Spring Northern Migration in Progess

Year 11,

Even here in northern Minnesota, the Spring Migration has started. In the last two weeks I have seen many Trumpeter Swans, Snow Buntings, Rough-Legged Hawks and Bald Eagles working their way northward. All of these species of birds are first arrivals to breeding grounds, and many breed upon the Arctic tundra. While those of you who live south of Minnesota already have open lakes and rivers (assuming they ever froze), up here we pay attention to ice out. Some waterfowl will use open water in rivers during migration (ice free before lakes), but many birds prefer to wait for open water on regional lakes. Ice free lakes generally equate to the start of more available food. If a river tracks generally

The Minnesota DNR has an excellent resource for determining ice out dates … essentially in real time. Even if the lake in which you are most interested is not listed, there will always be a nearby lake that you may check for ice conditions. If you follow the march north of ice out, you will get an excellent idea about where to look for the leading edges of significant bird migration. Just remember, all birds will want to ride strong winds out of the south.

Here is the link to the Minnesota DNR Ice -Out Resource and two annotated screenshots to help you understand the tool. I prefer to use a device with a larger screen.

And of course, what would any post be w/o a few images. I saw this immature Bald Eagle and Ruffed Grouse 3 days ago during an earlier morning bird at Sax-Zim Bog.

Bohemian Waxwings ID’d by my Haikubox!

Year 11

500+ Bohemian Waxwings stopped by for lunch yesterday. I was peacefully eating my own sandwich, oblivious to the outside world when my Haikubox notifications went off on my phone. I stepped over to the window, and Uff Dah! It was a mass feeding frenzy 50 yards away. The Bohemians quickly stripped the mountain ash trees in my yard of their berries, and then moved across the road to a large stand of buckthorn (interesting study from the University of Minnesota on Buckthorn and Birds) stripping those trees of their fruit in minutes.

So what the heck is a Haikubox? The answer is … a small device that listens 24×7 to birdsong and is hooked up to the Cornell School of Ornithology. I choose the species about which I wish to be notified, like Bohemian Waxwings, but not Black-Capped Chickadees. I like the little guys, but given my seven bird feeders, my phone would be sounding constantly with notifications. Instead I choose to be notified about any new specie, birds returning during the spring or fall migration, and my local favorites (like my local Great Horned Owls). You may wish to read my full Haikubox review. As always I receive ZERO compensation for any birding device I review, or any other financial consideration.

Bohemian Waxwings of Amity Creek

Bohemians … the Movie! (video link for email subscribers)

In total I watched the waxwings for over an hour. After they stripped the trees of their fruit in my yard, and across the road next to Amity Creek, they moved upstream. I followed for about 1.5 miles eventually finding a small bridge behind which I could hide and use as a bird blind.

Near my yard

Upstream by the bridge

If you’re still with me, here is a screenshot of my Haikubox notifications and my hiding spot next to the bridge. The Bohemian Waxwings would fly by under the span and land on the ice near me.

Lazy Birder = Exploding Coca Cola! = Boreal Chickadees!

Year 11

Are you a lazy birder? I can cut corners on occasion and this morning I paid the price. Let me back up to yesterday evening … a violent snow squall with 40 mph winds had settled over the Head of the Lakes (Duluth / Superior). The temperature had already fallen to 10F (-12C) and would reach -6F (-21C) by 6 am this morning with continued high winds.

The energetic birder would have remarked “dang the weather” and after watching two episodes of Coach Ted Lasso at 9:15 pm (official YouTube trailer) with one’s wife and visiting son / daughter-in-law headed out into the fearful elements to put the car in the garage (remote stand alone garage which is down the hill). Please understand I had purchased a six-pack of Diet Coke earlier in the afternoon, and the cool overnight temperatures for a car parked outside overnight would not bode well for the “Real Thing“).

Fast forward to 8:15 am this morning while out birding. I wanted a Diet Coke, and it did not look frozen. However extremely cold drinks under pressure can be deceiving. Screwing off the top of my coke, I suddenly has exploding coke all over the car. Remember how I said it was -6F outside? As my Coca Cola hit the “inside” of my car’s windshield, it froze immediately in scattered random splash marks on the “inside” of the frozen windshield … right in my field of view. The coke was in many other places, including all over me.

Quickly searching the car, I found a long-sleeved t-shirt I keep in my Subaru in case the mosquitoes are bad. Thankfully at -6F I knew the pesky bugs would not be a problem, and started to use the shirt as a towel.

Hmmm … I discovered a shirt/towel rubbed on frozen Diet Coke ice makes a smeary mess of the windshield. It was time to move onto the next phase of my cleanup operation. During the car’s defrost as high as possible I managed to soften up the Coke ice such that I could flake it off the inside windshield with my fingernails. Success!

Finishing the cleanup of the car I drove for about another 10 minutes to the Admiral Road Feeders in Sax-Zim Bog (I was the only car … midweek … late in the winter season … super cold). Shortly thereafter a Boreal Chickadee lands next to the frozen peanut butter (this post has a frozen food theme!). I press the shutter … nothing happens. In the viewfinder a message appears … simm card not present! Uff Dah! Did I mention I was a lazy birder? Yes, not only did not put my car away the prior evening, but I did not return my SIMM card to the camera.

If you know anything about chickadees, they do not tend to stay in one place very long. However, as part of my camera kit I always carry an extra SIMM card (insert in camera and format). Thankfully the lure of peanut butter brought the Boreal Chickadees back, and my camera was finally ready.

Are you ever a lazy birder??!

Boreal Chickadee Photos!