From cdrussin at centurylink.net Sat Jun 1 10:06:46 2024 From: cdrussin at centurylink.net (DONALD GRUSSING Owner) Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2024 08:06:46 -0700 Subject: [Mnbird] Geese formations Message-ID: These migrations are not always successful. I was told a few years ago by one of the fish and wildlife professionals. that one molt flock elected to handle the molt on an island out in one of the large northern lakes (I don't remember what lake). The island did not have enough natural foodstuffs to sustain the flock and all the birds died of starvation. I've since been using that story as an example of the problems overpopulation can bring to any species, including Homo sapiens. Some knowledge of the molt migrations was acquired by observations of geese marked with orange neck collars nesting in the Twin cities area. The collars were placed on non-mating juveniles in molt migration areas in Manitoba in previous years. In following years, the mature birds mated and stayed in Minnesota to raise their broods. Don Grussing Minnetonka On Thu, 30 May, 2024 at 8:24 PM, Rebecca Field via Mnbird wrote: To: carla smith Cc: mnbird at lists.mnbird.net I witnessed the same thing over Long Lake in Orono. Becky Field On Thu, May 30, 2024 at 7:57?PM Carla Smith via Mnbird > wrote: What is going on with the geese today? I?ve seen and heard about 8 large formations flying over honking continuously. The first two were at about 4 and 4:30 this morning before it was even light. They were so loud and it went on so long that it actually woke me up! Seems like a strange time of year to be flying in large formations. Most have been heading northwest although part of the most recent one was circling a bit. Are they perhaps sensing unsettled weather on the way? I?m in Independence just northwest of the lake. Carla_______________________________________________ Mnbird mailing list Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From snoeowl at aol.com Sun Jun 16 15:25:37 2024 From: snoeowl at aol.com (Allen Batt) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2024 15:25:37 -0500 Subject: [Mnbird] Freeeborn County backyard birds References: Message-ID: A glance out the windows showcasing feeders unveiled a Red-headed Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Northern Cardinal, Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay and Black-capped Chickadee. I don?t wonder why I watch birds, but if I did, I?d find a reason in the beauty beyond the glass. A Great Crested Flycatcher continues to battle his reflection in several of those windows. Inchworms (cankerworms) are so abundant this year, I rarely see a House Wren bill without a green worm in it. A check of the bluebird boxes was good news. If a bluebird you see, a good time having you be. Al Batt Freeborn County From snoeowl at aol.com Wed Jun 26 13:23:50 2024 From: snoeowl at aol.com (Allen Batt) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2024 13:23:50 -0500 Subject: [Mnbird] A wondrous week in birds References: Message-ID: On a rare night without rain, I watched a baseball game at Mueller Park in New Ulm and listened to Common Nighthawks flying overhead and calling for ?beans,? but eating flying insects instead. At home, I watched two suet holders do a thriving business. The birds I saw feeding on suet over the week were: Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, European Starling, House Sparrow, Common Grackle, White-breasted Nuthatch, Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay and that gold standard of birds, the Black-capped Chickadee. A Hairy Woodpecker male displayed noisily with his bill pointed upward and bobbing from side to side of the suet feeder. I found a Red-winged Blackbird nest with three eggs (blue with black markings) in it, which was 2 feet off the ground in a Canada Thistle in a prairie planting. In Disney?s animated version of ?Alice in Wonderland,? the White Rabbit sang, ?I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! No time to say ?Hello,? goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!? My yard?s version of the White Rabbit was a late Blackburnian Warbler here on June 19. It posed for a photo, noticed the time and fled the scene. A Eurasian Tree Sparrow has been a recurring guest star on the suet feeders. ?Do something wild today. Look at a bird.? ? Al Batt, Freeborn County -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hamerjohn34 at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 14:04:17 2024 From: hamerjohn34 at gmail.com (John Hamer) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2024 14:04:17 -0500 Subject: [Mnbird] A wondrous week in birds In-Reply-To: References:

Message-ID: Sounds great. I have taken over the bird feeders for the Glenn. The spot where they have the feeders is right next to a ten foot long brush. It is perfect for the sparrows except for the cooper's hawk. He/she comes around the corner about one foot off the ground moving fast, sweeps into the shrubs and comes out with a meal. I can't seem to enrich the variety. Any thoughts. I discovered a chipping sparrow yesterday. John Hamer On Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 1:25?PM Allen Batt via Mnbird < mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> wrote: > On a rare night without rain, I watched a baseball game at Mueller Park > in New Ulm and listened to Common Nighthawks flying overhead and calling > for ?beans,? but eating flying insects instead. > At home, I watched two suet holders do a thriving business. The birds I > saw feeding on suet over the week were: Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, > Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy > Woodpecker, European Starling, House Sparrow, Common Grackle, > White-breasted Nuthatch, Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay and that gold standard > of birds, the Black-capped Chickadee. > A Hairy Woodpecker male displayed noisily with his bill pointed upward > and bobbing from side to side of the suet feeder. > I found a Red-winged Blackbird nest with three eggs (blue with black > markings) in it, which was 2 feet off the ground in a Canada Thistle in a > prairie planting. > In Disney?s animated version of ?Alice in Wonderland,? the White Rabbit > sang, ?I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! No time to say > ?Hello,? goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!? > My yard?s version of the White Rabbit was a late Blackburnian Warbler > here on June 19. It posed for a photo, noticed the time and fled the scene. > A Eurasian Tree Sparrow has been a recurring guest star on the suet > feeders. > > ?Do something wild today. Look at a bird.? ? Al Batt, Freeborn County > > _______________________________________________ > Mnbird mailing list > Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net > http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sallystaggert at yahoo.com Wed Jun 26 20:17:25 2024 From: sallystaggert at yahoo.com (Sally Staggert) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:17:25 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Mnbird] A wondrous week in birds In-Reply-To: References:

