TGiving Wishes

Hope everyone has a nice and safe holiday.  And - as the note says - don't eat too much frozen squirrel.

More SD birds

Male Harris's not fully molted-in winter plumage yet

Probably anyone who knows me, knows that the Harris's sparrow is my all time favorite.  Two individuals hung out under the feeders in SD. 

Adult male Harris's with winter plumage

Young black-crowned night heron

American Tree Sparrow

Western grebe

SD birds

Will post several pics here from recent trip to SD.  Was a little weird to see Ring-neck pheasants and long-billed dowitchers in the same flooded cornfield.  In November.  Nice list of birds seen, though.  The geese were a nice surprise and mix - Ross', Greater white-fronted, Canada, Cackling and Snows.

White-faced Ibis

Long billed Dowitchers

Prairie Falcon

Young red-tailed hawk

Also young red-tailed hawk

Yellow headed blackbird

Golden eagle

Great Fall Birds

Fall is one of my favorite times of year for many reasons.  One is - SPARROWS!  So many different species, and not enough time to see them as they pass through.

First pic - white-crowned on the left, and white-throated on the right.

And the cedar waxings!

Bird Banding Misc

First three images are the FOY (First of the Year) American Tree Sparrow for me at recent Springbrook banding.  Had read that some folks in town were seeing them already, so nice to get one in hand.  See the bi-colored bill?

Brown Creeper.  Late to see one.  Hope it gets out of town quickly.

Last images are of birds near the feeders - with bands!  The Northern Cardinal has a band, almost covered in the leaves. 

This Red-bellied has a band (and a very flexible neck).

The White-breasted Nuthatch certainly availed himself with the seed set out.

OLD Hairy Woodpecker

Pretty exciting news to share!  Comes under the heading of "why we band birds."  At a recent Springbrook banding, had the 25th encounter with a female hairy woodpecker.  Turns out she might be a record breaker.  She was banded as a hatch year bird in October 4, 1998.  The current third-oldest record of this species in the Bird Banding Lab database is 14 years 3 months.  Depending on when the BBL will determine her hatch date, she could very well be 14 years 4 months.  How cool! 

Took some pics of the band that she has had this entire time.  It was getting very worn and thin.  Though she has never shown an injury due to this band in the 25 times she has been seen since original banding date, it was decided to give her a new, fresh one, and link to the number in the BBL database. 

The Wood Ducks Made Me Do It

I was not unlike a crow entranced by a shiny object a few days ago.  Came upon some very accomodating Wood Ducks, and ended up losing about 30 minutes in rapt wonder.  I mean - look at that! 

Raptors in Flight

Random eagle and Cooper's hawk flight pics.  Last couple of days have been feast or famine for birds hoping to move - high winds that assist, or rain that keeps them low/down.