Distracting Cedar Waxwings

Tonight is Birds and Beers at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park--with maybe a little bird banding.  Should be awesome with all the migrants around. Starts at 6pm. Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities to mildly interested to hardcore.  It's a way to get together and talk some birds.  Normally, we meet in a pub, but migration is so awesome, we're meeting outside...and Coon Rapids does allow alcohol if you would like to BYOB.

A huge flock of cedar waxwings have descended upon my neighborhood.  It started at dawn yesterday, I sat up in bed and Non Birding Bill asked, "What's wrong?"

"Waxwings," I groggily replied, "they're everywhere, hear them?"

"That sound is a bird?"

And they've been covering the trees and using puddles on the surrounding apartment buildings for birdbaths.  They were using the one that was further away, but I set my scope and camera over towards the pool that's closest to my window (it's the puddle that the Cooper's hawk used a couple of years ago).

And sure enough, just as I was about to hop on my bike for a lunch meeting, all the waxwings finally came down to the puddle in good light.  I decided to be late and get a few shots--look at them, it's like a bunch of tarted up female cardinals.  I took a video and you can hear the waxwings, a robin, my cockatiel, and my fingers typing a text message to my friend telling him that I'm going to be late to our lunch because of the waxwing photo opportunity:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBBcqu1KHhk[/youtube]

I wondered why the waxwings kept avoiding this particular pond and if you noticed in the video, they all took off as if startled by something?  Well, here's the reason why:

This male robin was not happy with anyone using this puddle.  He chased off house sparrows, the waxwings, and other robins.  His nest must be near it.  I'll be curious to see if he tries to chase off that Cooper's hawk if she decides to use it again.

Contest & Another Birds and Beers

Don't forget that there's still time to enter the Birdorable Guest Blogging Contest.  Get those blog entries in soon. Hey! We're having our May Birds and Beers at Coon Rapids Dam this Thursday, May 7, 2009.  The bonus, Mark Newstrom is going to set up his nets to see if we get any birds.  Sure it will be evening, but it's migration, so anything is possible.  For the start, my buddy Michelle Anderson (and the hottest naturalist in the Twin Cities) will give us a list of coming programs and then we can talk, bird and have a beverage--alcohol is allowed in this park if you would like to bring your own.  We'll start at 6pm.

Birds and Beers is usually an informal gathering at a pub for birders of all abilities to get together, have a beverage, and talk some birds.  However, we had so much fun at the tailgating birds and beers, we thought we would do some more outdoors to add in a little informal birding.

Woodcock Birds and Beers Reloaded

Well, it was a mixed bag at last week's Birds and Beers, but we had a first!

Birds actually showed up to Birds and Beers!  For those new to this site, Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities.  Normally, we meet at a pub and talk some birds.  This time, we decided to take it on the trail to a park to gather for some socializing and then watch woodcocks.  As we had our little tailgate party going in the parking lot of the park, this pair of mallards waddled over in the parking lot to join in the fun.  I think they sensed chips and crackers (and a few bird suckers).  They were welcomed with open arms.

The original plan with this Birds and Beers was to tailgate a bit at Lebanon Hills Regional Park until the sunset, then we were going to look for woodcocks.  All went according to plan--it got dark and the woodcocks started to do their "peent"...for about two minutes then they abruptly stopped singing, never to be heard for the rest of the night!  We heard some other birds including wild turkey, great horned owl and barred owl, but the woodcocks...they totally teased and ditched us.  I felt bad, this was a life bird for some in the group.  However, with birding, that's the way it sometimes crumbles, cookie-wise.

But, Birds and Beers regular and all around good egg, Linda Whyte has suggested that we use this coming Wednesday's rain date for Birds and Beers to go to Cliff Fen in Burnsville and try for woodcocks there.  Which I think is a capital idea.  She emailed me directions and a map!

Cliff Fen Park is just east of the 35W bridge, on the south side of the river, and you access Cliff Road East from Highway 13 or Cliff Road W directly from the 35W exit and Frontage road just south of the river.

Once in the lot, you walk along a dirt drive/path at the edge of the adjacent ballpark, passing close by some small cinder block buildings, and find a brown wooden sign with information about the Scientific and Natural Area. This marks the entrance to the path that crosses the tracks, and there is no other trail through the  area. The trail will lead past a pair of power stanchions, just after which we should find a likely open patch to do a stake-out.

So, we're going to try again for the woodcocks on Wednesday, April 29 and this time we'll meet at about 8pm. If it's raining, it will be cancelled.

Now, there is one small snafu that could happen.  I might not be there.  I just got word that our bees are supposed to arrive any time this week.  If I get the call that our bees arrive on Wednesday, then I will have to go out and hive the packages--must get them installed in their new home right away.  But Linda and the rest of the gang will be there.  Who knows, maybe my absence will insure that the woodcocks will put on a great show?

If you can't make this Birds and Beers, we are planning another one before I go to Kazakhstan either May 7 or 8 at Coon Rapids.  As soon as I get the details worked out, I'll post them in the blog and on the Facebook Twin Cities Birding Group.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the tailgate end of the Birds and Beers this time.  It was fun to gather and laugh while doing some light birding.  It fit well with the theme that Birds and Beers is an informal get together for other birders to meet...and this time have birds join the party.

Don't Forget Birds And Beers Wednesday

The next Birds and Beers will be Wednesday, April 22 at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.  The woodcocks start their display about 15 - 20 minutes after sunset, which means they will start around 8:30pm. Since the display area is next to the visitor center at the park, we’ll meet there starting about 6:30pm and have an old fashioned tailgate party–you can come early to mingle or come closer to magic hour.  Bring your own food and beverages and we’ll laugh until it’s Woodcock Time.  The park closes at 10pm, so this gives us plenty of time to get some great birding done. I have an all day park service meeting, I might run a tad late.

Birds & Beers, Woodcock Edition Is 04-22-09

So, Friday night I headed out with a few friends to scout for woodcocks for the next Birds and Beers--we had success and found at least three woodcocks.  Above is a very blurry photo of one of them.  Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities to meet with others, have a beverage, and talk some birds. You can promote an upcoming bird event or website, share research, look for a birding buddy, or just learn what this birding thing is all about.  It's relaxed and fun!  Normally, we do this at a pub, but we're so excited to get out in some warm weather, that the next gathering is going to be combined with some fun birding: watching woodcocks!

The next Birds and Beers will be Wednesday, April 22 at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.  The woodcocks start their display about 15 - 20 minutes after sunset, which means they will start around 8:30pm. Since the display area is next to the visitor center at the park, we'll meet there starting about 6:30pm and have an old fashioned tailgate party--you can come early to mingle or come closer to magic hour.  Bring your own food and beverages and we'll laugh until it's Woodcock Time.  The park closes at 10pm, so this gives us plenty of time to get some great birding done.

Looking at the park rules, I can't find anything that says "no alcohol period" but I did find rules that say no alcoholic beverages at the beach or trails, so use good judgment, this is a family park and it's no fun running through brush in the dark looking for a small brown bird if you are toasted.

If it is pouring down rain on April 22, this event will be  postponed to the following Wednesday, April 29.

If you are unfamiliar with how to watch woodcocks, here is a video that Non Birding Bill and I made a few years ago for Eagle Optics. This is fun birding, I've taken a few non birders and they've all had a great time:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeBevezTpx0[/youtube]

The friends who went out with me on the scouting mission included a couple of kids.  One even made me the cutest thank you card:

I love the little woodcock head in the binocular view.  She has them saying "Mah" as opposed to "peent" which just cracks me up.  My absolute favorite part is the little portrait of me down in the right hand corner:

It's me demonstrating how to cup your hands behind your ears and opening your mouth--this increases your hearing by 40% (partially because you aren't talking while doing this).

Spread the word for the next Birds and Beers, should be a blast!

Fun Links Monday

A quick word about the next Birds and Beers: we're going to try and combine it with watching woodcocks in April.  We have a lekking spot south of the Cities in Dakota County and then one on the west side of the Twin Cities in Carver.  All I need to do now is find a nice pub...or I could just take my Swarovski flask.  My buddy Steve Ingraham got some video of a woodcock which you can check out here. If the Viera Owl Cam is not enough of bird live cams, you can check out a live bald eagle cam here.  I will warn you, on a windy day, the camera can make you a tad motion sick.

Don't forget that for the most complete list of live bird nest cams, you can check the list at Beakspeak for the latest news and the various species monintored on the interwebs.

I have to give some major props to Birdchaser--he's the host of this week's I and the Bird, a blog carnival that showcases the best in bird nature blogs.  Individual bird bloggers can submit their best post from the last two weeks to the host and then the host organizes it into one creative theme.  This is a great way to sample the many awesome bird blogs out there and if you are a new blogger, hosting this carnival is good way to get people to visit your site.  I always have the best intentions of submitting an entry into I and the Bird but always forget.  Birdchaser was kind enough to pick a post for me.  He gets major web cred though for his oystercatcher theme and design.  Bravo, Birdchaser, to a theme well done and thank you so much for thinking so kindly of my blog entry and including it.  Hands down, this is the best I and the Bird theme yet!

