Drove out to Lake Lemon this morning to try to find cormorants that were reported about a week ago, as they would be a new year bird. I found a flock of eight Double-crested Cormorant (year bird number 110) perched in a tree on an island on the west side of the lake.
Heavy rains for most of the day meant not much good birding. I didn't even bother to keep a list of the species for the day, but I did see two flocks of Wild Turkeys along the side of the road. The highlight was Pine Warbler, year bird number 109. Several were singing high in the pine trees at Yellowwood State Forest, and I manged to spot one of them despite poor light. Hopefully this signals the start of warbler migration. I had seen Yellow-rumped Warblers, but a few winter in the area.
Didn't really do any birding today, although when I was out and about I noticed many of the usual common birds. The highlight was Chipping Sparrow at my bird feeder, year bird number 108.
Despite clouds and occasional spatterings of rain, it finally felt like spring with the temperature near 75 degrees. Saw most of the usual birds at Lake Lemon and Stillwater Marsh, but I did get two new birds for the year: Great Egret and Greater Yellowlegs.
01. Canada Goose
02. Gadwall
03. American Black Duck
04. Mallard
05. Blue-winged Teal
06. Northern Shoveler
07. Northern Pintail
08. Green-winged Teal
09. Ring-necked Duck
10. Lesser Scaup
11. Bufflehead
12. Hooded Merganser
13. Common Loon
14. Pied-billed Grebe
15. Horned Grebe
16. Great Blue Heron
17. Great Egret (Year Bird Number 106)
18. Turkey Vulture
19. Bald Eagle
20. American Kestrel
21. American Coot
22. Killdeer
23. Greater Yellowlegs (Year Bird Number 107)
24. Bonaparte's Gull
25. Ring-billed Gull
26. Mourning Dove
27. Red-headed Woodpecker
28. Red-bellied Woodpecker
29. Downy Woodpecker
30. Northern Flicker
31. Pileated Woodpecker
32. Blue Jay
33. American Crow
34. Tree Swallow
35. Carolina Chickadee
36. Tufted Titmouse
37. Carolina Wren
38. Eastern Bluebird
39. American Robin
40. Northern Mockingbird
41. European Starling
42. Eastern Towhee
43. American Tree Sparrow
44. Field Sparrow
45. Song Sparrow
46. Dark-eyed Junco
47. Northern Cardinal
48. Red-winged Blackbird
49. Eastern Meadowlark
50. Common Grackle
51. Brown-headed Cowbird
52. House Finch
53. American Goldfinch
Checked out the wet fields on the Owen-Morgan county line to see if shorebirds have started to move in. Saw three shorebirds that were new for the year: Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Wilson's Snipe (recently split from Common Snipe); and a new Indiana state bird: American Pipit.
01. Mallard
02. Turkey Vulture
03. Red-tailed Hawk
04.American Kestrel
05. Killdeer
06. Lesser Yellowlegs (Year Bird Number 102)
07. Pectoral Sandpiper (Year Bird Number 103)
08. Wilson's Snipe (Year Bird Number 104)
09. Ring-billed Gull
10. Rock Pigeon
11. Mourning Dove
12. Red-bellied Woodpecker
13. American Crow
14. Horned Lark
15. Tree Swallow
16. Eastern Bluebird
17. American Robin
18. Northern Mockingbird
19. European Starling
20. AMERICAN PIPIT (Indiana State Bird Number 185, Year Bird Number 105)
21. American Tree Sparrow
22. Field Sparrow
23. Song Sparrow
24. Dark-eyed Junco
25. Northern Cardinal
26. Red-winged Blackbird
27. Eastern Meadowlark
28. Common Grackle
29. Brown-headed Cowbird
30. House Finch
31. American Goldfinch
32. House Sparrow
Took advantage of the sunny weather to visit Lake Monroe and Stillwater Marsh to see if anything new has shown up. No new birds for the year. It seems as if new year birds are few and far between right about now. New migrants should be showing up any day now, I would think.
A lot fewer ducks at Stillwater Marsh. The water level is way down, so the ducks should mostly be gone soon.
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. American Black Duck
04. Mallard
05. Blue-winged Teal
06. Northern Shoveler
07. Northern Pintail
08. Green-winged Teal
09. Ring-necked Duck
10. Lesser Scaup
11. Bufflehead
12. Common Loon
13. Horned Grebe
14. Great Blue Heron
15. Turkey Vulture
16. Red-tailed Hawk
17. American Kestrel
18. American Coot
19. Killdeer
20. American Woodcock
21. Ring-billed Gull
22. Mourning Dove
23. Red-bellied Woodpecker
24. Blue Jay
25. American Crow
26. Tree Swallow
27. Carolina Chickadee
28. Tufted Titmouse
29. Eastern Bluebird
30. American Robin
31. Northern Mockingbird
32. European Starling
33. American Tree Sparrow
34. Field Sparrow
35. Song Sparrow
36. White-throated Sparrow
37. Dark-eyed Junco
38. Northern Cardinal
39. Red-winged Blackbird
40. Eastern Meadowlark
41. Common Grackle
42. Brown-headed Cowbird
43. House Finch
44. American Goldfinch
Weather not great for birding--windy and cold with occasional snow flurries. However, I managed to get a respectable list for the day. The highlight was Golden-crowned Kinglet, a new bird for the year.
