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?

I really wasn’t planning on birding today or trying to push Evan’s life list total.  Honest. We’re only after a couple species of ducks now, so it isn’t worth driving to Willmar each day just to scan through the hundreds of birds for the one we want.  Steve and I are keeping watch for each other’s target birds, and since he checks the lake each day we are just waiting for the call on our species.

Steve is doing a Big Year competition with his brother, and one of his latest targets is the Lapland Longspur, a sparrow-size bird that is only around in the winter.  Today when I left work I decided on a whim to take a different, albeit indirect, route home on some gravel roads.  I saw plenty of birds but nothing terribly interesting until I made my final turn just a mile from my house.  A large flock of darker sparrow-sized birds flushed into the corn stubble.  They fit the profile of the Lapland Longspur.  I watched them in the field for a bit and then texted Steve that I think I found his bird.

After supper Steve called me and said he wanted to come out to take a look.  Ten minutes later, Evan and I hopped into Steve’s car to look for our target.  I just expected we’d race out to the spot to check, but Steve has a keen eye and stopped to check out some birds along the way.  It’s a good thing we did because we might have missed this bird for #96 – the Western Meadowlark.

A couple minutes later we were at our destination, and I spotted movement in the black field in front of us right away.  We glassed the field and found our target, #97, the Lapland Longspur!  There were about 50 of these guys busily moving in the plowed field.  It was tough to get a decent picture.  We got to watch them for about 5 minutes before something scared them off.

This was classic birding to get our target and add a couple birds to our life lists all while helping a fellow birder.  So, what will Evan’s 100th be?  I’ve got something up my sleeve to make #100 extra special.  I’m just worried that we’ll hit 100 before this plan takes shape!