2012 Yearlists page 2

Thanks Elphaba. Glad you got that Alder Flycatcher!

Mrs. Ed, Hope you can see that owl. Last year I saw one right near my pond in the late evening. I was just sitting quietly in a chair by the pond hoping to catch sight of the beavers that are decimating my trees. I heard the owl behind me, turned slowly and there it was - about 15 feet away. So cool to see. Of course, it saw (or heard) me move and skeedaddled.

A few to add to my list ...

158 - Forster's Tern (pending ID - I might have to scratch this one.)
159 - Broad-winged Hawk
160 - Cooper's Hawk
161 - Sharp-shinned Hawk
162 - Cattle Egret (I should have already had this one and the next one - They are all over the place around here. I just forgot to count them.)
163 - Blue Jay
164 - Sandwich Tern
165 - Black Tern (also pending ID - It might not be countable.)

I saw most of these at the Smith Point hawk watch tower. There was an expert birder, Tony Leukering, at the tower counting birds and he was kind enough to point out birds for me and tell me the identifying characteristics. I learned a lot. There were some that Tony pointed out that I just couldn't get on quickly enough to see and count. Many of the ones we saw were already on my list. In spite of the storms rolling through, it was a good day.

Very cool shot Patti. Nice additions too. I've never been to the Smith Point hawk watch. I've heard about it though. Saw over 100 Broad-winged Hawks fly over Sheldon Lake yesterday. Gave me the itch to see more! Also heard a Barred Owl and was just aching to see it. Didn't find it though.

Thanks, Elphaba. While I was at the tower, it was pretty slow - nothing like 100 hawks at one time. But, as you know, it is not unusual to see that and a whole lot more (thousands) on a good day. The raptors I expected, but I was surprised to see all of the other birds, orchard orioles, blue-gray gnatcatchers, blue jays, ww and mourning doves, hundreds of swallows, several large flights of roseate spoonbills, ibis, egrets, herons, magnificant frigatebirds, and the list goes on ... And that was a slow day.

Patti

I've been kind of busy and still have some Warblers to put on our year list (It's a family thing) I want to get our numbers updated. It should be around 160.

I just wanted to share a couple birds we saw that really thrilled us. A Roseate Spoonbill, a younger one, was seen at the Saylorville Lake north of Des Moines. Based on the timing, we figured the hurricane brought it in. What was super cool, was that we got to see it. It was first spotted Wed. the 5th of this month and since we knew we were going on the field trip to this area, we were so hoping it'd still be there. It was!! Too far for our camera, but it was clearly seen in the scope. When people tried finding it that afternoon and the next morning, it was gone.

Our other bird is a Henslow's Sparrow. It came to our bird retreat just long enough to get its picture taken. I put it into the Bird Files here if you want to see it.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/showimage/7268/

Cool Chilly! on both counts! Henslow's would be a lifer for me, so really hoping to see one this winter. Amazing that you saw it and got a photo. Great job!

Autumn migration getting into full swing now!

214 - Velvet Scoter
215 - Long-tailed Skua
216 - Buff-breasted Sandpiper (pics)

Resin

Nice ones Resin!

I added #357 -- Red Knot.

This message was edited Sep 25, 2012 4:54 AM

86-Ruby-crowned kinglet. Have missed a photo twice, but I'll keep trying. The little stinker!

87 Sand Hill Crane. I've got some more warbler pix, but i think they are all ones I have already, though i'll put on the id forum and maybe be back with some more for the list.

Nice ones Mrs. Ed!

I had a new yard bird yesterday and ended up seeing three of them -- American Kestrels. Major hawk/falcon/kite migration going on yesterday and all 3 of these were fly overs.

Nice. If I had my binoculars several times in the yard, I think I know I could have added some more. Probably Nighthawks. I took a bunch of pictures today of warblers at the stream. I'm hoping some will be new.

358 - Red-breasted Nuthatch - had this bird for the year but not for the state. When I went to see this bird which is uncommon in this county, my friend had just seen an unusual flycatcher "that might be something good." We went back to the spot but didn't find it again until we were leaving. Turned out to be very rare for this area.
359 - Greater Pewee

360 -- Ruddy Ground Dove

Nice spell of east winds and rain dropped this lot in on the coast . . .