A lot fewer ducks at Stillwater Marsh than usual. Maybe they're starting to leave for points north.
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. Gadwall
04. American Black Duck
05. Mallard
06. Blue-winged Teal
07. Northern Shoveler
08. Northern Pintail
09. Green-winged Teal
10. Ring-necked Duck
11. Lesser Scaup
12. Bufflehead
13. Common Loon
14. Pied-billed Grebe
15. Horned Grebe
16. Turkey Vulture
17. Bald Eagle
18. Red-tailed Hawk
19. American Kestrel
20. American Coot
21. Killdeer
22. Ring-billed Gull
23. Rock Pigeon
24. Mourning Dove
25. Great Horned Owl
26. Red-headed Woodpecker
27. Red-bellied Woodpecker
28. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
29. Downy Woodpecker
30. Northern Flicker
31. Pileated Woodpecker
32. Blue Jay
33. American Crow
34. Carolina Chickadee
35. Tufted Titmouse
36. Red-breasted Nuthatch
37. Golden-crowned Kinglet (Year Bird Number 101)
38. Eastern Bluebird
39. American Robin
40. Northern Mockingbird
41. European Starling
42. American Tree Sparrow
43. Song Sparrow
44. Dark-eyed Junco
45. Northern Cardinal
46. Eastern Meadowlark
47. Common Grackle
48. House Finch
49. American Goldfinch
Got up early this morning to drive 500 miles round-trip to Buffalo, Illinois to chase a female Tufted Duck that has been on a small pond for the last few days. After four hours of driving in on-and-off drizzle, I arrived at the pond, and there she was. Got a good look at her through my scope.
The Tufted Duck was not a lifer for me--I saw a male about nine years ago in California. However, Tufted Duck is extremely rare in the Midwest, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add this European visitor to my Illinois list.
One of my birding-related goals this year is to make it to at least 300 on my Illinois list. The Tufted Duck was number 299, so it looks like I'll probably make it. In about three weeks I'll be going on a search for Yellow Rail in Clinton, Illinois. Odds are against actually getting to see the rail, but if successful, I'll get to 300, and will get a lifer to boot.
Also, this evening just at dusk, I heard calling American Woodcocks in the field behind my house. In the poor light, I did manage to see one doing its aerial display.
Tufted Duck (Illinois State Bird Number 299, Year Bird Number 99)
American Woodcock (Year Bird Number 100)
Spent part of the morning birding Lake Monroe and Stillwater Marsh. Saw most of the usual local birds, but the best sighting was of a couple of Black Vultures. I had seen Black Vultures in Kentucky last month, but this was the first time I've seen them in Indiana this year.
Also, I saw a Killdeer doing her "broken wing" act across the street from my house. I investigated and found a nest with three eggs. We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning and this morning. I'm new to Indiana, and am still unfamiliar with nesting periods here, but mid-March seems very early for eggs.
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. Gadwall
04. American Wigeon
05. American Black Duck
06. Mallard
07. Blue-winged Teal
08. Northern Shoveler
09. Northern Pintail
10. Green-winged Teal
11. Ring-necked Duck
12. Bufflehead
13. Common Loon
14. Black Vulture (Indiana Year Bird Number 97)
15. Turkey Vulture
16. Red-tailed Hawk
17. American Coot
18. Killdeer
19. Ring-billed Gull
20. Rock Pigeon
21. Mourning Dove
22. Red-headed Woodpecker
23. Red-bellied Woodpecker
24. Hairy Woodpecker
25. Northern Flicker
26. Pileated Woodpecker
27. Blue Jay
28. American Crow
29. Carolina Chickadee
30. Tufted Titmouse
31. Eastern Bluebird
32. American Robin
33. European Starling
34. Eastern Towhee
35. American Tree Sparrow
36. Field Sparrow
37. Song Sparrow
38. White-throated Sparrow
39. Dark-eyed Junco
40. Northern Cardinal
41. Red-winged Blackbird
42. Common Grackle
43. Brown-headed Cowbird
44. House Finch
45. American Goldfinch
46. House Sparrow
Not the best morning for birding due to a wet snow and heavy overcast sky. Still, I managed to find most of the usual ducks, although I missed some of the common songbirds. In addition, I got Rusty Blackbird, my 184th Indiana bird.
