Marsh Diaries Part Two

I learned a few things this weekend.

I learned Canada Geese don’t shut up when it gets dark. They keep honking, gabbling and futzing around until after 2:00 am.

I learned the raucous, grating calls of American Coots and assorted gull species carry a long way across the water at night.

I learned it is hell for a birdwatcher to hear the sound of birds splashing into the water when it’s pitch black, knowing there is absolutely no way to find out what just flew in.

And I learned the grating call of a Yellow-headed Blackbird does not make the most melodious of morning alarms.

Summer seems to have arrived at the lake. It was sunny and about 24C (78F) all weekend. Both the leaves and the bugs are back, and a gentle breeze kept them both wafting around. Swainson’s Hawks were busily soaring overhead, but only when the camera was inside the trailer.

Already we have a pattern. Wake with the blackbirds (or when the dog has to go out, either of which can come at dawn), and walk eastward along the shore, taking pictures of anything that moves. Our 12 year old dog was rushing around like a puppy, for which her aging limbs gave her a lot of grief later.

Our walk on Saturday provided a nice surprise. It’s been years since I’ve seen Red-necked Grebes, but a pair of them were putting on a noisy display in the lake.

This family unit was busily fending off any other birds they felt were coming too close to their babes.

Strangely enough, this lake in the flat prairies is home to a fat old beaver. Where he gets enough trees to survive, I can’t imagine.

Our campsite has a young poplar tree in the corner, which is a mecca for small birds. I was happily snapping photos everytime I saw a small bird in the tree or on the grass. When I got them up on the computer, I was surprised to find I had four different sparrow species – Clay-coloured, Savannah, Chipping and Vesper. There were also Grasshopper and Song Sparrows singing throughout the day, but they declined their photo op.

Marbled Godwits, Killdeer and Willets abound. None of which are the quietest birds on the lake.

The Tree Swallows were everywhere. After a pair of them carefully checked our trailer for possible nesting locations, I decided to bring them a house on our next trip. We can put a nestbox in our handy poplar tree, and I can proceed to take a few thousand tree swallow photos this summer. Must. Pace. Myself.

The evening routine is a walk westward along the shore. But more on that later…

Our Bird List this weekend

  1. Red-necked Grebe
  2. Herring Gull
  3. Common Merganser
  4. Northern Shoveller
  5. Northern Pintail
  6. Blue-winged Teal
  7. Lesser Scaup
  8. Mallard
  9. Common Snipe (H)
  10. Ring-necked Pheasant (H)
  11. Mourning Dove
  12. Swainson’s Hawk
  13. Northern Harrier
  14. Tree Swallows
  15. Yellow-headed Blackbird
  16. Yellow-rumped Warbler
  17. Chipping Sparrow
  18. Savannah Sparrow
  19. Vesper Sparrow
  20. Song Sparrow
  21. Grasshopper Sparrow

Total Bird Count To Date: 37 species

Plus:

  • Coyote (H)
  • Beaver
  • Richardson’s Ground Squirrels
  • Bloody cows that moo at dawn (H)

3 Comments

  1. I’ve been noting unusual bird activity in the wee small hours.

    This spring I’ve heard White-throated and Song Sparrows after midnight. And in the creek across the street the Mallards are often active; last week I found a Great Blue Heron fishing in there at 2:00 AM. I’ve also discovered that Robins don’t stay quiet for very long overnight.

  2. Nice weekend! Love the red necked grebe 🙂 Would love to see one.
    I would also love to see a yellow headed black bird. I actually thought for a second last Friday that I saw one while sitting in the car waiting for my husband. I was surprised because they are not supposed to be in my area (Illinois) it turned out upon closer viewing of it passing by that it was a blackbird with a day lily in it’s beak! I was amazed and told my husband when he came out of the bank. As I was telling him of this curious behavior another blackbird with another day lily in it’s beak flew by! I’m sure there is a reason for a black bird to take day lily blossoms but I had never seen anything like it. I still wonder why.

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