217 - Yellow-browed Warbler (from Siberia, at least 3,500 km away)
218 - Blyth's Reed Warbler (from Russia with love)
219 - Red-breasted Flycatcher (eastern Europe, Russia)

Resin

And two more today:

220 - Lapland Longspur
221 - Barred Warbler

Resin

A few more for my list ...

167 - Marsh Wren
168 -White Pelican
169 - Wood Duck
170 - Brown Creeper

Nice lists Patti and Resin.

I'm adding one.

361 - White-breasted Nuthatch

Well, I'm sure not going to win the monkey on a stick with my list, but here it is.

Bird list 2012
1. Australasian Grebe
2. Australian Reed Warbler
3. Australian White Ibis
4. Australian Gannet
5. Australian Hobby
6. Australian Magpie
7. Australian Pelican
8. Australian Pipit
9. Australian Raven
10. Australian Shoveler
11. Australian Spotted Crake
12. Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo
13. Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike
14. Black-fronted Dotterel
15. Black-shouldered Kite
16. Black Swan
17. Black-tailed Native-hen
18. Black-winged Stilt
19. Blue-billed Duck
20. Brown Goshawk
21. Brown Honeyeater
22. Buff-banded Rail
23. Caspian Tern
24. Common Bronzewing
25. Common Myna (Sydney)
26. Common Sandpiper (Freshwater Bay)
27. Crested Tern
28. Darter
29. Dusky Moorhen
30. Eurasian Coot
31. Fairy Wren (? Which one) {Leschenault Inlet)
32. Feral Pigeon
33. Glossy Ibis
34. Great Cormorant
35. Great Crested Grebe
36. Great Egret
37. Grey Butcherbird
38. Grey Fantail
39. Grey Teal
40. Hoary-headed Grebe
41. Laughing Kookaburra
42. Laughing Turtledove
43. Little Black Cormorant
44. Little Corella
45. Little Egret
46. Little Grassbird (heard)
47. Magpie Lark
48. Mopoke (Southern Boobook) (heard)
49. Mountain Shelduck
50. Musk Duck
51. Nankeen Kestrel
52. Nankeen Night Heron
53. New Holland Honeyeater
54. Noisy Miner (Sydney)
55. Eastern Osprey
56. Pink and Grey Galah
57. Red-capped Plover
58. Red-necked Avocet
59. Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
60. Red Wattlebird
61. Striated Pardalote
62. Pacific Black Duck
63. Pacific Gull (immature, 2nd year)
64. Pacific Heron
65. Pied Cormorant
66. Pied Currawong (Sydney)
67. Pied Oystercatcher
68. Pink-eared Duck
69. Purple Swamphen
70. Rainbow Bee-eater
71. Rufous Whistler (Herdsman)
72. Sacred Kingfisher
73. Silvereye
74. Silver Gull
75. Singing Honeyeater
76. Spotted Dove
77. Straw-necked Ibis
78. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Sydney)
79. Twenty Eight (Port Lincoln Ringneck)
80. Welcome Swallow
81. Western Gerygone
82. Western Rosella
83. Whistling Kite
84. White-browed Scrub Wren
85. White-cheeked Honeyeater.
86. White-eyed Duck
87. White-faced Heron
88. Willie Wagtail
89. Wood duck (Australian)
90. Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Dang Margaret! you're getting too far ahead of me!

Hoping to get more with an "owl prowl" in a couple of weeks.

I can try, Resin. A day in the hills would possibly do it.

Not that far ahead, Marna. I think we'll share the prize for being the runners up.

yah, like 6th runners up! LOL

I'm going for a personal big year in 2013, due to a tropical vacation! Hmmm, maybe you can get some big numbers next year too.

I'm counting on it.

There's a monkey on a stick involved? Awesome! I have a wannabe monkey on my lap. Kind of looks like one and definitely makes a mess like one.

Yep, had to go about an hour and half north to get the White-breasted Nuthatch at Huntsville State Park. While I was there a friend found a Red-naped Sapsucker at LaFitte's Cove by the coast. I'm going there this morning but it's probably long gone. There was a Black-throated Blue warbler there too, but the winds have shifted, so I think I missed out.

362 - Red-naped Sapsucker!

Not only was the sapsucker there but lots of warblers were still around and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, buntings and even a Wood Thrush. I got the best photos of a Merlin that I've taken and a Great Horned owl serenaded me as I left.

Bad news is that there was a female Black-throated Blue which would be a lifer for me. I was standing next to the guy who saw it. Another group of people further up were snapping away with their cameras, so I went to join them to make sure I wasn't missing the BTB. They were photographing a Catbird. When I came back, I was lamenting about not seeing the BTB when this guy said, "but it was just here! I thought that's what everyone was photographing." I can't believe I missed it by moving to another spot to make sure that I didn't miss it. I waited all day in the hope of seeing it again, but no luck.

oh man. isn't THAT a pretty bird. Sorry you missed that warbler. :(

Elphy, I feel your frustration. Next time. Be consoled by the fact that you're romping it home with the year list.

I'm consoled. Thank you Margaret!

363 - Franklin's Gull

364 - Possible Western Wood-Pewee -- several experts have seen it and all agree that it's probably a Western, but it won't vocalize. Hopefully, it will before it leaves.

*shakes fist* Sing you mystery bird, sing!

LOL! It's like you were there.

Three more today:

222 - Little Auk
223 - Black-throated Diver
224 - Ring-necked Parakeet (feral)

Resin

And one more:

225 - Bohemian Waxwing

Resin

I have not kept up with this. At all. Each of you have some great birds.

Mrs. Ed, We went on an owl prowl in the dead of winter and though we learned a bit about owls, we didn't see a one. I hope you have/had better success than we did. We were consoled by the fact we have neighborhood Great Horned Owls who make a bit of noise at night.

Elphaba, did your Pewee ever make a sound?

Ok, I'll throw mine on here. I think a couple may be repeats, but they're all numbered now.
150. Black and White Warbler- 1 September (lifer)
151. Common Nighthawk- 2 September 2012 (Lifer)
152. Lincoln's Sparrow- 4 September 2012
153. Roseate Spoonbill- 8 September (Lifer)
154. Buff-breasted Sandpiper- 8 September (Lifer)
155.Semipalmated Sandpiper- 8 September
156. Caspian Tern - 8 September
157. Henslow's Sparrow- 12 September (Lifer)
158. Merlin- 14 September (Lifer)
159. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 15 September
160. Nashville Warbler- 19 September (Lifer)
161. Orange-crowned Warbler- 19 September (lifer)
162. Savannah Sparrow- 21 September (lifer)
163. Eastern Towhee- 22 September
164. Hermit Thrush - 12 October (lifer)
165. Le Conte's Sparrow - 28 October (Lifer)
166. Pine Siskin- 29 October (Lifer) My birthday bird!! Last year's was the Pileated, but haven't seen one since.

The majority have been seen at home. The B&W Warbler, two waterbirds, the sandpipers and the Red-breasted Nuthatch were seen elsewhere.

Nice list Chilly. I've never seen a Henslow's Sparrow. I understand them to be elusive little birds. Congrats on that one and all of them.

Burnin' up the road Resin. Awesome bird list.

88 - Brant Goose
89 - Pied Billed Grebe
90 - American Coot

going for 100 for 2012. I don't know if I'm going to make it. I better get my butt in gear and get out looking.

You can do it Mrs. Ed! I hear the theme song from Rocky -- or maybe Chariots of Fire -- yeah, that's the ticket.

365 -- American Bittern

haha !!! I hope so. Missed two today, but might try for them in the morning.

91- Common Loon (missed this one on Sunday when I got the grebes)
92- Double Crested Cormorant (Was surprised I didn't have this on the list from the spring, as I usually see them. Maybe it was an omission).

Congrats on your new birds, Mrs. Ed. and the Bittern, Elphaba.

We're hoping to go birding Friday and Saturday, so maybe we'll see something then to add to our list.