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2023 News
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December 16, 2023 Christmas Bird Count
It isn't often that we have to contend with rain on Christmas Count Day but this year our teams did just that. On Saturday morning the skies were gray, it was 37 degrees and a light drizzle was falling. Despite that everyone had great success finding birds - 57 species so far, and over 17,300 individuals! At noon several teams gathered at Quarry Hill for a quick lunch and to share their findings. The "regular" birds were mostly all accounted for. Some unusual finds included: Snow Goose, Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Hooded & Common Mergansers, Belted Kingfisher, Coots, Wilson's Snipe, Northern Shrike, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Red-winged Blackbird, White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows. Open water helped us locate more waterfowl this year. And our early-rising owl team found Screech, Barred and Great-horned. No Rough-legged Hawks were found, but a Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon were. At 5 pm the final tally / pot luck was held at Quarry Hill. It's always fun to get together and compare what we found! Our count numbers will need to be verified over the next few days - and "count week" birds, those seen 3 days before and after Count Day, but not seen on Count Day itself, will be added in later this week. Some birds we'd like to locate in the next couple days are Cedar Waxwings, Great Blue Herons, Horned Lark, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Eastern Bluebird. Click to see the entire species list and more photos (scroll down on the page)... December 2, 2023 Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Joyce Grier led the monthly Quarry Hill bird walk, starting out at a crisp 22 degrees. Sunshine helped warm the birds and the two dozen birdwatchers. With only scattered snow on the ground, temperatures warmed to the mid 30's,making for a very nice December walk. The feeders at the nature center were very active with the common winter birds, but also a female Purple Finch, possibly the same one seen a month earlier? There were a few Pine Siskins seen at and near the finch feeders. We were treated to seeing a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly across the valley to perch on the large trees north of the nature center. We did not see him when we returned to the feeder area, but Cedar Waxwings were heard there. Many of the group went inside to check on the annual Nature Art Show. List of species seen or heard: Canada Geese Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch Purple Finch Pine Siskin American Goldfinch Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal All photos were taken by Terry Grier. Many thanks to Joyce Grier for leading the walk! November 11, 2023 - Tundra Swan Field Trip
Overcast skies greeted our group of 13 this morning as we headed off to the Mississippi in search of Migrating Tundra Swans. It was definitely looking like November on the drive down. The landscape is mostly brown and gray with splashes of yellow cornstalks, rusty oak leaves and a few hints of hunter green. The swans were found in the usual places - south of Brownsville at the overlook. Many other folks also thought this would be a good day to watch them and the area was quite crowded at times. A Naturalist was on duty and showed us a jar of tubers (what the Swans eat) and he had some taxidermied feet - one Mallard, one Canada Goose and one Tundra Swan. The swan foot was huge! The swans were present in good numbers and everyone got good looks while listening to their bubbly, chortling calls. We also small many other species including Gadwall, Pintail, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Northern Shoveler, Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Ducks, Ring-billed Gulls, Bald Eagles and even had a flyover by a Pileated Woodpecker. At another spot we found 3 Great Blue Herons but they were pretty far out in the reeds. After a quick lunch we headed back to Rochester via the long way through the Whitewater Management Area. In the Appleby Pool we found at least 50 Trumpeter Swans which are even bigger than the Tundra Swans. We also stopped at the Visitor Center but didn't find anything unusual there. Many thanks to Joyce & Terry Grier who led this trip. Photos by Sandy Hokanson November 4, 2023 - Bird Walk at Quarry Hill
This morning 16 birdwatchers came out for our walk around Quarry Hill. Although many birds have left for the winter, we're always happy to get to know our year-round residents better. Today was sunny and calm making for a very nice fall day. We found 21 species of birds and highlights included a female Purple Finch, a Brown Creeper and a Sharp-shinned Hawk which swooped into the bird feeding area, scattering all the small birds there, right at the end of the walk. Many people had already left and missed the drama. The leaves have mostly fallen now making it easier to spot birds and fewer insects mean more birds are visiting feeders - where they are easy to view from a fairly close distance. Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks know this and often hunt near feeders. Consider yourself lucky if you have one of these little hawks in your neighborhood. Species List: Canada Geese, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal Thanks go to Terry and Joyce Grier for leading today's walk. Photos by Sandy Hokanson and Lucas Lin. Reminder: During hunting season be sure to wear blaze orange clothing if you are birding in an area where hunting is allowed. Be safe and enjoy the outdoors. 
October 24, 2023 - Al Batt tells stories...
Although the weather was quite rainy, several dozen folks still came out to hear Al Batt talk at Quarry Hill on Tuesday evening. He apologized for being a few minutes late and immediately started his humorous talk, rambling from GPS difficulties, to blackbirds, to skunk adventures, to being chased bya Canada Goose, to photographing a Turkey Vulture high up in a barn ... and there was still more! Thank you Al - you made a wet, dreary evening fun for us all! 
October 14, 2023 - Global Big Day
October 2023 'Big Day' results have been posted on eBird with 54 species of birds reported on 10 checklists. Good finds were red-headed woodpecker and purple finch. The entire report for Olmsted county can be seen here: https://ebird.org/region/US-MN-109?yr=BIGDAY_2023b... Across Minnesota there were 170 species with 934 checklists. Obviously, we have much higher participation for Global Big Days which are in May where Olmsted County had 76 checklists for May 2023. However, birding in the Fall increases your chances of seeing many birds rarely seen in the Spring. Thanks to everyone who participated by sending in their sightings! Photo of juvenile White-crowned Sparrow by Sandy Hokanson October 14, 2023 - Bird Walk at Root River County Park
This morning's walk at Root River was on the wet and chilly side but 7 hardy souls showed up and were rewarded with lots of birds. We saw or heard 32 species though it was hard to get good looks as most were moving quickly through the underbrush searching for food. Some favorites today were a Brown Creeper, a Kingfisher, Several Hermit Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and at least 15 Turkey Vultures perched in a tree waiting for warmer weather so they could fly. The whole list is below. We noticed several large puffballs had emerged with the recent rains and a few wildflowers were still blooming. The prairie is looking brown as most flowers have gone to seed and we found several sparrows taking advantage of that bounty. The clouds parted for us long enough to see today's partial solar eclipse and the sunshine felt good. Sandy had brought a pair of special glasses to view it and everyone who wanted to got a good look. Thanks to Sandy Hokanson for leading today's walk. Photos were taken by Terry Grier & Sandy Hokanson. Species seen or heard: Canada Goose, Wild Turkey, Ring-necked Pheasant, Turkey Vulture, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, American Goldfinch, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal October 7, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
This morning's cold and overcast sky didn't keep 22 birders from attending our morning walk at Quarry Hill. The sun eventually appeared and helped our photographers zero in on the birds - but nothing was posing for us - they were too busy finding something for breakfast. Migration is still going strong as birds pour out of Canada heading for warmer weather down south (like some people we know). We found 29 species - complete list below - though many were hard to see in the underbrush. Highlights included an Osprey (seen by a couple late comers to the walk), a Winter Wren, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Phobes, Nashville Warblers, Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, a Cooper's Hawk and a flyover by a Pileated Woodpecker. The fall colors are starting to come on strong but there still plenty of flowers blooming. We even found several interesting mushrooms and fungi. Species: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Nashville Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal Thanks to Joyce and Terry Grier for leading today's walk! Photos by Sandy Hokanson. Lucas Lin and Terry Grier. Reminder: Go gentle on the lawn cleanup. Fallen leaves provide cover for many insects, pollinators, amphibians and even birds. Leave flower seed heads intact for winter birds to eat. Nature will thank you! 
September 26, 2023 - Exploring the Driftless
A big shout out to Sean Macaday on his presentation to ZVAS Tuesday night about the Driftless Area. Sean told a crowd of 45 about how the area was formed, what it's like now, about the unique birds, plants and animals that evolved to live there and what threatens its existence now and in the future. Being located in a karst region means the ground is very porous and susceptible to pollution which quickly enters our ground water. He emphasized the need for us all to work together to protect this beautiful region. Want to learn more? There are several great web sites about the area, here's just one of them: https://eaglebluffmn.org/resources/driftless/#:~:text=While%20no%20formal%20boundaries%20define,rest%20of%20the%20Upper%20Midwest. September 24, 2023 - Cascade Lake Open House
Things were hopping at Cascade Lake Park in Rochester this afternoon during the big Community Celebration and Open House! Hundreds of kids visited the ZVAS booth to spin our bird wheel and learn a little about the birds in our area. Cascade Lake is a fantastic spot to see all sorts of bird and during the event we spotted several Coots, Canada Geese, some Gulls and even an Osprey. The beach area often attracts several kinds of shorebirds and Bald Eagles fish in the lake on a regular basis. Congratulations to the City of Rochester for creating such as great park with space for kids to play, a community center and outdoor concert area, places for adults to walk or sit, and even space for wildlife to thrive ... we especially like the native plantings that will provide living space for our pollinators and seeds for birds. Thanks go to all the volunteers who made this day a great success! September 23, 2023 - Sparrow Walk at Kalmar
Despite the threat of rain, 11 people came out on our Sparrow walk at the Kalmar reservoir this morning. The grass was quite wet from rain overnight but we were able to look for birds for about 45 minutes before the skies opened up again (we need the rain so no one complained). Jerry Pruett led us from the lower parking lot along the outlet stream up to the base of the dam. He had seen a Nelson's Sparrow there on an earlier scouting trip and sure enough, we found it again. Remarkably it was the only sparrow we found this morning. There was not much bird activity (the probably knew the rain was cominmg in), but we did manage to see or hear the following species: 1 Ring-necked Pheasant, 1 Blue Jay, 1 American Crow, 2 Sedge Wren, 1 Marsh Wren, 1 American Pipit, 1 Nelson's Sparrow, 1 Eastern Meadowlark, 1 Common Yellow-throat, 1 Palm Warbler Most people then left the area. However Mike Degerstrom waited for a pause in the rain and then got his scope out to check for ducks and shorebirds near the water. He found: 4 Blue-winged Teal, 5 Northern Shoveler, 9 Mallard, 3 Sandhill Crane, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 2 Killdeer, 5 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Wilson's Snipe, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Great Blue Heron If you're looking for migrating sparrows be sure to check out this area - though you may want to wait for a sunnier day. The sparrows should be moving through for the next couple weeks or so. Some of the photos shown were taken by Jerry on his earlier scouting trip. Others are by Sandy Hokanson. September 9, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
It was a great morning to walk around the lake at Chester Woods and our group of 14 managed to find at least 36 species of birds. Viewing conditions, on the other hand - were not so good. The birds we found were often obscured by leaves, far up into the tree canopy and often backlit by the sun. Many were also juveniles - which makes sense at this time of year. Thankfully our expert birders have good ears ad were able to tease out IDs for many birds that we never saw. Some highlights included Tufted Titmouse (heard only), Brown Thrashers, a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and three warblers - Black-throated Green, Tennessee and Common Yellowthroat. Conditions continue to be very dry though the lake is still in use by kayakers and fishermen. We saw several Killdeer, a Solitary Sandpiper, Mallards, Woo Ducks and a Green Heron along the muddy edges of the entrance pond. Birds are migrating now and they can pop up in some strange places (even your backyard) - so keep looking and you may see something special. Many thanks to Mike Degerstrom for leading this trip! Species list: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Solitary Sandpiper, Green Heron, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American, Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Tennessee Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green Warbler. Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Sandy Hokanson September 2, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