Message-ID: <369318061.5898919.1719451045657@mail.yahoo.com> Love it! Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 2:05 PM, John Hamer via Mnbird wrote: Sounds great.? I have taken over the bird feeders for the Glenn.? ?The spot where they have the feeders is right next to a ten foot long brush.? It is perfect for the sparrows except for the cooper's hawk.? He/she comes around the corner about one foot off the ground moving fast, sweeps into the shrubs and comes?out with a meal. I can't seem to enrich?the variety.? Any thoughts.? ?I discovered a chipping sparrow yesterday. John Hamer On Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 1:25?PM Allen Batt via Mnbird wrote: ? On a rare night without rain, I watched a baseball game at Mueller Park in New Ulm and listened to Common Nighthawks flying overhead and calling for ?beans,? but eating flying insects instead.? At home, I watched two suet holders do a thriving business. The birds I saw feeding on suet over the week were: Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, European Starling, House Sparrow, Common Grackle, White-breasted Nuthatch, Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay and that gold standard of birds, the Black-capped Chickadee.?? A Hairy Woodpecker male displayed noisily with his bill pointed upward and bobbing from side to side of the suet feeder.? I found a Red-winged Blackbird nest with three eggs (blue with black markings) in it, which was 2 feet off the ground in a Canada Thistle in a prairie planting.?? In Disney?s animated version of ?Alice in Wonderland,? the White Rabbit sang, ?I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! No time to say ?Hello,? goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!??? My yard?s version of the White Rabbit was a late Blackburnian Warbler here on June 19. It posed for a photo, noticed the time and fled the scene.? A Eurasian Tree Sparrow has been a recurring guest star on the suet feeders. ?Do something wild today. Look at a bird.? ? Al Batt, Freeborn County _______________________________________________ Mnbird mailing list Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net _______________________________________________ Mnbird mailing list Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From loiswilland at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 21:27:43 2024 From: loiswilland at gmail.com (Lois Willand) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2024 21:27:43 -0500 Subject: [Mnbird] Birdsong at dusk in my neighborhood has suddenly ceased Message-ID: In the few days before the summer solstice, I'd been enjoying listening to the pre-sunset concert of neighborhood robins, cardinals and jays on my street in Minneapolis just east of the main campus of the University of Minnesota. I'd note how the various birds seem to be carrying on a song conversation, and how as darkness increased there would be a decline in the song exchange until the last bird stopped singing and all was quiet. But since June 20, there has been no bird song at all in the evening. Has anyone else noticed a similar dropoff in evening birdsong? Lois Willand Minneapolis -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lfimmo at comcast.net Wed Jun 26 22:02:07 2024 From: lfimmo at comcast.net (lfimmo) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2024 22:02:07 -0500 Subject: [Mnbird] Question on behavior Message-ID: There is a house wren in a wren house with babies. A month ago I noticed other birds mobbing mother wren with some trying to get in the house. These were Goldfinchs and Sparrows, 4 or five total. Mother wren was beside herself trying to protect the babies. I waved them away but they returned. I don't know how much longer this occurred but I left and returned and all seemed back to normal. Today, I saw the same mobbing. I hadn't noticed this happening in the past? Can someone explain what is happening??Thanks!Sent from my Galaxy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cdrussin at centurylink.net Thu Jun 27 09:37:53 2024 From: cdrussin at centurylink.net (DONALD GRUSSING Owner) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2024 07:37:53 -0700 Subject: [Mnbird] Question on behavior Message-ID: Never heard of Goldfinches joining with House Sparrows in mobbing a cavity nesting bird. House Sparrows would mob a wren if it had invaded the house sparrow nest and was destroying it, eggs or house sparrow young. If there were wren "babies" in the house a month ago, they would have departed already. It's possible that the first observation involved a wren attacking the house sparrow nest and a couple of Goldfinches got excited by the mobbing and joined in the anti-predatory behavior. Or there was a snake in the nest. Perhaps this is the second nesting attempt by the House Sparrows and the wren is attacking it again. Could there be an active House Wren nest nearby. If the entry hole in the house is 1 1/8 inch in diameter or smaller that sparrows cannot get in and the mobbing should soon stop. That would indicate that it actually is a wren nest inside. They rarely use the same house or cavity for two broods in the same year. Don Grussing Minnetonka On Wed, 26 Jun, 2024 at 10:02 PM, lfimmo via Mnbird wrote: To: mnbird at lists.mnbird.net There is a house wren in a wren house with babies. A month ago I noticed other birds mobbing mother wren with some trying to get in the house. These were Goldfinchs and Sparrows, 4 or five total. Mother wren was beside herself trying to protect the babies. I waved them away but they returned. I don't know how much longer this occurred but I left and returned and all seemed back to normal. Today, I saw the same mobbing. I hadn't noticed this happening in the past? Can someone explain what is happening? Thanks! Sent from my Galaxy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: