Kentucky Warbler

1st identified by Julian Sellers on June 11th, I ventured to Battle Creek Park quite early this morning on the chance of seeing a Kentucky Warbler.  The bird and several birders were exactly where Julian had 1st found him.  I was able to watch the bird for...

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The California Quail (1,000th)

This past weekend I visited my brother in Hood River, OR for a weekend of mountain biking and beer tasting. One of the unexpected surprises were California Quail, a lifer bird (my 1,000th) sitting in Tim’s front yard.  Tim has had as many as 30 quail in his yard...

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Warbler Weekend 2013

Tina and I just spent a cold and windy weekend in Frontenac and Lake City, MN.  The middle of May is the height of spring bird migration and there is no better place to be than Frontenac.  Birds using the Mississippi River as a flyway stop along the way to...

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Pectoral Sandpipers (#999)

My friend and birding extraordinaire John Dillon helped me identify these guys as Pectoral Sandpipers.  The image is from our recent trip to Quivera National Wildlife Refuge. There is one Least Sandpiper in the flock.  Can you find it?

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Horned Grebe’s on Long Lake

Thanks to a phone call from friend Judy Mikolai, we counted 40+ Common Loons and over 60 Horned Grebes on Long Lake Saturday.  Most were quite far out on the water, but several Grebes came near shore for a quick photo.

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Winter birds in April

Pine Siskin and (Hoary) Redpoll With a prediction for one last spit of snow this evening, winter still lingers in Minnesota.  The backyard and feeders are still full of our winter guests including Juncos, Pine Siskins and Redpolls.  (The redpoll on the right...

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Yellow-headed Blackbird (#998)

For several years I have tried to view the Yellow-headed Blackbird.  This past weekend in the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in central Kansas, we came across a large flock of Red-winged blackbirds.  Noticing flashes of white whenever the flock would lift...

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Ben & Tina's World
Vadnais Heights, MN 55127