It was a fluke.  All four of us were completely ready for church nearly an hour before church started.  I still have no idea how that happened as we usually walk through the church doors in the middle of the first song. Evan, being the opportunist, asked if we could go check out the patch.  Why not?  It’s only a couple miles out of the way.  After all, we are still in the hunt for the Ross’s Goose or the fluke American Black Duck.  Worst case scenario would be seeing some swans and other cool ducks.

As we traveled down the gravel road to the flooded field, Melissa noticed a different looking bird flying in a small patch of young trees and shrubs.  We tracked it down, and it turned out to be the Northern Flicker.  This was a life-bird for Evan.  I’ve seen several up north.  I didn’t get much of a picture, but it was enough for identification.

Common Grackles were flitting all over this little patch of woods and shrubs, but there was one black bird that did not match.  I knew it was something different.  It was right by the road, so I was able to get a couple of decent shots.  I didn’t know what the bird was, so identification would have to wait until after church.  We were super excited to find out it was the Rusty Blackbird – a species that is uncommon and in decline.  Not only that, but they only pass through our area during migration.  For being just a black bird, it was pretty cool.  Needless to say, this was another life bird.

We continued our drive.  I was hoping to run into all the Eastern Bluebirds we saw the day before so I could get some pictures, but they weren’t to be found.  These next birds were found by Melissa.  Even though they were in plain sight, I almost missed them!  In two weeks I’ll be hunting for a big tom.  The more I go birding, however, I just don’t know if hunting will be as exciting as looking for birds.  But it’s a bucket-list item.

After church we decided to fight back against this slow-moving spring by going out for another nature walk.  This time we went to Sibley State Park.  The weather was cool, but it felt good to walk and just be outside.  Evan had fun riding his bike through puddles and snow-covered paths.  We picked up our first Eastern Phoebe for the year and saw a lot of the common winter birds.  At the interpretive center, though, I looked at some birds high in a tree.  I snapped some pictures but couldn’t see the LCD well in the sunlight.  Getting into the car, I was able to see that we got the Fox Sparrow!  This was a definite life bird and one I had been anticipating because I’ve been monitoring the migration reports on MOU-NET.  It was really unusual for this trio of sparrows to be high in a tree.  They are usually found on the ground.

While we were packing up the car to go home, we heard a crazy bird noise behind the interpretive center.  “What is that?” I asked.  Without missing a beat, Evan said very authoritatively, “It’s the Sandhill Crane!”  With all his studying of his bird books and bird apps, I did not doubt him for a second.  I had no idea what a Sandhill sounded like, but we raced to the other side of the building to get a look. We’ve both seen Sandhills before; I just wanted to confirm his knowledge because it continues to impress me.  We didn’t find them; they were either on the other side of a hill or just flying through.  Later on I did listen to the sound of a Sandhill Crane on our bird app, and Evan was absolutely right.

Speaking of his studying and knowledge, we checked out a Wildlife Management Area on the way home.  We saw a meadowlark flying, and Evan asked if it was the Eastern or Western.  I told him I didn’t know and that he’d have to learn the songs of each as that is the best way to distinguish the two species.  He replied, “Yeah, I guess I’ll have to study….I suppose I’ll have to stay up until 9.”

After we got home I touched base with Steve, and we decided to chase Randy’s sighting of the American Black Duck from the previous day out near Pennock.  It was a rainy evening with not a lot happening in the bird arena.  We did get another life bird, though.  This time it was a shore bird – the Lesser Yellowlegs.  As I was searching for it so I could take a picture, I got distracted by this drake Blue-Winged Teal and never did get the picture.  I’ve always liked this duck, so I had to take the shot.

Steve did manage to get the Northern Pintail for his Big Year.  It had eluded him at the flooded cornfield on two attempts even though they’ve been regulars for most of our visits. All in all it was a good birding day.  It was nice to add some lifers and to spend time in the outdoors with family and friends.

This morning Evan and I headed out to the patch to see what was going on.  It was Tundra Swan City today.  There were nearly 50 of them out there.  I learned today that the yellow spot by the eye that determines if it is a Tundra can only be seen later when I look at the pictures.  I could not pick it out when I was looking at them live.  The swans were coming and going and gave me a chance to try some flight photography.  Evan and I must have watched this show for nearly an hour.

Melissa thought it would be fun to go hiking today at Sibley State Park or Robbin’s Island.  It would be a way we could all get out in the fresh air and maybe there would be some birds to look at.  We drove back out to the swan patch to show Melissa and Marin.  This time there were a lot more swans.  It was an unbelievable scene.  Here is a short video that captures what we saw.

On the way to Robbin’s Island we stopped by Foot Lake and then Willmar Lake to check out the waterfowl.  It was a good thing we did because #100 was waiting for us on Willmar Lake – the Red-breasted Merganser.  

Evan’s mom had told him that if we hit #100 today, we’d celebrate with some ice-cream.  (When I added the Red-breasted Merganser to his list, I discovered that I never added the Hooded Merganser.  Oops.  I guess at 101, Evan is already on his way to 200.)

Yesterday evening we had our small group Bible study.  Melissa and I were driving separately as she had to get a haircut.  I had the kids, and we had about 20 minutes to kill. On our way to Willmar we stopped by the new patch – a flooded corn field where we picked up the Northern Pintail two days prior.  It was loaded tonight with hundreds of ducks and other birds.  Right away we noticed huge white birds.  American Pelicans already?  I glassed it and was pleased to see several Trumpeter Swans.  Trumpeters aren’t new, but they are a really fun bird.  It was also fun to see more Greater White Fronted Geese – birds that just pass through during migration.  They are quickly becoming one of my favorite finds after just learning about their existence a couple weeks ago.

I snapped several pictures of the Trumpeters, but my camera battery died.  That was it for taking pictures.  I didn’t even get a chance to review my pictures on the spot.  It was just as well because we had to get to town, and the waterfowl all flew away anyway.

It wasn’t until late last night that I looked at my pictures of the swans.  I could not believe the first image I saw.  I did a fist pump and had to suppress my shout so as to not wake the sleeping children.  Do you see that yellow spot at the base of the bill on the swan to the right?  Look carefully, it’s the size of a dime.

It was the Tundra Swan!!  I had overlooked that little detail when I was focused on taking pictures.  This swan only migrates through our area and looks nearly identical to the Trumpeter.  As far as I could tell from my pictures, there was only one Tundra.

I did not need to get keyed up like this just before going to bed.  I couldn’t wait to show Evan in the morning.  When he finally woke up this morning, I told him I had something to show him on the computer. “What is it, Dad?”

“We got 99.  Come on.”

“What was it?”

I didn’t say anything and just pointed to the picture above on the screen.  Without missing a beat, he immediately exclaimed, “The Tundra!”  This boy knows his birds.  How many other 6 year-olds know such a minute difference between two swan species?

My special plan for #99 and #100 had to be put off.  There was a strong chance of rain for the location we would have needed to go.  So, we have no idea what #100 will be.  I’m just hoping its something really cool like our last few birds and not what my friend Patrick calls an LBB – a little brown bird.

It was a beautiful day on the prairie – so much so that I was compelled to zig-zag home again from work.  More field “lakes” were opening up, so I started seeing ducks scattered on most every puddle.  There were lots of Red-tailed Hawks soaring around today.  I even found another Northern Harrier.  As I was driving by a Waterfowl Production Area, I saw a couple of Eastern Bluebirds.  They aren’t lifebirds for us, but they are still fun to see.  I wish they would have posed on the other side of the road so they would have been in better light, but even in bad light you can still see their beauty.

WPAs are great places to go birding or hunting.  It’s nice to reap the benefits of these taxpayer investments.  A couple months ago I was parked half on and half off a county road photographing some Horned Larks when a driver stopped to see if I was in trouble.  I explained I was just photographing birds, and the driver, a federal Fish and Wildlife Service employee said, “I like birders, but you birders are crazy!”  And then he added, “Buy a duck stamp!”  So, even if you are not a duck hunter or a crazy birder, maybe you want to consider buying a duck stamp for someone you know who likes birds.  The money helps acquire habitat for many cool species.

I continued my drive and found a large “lake” in some corn stubble just a mile or so from where we found the Lapland Longspurs two days ago.  Sure enough there were some ducks out there.  I scanned them looking for our target puddle duck that loves the prairie – the Northern Pintail.  I was looking into the western sun, but I found some!  Another lifer for me.  I snapped some pictures and then went home to get Evan so he could get #98.  I honestly was hoping that his #98 would be this bird because I’ve got a plan for #99 and #100.

I got home and told Evan he needed to help me with dog chores so we could go out and see his #98.  He asked me what it was.  I wasn’t telling him.  It drove him crazy to not know.  He must have asked me ten more times.  It only took us a few minutes to get to this “lake” from our house.  The ducks were further away, but with viewing the camera’s LCD, Evan clinched #98 – the Northern Pintail!  Again I had to shoot into the sun and from a long distance, but there is no doubt about what these guys are.

Can you find the Northern Pintail below?