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. Gadwall
04. American Wigeon
05. American Black Duck
06. Mallard
07. Blue-winged Teal
08. Northern Shoveler
09. Northern Pintail
10. Green-winged Teal
11. Ring-necked Duck
12. Bufflehead
13. Great Blue Heron
14. Turkey Vulture
15. Northern Harrier
16. Sharp-shinned Hawk
17. Red-tailed Hawk
18. American Coot
19. Killdeer
20. Rock Pigeon
21. Mourning Dove
22. Blue Jay
23. American Crow
24. American Robin
25. Northern Mockingbird
26. European Starling
27. American Tree Sparrow
28. Song Sparrow
29. Dark-eyed Junco
30. Northern Cardinal
31. Red-winged Blackbird
32. RUSTY BLACKBIRD (Indiana State Bird Number 184, Year Bird Number 98)
33. Common Grackle
34. American Goldfinch
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. American Wigeon
04. American Black Duck
05. Mallard
06. Blue-winged Teal
07. Northern Shoveler
08. Northern Pintail
09. Green-winged Teal
10. Redhead
11. Ring-necked Duck
12. Greater Scaup
13. Lesser Scaup
14. Bufflehead
15. Hooded Merganser
16. Red-breasted Merganser
17. Common Loon
18. Horned Grebe
19. Great Blue Heron
20. Turkey Vulture
21. Bald Eagle
22. Red-tailed Hawk
23. American Coot
24. Sandhill Crane
25. Killdeer
26. Bonaparte's Gull
27. Ring-billed Gull
28. Herring Gull
29. Rock Pigeon
30. Mourning Dove
31. Red-bellied Woodpecker
32. Northern Flicker
33. Blue Jay
34. American Crow
35. Tree Swallow
36. Carolina Chickadee
37. Tufted Titmouse
38. White-breasted Nuthatch
39. Eastern Bluebird
40. American Robin
41. Northern Mockingbird
42. European Starling
43. Cedar Waxwing
44. Yellow-rumped Warbler
45. Eastern Towhee
46. American Tree Sparrow
47. Song Sparrow
48. White-throated Sparrow
49. Dark-eyed Junco
50. Northern Cardinal
51. Red-winged Blackbird
52. Eastern Meadowlark
53. Common Grackle
54. House Finch
55. American Goldfinch
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. Gadwall
04. American Wigeon
05. American Black Duck
06. Mallard
07. Blue-winged Teal
08. Northern Shoveler
09. Northern Pintail
10. Green-winged Teal
11. Ring-necked Duck
12. Bufflehead
13. Horned Grebe
14. Turkey Vulture
15. Red-tailed Hawk
16. American Coot
17. Killdeer
18. Ring-billed Gull
19. Mourning Dove
20. Red-headed Woodpecker
21. Red-bellied Woodpecker
22. Downy Woodpecker
23. Northern Flicker
24. Pileated Woodpecker
25. Eastern Phoebe
26. Blue Jay
27. American Crow
28. Carolina Chickadee
29. Tufted Titmouse
30. Carolina Wren
31. Eastern Bluebird
32. American Robin
33. Northern Mockingbird
34. Brown Thrasher (Year Bird Number 97)
35. European Starling
36. Cedar Waxwing
37. American Tree Sparrow
38. Song Sparrow
39. Dark-eyed Junco
40. Northern Cardinal
41. Red-winged Blackbird
42. Eastern Meadowlark
43. Common Grackle
44. American Goldfinch
I am relatively new to Indiana. I moved to Bloomington in south-central Indiana in July 2003 from the Chicago area. One of the exciting things about moving to a new state is being able to start a new state list.
I had lived in Illinois for 12 years, and was able to build up a state list of 298. New state birds were getting harder and harder to find. However, when I moved to Indiana, I had a clean slate to start with. (I had traveled to Indiana several years ago to see the extremely rare Common Crane, but I never tried to start a list for the state then).
From July 2003 to the end of the year, I was able to add 170 species to my new state list, for a total of 171 (including the Common Crane). So far, I'm off to a decent start for the year, having added 12 new birds to my Indiana list, including a couple of rarities: Slaty-backed Gull and Green-tailed Towhee. However, even the common birds can be exciting when they're seen for the first time in a new state.
This year I'm going to concentrate on building up my Indiana list. My goal is to reach at least 250 species. I will chase rarities in neighboring states, though, and I may travel to southern Illinois to try to reach 300 for that state.
These weblogs have given me a new aspect to my birding. I will now be keeping day lists of birds seen when I go birding so that I can list them on my weblogs. Prior to this, I only kept track of new year birds, state birds, life birds, etc. It will be interesting to see how many species I can see on a daily basis throughout the Indiana seasons.
01. Canada Goose
02. Wood Duck
03. American Wigeon
04. American Black Duck
05. Mallard
06. Blue-winged Teal
07. Northern Shoveler
08. Northern Pintail
09. Green-winged Teal
10. Ring-necked Duck
11. Bufflehead
12. Turkey Vulture
13. Red-tailed Hawk
14. American Coot
15. Killdeer
16. Mourning Dove
17. Red-bellied Woodpecker
18. Eastern Phoebe
19. Blue Jay
20. American Crow
21. Carolina Chickadee
22. Tufted Titmouse
23. White-breasted Nuthatch
24. Brown Creeper
25. Eastern Bluebird
26. American Robin
27. Northern Mockingbird
28. European Starling
29. Cedar Waxwing
30. American Tree Sparrow
31. Song Sparrow
32. Swamp Sparrow
33. Dark-eyed Junco
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Red-winged Blackbird
36. Common Grackle
37. American Goldfinch
38. House Sparrow