Federal Dam

The birding at the Federal Dam Recreation Area, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam site, boat launch, and campground has been very good this year.  As soon as the ice began to melt off of the Leech River their has been interesting waterfowl here, but now that passerines are showing up in large numbers the Campground has been very productive.

As I walked the campground roads and the nature trail today - I was struck by a feeling of de ja vu.  I realized how much this area reminds me of birding Mt. Auburn Cemetery in May.  The nicely paved narrow roads with pockets of fantastic habitat and water features combine to produce a truly rewarding birding experience.

I am hoping to hit a big warbler wave there tomorrow, but already have 10 species at this site.

Yellow, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Ovenbird, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, Blackpoll (VERY EARLY), Black-and-White, Pine, and Nashville Warbler.

Nashville Warbler

Butterflies are Flying!

Today I spent the mid-day hours cruising some very sandy and dusty pine barrens.  I don't think my car or optics will ever forgive me.  It was worth it.  I found a couple of year birds and three year Leps!

The first was a bug that I wasn't sure I would find in Cass County - Olympia Marble - , and I didn't.  I found three individuals about .25 miles out of Cass County in Hubbard County.  What a spectacular bug!  - It hangs out in sandy pine / oak barrens and is quite a looker -

Olympia Marble - Euchloe olympia

Once I swung back into Cass County I found some new "blue" butterflies.  The first one flew in through the sunroof and out the rear window.  This bug was VERY difficult prey for my camera!

Spring Azure - Celastrina ladon marginata

This next blue butterfly almost went unidentified as I thought it was just another Spring Azure, but upon closer examination I discovered it was a very different bug indeed!

Silvery Blue - Glaucopsyche lygdomus

Today the Mustard Whites were out in big numbers.  I would estimate 50+ bugs seen through out the day!  Most were along McKinley Rd anywhere the road came close to a wetland.  Here is a shot of one nectaring on a Willow blossom.  

Mustard White - Pieris napi

Spring Night Sounds

Tonight, I went down to the dock to enjoy the sounds of a beautiful spring evening.  After about thirty minutes I went back to the house and decided to do some digging on the Macaulay Library to confirm a couple of the things that I had heard.  Here are my favorites:

First the frogs...

Chorus Frog - These have been amazingly loud in the vernal pools near the house, and were easily heard from the dock tonight.
Leopard Frog - Last night was the first time this year I had heard this very eerie sound.  Brings to mind alien communications - unfortunately the recording doesn't do it justice.
Wood Frog - This frog sounds to me like it is choking.
Spring Peeper - Perhaps because of the name - every spring I think that this will be the first frog that I hear - alas it is usually the third or fourth - this year the third coming in just ahead of the Leopard frog.

... then the birds.

Common Loon - the state bird.  Need I say more.
Wilson's Snipe one of my favorite animal sounds - this winnowing is produced by the wind running over the birds wings as it makes a rapid dive.
American Woodcock - Macaulay only had the peenting of this bird.  It also has a "dive sound" like the Snipe, but instead of a winnow it is a rapidly and intermittently accelerating twitter.  Very Cool!  - Get out to a grassy field just after dark and listen!
Virginia Rail - this bird was new to the Blackwater Birds list tonight.
Northern Saw-whet Owl - The broadcast call is usually heard on very dark nights around here.
Barred Owl - My favorite - this bird calls day and night here at Blackwater.

Ruffed Grouse - I discovered this year that Ruffed Grouse will "drum" well into the night.  I had thought it was something they only did on warm spring days.  Goes to show if you only go out on warm spring days you can make some silly assumptions about bird behaviors.

Now for a real experience try to get all of these playing at the same time.  Then you will know what it was like sitting on my dock tonight.  Although I didn't mention the Goldeneyes, Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, and other birds that would have made this list far too long.

To get them all to play try right clicking the links and selecting "Open in New Tab".

Get outside at night and listen!

Good Birding!

Gooseberry Falls

Last week the wife and I were discussing an amazing fact.  We realized that we had not had a single night to ourselves in four years!  Cue - Grandma!  In no time we had booked a room on the North Shore, which we learned locals are now trying to call the North Coast - hmmm - seems like a stretch.  Nonetheless, we had a GREAT time.

Here are some pics from Gooseberry Falls.

Gooseberry Upper Falls

Gooseberry Lower Falls

Cedars along Gooseberry River

Boreal Chickadee

On Wednesday March 10th I was birding the large bog and surrounding area around Battleground State Forest east of Leech Lake.  It was a foggy warm late winter day - typical for this part of the country.  The birding had already been productive (Northern Shrike, game farm Ring-necked Pheasant, and most the usual suspects)  when I pulled to a stop next to a large stand of conifers that has historically produced both species of crossbills and several other boreal specialties.

For some reason the mixed stand of spuce, pine and tamarack seemed like a good place to play for Boreal Chickadee.  It should be noted - I have NEVER seen a Boreal Chickadee in Cass County and my friends at the Deep Portage Bird Observatory have only reported the bird twice.  I should also mention, in general, I don't use audio recordings to aid in my birding.  However, after several weeks of extraordinarily slow birding I decided to break out the iPod.  I selected the Boreal Chickadee track from the Stokes Album and laid down my own whistled version of an Eastern Screech Owl over top.

Instantly I was overtaken by curious, alert, and alarmed birds.  Several Black-capped Chickadees came perilously close to perching on my head, while Red-breasted Nuthatches chattered with much enthusiasm, and Purple Finches whistled an announcement of their presence.  I had barely started to enjoy the commotion when a small oddly colored bird caught my eye. It skulked toward me moving quickly from branch to branch amongst a thick cluster of spruce.  It then took flight across the road and my heart fluttered as I instantly made the ID.

Without thinking about such trivialities as exposure compensation, ISO, or even aperture I grabbed my camera from inside my car and hurriedly took as many shots as I could.

Unfortunately, this is probably the best shot I took.  While this photo isn't going to win any awards, I was excited when I first inspected the image on my computer.  In the field I hadn't noticed the white tail feathers and outer primaries.  Full disclosure - My first reaction to this picture was "Oh *$%#!" I had already posted the sighting to the MOU Listserv and now I had to research the possibility that it was a Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee.

My research and a photo clearly showing a gray auricular on the bird quickly allayed my fears.  But what about those white feathers.  I can't find much on the internets. Maybe it is just a common trait in a bird I have little experience with.