Finally... random

I don't know what's happened lately. I just haven't had much to update my blog with. Alas, I've managed to snap a few pictures here and there lately (it must be the increasing photoperiod of spring).

First, ever wonder what 6 GRAY PARTRIDGE look like when they're hiding in a perfectly white field? Here's your answer:

Most of the small towns in this part of Iowa now have Eurasian Collared-Dove's. However, I had never seen any around Ames (I must not know where to look?). Either way, we were surprised when we woke up to a EUCD hooting it up outside our apartment! We later tracked it down as it flew around the neighborhood... obviously looking for some other doves to hoot at. Here he is:

Sadly, I've been pretty desperate lately to get out and snap pictures of something... anything. I even settled for this RED-TAILED HAWK near Saylorville:

... as well as this CEDAR WAXWING in the yard. For some reason, there has been a healthy-sized flock frequenting the tree-line along the stream.

This past weekend, Ashley and I drove over to the quad cities to look around at the Mississippi. Besides the hundreds or thousands of Canvasback, we also had a flock of a dozen or so swans heading south. Call me crazy, but I can't see enough on these guys to call them Tundra (please correct me if you think I'm wrong). I think they were TRUMPETER SWANS:

We also found a couple THAYER'S GULLS. Here is a 1st-cycle:

... and here is an adult non-breeding:

Partridge... again

Ashley and I went up to Franklin County yesterday to see if perhaps the Snowy Owl was still around. It wasn't. Although we dipped on it, we did end up with 2 groups of Gray Partridge:

4 were in northern Franklin County on 220th St.

10 were in eastern Hamilton County

Otherwise, not much birding for me.......

Gray Partridge

Around 4:15 this afternoon, Ashley and I had 7 GRAY PARTRIDGE on W Ave, just north of 290th Street in Boone County.

Here are 2 of them shuffling away:

Here are 6 of the 7 partridge:

Prairie Falcons

Here are a some photos of the 2 Prairie Falcons Ashley and I had today in Woodbury County.

First, here is the first bird perched (on a European Starling that is obscured):

Secondly, here is the 1st bird in flight:

Lastly, here are both birds perched on the ground together:

Northern MN

We made a quick trip up to northern Minnesota this weekend. Our main focus were owls... we were not disappointed despite the dearth of recent GGOW reports.

Our first NORTHERN HAWK OWL was at 4:50 on 16 January along McDavitt Rd in Sax-Zim bog. It was 2.5 miles north of Sax Rd:

Our second NORTHERN HAWK OWL was at 3:00 on 17 January along Whyte Rd. It was 2.9 miles northeast of Stoney River Rd:

Our third NORTHERN HAWK OWL was at 3:45 on 17 January along Stoney River Rd. It was 1.1 miles north of Whyte Rd:

Our fourth NORTHERN HAWK OWL was at 4:47 on 17 January along Stoney River Rd. It was 4.0 miles north of Whyte Rd:

We also found a GRAY GRAY OWL, a hard species to find lately. We found it at 4:15 on 17 January along Stoney River Rd. It was 5.8 miles north of Whyte Rd:

I also snapped a couple pics as it got closer to dusk...

We also did OK with winter finches. We had flocks of:

Pine Grosbeaks

Common Redpolls

Pine Siskins

White-winged Crossbills

Purple Finches

Here is a female PINE GROSBEAK:

And a terrible picture of a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL:

Here is a COMMON REDPOLL:

Gray Jays were common throughout our stay:

I also enjoyed BOREAL CHICKADEES which turned out to be pretty findable, especially at the Admiral Rd feeders in Sax-Zim. Here is one along Whyte Rd:

We also had multiple BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS along McDavitt Rd in Sax-Zim. Here is a male: