Desert Stream Birds 2!

I returned to the small stream still holding out against the desert at Catalina State Park. Unlike last week I could only find 200 yards of the stream that was still above ground, and not sunk into “the sandy wash”. The birds still knew where there was water, and like last week, I let the songbirds come to me at sunrise two days ago.

However, before more on my birding expedition to “the stream”, there are various news items about which I want my readers to be aware:

If you live in the Midwest, and now particularly Minnesota consider shutting down your bird feeders. Avian flu is spreading its ugly wings and killing lots of birds, not just migrating waterfowl and shorebirds (carriers of the disease). As birds come in to proximity with migrating birds, the result is not good. In the Twin Cities area many, many eagles and owls have died after killing ducks as prey (and eating them). Read more from the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. The Raptor Center has recommended taking down bird feeders at this time.
On a lighter note, a good buddy of mine and fellow retired “techie” from Honeywell has some great webcams which track his wood duck boxes in Golden Valley. We are now in the prime wood duck and merganser nesting season in southern Minnesota where Paul lives (not up here in the Northland). Watch the nesting process via Paul’s camera.
Laura Erickson, a well known national birder, who lives near me in a Duluth has a nice series of posts on children’s birding books. Here are those posts:
- Laura’s posts on children’s birding books started with her April, 11 entry
- Click “newer entry” to move through the bird book posts (now four entries)

And now back to my “stream escapades”. Remember, water attracts BIG TIME in the desert.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle)