Hundreds of Blackbirds!

Hundreds of Blackbirds showed up in the yard today during their migration. I got some video footage. Unfortunately the sound of them ended up sounding like a dull, pulsating roar. Mostly Common Grackles.

Last Friday Walk Down the Road

Ehh, just a simple species seen list:

Black-capped Chickadee
Gray Catbird
American Robin
American Goldfinch
Turkey Vulture
Blue Jay
House Wren
American Crow
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Northern Cardinal
Cedar Waxwing
Mallard
European Starling

My Favorite Stretch of Road and In the Yard Today

View Larger Map

Above is a map of my favorite stretch of road, on 30 Mile Road/Calhoun Road between D Drive North and H Drive North. It is right on the border between Calhoun and Jackson County. Especially where Rice Creek meets the road, there is some beautiful things to discover. For example years ago there used to be Yellow Ladyslippers by the edge of the road. A couple of pictures:


Some of the plants near the bridge


The Bridge over Rice Creek

In the Yard Today:
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Cardinal
Gray Catbird
Blue Jay
Mourning Dove
American Crow (heard)

Basically I got a new set of small speakers, took my mp3 player outside and played a chickadee scold. Immediately a couple of Black-caps and White-breasted Nuthatches came to investigate. As an experiment I actually played a Carolina Chickadee call. Anyway, some catbirds were mad at me again for some reason, and there were some Cardinals chipping again, but I didn't see any warblers.

What's in the yard today

Species in yard today:
Blue Jay
Mourning Dove
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Canada Goose (heard)
Red-tailed Hawk (heard)
American Crow (heard)

Not much going on today, except mosquitoes! I tried to phish in some warblers, but I couldn't find any. In the spring before, I was able to find 12 species or warbler in the yard in one day!

The Problems with Outside Cats

I live with relatives that keep outside cats. It's a huge problem. First, it's the perfect place to hang bird feeders, but the cats make it impossible for the birds to eat in peace. I'm glad they didn't find the hummingbird feeder yet. Outside cats kill millions of birds a year.

Second, outside cats are more likely to get killed. Two, yes, I said two cats around here got hit by cars today. I loved those cats and it was sad to see them go. If you love your kitties and the wild birds, please keep them inside!

Also spay/neuter your pets and make sure if you get a new pet to rescue one from a local shelter.

Fastest Job Responce Ever

Okay, so not nature related, but I applied for a job today via email and got a request for a phone interview 5 minutes later... craziness! Anyway, yeah, I'm looking for job still, but wow seriously 5 minutes!

I had nothing else to talk about today, except I did some job testing stuff all day.

Soon, I hope to get more Hummingbird footage and make a longer video.

Hummingbird Youtube

Ehh, the webcam was too low-quality, so I strapped my higher quality camera out there. It can't stream video though, but I got some footage and put it on youtube. I might make more videos like this in the future, check out my youtube link in the sidebar for the latest additions.

Breaking News! Giant Swallowtail Visits Yard

I don't see these very often up there, but a Giant Swallowtail visited the yard today! It went to the Phlox first, then checked out the Rose Mallow. Video proof, though not very close...:

Walk down road: August 30th

Location: Far Eastern Calhoun County, MI, near Albion

I decided to walk down the road to a local pig farm's pond. Here is the list of species seen, followed by a detailed description:

On the way there:
Birds:
Northern Cardinal
Unknown Call
American Crow
American Goldfinch
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Possible Indigo Bunting

Notable Insects:
Tiger Swallowtail
Carolina Locust

At the pig farm's pond:
Birds:
Cedar Waxwing
Mallard
House Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Great Blue Heron
Teal sp.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Turkey Vulture

Reptiles:
Painted Turtle

On the way back home:
Birds:
Red-tailed Hawk
Eastern Bluebird
Empid. spp.
Eastern Phoebe
Gray Catbird

Mammals:
White-tailed Deer

Wildflowers:
Aster spp.
Joe-pie Weed
Goldenrod

The Details:
Basically the only thing active around the house were Northern Cardinals. I know from my past experiences researching these birds in Ohio they had a fledgling, you could hear it begging. For a minute I thought this was going to be the only thing I would see, not much activity. Further down the road was an unknown call, sadly I don't know all my calls yet. Then I heard some angry crows off in the distance, were they mobbing something? Next, I found a beautiful Tiger Swallowtail on a thistle, but I didn't bring my camera. Further down the road near someone's yard were a small flock of American Goldfinches, they seemed pretty cheerful.Next were some Black-capped Chickadees, and a Blue Jay calling from somewhere. When I almost got to the pig farm, I heard what sounded like an Indigo Bunting call, but I was not for sure.

The pig farm's pond was full of activity. In some buttonbushes in the middle of the pond, sat a female Red-winged Blackbird, surrounded by House Sparrows and Cedar Waxwings. The Waxwings were the most prominent bird there, there had to be at least 50 of them. Standing not to far from the shore was a Great Blue Heron. There were a couple of Mallards in the pond, and later a female teal of some sort came out, but I didn't get a good enough look for an id, maybe a blue-winged. Before I left, I noted a Turkey Vulture circling not far away, and a White-breasted Nuthatch calling from nearby. There were Painted Turtles sunning themselves on various rocks and logs sticking out of the water

On my way back, first thing I saw was a small doe White-tailed Deer by the road. I watched her for a while before she finally ran away. Then a Red-tailed hawk called from a distance. Finally I got to someone's yard and could see birds in a tree. One of them was an empidonax of some sort, and the rest looked thrush-like. When they flew, glimpes of blue indicated they were Bluebirds. At the edge of the yard, I watched a Phoebe fly out and capture an insect. Also on the way home, I finally ticked off my last bird for the walk, a Gray Catbird.

My Lifelist of Birds, IOC order and names

Birds seen in Michigan, Central Ohio, Northern Wisconsin, Maryland, Central Pennsylvania and Southern Texas

List as of August 30th, 2009

Angela's LIfelist
Birds of the World: Recommended English Names
Please cite: Gill, F. and M.Wright. 2006. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press
Version 2.2 generated on 2009-08-25
English Name	Scientific Name
	ORDER GALLIFORMES
New World Quail	Family Odontophoridae
Northern Bobwhite	Colinus virginianus
Pheasants, Fowl & Allies	Family Phasianidae
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo
Ruffed Grouse	Bonasa umbellus
Common Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus
	ORDER ANSERIFORMES
Ducks, Geese & Swans	Family Anatidae
Black-bellied Whistling Duck	Dendrocygna autumnalis
Greater White-fronted Goose	Anser albifrons
Snow Goose	Chen caerulescens
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor
Trumpeter Swan	Cygnus buccinator
Tundra Swan	Cygnus columbianus
Wood Duck	Aix sponsa
Eurasian Wigeon	Anas penelope
American Wigeon	Anas americana
American Black Duck	Anas rubripes
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
Mottled Duck	Anas fulvigula
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors
Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal	Anas carolinensis
Redhead	Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula
Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck	Oxyura jamaicensis
	ORDER GAVIIFORMES
Loons	Family Gaviidae
Great Northern Loon	Gavia immer
	ORDER PODICIPEDIFORMES
Grebes	Family Podicipedidae
Least Grebe	Tachybaptus dominicus
Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe	Podiceps auritus
	ORDER CICONIIFORMES
Storks	Family Ciconiidae
Wood Stork	Mycteria americana
	ORDER PELECANIFORMES
Ibises, Spoonbills	Family Threskiornithidae
American White Ibis	Eudocimus albus
White-faced Ibis	Plegadis chihi
Roseate Spoonbill	Platalea ajaja
Herons, Bitterns	Family Ardeidae
Yellow-crowned Night Heron	Nyctanassa violacea
Green Heron	Butorides virescens
Western Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias
Western Great Egret	Ardea alba
Reddish Egret	Egretta rufescens
Tricolored Heron	Egretta tricolor
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Frigatebirds	Family Fregatidae
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens
Pelicans	Family Pelecanidae
American White Pelican	Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis
Cormorants, shags	Family Phalacrocoracidae
Neotropic Cormorant	Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Double-crested Cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhingas, darters	Family Anhingidae
Anhinga	Anhinga anhinga
	ORDER ACCIPITRIFORMES
New World Vultures	Family Cathartidae
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus
Ospreys	Family Pandionidae
Western Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Family Accipitridae
Swallow-tailed Kite	Elanoides forficatus
White-tailed Kite	Elanus leucurus
Mississippi Kite	Ictinia mississippiensis
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Northern Harrier	Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk	Accipiter striatus
Cooper's Hawk	Accipiter cooperii
Harris's Hawk	Parabuteo unicinctus
Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus
Broad-winged Hawk	Buteo platypterus
Swainson's Hawk	Buteo swainsoni
White-tailed Hawk	Buteo albicaudatus
Zone-tailed Hawk	Buteo albonotatus
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis
Ferruginous Hawk	Buteo regalis
Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos
	ORDER FALCONIFORMES
Caracaras, Falcons	Family Falconidae
Northern Crested Caracara	Caracara cheriway
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius
Merlin	Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
	ORDER GRUIFORMES
Rails, Crakes & Coots	Family Rallidae
Sora	Porzana carolina
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
American Coot	Fulica americana
Cranes	Family Gruidae
Sandhill Crane	Grus canadensis
	ORDER CHARADRIIFORMES
Stilts, Avocets	Family Recurvirostridae
Black-necked Stilt	Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet	Recurvirostra americana
Plovers	Family Charadriidae
Semipalmated Plover	Charadrius semipalmatus
Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus
Sandpipers, Snipes	Family Scolopacidae
American Woodcock	Scolopax minor
Wilson's Snipe	Gallinago delicata
Long-billed Curlew	Numenius americanus
Upland Sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria
Willet	Tringa semipalmata
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla
Dunlin	Calidris alpina
Ruff	Philomachus pugnax
Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Family Laridae
Laughing Gull	Leucophaeus atricilla
Franklin's Gull	Leucophaeus pipixcan
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus
American Herring Gull	Larus smithsonianus
Caspian Tern	Hydroprogne caspia
Royal Tern	Thalasseus maximus
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
Forster's Tern	Sterna forsteri
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger
	ORDER COLUMBIFORMES
Pigeons, Doves	Family Columbidae
Common Pigeon	Columba livia
Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura
White-winged Dove	Zenaida asiatica
Inca Dove	Columbina inca
White-tipped Dove	Leptotila verreauxi
	ORDER CUCULIFORMES
Cuckoos	Family Cuculidae
Groove-billed Ani	Crotophaga sulcirostris
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus
Black-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus erythropthalmus
	ORDER STRIGIFORMES
Owls	Family Strigidae
Eastern Screech Owl	Megascops asio
Great Horned Owl	Bubo virginianus
Barred Owl	Strix varia
	ORDER CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Nightjars	Family Caprimulgidae
Common Nighthawk	Chordeiles minor
Chuck-will's-widow	Caprimulgus carolinensis
Whip-poor-will	Caprimulgus vociferus
	ORDER APODIFORMES
Swifts	Family Apodidae
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica
Hummingbirds	Family Trochilidae
Buff-bellied Hummingbird	Amazilia yucatanensis
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris
Broad-tailed Hummingbird	Selasphorus platycercus
Rufous Hummingbird	Selasphorus rufus
	ORDER CORACIIFORMES
Kingfishers	Family Alcedinidae
Green Kingfisher	Chloroceryle americana
Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon
	ORDER PICIFORMES
Woodpeckers	Family Picidae
Red-headed Woodpecker	Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus varius
Ladder-backed Woodpecker	Picoides scalaris
Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus
Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus
	ORDER PASSERIFORMES
Tyrant Flycatchers	Family Tyrannidae
Eastern Phoebe	Sayornis phoebe
Olive-sided Flycatcher	Contopus cooperi
Eastern Wood Pewee	Contopus virens
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	Empidonax flaviventris
Acadian Flycatcher	Empidonax virescens
Alder Flycatcher	Empidonax alnorum
Least Flycatcher	Empidonax minimus
Vermilion Flycatcher	Pyrocephalus rubinus
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus
Couch's Kingbird	Tyrannus couchii
Western Kingbird	Tyrannus verticalis
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	Tyrannus forficatus
Eastern Kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus
Grey Kingbird	Tyrannus dominicensis
Great Crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus crinitus
Brown-crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus tyrannulus
Shrikes	Family Laniidae
Loggerhead Shrike	Lanius ludovicianus
Vireos, Greenlets	Family Vireonidae
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Bell's Vireo	Vireo bellii
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Blue-headed Vireo	Vireo solitarius
Warbling Vireo	Vireo gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo	Vireo philadelphicus
Red-eyed Vireo	Vireo olivaceus
Crows, Jays	Family Corvidae
Grey Jay	Perisoreus canadensis
Green Jay	Cyanocorax luxuosus
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish Crow	Corvus ossifragus
Northern Raven	Corvus corax
Waxwings	Family Bombycillidae
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum
Tits, chickadees	Family Paridae
Carolina Chickadee	Poecile carolinensis
Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus
Tufted Titmouse	Baeolophus bicolor
Black-crested Titmouse	Baeolophus atricristatus
Larks	Family Alaudidae
Horned Lark	Eremophila alpestris
Swallows, martins	Family Hirundinidae
