April Bird Count

April started out slow, mostly due to the fact that we were still getting regular blizzards three weeks in. However, thanks in large part to a Tour de Raptor road-trip to the Twin Cities, and the amazing 60-degree weather we finally got last weekend, the spring birds are starting to add up quickly. Here are my April sightings.

4/13/13
42. American Robin: Wolf Ridge, outside of the West Dorm side entrance

"I though I was supposed to be a sign of spring!"

4/14/13

43. Canada Goose: Highway 61, south of Temperance River State Park, flying over Lake Superior

4/19/13

44. Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored): Wolf Ridge, outside of the West Dorm

45. Snow Bunting: Finland, MN, flying over-head highway 6

46. House Finch: Coon Rapids, MN, Manning household backyard

4/20/13

47. Brown-headed Cowbird: St. Paul, MN, outside the Raptor Center

48. Great Horned Owl: Minnesota Zoo, above the tiger enclosure (This was a pretty crazy thing to see. A fledgling great horned owl was perched on a branch, just above what appeared to be a nest, in a tree in the tiger enclosure. No sign of a mother or father anywhere. The fledgling was wobbling around, clearly unstable on its feet. We watched it for awhile, feeling truly nervous. Then it tried flying. It flew up to the next branch, grabbed on with its feet, fell almost all the way upside down, flapping crazily, before righting itself back up. We couldn't watch anymore after that. We're going to pretend that the owl is fine and that the tigers did not end up with a tasty treat.)

49. Trumpeter Swan: Minnesota Zoo, flying over-head and then swimming in the large pond

50. Great Blue Heron: Minnesota Zoo, parking lot

A great blue heron that I spotted earlier today, flying away from me across the Baptism River.

51. Red-tailed Hawk: Minneapolis, MN, perched over the interstate

4/21/13

52. Sandhill Crane: North of the Twin Cities, standing alone in a wetland/field

4/24/13

53. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Wolf Ridge, behind the West Dorm

4/26/13

54. Rusty Blackbird (L): Gooseberry Falls State Park, tree outside the visitor center (I was unsure about this one at first, but it was way too small to be a grackle. Rusty blackbirds are listed as "vulnerable" because their population has dropped 85% since 1966!)

4/27/13

To enjoy the beautiful weather, I went for a hike with a large group of naturalists (also in honor of Tom's birthday). The trail we wanted to hike still had snow up to our waists, though, so most of us opted to walk along county road 7 instead. A good choice, as it was our first chance to see so many of the birds that were finally coming north. We dawdled as we identified spring migrant after spring migrant and listened to all of their beautiful songs.

55. Merlin: Finland, MN, top of a tree across from Zion Lutheran Church

56. Osprey: Finland, MN, flying overhead the Finland Recreation Center

57. Song Sparrow: County Road 7 between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park

58. White-throated Sparrow: County Road 7 between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park (And they've been singing outside of my window every morning this week, along with a very persistent Eastern phoebe..."PHOEBEEE!")

59. Fox Sparrow (Sooty): County Road 7 between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park

60. American Woodcock: County Road 7 between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park (I want to go back sometime soon at night and listen/watch for the woodcocks' annual "peenting" display, an interesting and kind of humorous attempt to attract a mate.)

61. Hermit Thrush: County Road 7 between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park

4/28/13

62. Northern Flicker: Highway 1, en route to Wolf Ridge from Finland

4/29/13

63. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Tettegouch State Park, Palisade Head

I wasn't familiar with the song of the ruby-crowned kinglet and was surprised by how complex it was. I've started recording the "sounds of spring" (more on this later, I'm sure) and this is one example that I'm proud of.

64. Horned Grebe (L): Highway 61, Crystal Cove point, on Lake Superior (A truly funny looking bird - look them up!)

65. Common Merganser: Highway 61, Crystal Cove point, on Lake Superior

66. Common Loon: Highway 61, Kennedy Creek outflow, on Lake Superior

67. American Tree Sparrow: Tofte, MN, Oberg Mountain Overlook #3

4/30/13

68. Purple Finch: Wolf Ridge, Education Building bird feeders

MJ and I banded 12 purple finches yesterday, in addition to some black-capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, slate-colored juncos, and common redpolls.