If you're in the mood for something a little gross and well, just don't have a strong attachment to coots, then check out the photo that Chris Benesh took of an alligator eating a coot.  It's a great shot of coot feet, but alas the situation did not end well for the coot.  You have been warned, here is a link to the photo.

Upcoming Birds & Beers

The next Birds and Beers is scheduled for March 19, 2009 at 6pm at Merlin's Rest.

Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities--if you're interested in birds, you're invited. You can meet other birders--maybe find a carpool buddy, ask about where to find target birds, share cool research projects you might be working on, ask a bird feeding question, share life lists, share some digiscoping tips, promote your blog--the sky is the limit. It's low key and it's fun.

There Will Be A February Birds and Beers!

Hey, great news for all you Birds and Beers fans. The regulars are going to host one in my absence!

The next Birds and Beers is Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm at Merlin's Rest!

Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities--if you're interested in birds, you're invited. You can meet other birders--maybe find a carpool buddy, ask about where to find target birds, share cool research projects you might be working on, ask a bird feeding question, share life lists, share some digiscoping tips, promote your blog--the sky is the limit. It's low key and it's fun.

Curt from National Camera Exchange in Golden Valley organized it (a great place to get cameras and optics). What a great staff who are happy to help me keep Birds and Beers going while I'm in Guatemala! Thanks, Curt, you rock!

Birds & Beers & Banding

The last Birds and Beers was a huge gathering. Some regulars and some new peeps came to join in the fun.

We had a drawing from some prizes courtesy of Woodlink. We gave away a few of their "Happy Hour Hummingbird Feeders." They're nectar feeders in the shape of a daiquiri, margarita, and martini--how appropriate! In the background of this photo is Liz Stanley who runs The Overlook Circle Feeder Cam. She warns on her site that images are uploaded every 30 seconds during daylight hours, Central Time. During the winters here, days are short so daylight is only 7:30am to 4:30pm. In the summer, it's much longer, lasting from 5:30am to 9:30pm. If the image is completely dark, please check back in the morning. Check it out! There's also Jim Ryan in the background who runs Jim Ryan Outdoors Blog.

The big excitement came when Mark Newstrom arrived with extra copies of the new Peter Pyle book, Identification Guide to North American Birds Part II. Some readers have seen Pyle referenced in this blog before, it's a sleep inducing tome essential to aging and sexing birds if you are a bander. Up to this point, we've only had Part I which had warblers, chickadees, sparrows, vireos, etc. This year part II was released which tells banders how to age and sex waterfowl, boobies and spoonbills. We took turns doing dramatic readings of Part II. There's a bit more talk of distended cloacas (great band name) and duck penises in this volume, but that's about as exciting as it gets. Here's a sentence from the zone-tailed hawk section:

"Shape and color pattern to the retrices by feather generation and sex in Zone-tailed Hawk. R5 is shown and is usualy the last feather replaced during molts and the most likely to be retained during the PB2 and DPB."

Or there's this on molt in Canada geese:

"PF partial-incomplete (Sep/Nov-Jan/Apr in HY/SYs), PB2 complete (Jun-Nov in non-breeding SYs), DPB complete (Jul-Dec in breeding AHYs); PA absent."

And if you can understand either of those sentences, then you'll want a copy of the Peter Pyle book. If you don't, take heart that you have a life and run before you get sucked in to the point of no return.

Speaking of banding, we had an interesting and busy morning at Carpenter Nature Center on Friday--lots of juncos! I think they sensed the impending blizzard that was about to hit. Above is a Potter's Trap and it has 2 doors and usually only gets 1 or 2 birds at a time. This trap had three juncos in it!

We also got in some chickadees and a blue jay (the blue jay got in the traps before I arrived, so no photo).

We did get another interesting retrap. I was processing this black-capped chickadee that already had a band. When I read the number to Mary who helps us track the data, she looked it up and found that we originally banded this chickadee on November 10, 2006. I checked the archives of the blog to see if I had a photo of when it was first banded, but discovered that I was in Harlingen, TX at that time and wouldn't have been there on its original processing date.

Birds and Beers Tonight!

Birds and Beers is tonight at Merlin's Rest at 6pm! We'll have a raffle for some prizes courtesy of Woodlink.

Birds and Beers is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities--if you're interested in birds, you're invited. You can meet other birders--maybe find a carpool buddy, ask about where to find target birds, share cool research projects you might be working on, ask a bird feeding question, share life lists, share some digiscoping tips, promote your blog--the sky is the limit. It's low key and it's fun.

And if you need another laugh today, Non Birding Bill sent me this link to Kung Fu Squirrels. Enjoy!