Sand Martin	Riparia riparia
Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor
Purple Martin	Progne subis
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
American Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave Swallow	Petrochelidon fulva
Goldcrests, kinglets	Family Regulidae
Golden-crowned Kinglet	Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Regulus calendula
Wrens	Family Troglodytidae
Carolina Wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus
Winter Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes
House Wren	Troglodytes aedon
Gnatcatchers	Family Polioptilidae
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea
Nuthatches	Family Sittidae
Brown-headed Nuthatch	Sitta pusilla
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta canadensis
White-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis
Treecreepers	Family Certhiidae
Brown Creeper	Certhia americana
Mockingbirds, Thrashers	Family Mimidae
Grey Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos
Brown Thrasher	Toxostoma rufum
Long-billed Thrasher	Toxostoma longirostre
Starlings	Family Sturnidae
Common Starling	Sturnus vulgaris
Thrushes	Family Turdidae
Eastern Bluebird	Sialia sialis
Veery	Catharus fuscescens
Swainson's Thrush	Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush	Catharus guttatus
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelina
American Robin	Turdus migratorius
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches	Family Passeridae
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus
Finches	Family Fringillidae
Pine Siskin	Carduelis pinus
American Goldfinch	Carduelis tristis
Common Redpoll	Carduelis flammea
Purple Finch	Carpodacus purpureus
House Finch	Carpodacus mexicanus
Red Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra
New World Warblers	Family Parulidae
Golden-winged Warbler	Vermivora chrysoptera
Blue-winged Warbler	Vermivora pinus
Tennessee Warbler	Vermivora peregrina
Nashville Warbler	Vermivora ruficapilla
Northern Parula	Parula americana
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Dendroica pensylvanica
American Yellow Warbler	Dendroica aestiva
Blackpoll Warbler	Dendroica striata
Bay-breasted Warbler	Dendroica castanea
Blackburnian Warbler	Dendroica fusca
Magnolia Warbler	Dendroica magnolia
Cerulean Warbler	Dendroica cerulea
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Dendroica caerulescens
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Green Warbler	Dendroica virens
Yellow-throated Warbler	Dendroica dominica
Prairie Warbler	Dendroica discolor
Pine Warbler	Dendroica pinus
Palm Warbler	Dendroica palmarum
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Prothonotary Warbler	Protonotaria citrea
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorum
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla
Northern Waterthrush	Seiurus noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush	Seiurus motacilla
Kentucky Warbler	Oporornis formosus
Connecticut Warbler	Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler	Oporornis philadelphia
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler	Wilsonia citrina
Wilson's Warbler	Wilsonia pusilla
Canada Warbler	Wilsonia canadensis
Family Uncertain	Family Incertae Sedis
Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens
Oropendolas, Orioles & Blackbirds	Family Icteridae
Orchard Oriole	Icterus spurius
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula
Bronzed Cowbird	Molothrus aeneus
Brown-headed Cowbird	Molothrus ater
Red-winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus
Rusty Blackbird	Euphagus carolinus
Brewer's Blackbird	Euphagus cyanocephalus
Common Grackle	Quiscalus quiscula
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus
Eastern Meadowlark	Sturnella magna
Bobolink	Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies	Family Emberizidae
Fox Sparrow	Passerella iliaca
Song Sparrow	Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow	Melospiza lincolnii
Swamp Sparrow	Melospiza georgiana
White-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-throated Sparrow	Zonotrichia albicollis
Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis
Savannah Sparrow	Passerculus sandwichensis
American Tree Sparrow	Spizella arborea
Chipping Sparrow	Spizella passerina
Field Sparrow	Spizella pusilla
Eastern Towhee	Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Olive Sparrow	Arremonops rufivirgatus
Tanagers and Allies	Family Thraupidae
Scarlet Tanager	Piranga olivacea
Longspurs, snow buntings	Family Calcariidae
Snow Bunting	Plectrophenax nivalis
Grosbeaks, Saltators & Allies	Family Cardinalidae
Dickcissel	Spiza americana
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis
Blue Grosbeak	Passerina caerulea
Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea
Painted Bunting	Passerina ciris