White-throated Sparrows began appearing under the Interpretive Center’s feeders during the last week of April. Notice the bird’s bright black-and-white striped crown with a clear yellowish area between the eye and the bill (the lores), as well as its white throat. Often in the morning hours, this bird can be heard singing a sweet, whistled “Old, Sam, Peabody Peabody Peabody,” or “Oh, Sweet, Canada Canada Canada,” depending on which mnemonic you prefer.

White-crowned Sparrows showed up yesterday at the Interpretive Center. They might look similar to the White-throated Sparrows, but there are distinct differences. Notice the White-crowned’s lack of yellow in the lores, and also the pink bill (White-throated has a dark bill) as well as a grayish throat (not white) that blends in with the rest of the bird’s underparts. The song of the White-crowned, heard less frequently than that of the White-throated, begins with a series of slow whistles and ends with a faster, buzzy trill.

Harris’s Sparrows just showed up today at the Interpretive Center. The Harris’s is the largest sparrow in North America, approaching 8 inches in length. While closely related to both White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows, the Harris’s Sparrow appears much more distinct in its plumage. Notice the black coloration on its otherwise gray face that runs down to its breast, as well as a black “cheek spot” below and behind each eye. The rest of the bird’s underparts are a clean white (grayish on White-throated and White-crowned). The song of the Harris’s Sparrow consists of two or three slow, high whistles or buzzes all on the same pitch.

These birds will be in southern MN until about the third week in May, when most of them will have migrated further north to their primarily Canadian breeding grounds. The first week in May, however, is generally peak migration for these birds in our part of the state, so keep those feeders filled!

The end of March seems to be peak migration for robins in southern Minnesota. Their hormones are surging as the birds practice territorial songs en route to breeding locations further north. While they’re busy feeding, flitting, and chasing the opposite sex, it is quite possible to approach these birds rather closely, which is how I got this photo today:

Apparent from the relatively dark jet-black coloration of the head and the bold red-orange breast, this bird is a male. Females appear duller overall, with lighter gray-brown upperparts and muted orange underparts.

As the temperature increases and the days get even longer, most of these birds will continue their journey north. Some, however, will decide to stay and nest, having found a suitable site to raise a family among the boughs of a spruce, underneath overhanging rooftops, or in your flower pot.

This is the first American Goldfinch I have seen in the Arb since mid-November; while many of these birds are present year-round, the ones that summer in the Arb always seem to leave during the winter. Notice that this bird is beginning to acquire its bright yellow breeding plumage around the head and face, which allows us to identify it as a male. Shortly after this bird appeared he was joined by another goldfinch at the same feeder.

Certainly spring is not far off. Keep your eyes to the skies; the first northbound flocks of Canada Geese are only a week away!

The Linnaeus Arboretum began hosting Pine Siskins back in September of last year. These birds often appear south rather early in fall, and are present in good numbers in the southern half of the state about once every two years. The birds can be found at feeders containing nyjer thistle, which is the same birdseed that American Goldfinches prefer. A few of these birds have been present in the Arb all winter thus far.

Beginning the middle of January, a southward flight of Common Redpolls occurred in southern MN. These birds can be found in small numbers across the state any winter, but large numbers appear in the southern half of the state about once every four or five years. The birds also feed on nyjer thistle seeds; several people in south-central MN have reported flocks of 100 or more of these birds (as well as siskins) at their feeders since late January. There has been a flock of 13 redpolls hanging around the Interpretive Center this week feeding on thistle seeds that I have spread on the ground for them.

Last November birders in the Twin Cities began reporting flocks of White-winged Crossbills. These birds can occasionally be found in very small numbers south of Duluth, but very rarely. In fact, an irruption of these birds in southern MN occurs about once every decade or two. The reason for this is because they feed on the seeds of spruce cones, which are usually abundant in their northern breeding range. This past year, however, the northern spruces experienced poor cone production. This coincided with a bumper crop of cones produced by the spruces of southern MN. Thus, the birds have found a plentiful food source this winter well south of their usual range. I first observed a small flock of these birds fly over campus last Friday, but then this past Tuesday a flock of 40 or so was voraciously feeding on the White Spruces in front of the Interpretive Center. The flock’s presence was first evidenced by the piles of cones that had accumulated at the base of the trees in which the birds had been foraging.

Canada Goose

Turkey Vulture (13)

Bald Eagle (2)

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk (47 – all Wednesday afternoon)

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Mourning Dove

Common Nighthawk

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker (5)

Least Flycatcher

Blue-headed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Cliff Swallow

Barn Swallow

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Gray Catbird

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

Tennessee Warbler

Nashville Warbler (~20)

Black-and-white Warbler

American Redstart

Wilson’s Warbler

Chipping Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Bobolink (3 flyover birds – only second observation ever on campus)

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

House Finch

Pine Siskin (small flock – arrived on campus Monday)

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Other migrants this morning included Least Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Red-eyed Vireo. The majority of activity was in the vicinity of the willow stands lining the northern ponds.

The Mourning Warbler is a new species for Gustavus; it’s 150th bird species, in fact. To put things in perspective, 150 species have been seen on campus over the past 4 years. This is roughly one-half of all the bird species that regularly occur in Minnesota.

American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Bald Eagle
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Cowbird
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Cooper’s Hawk (heard calling briefly)
Eastern Bluebird
European Starling (apparently nesting in a wood duck box!)
Field Sparrow
House Finch
House Sparrow
House Wren
Killdeer
Lark Sparrow (heard singing briefly)
Lincoln’s Sparrow (pretty good looks at one of my favorite birds!)
Mallard (nesting? pair on one of the ponds)
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-necked Pheasant (intermittently calling from somewhere)
Song Sparrow
Sora (one bird called briefly from one of the cattail ponds at the north end of the Arb)
Swainson’s Thrush – probably the best looks I’ve ever had at one as it stalked out in the
open along the path not more than 20 feet from us!)
Tree Swallow
Turkey Vulture
Vesper Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow (very brief looks)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-rumped Warbler

All for a total of 34 species!!! In an hour and a half!!!

Birdman (Bob Dunlap ‘08)

American Crow
American Goldfinch (nearly in full yellow summer plumage!)
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Brown Thrasher (at least two within earshot of the Interpretive Center)
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
European Starling
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Red-winged Blackbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Song Sparrow

The next birdwalk is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 4:30. Join me, won’t you?

Birdman (Bob Dunlap – ‘08)

American Crow
American Robin (hundreds!)
Brown Creeper
Canada Goose
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Phoebe
Field Sparrow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
House Finch
House Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Tree Swallow

Join us next Tuesday…it only gets better from here!

Birdman (Bob Dunlap)