Along an 8-mile stretch of roadway I counted 16 American Kestrels in groups of 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, and 1 in that order south to north, along with 2 Red-tailed Hawks and a young male Merlin – the best raptor of Saturday evening. There were several other Red-tails and 2 Swainson's Hawks beyond the 8-mile line, along with an adult Cooper's Hawk. I took advantage of a chance to photograph a female kestrel that caught a big bug, but as I photographed the kestrel, a young Red-headed Woodpecker suddenly appeared on the pole adjacent to the kestrel's perch. I switched my focus to the gray-headed woodpecker and figured it was the photo of the weekend.
I also observed an adult Red-headed Woodpecker in a familiar location, below the Coteau escarpment, all after checking on the Burrowing Owl along the Lost Road, which has been a regular drive since finding the small owl the previous Saturday. I'm still convinced the little owl is a molting adult or yearling, and it has been interesting to observe the owl for a while each time I check on its status. As I was watching the owl a week ago Monday I was especially surprised to see a larger molting adult Burrowing Owl suddenly standing on the edge of short, but thick plants. This owl was molting very faded plumage that gave it a gray appearance from a distance. Seeing this more mature-looking adult suddenly appear created a new line of questioning, none of which I could answer.
It seemed as though there was a level of concern from the first Burrowing Owl about the second one, but during my observations the adult never moved until an old pickup truck with a useless muffler scared it into the prairie plant cover. Perhaps the second owl was making a chance stop as it migrated along the edge of the Coteau escarpment, interested by the original owl standing in the open – or ... But there I go trying to figure out a mystery that may never be solvable. To that I say: Some people watch detective shows, I observe birds – ha! I'll be looking for more clues to this mystery as long as the owls stay in the area. And while we are on the subject of questions: Is it a good omen when you step outside to hear Mourning Doves calling as a Turkey Vulture is teetering low just above the tree tops? If you are a birder it is, but it does make you think twice.
Migration Stops in My Yard: As I looked up from my desk Sunday afternoon, I caught sight of a Black-and-white Warbler working the bark of the ash tree outside my bay windows, which turned out to be the tip of an iceberg as a flurry of migrating songbirds were taking a foraging break in the mature ash trees in my front yard, including a few more Black-and-whites, a few Northern Yellow Warblers, at least 3 Red-eyed Vireos, and a Least Flycatcher to top things off. As the action slowed and I realized most birds were active higher in the tree, I hustled upstairs to check the trees from the 16 foot level above ground. That's when I realized the chokecherries that have been weighing down the branches to ground level, were being cleaned out by several adult and young Cedar Waxwings and American Robins with a Northern Flicker mixed in.
That's when I realized there were even more warblers and Least Flycatchers in the backyard, and many were showing at eye level, including the best extended look at a Black-and-white Warbler I've ever had – just a few feet off my back deck as it foraged among branches of my tall blue spruce tree. There were several Black-and-whites and Northern Yellow Warblers on the move, and the rarer birds of the day were 2 Wilson's Warblers, a species that doesn't normally stop by my yard – but each of the Wilson's was only a momentary sighting, just long enough to see the black crown. The one warbler that didn't provide a certain identification was a small warbler that showed yellow below and gray above – it was so tantalizing to see this quick warbler without having a chance to make a definite ID. It could have been a Nashville Warbler!
After the backyard action dimmed, I resumed my desk work until another Yellow Warbler sighting inspired me to return upstairs with binoculars. There I found the backyard to be alive with Red-eyed Vireos and American Robins, without a sign of warblers or waxwings. There was also one Warbling Vireo among the Red-eyes, and I sighted a Northern House Wren on the edge of the chokecherry thicket and a young female Downy Woodpecker in the blue spruce. How lucky was I to have such exciting birds burst into a quiet Sunday afternoon in my yard? And this may have been the best fall songbird migration stop I have witnessed from my house!
That migration highlight was preceded 50 hours earlier by a few migrating birds that appeared late Friday afternoon: 2 Red-eyed Vireos slipped into view among the leaves and branches of the ash tree adjacent to the feeding station – first an adult, followed moments later by a young Red-eye. A Northern Yellow Warbler was next to appear in the adjacent ash tree in my front yard, and a couple single Northern Flickers arrived nearby along with a couple robins. Later, a flock of mixed adult and young American Robins was active at a water puddle and adjacent lawn where they were joined by a few Chipping Sparrows.
Monday – Funday: While the sun was low, I pressed myself to ply into the heart of a windy Monday, and was quickly rewarded with a look at the first Swainson's Hawk fledgling of summer just a half-mile south of home. It was a beauty I might add, and she provided some nice portrait photos. My next surprise was a young Red-necked Grebe, apparently on its own, and after a few long-range photos I realized was swimming near Eared Grebes, Pied-billed Grebes, and a Western Grebe (plus American Coots and Ruddy Ducks). I thought that perhaps if I left the area, the Red-necked Grebe might swim closer to the road, but when I returned 10 minutes later that grebe was nowhere to be seen.
As I reached for the ignition key to leave, for some reason a female Ruddy Duck caught my attention. There were several Ruddy Ducks along the shore where they were sheltered from the wind, so I'm not sure why this one caught my attention – except that a moment later a tiny duckling followed it into the open, along with 4 more recently hatched downy Ruddys. Gosh, this was the Ruddy photo chance I have been wishing for since July, but I figured the duckling season was long over by now – but here they were! I raised my camera and focused, then waited for the ducklings to align, which they did, but they also quickly began diving below the surface of the water, one after the other – how cute it was to watch them. The light was right, and so was this photo opportunity in every way.
On the way to check on the Burrowing Owl, the Lost Road provided a look at the quick action of a Merlin diving toward a low-flying Northern Harrier, with the Merlin flying my way thereafter. I quickly stopped and hopped out of my car, which probably made the Merlin fly at an angle to my left; but I had a hard time focusing on the quick flight of the little falcon and only during my third try was I able to zero in it. That's when I saw it had captured a big dragonfly that it was eating on the wing. A few miles earlier there was also a young Cooper's Hawk standing on a little used gravel road that I watched as it flew to a series of 3 tree perches on the edge of a marsh. It seems Merlins and Coops are making inroads south to this area the past few days.
As for the Burrowing Owl, for the first time in 10 days it was absent from its regular burrow entrance – and the whole scene seemed eerily vacant in its absence. Perhaps it was down low in the burrow, or out of my eagle-eye sight; but I'm a little anxious about its absence (I'll update you next week). I also observed 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse along the way, and a stop at Charo Marsh revealed 4 Solitary Sandpipers that weren't there the previous evening. Now that's the kind of shorebird sighting I've been waiting for as more open shoreline avails itself during this late summer dry period.
At least 3 adult female or young Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are feeding daily at my nectar feeder, perching on surrounding branches, and feeding on flowering plants and tiny bugs they find. They likely represent a series hummingbirds that have come and gone as indicated by increased and subdued territorial behavior day to day. It has been exceptional to see these little dynamos regularly throughout the late August weeks! Now, as September begins, it's fun to look back on past September records to imagine when different species will be arriving in coming days and weeks. I hope September brings a bushel of thrills during your birding sessions, at home and in the field!
Article and Photos by Paul Konrad
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