Happy Birthday to Me

Now I just need a set of mini-speakers, and I'll be set for some serious fun!

GOOOOAAALLLL!

If you don't get it, you are suppose to read the above title like one of those football announcers (as in soccer.) Loud and long!

I once again visited Gaddy Garden in Tower Grove Park (aka Warbler Central) in hopes of spying some new warbler species. Totally psyched!

There are so many warbler species migrating through right now that I actually set for myself a tiny goal. I wanted to see TEN species of warblers. Why, ten? I don't know...just random! :)

With a little help from some of my new St Louis Audubon friends, I was able to achieve my goal! Here are the ten warblers I saw between 9 am and 12 noon.

1. Black and White Warbler
2. Magnolia Warbler
3. Ovenbird
4. Tennessee Warbler- NEW
5. Wilson's Warbler
6. American Redstart (many, many Redstarts)
7. Chestnut-sided Warbler
8. Golden-winged Warbler
9. Blue-winged Warbler
10. Nashville Warbler

And just for the record I also saw the new species Gray-cheeked Thrush. That was awesome!

Okay, yes, this is a picture of a bird butt. But(t), it is a beautiful bird butt. It is the butt of a female American Redstart, which are famous for the way they splayl their tails out (and yes, I made up that word.)

Another great thing about my day was meeting Steve Shunk, owner and important bird guide with Paradise Birding out of Sisters, OR. Steve was in town to be the key note speaker at the Audubon Society of Missouri conference (that I unfortunately didn't attend.) Steve is about to publish a guidebook on Woodpeckers. The book hasn't been released yet, so I was not able to get a signed copy, BUT was still nice to talk with the guy.

Come to find out that he had just visited Big Morongo Canyon Preserve this past April. We had a fun conversation about the Nutall's and Ladderback Woodpecker species blending that is occurring at the Preserve. That was a real treat to hear his ideas, since he is a woodpecker expert.

Great day all around. Can't wait to go back!

Take Me to Your Leader

Today as I was loading up clean laundry into my car, I took notice of a brown leaf stuck to the side of the car. That's weird....

On further inspection, I discovered that the brown leaf was MOVING! OMG! What the heck is that?

It looked like a freaking alien! I was waiting for it to reach out and suck my face off or something!




After some poking with a short stick, I let the little guy alone and drove 45 minutes home, assuming he would disappear in the 75mph trip.

Nope, still holding on.

Look at it! Is it not the scariest bug you have ever seen? I swear it has teeth?!

With a little research, I discovered that the strange alien caterpillar that has adhered itself to my car is a Hag Moth.

Cool! Other than the fact that IT STINGS! Here's what I found out about my new friend.

The Hag Moth caterpillar resembles a dried leaf. The caterpillar is brown with nine pairs of fleshy lobes, all with stinging hairs. It is found on lower branches of assorted trees and shrubs, including oak, chestnut, dogwood, sassafras and ash. The caterpillars are usually seen feeding on the lower surfaces of leaves.

No really effective home first aid treatments for caterpillar stings are available. Adhesive tape or transparent tape may be used to pull out some of the broken spines in the sting area. Washing the area thoroughly with soap and water may help remove some of the irritating venom. Prompt application of an ice pack or baking soda may help to reduce pain and prevent swelling. Antihistaminic drugs, often administered for bee and wasp stings, are reportedly ineffective. See a physician if severe reactions occur. Very young, aged or persons in poor health are more likely to suffer severe reaction symptoms.


Good thing I used a stick!

Golden Wings for Breakfast

Thursday morning I had great plans to make a trip down to Gaddy Gardens to find the million-and-a-half warblers hiding amongst the trees. I woke up at 5am excited to go, only to hear rain drops hitting the roof. Major, slow rain. I can't drive an hour-and-a-half and then bird in the rain. Trip, cancelled

I was so sad. I don't think I've ever been so bummed about not birding (other than my possible N1H1 sickness back in April after a trip to Mexico and not getting to bird at BMCP.) There were so many species of warblers down there that I have never seen, and I was missing out. Sigh....

So I plunked down on my couch, all grouchy and sad, and stared out at the feeders all soaked with rain.

And then he appeared next to the feeders....a Golden-winged Warbler! Wahoo!

New species...and I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas! That was a gift.

Equinox Bird Walk

I've become a bit of a fan of Birdstack.com. The website allows me to record and share my bird lists. And it is also a great place to chat with other birders around the world.

This past Tuesday, Birdstack put out a challenge called Birds of the Equinox. Birds of the Equinox is a project to document birdlife during the September 22 equinox. They asked members to go out, record and report back what birds we find on a bird walk within 12 hours of our local time of equinox. Kind of a cool, international project!

So I did it!

Here is what I found on a two-hour bird walk at Innsbrook. Glad I did it...got a new warbler species! I ended up with 32 species. Not bad for birding alone and for only two hours!

• Redstart (M&F)
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Yellow-throated Vireo
• Chestnut-sided Warbler- NEW
• Yellow-throated Warbler
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Northern Parula
• White-eyed Vireo
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Tufted Titmouse
• Northern Cardinal
• Downy Woodpecker
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Summer Tanager (M&F)
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Eastern Wood Pewee
• American Goldfinch
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Easter Towhee
• Empid. Flycatcher
• Black-capped Chickadee
• House Wren
• Yellow Warbler
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• American Robins
• Field Sparrow
• Eastern Bluebirds
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Turkey Vultures
• Starlings
  

Sandhill Crane Observatory

Oh, my goodness! Have you ever returned to a place from your early life, and been completely surprised by what you didn't appreciate?

I knew that Northern Indiana had a great migration of Sandhill Cranes flying through every spring and summer. My dad would often return from his gas route, and tell me he had seen Sandhill Cranes out in some field along his route. Cool! What I didn't know was Northern Indiana actually has a Sandhill Crane Observatory in, of all places, one of the towns I grew up in! Wheatfield, IN! (sorry, no wheat there, though!)


Are you kidding me? The place is, like, 5 minutes from a home I lived in! I had no clue!

My dear mother took me to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, where we were lucky enough to see several dozen Sandhill Cranes feeding in a mowed field. I was just amazed!

A pair flying in.

My mom said that my visit was a bit early for the migration season. I guess come October, the entire field is filled with Sandhill Cranes. Thousands of people from all over the world flock to watch these beauties. Wow! I really had no idea.


I've seen Sandhill Cranes before as an official birder around the Salton Sea, CA, but to get to enjoy them this way in my hometown was special. The most interesting things I learned on this day was how they live in pairs. Mating pairs were always within a few feet of each other.

A trail leading to the observation deck, had interesting Sandhill Crane trivia. Do you know the answer to this one? Answer is at the bottom.

The Sandhill Cranes are currently migrating from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan to Georgia and Florida, where they will raise their young. What a privilege it was see them!

Thanks for sharing this with me, Mom!

It is estimated that anywhere from 12,000 to 16,000 Sandhill Cranes stopover in Indiana. Wow!

We also saw 18 White-tailed Deer sprinting across the field. The cranes didn't care a bit.

The answer the trivia question above is C) 7 ft. Can you believe it? The are only 3 1/2 ft. tall, but have a wingspan of 7ft. Crazy cool!

Grand Kankakee Marsh

While visiting my parents in Northern Indiana this past weekend, I spent a couple hours birding a popular county park near their home. The Grand Kankakee Marsh is a densely wooded marsh area around the historic Kankakee River, known for its great fishing and hunting grounds.

Growing up, this place was known as extremely spooky. There were rumors of ghosts, murder, and the KKK. Who knows about the reality of these urban legends, but we bought into them anyway and spent several Friday nights slowly driving over the old one lane bridge waiting for something freaky to pop out.

If you were a warbler, wouldn't you want to hang out in these beautiful trees? Nooooo, of course not!

Returning to this area as an adult did bring on some creepy feelings, but overall, I was just overwhelmed at the beauty of the marshlands. So green!

My best photo of a Swainson's Thrush (it's hard taking good photos in low light!)

I had hoped to hit a warbler windfall, but instead enjoyed some great marsh species like a Belted Kingfisher, Virginia Rail (just heard it,) and Swainson's Thrush. Oh, my goodness! There were SO many Swainson's Thrushes! It was great to study the sweet things, since they were everywhere!

90 percent sure this is a female Yellow Warbler, but of course, I have been seriously wrong before! :)

Here is my list for the Grand Kankakee Marsh:

• Turkey Vulture
• Blue Jay
• Empid. Flycatcher
• Swainson's Thrush
• Red-eyed Vireo
• American Robins
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Yellow-shafted Flicker
• Great Blue Heron
• Red-Headed Woodpecker
• Eastern Wood Pewee
• Downy Woodpecker
• Belted Kingfisher
• Fox Sparrow- New
  
• Marsh Sparrow
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Virginia Rail (heard call)
• Yellow Warbler
  

Warbler Central

Fall migration! Yeah!

I am so looking forward to this. I nearly missed all of the fall migration of 2008, as I was at sea on m/v Ursa Major all of October, and the same goes for the Spring 2009. I was running around Mexico on a cruise in April. So this is my first real migration as a birder. Yeah!

I have recently joined MOBIRD, which allows me a listserv of all the birding action around Missouri. I have loved learning about where and when birds show up around the state and immediate area.

I have learned that one of the migration hotspots in the St. Louis region is the Robert and Martha Gaddy Wild Bird Garden in Tower Grove Park. It is considered warbler central in St. Louis. People sit there for HOURS waiting for new warbler species to show up.

I had to visit. It was killing me that I hadn't visited sooner, but it is nearly 1 1/2 hours to St. Louis City. If I went, I wanted to be there all morning, and I had to have other things going on around the county in order to make the trip worth the gas money. Tuesday...tuesday would be the day.

As a birder, I have learned that warblers gather at dusk, fly during the night and rest during the day. I have also learned to carefully consider weather patterns and how they effect fallout. Late Monday evening a rainy front moved into the St. Louis region.

So, one of two things was going to happen, a) the warblers would take the hint and take off before front moved in and there would be NO warblers at Gaddy Gardens, or b) they would stay put because of the front and I'd see LOTS of warblers. I could have a really great day or a really bad one. Risk, risk, risk!

And the prize for the CUTEST warbler I have ever seen, goes to the Ovenbird. The sweet little ground forager walks like a chicken, bobbing its head back and forth. Too cute!

Well, lucky me. It was a great day! I saw lots of warblers! Yeah!! Here is my bird list for Gaddy Gardens in Tower Grove Park:

• Female Redstart
• Ovenbird- NEW
• Swainson's Thrush
• Nashville Warbler
• Black and white Warbler
• Blue-winged Warbler
• Cardinal
• Female Summer Tanager
• Starlings-duh!
• Robins
• Cooper's Hawk
• Catbird

Another funny moment of the morning was...well, actually it wasn't so funny, because I seriously missed out...was me missing a Golden-winged Warbler because I was in the bathroom. Too much coffee and birding does not mix! Let that be a lesson to ya!

Lights Out

This past week, in cooperation with the St. Louis Audubon Society, the National Park Service turned off the lights that illuminate the Gateway Arch at night. I guess, the extremely intense lights were a distraction for the migrating birds flying through town.

What a cool city I live in!

The lights will be off until September 30. The NPS also shuts the lights off for two weeks in the spring for Spring Migration.

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary

I am finally getting connected with other birders here in St. Louis! Yeah! I got to take in the Riverlands Migratory Bird Santuary with the St. Louis Audubon Society on their first field trip of the autumn season.

The Riverlands covers the wetland areas around the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and is located just outside of Alton, IL. I can't say enough about how important this area is to migratory birds. It was a bit humbling. One best parts of the day was learning that one of the ponds we birded called "Heron Pond" was to be increased in size to allow more birds, and I got to meet and bird with the private donor who headed the entire project! Sweet!


I met lots of new people, and enjoyed their enthusiasm. I did have to laugh at the fact that EVERYONE had scopes. Okay, that's not entirely true. Not everyone, but nearly. The pond banks were lined up with scopes, which to me was funny. Thankfully, they were willing to share, and I got to see FOUR new species!


I actually felt that I contributed to the day by finding a Black and white Warbler. Shew, hopefully they like me! :) The best bird moment for the day was seeing the largest flock of White Pelicans I have ever seen. I estimate that in the photo below there is 200-300 white pelicans. This flock was the second of three large flocks flying in succession. So, maybe, in all I saw nearly 700 pelicans flying south. OMG! Breathtaking!


Like I said before, I enjoyed my time with the group and look forward to future trips with them. I do have to say, though, that my heart was a little sad not birding with my BMCP friends. Actually, my heart was a lot of sad. Again, I miss you guys!

Here is my bird list for the entire day:

Juv. Little Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Caspian Tern
Starlings
Great Egret
Mallard Duck
Canada Geese
Dowitcher (un-id'd)
American Avocet
Red-winged Blackbird
Greater Yellowlegs
Semi-Palmated Plover
White Pelican
Baird's Sandpiper-NEW
Stilt Sandpiper- NEW
Blue-winged Teal
Kildeer
Shoveler Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Buff-breasted Sandpiper- NEW
American Goldfinches
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Black and White Warbler
Yellow-throated Vireo
Magnolia Warbler- NEW
Chimney Swifts

Shaw Nature Reserve

After our nice walk around Innsbrook, Laura and I took a drive south to the Shaw Nature Reserve to look for those warblers. What a gorgeous place! The wildflower gardens of the Reserve are popular with local artists, and now I know why...wow!

Again, Laura and I struck out on the warblers, but we did have a nice time strolling the fields. We got a great look at a couple Indigo Buntings popping up and down in the field, and completely lost count of the million and a half American Goldfinches we saw chirping around. I think our best bird moment of the afternoon was seeing two Summer Tanagers getting it on amongst the branches. Should we be watching this? Ya, totally! Bird porn!


Here's our small afternoon bird list....

• American Goldfinch
• Cedar Waxwing (lots of them)
  
• Summer Tanager
• Empid. Flycatcher
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Indigo Bunting
• Unidentified Sparrows
• Eastern Bluebird
• Nighthawks

I was sad to see my new friend go, but she had so much adventure ahead of her. Thank you, Laura, for two days of true fun. I'm sending warbling thoughts your way! You go, girl!

Now, all my California friends, IT'S YOUR TURN! :)

Cross-Country Visitor

This past week, I had the immense pleasure of meeting and birding with California native and frequent BMCP visitor, Laura Shelton. Laura is driving and birding her way across the United States on her way to the Cape May Bird Observatory in New Jersey, where she will be volunteering her time there during the fall migration. What an adventure!

Laura was so sweet to contact me to arrange some birding time with me in the St. Louis area on her trip eastward. I am so humbled that she did. We had such a great time! Her enthusiasm and love for birds was such an encouragement.


After a nice get-to-know-you time near her B&B Tuesday night, we got together for some major birding Wednesday morning here at Innsbrook. She is a warbler fanatic, and I wanted to impress her with some of the warbling cuties I've been seeing around here recently. Sadly, the warblers decided that they needed the day off and were mostly no-shows. We still had a great morning and ended up with 27 species, several of which were new species for Laura (the Blue Jay!)

Here's our morning list

• Wild Turkey
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Tufted Titmouse
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Chimney Swift
• Mississippi Kite
• Nighthawk
• American Goldfinch
• Blue Jay
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Piliated Woodpecker
• Eastern Wood Pewee
• Indigo Bunting
• Easter Towhee (M&F)
• Summer Tanager (M&F)
  
• Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
• House Wren
• Cardinals
• Field Sparrows
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Blue-winged Warbler
  
• Canada Geese
• Downy Woodpecker
• Empid Flycatcher
• Cedar Waxwing
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I've been Barred

I've been hearing them around Innsbrook, but have never seen them. Owls, I mean. Lots and lots of owls calling out into the night. The one owl that has been, I guess, my "goal" owl since returning has been the Barred Owl.

Do you know what a Barred Owls sounds like? Screaming monkeys! Okay, not really screaming monkeys, but screaming something. They are very loud and squawky-like, not the nice soft whoo-whooing we are typically used to. Here is a sound bite of a Barred Owl. There at least two out in the woods near my home, and boy can they put up a ruckous! I love it!

Finally, a couple evenings ago, just back from birding with Laura Shelton (HI LAURA!) my headlights shined on an unusual figure in the woods. BINGO, I found an owl staring at me! And it was none other than a Barred Owl! Literally, whoo-hoo! Awesome!

New species...check!

Have Binoculars, Will Act Like Bird Nerd

I had a moment this week.

A moment I'm still reminiscing about, and trying not to feel like a total dork about.

I was visiting the Powder Valley Conservation Area, where they have a fantastic Nature Center. The back wall of the nature center is a window that overlooks a huge bird feeding area. Great place for avian education!

Well, when I entered the building, I stopped and chatted with the volunteer behind the desk. In the corner of my eye I could see birds flying around the feeders, and, of course, I had to see them.

So without thinking, I raised the binoculars that were hanging from my neck to check out the birds...while still standing at the desk...inside...from across the room. Then I heard giggling from behind the desk.

He said, "You must really like birds."

What can I say?

In Good Report

In keeping with my goal of seeing two new species a week, I enjoyed discovering a Yellow-throated Vireo amongst some lakeside trees here at Innsbrook, and I found three Common Nighthawks flying around (I assume, flycatching.) Whoo-hoo!

This is the best photo I could get of the Nighthawks. I'm hoping they will return, so I can get more shots.

Common Nighthawks are so fabulous! I love that bright white stripe under their wings. They almost fly like they are being strung along like a marionette. Kind of floaty-like. Love em, love em, love em!

Hummingbird Moth, another great find

Also, another really neat bird thing I have seen this week was an albino American Crow. It was amongst a flock that was flying away from me over a hay field, so I lost it within seconds. But, HOW COOL WAS THAT! As the flock flew over, I was like, "What the...?" I just about ran off the road!

I swear one of these days, I'm gonna totally bite it, and end up in a ditch or run into a pole.

Really, officer, I was just looking at a bird! :)

Grace for the Weary

I've come to understand in the past few weeks that birding is good for the body and soul.

Many of you know that I have been working through some pretty tough personal issues recently, and I feel like I have been wrung through the washer, mentally and physically. I have found, though, that bird walks have helped alleviate some of that pain.

There is some sort of psychosomatic process going on when you bird. Think about it... the general stance of a birder is to be looking up. Chin up, eyes up, neck elongated. The whole body in balance, steadying those binoculars, waiting for that bird to peek its little body out. Just the act of bird watching changes how you feel.

As I go on hikes through the Missouri woodlands, I have seen myself change. Even for those couple hours. I start my hike with feet dragging, head down and a drifted stare into the ground. As more birds appear, my eyes lift and, suddenly, I've forgotten my worries. There are new species to be found! My body starts feeling better and then my spirit follows suit.

Now, when I find myself low, I step outside, take a deep breath and say, "Just look up, Alicia. Just look up."


The photo above is my most favorite of the BMCP group. I miss you guys....

Good Day at Feeder

That's Red-bellied Woodpecker pigging out at the feeder and an immature Rose-breasted Grosbeak patiently waiting his turn.

These aren't the clearest of photos, I know, as they were taken through a window.