as well. Pine grosbeaks seem to still gradually be making their way south, while evening grosbeak sightings in the south have all but dried up though 150 were seen in one of the NE Wisconsin CBCs.
I went to the three state parks around the Wisconsin Dells today. Got some photos (cloudy day so not the greatest), but the parks themselves were fairly quiet. I did think I heard red crossbills at Mirror Lake SP, but I'm not so sure now and was hoping to get up to the bluffs to check for Townsend's solitaires at Devil's Lake SP, but I had forgotten my boots and had to get going so I didn't go all the way up. My best birds were nothing too special, a pair of brown creepers, but still nice to see. I did somewhat of a whirlwind trip though so I'm not sure what a longer trek in one of the parks might turn up. Baraboo area got over a foot of snow so it's very ideal there right now for XC skiing, etc... I think.
https://www.facebook.com/meduchek
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| Post Number: 3
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21841
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Dec. 27 2012, 4:26 pm |
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The bad weather in NJ has the birds hunkered down. I heard some Canada Geese heading south in the dark the last couple nights, but haven't seen anything smaller than a vulture since Monday.
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| Post Number: 4
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WalksWithBlackflies
Resident Eco-Freak Bootlicker
Group: Members
Posts: 8760
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 8:58 am |
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Juncos came south early (October), then disappeared, and are back again. Typical jays, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, mourning doves, and Carolina wren at the feeders; and a redtailed hawk that watches them all. I have no idea why the Carolina wrens stick around here during the winter... their third year doing so. Few, if any, finches. Crows come and go sporadically to feed on sumac and poison ivy berries. I saw one taking apart a squirrels nest on Christmas. I heard a pileated woodpecker in the distance.
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When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
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| Post Number: 5
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crookedknife
Group: Members
Posts: 253
Joined: Mar. 2009
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2012, 9:51 am |
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My wife and I drove to SoCal for Xmas and camped 2 nights in the Mojave Preserve, going out and coming back. Along the way I saw Brewer's and white crown sparrow, phainopepla and red tail hawk in the desert. At my sister's house in Riverside - mockingbird, Calif. towhee, Anna's hummingbird and white crown sparrow.
But at Fairmount Park, the huge, old city park with a giant lake things really got interesting. Numerous white pelicans, Great & Snowy egrets, double crested cormorants, coots, mallards, Great blue & Black crowned night herons and Ring-billed and Herring gulls.
Away from the lake - numerous Acorn woodpeckers, Black phoebe, Yellow rumped warbler and Band tailed pigeon.
I've forgotten how great it is to go somewhere different and bird.
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In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
Edward Hoagland
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| Post Number: 6
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 01 2013, 6:23 am |
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Went to the Chicago Botanical Gardens to try and see a Bohemian Waxwing and Hoary Redpoll. Saw the Hoary Redpoll, did not see the Boehmian Waxwing.
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| Post Number: 7
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 01 2013, 7:27 pm |
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Got Long Earred and Barred Owls today.
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| Post Number: 8
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crookedknife
Group: Members
Posts: 253
Joined: Mar. 2009
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Posted on: Jan. 01 2013, 7:46 pm |
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I went out today to "pre-bird" the area we are counting for the CBC on Sat. and got Golden eagle, kestrel, Redtail hawk, Harrier, Mtn. bluebird, Cedar waxwing, many robin, song sparrow and white-crown sparrow. Just hope they stick around til the count.
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In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
Edward Hoagland
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| Post Number: 9
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 22 2013, 8:38 pm |
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We have had tree sparrows and a fox sparrow show up at the feeders. An immature Coopers Hawk has been around also.
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| Post Number: 10
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 01 2013, 4:18 pm |
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First redpolls at the feeders this winter.
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| Post Number: 11
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WalksWithBlackflies
Resident Eco-Freak Bootlicker
Group: Members
Posts: 8760
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 9:34 am |
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One of the reasons I like February: The birds start singing again after 3 months of silence.
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When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
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| Post Number: 12
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| Post Number: 13
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WalksWithBlackflies
Resident Eco-Freak Bootlicker
Group: Members
Posts: 8760
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 4:31 pm |
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(johnhens @ Feb. 07 2013, 3:04 pm)
QUOTE
(WalksWithBlackflies @ Feb. 07 2013, 8:34 am)
QUOTE One of the reasons I like February: The birds start singing again after 3 months of silence. Have you noticed them singing earlier in the year than in the past?
No... I'd say it's about typical.
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When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
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| Post Number: 14
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Pennyrile
Group: Members
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb. 2013
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 8:54 am |
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Managed to see my very first redpoll just the other day. I'm still holding out hope for an Evening Grosbeak before the winter's out.
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| Post Number: 15
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| Post Number: 16
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WisMike
Group: Members
Posts: 797
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 10:22 am |
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In Wisconsin, the big news lately is that tons of crossbills have been showing up at bird feeders, which is considered quite unusual. I've even seen photos posted of white-winged crossbills feeding on a nyjer thistle sock. As for evening grosbeaks - after a small flurry of reports in late fall/early winter last year, the reports all but ceased for areas south of their usual range. One unusual thing is that, while they are being seen in northern Wisconsin, the place you usually see tons of them (Alvin, WI) has been totally empty of them, while I know of someone who had 250 or so at her feeders one county over this winter and is probably still getting them. Reports of pine grosbeaks have also seemed to have died down lately, though I assume they're still around in some spots. The same goes, even more so, for bohemian waxwings, which also seem to have dwindled after being seen in good numbers earlier in the season. It's a very strange year.
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| Post Number: 17
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| Post Number: 18
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 16 2013, 4:02 pm |
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Saw a Snowy Owl on 2/14, a Ross's Goose, Hooded, Common and Red Breasted Merganser and a new life bird for me, a Varied Thrush.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Varied_Thrush/id
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| Post Number: 19
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 18 2013, 8:55 am |
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Saw a White Winged Crossbill and Evening Grosbeak yesterday
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| Post Number: 20
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WisMike
Group: Members
Posts: 797
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 18 2013, 1:18 pm |
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Where did you see the evening grosbeak John?
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| Post Number: 21
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| Post Number: 22
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 21 2013, 10:27 am |
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First Red Winged Blackbird at the feeders this year.
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| Post Number: 23
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WisMike
Group: Members
Posts: 797
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 25 2013, 9:09 am |
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The big news as of late is that BOREAL OWLS have been making themselves seen in the Duluth area and into northern Wisconsin. Birders have come from very far away to come see these birds. One of them was sighted just 10 minutes from our lake house, but I checked and it was gone by the time I was up. Now, though, GREAT GRAY OWLS are also moving into as far south as northwestern Wisconsin, and we already have a few NORTHERN HAWK OWLS around. So all three of the "boreal" owls have been found in Wisconsin this year. It's tempting. Will have to see how it goes...
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| Post Number: 24
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WisMike
Group: Members
Posts: 797
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 28 2013, 11:49 am |
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A great gray owl has been seen well south of its usual range near Mauston, WI, which is a little north of the Wisconsin Dells. It has been perching on automobiles as it tries to hunt. Photos and discussion of the bird can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wisbirdn/
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| Post Number: 25
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 04 2013, 4:25 pm |
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Sandhills are moving through and we had our first ever flicker at the feeders.
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| Post Number: 26
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21841
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 09 2013, 6:59 pm |
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Pileated Woodpecker, just beyond my front window. The Cherry tree it's working on is not long for this world.
Attached Image
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| Post Number: 27
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johnhens
Group: Members
Posts: 4980
Joined: Jan. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 09 2013, 10:56 pm |
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You the man!!!
Nice pic!!!
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| Post Number: 28
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21841
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 09 2013, 11:16 pm |
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Photo credit to Mrs. big_load. She had a lot of trouble catching its head in focus. It would have been easier with my camera, which can go into shutter-preferred or full manual.
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