Late little winter

After an incredibly mild January and February, it was a given that we would get some winter as soon as spring sports came into season, and while the one storm didn't live up to the predictions (locally, at least), it ushered in what now feels like a regular old North Dakota winter-to-spring transition.

March is maybe the month which feels the longest in regard to birding. Part of that is owed to the fact that I don't really want to put in the miles required for 'productive' winter birding, and part of it is knowing how close we are to the glorious months of April and May.

Since coming home from the cities, I've been down to the park a few times, feeding the Canadas and checking the river for migrating ducks and geese. I've also been keeping the backyard feeders stocked. Our little winter 'storm' did bring a nice surge of activity.

Another morning at the park:

To close out March, I walked over to the Bois de Sioux Adventure Area, a little wooded elbow of the Bois de Sioux, and completed my first checklist without a camera in years. It was nice to be out with just binoculars and a notepad and not having to lug a heavy lens around. There were a fair number of resident species about. Plus, I got to stand right inside a little group of Golden-crowned Kinglets.

State Hockey and Some Birding

Another season of Minnesota high school hockey has concluded. I made a short stop at the Riverside Waterfowl Sanctuary in Fergus Falls on my way to the cities to watch some of games of the state tournament and hang out with family. The sanctuary was mildly full of Canadas. There were a few goldeneyes (all of the common sort). The rest were your usual year-round species of the upper Midwest.

I arrived in the cities to catch the last AA quarterfinal and the next morning hit the paved trail of the Kane Meadows Open Space in Blaine. Here again were a few migrating waterfowl among an expected cast.

A good deal of hockey later, I started home, making a pitstop at the Saint John's Abbey Arboretum. I look forward to going there again. Conveniently just off interstate with a nice mix of water and little wooded pockets.

I then drove by the sewage lagoons in Breckenridge before arriving back home. The water was still partially frozen, so my only sighting was a few horned larks hanging out on the rocks. Now, I'm hoping to do a good bit of local waterfowl spotting before the migratory sparrows and warblers start making their way through the upper Midwest.

Early Spring

It's been an unbelievably warm winter, and spring seems (fingers crossed, knocking on wood, etc.) to be on its way in. While planning for the big summer trips, I've been getting out for fresh air and local wildlife.

Another New Year

To end another drought, here's a short rundown on the end of 2023.

I was pretty burnt out after the Louisiana trip (something about squinting at thousands of pictures of gulls and terns). My fall birding was restricted to watching the backyard feeders and a few walks through the park. Most exciting was seeing a cackling goose up close at the park and watching the migratory birds investigating the garden.

Due to my schedule, I opted not to take part in Project FeederWatch for the 2023-2024 season. I'm hoping things work out better for 2024-2025. So far into this snowless winter, I have seen Pine Siskins amid the usual finches, woodpeckers, chickadees and other birds.

My last birding for 2023 took place over this last weekend when a friend and I did some birding by car and foot in northern Minnesota. The morning was wet and cool, and we arrived at our site with the day's first light. Not long into our slow drive, my friend called, "Owl, owl." I slowed to a stop. Atop a dead tree not twenty feet behind us was an owl, almost certainly a Great Gray. Unfortunately, I was in a very awkward position to snap a picture, lighting was poor, and another car pulled up behind us and stopped next to the owl. The owl flew over the other car as the driver came up to ask what we had seen.

I told my friend as we drove away, laughing and frustrated, that I had a good feeling we would see another owl. We drove a few more miles before spotting a lifer for me: a very distant Northern Hawk Owl perched up in a tree.

It wasn't long until the second lifer of the day appeared: a tiny silhouette which turned out to be a Northern Shrike!

Before heading back, we walked a short trail and saw plenty of woodpeckers, chickadees and Canada Jays.

Louisiana Trip, V

 Day 5-6: Joyce Wildlife Management Area, Wickliffe Park, Horseshoe Lake

• Began birding on the drive back.
• Considered birding Grand Isle on the way out (sort of wish I had).
• Joyce WMA Highlights: The swamp walk was shorter than I thought it would be. Saw no new birds but heard another barred owl.

• Cut across tips of Kentucky and Illinois. Was hoping to make a decent stop in each state but some storms kept me moving.
• Originally planned to camp at Horseshoe Lake in Illinois but ended up going to Missouri and nabbing a few hours of sleep.

This phoebe in Illinois found a handy little perch to flycatch from.

Louisiana Trip, IV

 Day 4: Grand Isle

• Woke up for gate opening at Grand Isle SP. Waited outside taking photos of birds wandering, perching and flying. Gate never opened but managed two lifers: clapper rails (only ones spotted on the trip) and black skimmers. Can't complain?

• Drove to Ninety West Park. Wandered through the park and nearby roads.
• Highlight of the day was watching a least bittern (lifer) cling to the reeds for a few minutes before flying off.

• Day heating up. Returned to the marina to watch terns and saw my first (do not know my oceanic wildlife) dolphin? Turns out dolphins aren't as easy to photograph with a zoom lens from a dock as I would have figured.

• Made another stop at the Ninety West Park and the beach.
• Loads of terns and gulls on the beach. No lifers but had fun taking pictures and walking barefoot on the sand while almost everyone else . . . drove the beach? Hm.