This morning 22 people joined our walk through the Oak Savannah on the west side of Quarry Hill. We eventually found 22 species of birds including 3 warblers (Magnolia, Black & White and Bay-Breasted) - but it was seriously difficult to get good looks at them as the leafy cover was so thick. This was a lower count than we expected. Usually lush with lots of blooming plants, this year the the savannah was quite dry with few blooming plants - and fewer blooms means fewer insects for the birds to feed on. Surprisingly we didn't find any Eastern Bluebirds or Indigo Buntings, but did enjoy watching a Great Blue Heron fly over at the beginning of the walk. No mushrooms were to be found and some trees are already dropping their leaves and changing color. There was a nice breeze and temps were in the low 80s. All in all we had a good walk. But please be careful if you're out in the hot weather this weekend and be sure to drink plenty of water! Species list: Canada Goose, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Turkey Vulture, Mourning Dove, Great Blue Heron, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Black-and-white Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler Photos by Sandy Hokanson August 25, 2023 - Chimney Swift Sit at Assisi Heights
Each year Chimney Swifts gather together in large groups as they migrate to their winter homes in South America. Last night 17 people came out to Assisi Heights to watch as they entered the big chimney to roost for the night. It was a beautiful, warm evening with mostly clear skies and a light breeze - perfect for lawn chair birding! While waiting for the Swifts to appear we watched several deer grazing along the tree line and saw other birds including Blue Jays, Chickadees, Mourning Doves and Robins. Three Common Nighthawks (which are also migrating now) passed by overhead. As the skies darkened it was fun watching the Swifts come in and start swirling around the chimney. First there were five, then a couple dozen and finally hundreds. It can be quite challenging to get an exact count as they often "plummet" down the opening in small groups. But at the end of the evening we averaged our counts and came up with 775 Chimney Swifts. That's a good number - though not as high as some years (when we counted 3,000 plus) but also not the lowest number we've ever seen. We'd like to thank the folks at Assisi Heights who granted us permission to visit this private site last night. Learn more about Chimney Swifts and hear their calls here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift Photos by John Weiss and Sandy Hokanson August 24, 2023 - Monarch Tagging
We made the difficult decision to cancel the Monarch Tagging event today due to the extremely hot and humid weather, but we were also worried that everyone wouldn't get the message and would show up anyway. So Joel, Sandy and Ann set up a little table at the bottom of the hill (in the shade) near the west entrance to Quarry Hill. Joel brought a few of the monarchs that had been captured and we planned to tag and release them. Sure enough about 10 people showed up and were quite happy to see, hold and learn a little about Monarchs and their astonishing migration. We know Oxbow Park is planning to host a Monarch Tagging event on Sept 9 so if you have a little one who was disappointed about our cancellation you could try out the event at Oxbow. Find out more about it here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1402735970284503 Photos by Sandy Hokanson August 12, 2023 - Field Trip to Prairie Haven
Sunny skies and temps in the 70s made Saturday, August 12 a perfect day for being outdoors. Thirteen people joined us on a tour of Marcie and Mike O’Connor’s 500 acre farm - Prairie Haven - near Alma, WI. Their hard work has paid off and we walked through several of their beautiful remnant and restored prairies. They pointed out many interesting and unusual plants and showed us examples of tree girdling which they use as a method of removing larger unwanted trees from the prairie habitat. Birds and insects were everywhere and the views from the ridge tops were spectacular. After the tour we enjoyed a picnic lunch at Buena Vista Park which overlooks the Mississippi River and Lock and Dam #4. Then in the afternoon we traveled to the Kellogg-Weaver Dunes Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) and had fun exploring that area under the guidance of Joel Dunnette. It was a long but very satisfying day in the field and we want to thank Joan Leof, Patty Trnka, Eric Matteson and Joel Dunnette for organizing this event. Photos by Lucas Linn and Joan Leof. If you want to learn more about Prairie Haven visit: https://www.prairiehaven.com/ August 5, 2023 - Bird Walk at Quarry Hill
Indigo Buntings were our "bird of the day" on this morning's walk at Quarry Hill. Our group of 24 saw at least 5 and everyone got a pretty good look at them. Another great find on the pond was a Solitary Sandpiper, watch for them probing for insects on muddy shorelines. Overall we saw or heard 27 species - though many were tough to see due to the extensive leaf coverage. August is when we often see baby birds begging for food and many adult birds start to molt. They look terrible for a while, but need to grow new feathers for their trek south or to protect them from our harsh winter. Regardless, it was a great day for a walk in the woods - sunny 70s with a nice breeze. Thanks to our leader Dave Gross who was able to point out and identify many birds by their songs. REMINDER: September's bird walk at Quarry Hill will start on the WEST side of the park at at 2100 9th St NE. From there we'll visit the Oak Savannah. See you on Sept. 2nd! Species list: Canada Goose, Mallard, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Solitary Sandpiper, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee (heard only), Red-eyed Vireo (heard only), Blue Jay, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing (heard only), House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole (heard only), Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Yellowthroat (heard only), Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting Photos by Sandy Hokanson July 27, 2023 - Olmsted County Fair
This week our volunteers have been talking with visitors of all ages about birds, pollinators, native plantings and much more at the Olmsted County Fair. The Bird Wheel of Fortune is popular with the kids and we're giving out many free educational bookmarks, handouts and booklets on a wide variety of topics. We're having a blast connecting with old and new friends and sharing information with the other environmental groups located near us. It's nice to see an increasing interest in nature and the environment. The Olmsted County Fair runs through Sunday July 30. July 22, 2023 - 25th Annual Butterfly Count
Our teams of volunteers searched Chester Woods, Quarry Hill, Willow Creek, Essex Park and several smaller areas during this year's Butterfly Count. Unfortunately the extreme drought conditions this summer may have affected our totals. Butterfly numbers were very low nearly everywhere we looked. Many flowering plants that should be blooming had already gone to seed. We're still checking the numbers, but our preliminary count stands at 24 species and 448 individuals. For comparison, last year we found 32 species and 713 individuals. See the entire report and many more photos here (scroll down on page). July 17, 2023 - Raccoons, Birds & Butterflies
A hungry raccoon recently damaged a couple suet feeders at Quarry Hill so ZVAS Board Member Terry Grier went to work adding another layer of defense by screwing a heavier duty mesh grid on top of the existing one. Thank you Terry! That accomplished he and Sandy Hokanson did a quick butterfly scouting trip out at Chester Woods while the sun was still out. (Our annual survey is coming up on Saturday don't ya know.) Sadly very few butterflies were found - only 10 species - a much lower number than we expected. And we didn't find large numbers of anything. The drought might be having a big impact this year as flowering plants are in short supply out in the wild. Butterflies seen: Summer Azure 8, Great Spangled fritillary 2, Red-spotted Purple 2, Monarch 1, Clouded Sulphur 4, Cabbage White 1, Eastern Comma 1, Northern Pearly Eye 1, Hackberry Emperor 1, Common Wood Nymph 2 Photos by Sandy Hokanson July 15, 2023 - Bug Hunt at Chester Woods
More than a dozen kids and adults attended our annual BUG HUNT at Chester Woods today. Joel Dunnette handed out nets and sent everyone out into the prairie and along the woods searching for insects of all kinds. The kids were fearless and found a wonderful assortment for us to examine up close. Joel even shoed the kids how to hold a dragonfly. Grasshoppers and Damselflies were plentiful, as well as small Goldenrod Leaf Beetles. The most interesting find was a Virginia Creeper Clearwing Moth - a tiny and very oddly-shaped moth! Other insects found included Carrion beetles, Widow Skimmer and Halloween Pennant Dragonflies, Gray Copper and Azure Butterflies, Haploa Moth, Milkweed Beetles, various spiders and Harvestmen, Crickets, Leafhoppers, Boxelder Bugs, Bummblebees, Honeybees and more. We had a lot of fun! Thanks Joel for introducing us to the fascinating world of insects. Photos by Sandy Hokanson July 8, 2023 - ZVAS at the Flower & Garden Tour
Each July, the Rochester Flower and Garden Club organizes a tour of 5 or 6 local gardens of note. This year they invited Zumbro Valley Audubon to have a display at one of the gardens. It was a very impressive garden with hundreds of different kinds of hostas and a shady spot for our display. Joel Dunnette, Patty Trnka, Joyce and Terry Grier talked to many people on the tour about birds, butterflies, and nature. Photos by Terry Grier. July 1, 2023 - Bird walk at Quarry Hill
We enjoyed a typical summer morning on our bird walk at Quarry Hill today. Warm, a little humid and a light breeze. Finding birds was a challenge though as few were singing and not many were at the feeders. The dense leaf cover didn't help our cause either. But our 13 participants gave it their best effort and we did eventually see or hear 26 species (listed below). Many birds are nesting and caring for their young now - so they don't want to bring attention to themselves like they did earlier in the season. But a walk in the woods offers more to see than just birds. We noticed several kinds of butterflies, dragonflies and interesting plants. Summer is in full bloom - enjoy it while you can! Thanks to our leaders Terry & Joyce Grier - who always find something new to tell us about! Birds: Canada Goose, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Killdeer, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting Butterflies: Great Spangled Fritillary, Northern Pearly Eye, Red Admiral, Common Wood Nymph, Clouded Sulphur, Cabbage White, Hackberry Emperor Photos by Sandy Hokanson June 29, 2023 - Bird safe Windows at Whitewater State Park
This week ZVAS volunteers and staff from Whitewater State Park worked together to install window treatments designed to prevent birds from striking the glass on the large windows in the Visitor Center. We installed 3 types: Acopian Birdsaver System, ABC Bird Tape, and Feather Friendly tape. The Accopian Birdsaver system was put on two windows and consists of a series of black parachute cords suspended 3" apart. Jerry Pruett constructed the frames and then Ben and Parker (Whitewater staff) were up the ladder to attach them. They look great and sway a little in the wind so birds notice and avoid them. They look great and are barely noticeable from inside the building. The other two systems involve adhesive reflective tape - one solid - and the other a series of dots. These systems take a little more care and precision to install neatly - but Ben, Parker and Paige quickly got the hang of it. (A short video of Parker installing a section of tape is below.) The solid tape is the most visible while the small dots are very hard to see from the inside (we like the look of them as well). These are BIG windows and with no prior training staff finished the entire job in about 8 - 9 hours over the course of 2 days. A single window in a typical home would take much less time. We invite you to come out to Whitewater State Park and take a look at the 3 systems side by side to see which you prefer. Then install them at your home and be part of a movement to help prevent millions of window bird strike deaths each year. Many thanks to Joel Dunnette for leading this project! Thanks also to Jerry, Parker, Ben and Paige for doing the installation. Materials were provided by ZVAS. See these websites for more information: https://www.birdsavers.com/ https://www.featherfriendly.com/residential https://abcbirds.org/news/new-window-tape-can-significantly-reduce-bird-collisions-at-homes/ https://abcbirds.org/glass-collisions/ https://ornithologycenter.com/consumerguide/ Photos by Sandy Hokanson June 17, 2023 - Damsels & Dragonflies
Mid-June is the time for "Damsels and Dragons" at Chester Woods Park, when children of all ages get the chance to chase Dragonflies trying to capture them in a net, so they can hold them in their hands. On Saturday, Joel Dunnette brought nets and his wealth of knowledge, once again helping kids and adults to enjoy these fascinating flying creatures. More than a dozen young ones brought their parents so they could feel the excitement of catching these fast flyers, and then having Joel identify them. He also showed them how to correctly hold all 4 wings pinched between fingers held close to the insects body. There was a good variety of Dragonflies and Damselflies (both in the Odonata family) near the water's edge to tempt the netters, many of whom were actually successful! Photos by Terry Grier 
June 10, 2023 - Birding Backpack at Oxbow Park
Now it's easy to discover the world of birds with a ZVAS Birding Backpack! Now available at the Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo in Byron, anyone can borrow the backpack while they're in the park. Just ask for it at the desk. The backpack contains binoculars, a guide on how to use them, a Birds of MN guidebook, and a weather-proof fold-out bird guide. Plus, there's a checklist you can use to mark down what you see (and you can keep that to take home as well). If our Birding Backpack is well used we plan to make more for other local parks. Introduce your kids to birding today! Thanks to ZVAS Board member Dave Gross for spearheading the Birding Backpack Project! June 9, 2023 - Potluck and Social Gathering
The weather was perfect for our annual potluck and social gathering at Chester Woods Park. The food was tasty and we had fun catching up with each other. This year we had an abundance of main dishes and were short on desserts - no doubt a better combination for our waistlines! After eating we walked along the lake trail and through a meadow - where we got a rare photo of Sandy Hokanson by the sign she designed for Chester Woods. (She's normally the one taking the photos.) Plant experts Joel Dunnette, Ruthann Yaeger and Joyce Grier pointed out interesting and unusual specimens - including a type of carrion flower that smelled like rotten meat - while the bird folks used their awesome ears and listening skills to point out what was hidden in the canopy over our heads (we did occasionally got a look at the birds, too.) Our bird of the day was an uncommon Black Tern flying low over the lake. Runner up was a Kingfisher that flew along the path near our picnic shelter - not where you'd expect to see a Kingfisher! Other birds seen or heard included: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, and American Redstart. Thanks to everyone who came out! June 3, 2023 - Bird Walk at Quarry Hill
Joyce and Terry Grier were joined by 20 people for the monthly bird walk at Quarry Hill Park. We definitely are into summer birding with warm temperatures and trees that are fully leafed-out, making it difficult to see and photograph birds, and much more important to listen for them. We found 25 species, including a barn swallow on the nest and a house wren carrying small sticks to build it's nest. The birds that we saw and heard are: Canada Goose, Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Redstart, Northern Cardinal. Photos by Terry Grier June 3, 2023 - Bird Song Walk at Chester Woods
Bright and early Saturday, June 3rd, Mike Degerstrom led 8 other birders on a Birding By Ear walk at Chester Woods Park. We started at 7AM when birds are more vocal, looking and listening. In all, we found 59 species, just one short of the tally from the same walk last year. Interesting finds were a Warbling Vireo sitting on it's nest, a Black-billed Cuckoo flying across a narrow meadow, and a rare look at a reclusive Henslow's Sparrow! Thanks to Mike for leading the trip and for his sharp ears, thanks also to Dave Gross who helped out with the bird ID's. The birds seen (or heard) were: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Ring-necked Pheasant, Mourning Dove, Black-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Kildeer, Great-blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Peewee, Willow Flycatcher, Great-crested Flycatcher,Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Grasshopper Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Meadowlark, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Ovenbird, Blue-winged Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and last but certainly not least, Dickcissel. Photos by Terry Grier and Mike Degerstrom May 23, 2023 - May Program - Peregrine Falcons!
Wow! That was the reaction to our program about Peregrine Falcons at Quarry Hill last night. Jackie Fallon, Vice President of Field Operations for the Midwest Peregrine Society gave us a brief history of the both the decline and subsequent recovery of Peregrines worldwide - and it's quite a success story. Thanks to concerned citizens getting involved Peregrines now nest successfully in cities and wild areas and have surpassed their historic levels. Now they must compete for nesting sites and only the future will tell when the population will level off. Jackie's stories about the birds were funny, heartwarming and sometimes sad, but we all came away with a new respect for these inspiring falcons. Thank you Jackie, for taking time out of your busy banding season to share your knowledge with us! May 21, 2023 - Birding Field trip to Hok-si-la
Sunday was another perfect day for birdwatching at Hok-si-la Park near Lake City and our 13 birdwatchers found 56 species throughout the day including 13 species of warblers. A pair of Prothontary Warblers were the stars of the day as they flew back and forth across a flooded area very near the trail. Everyone got good views of these brilliant gold and gray birds which are usually so hard to find. Bay-breasted Warblers were another favorite, but the elusive Canada Warbler was only seen by half the group and it wasn't sitting still long enough for anyone to get a good photo. Vireos were singing all over the park and we saw several Swainson's Thrushes. A large flock of Cedar Waxwings were eating hackberries near the lake shore. and the warblers were gobbling up gnats and mosquitoes. We were able to relocate a nest of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and watched them for several minutes. The birds are getting difficult to spot as the trees are nearly fully leafed out but we really couldn't have asked for a nicer day overall. Many thanks to Terry and Joyce Grier for leading yet another fun trip and to all the other experienced birders who helped spot the birds. Species list: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Bald Eagle, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Eastern Bluebird, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Northern Waterthrush, Black and White Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Canada Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting Photos by Brendan Lanpher and Sandy Hokanson May 20, 2023 - Bird walk at Rock Dell WMA
A trio of Red-headed Woodpeckers may have been everyone's favorite bird at this morning's walk through the Rock Dell WMA. A Scarlet Tanager was a close runner up. Thirteen people came out on this picture perfect morning and we found plenty - 55 species total! Henslow's Sparrows, another uncommon bird in our area were heard calling in the meadow and we got some quick views as they flitted between grassy clumps. We were a bit disappointed to only find a single Dickcissel so we'll have to come back and look again another day. In the woods the warblers were tough to find as they seemed to always pause behind a branch or clump of leaves. Still, we managed to identify 16 species - a very good number. This patch of woods has very little buckthorn so walking is fairly easy, If you're into native plants a good variety can be found here in the springtime. Our thanks to Mike Degerstrom for leading and to all other experienced birders who helped the group identify birds by their songs and locate them in the trees. Species: Canada Goose, Ring-necked Pheasant, Turkey Vulture, 2 hawk sp., Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped, Chickadee, Tree Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black- throated Green Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 20, 2023 - Native Plants at Quarry Hill
While some of us were at Rock Dell searching for birds, Joel Dunnette was at Quarry Hill organizing a massive planting effort to add native plants and trees to the grassy area near the Prairie House. Dozens of volunteers turned out to help dig holes, plant and water the new plants. Then everyone enjoyed snacks and celebrated Quarry Hill's 50th Anniversary. Thank you Joel - with your guidance this area will someday be a fine natural space for everyone to enjoy. Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 16, 2023 - Early Morning Walk at Kutzky
Twelve birders came out for our early morning walk through the wet grass at Kutzky Park today. Sunny skies and warmer temps were great - but the leaf canopy is making it harder and harder to get good looks at the birds. We had high hopes of finding a Canada Warbler and we weren't disappointed! At least one bird gave us all some quick looks - but he was moving so fast we weren't able to get a photo. A Cape May Warbler gave us the run around in a Spruce tree, but Terry Grier was in the right place at the right time and got a couple of great photos. We didn't spot another bird on our wish list - a Mourning Warbler - but there's still a little time to find one before the vast majority of warblers will have left southern MN for their breeding grounds further north. A surprise sighting for us all was a beautiful Scarlet Tanager posing in the sunshine high up in a tree. Perfect! Thanks to Mike Degerstrom for leading this walk and all the other experienced birders who helped point out the birds. Species: Canada Goose, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, House Wren, European Starling, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Canada Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Terry Grier May 13, 2023 - BIG Day!
May 13 was Global Bird Migration Day and to celebrate teams of birders around the world went out to see how many species they could find in a single day. ZVAS birders were out in force at local parks, wetlands and reservoirs. We're still double checking the list but it looks like we've found at least 143 species - including 23 species of warbler and one hybrid Lawrence's Warbler! That's a new record for a ZVAS BIG Day. Read the full story and see the species list here: May 11, 2023 - Bird walk at Kutzky Park
Our early morning walk at Kutzky Park today was cancelled due to thunderstorms, but Mother Nature smiled on us and stopped the rain just in time for the noon walk. Sixteen people came out and we saw some really great birds - 39 species in all - including 14 species of warblers. Tennessee Warblers were the most numerous and everyone got good looks at these under-appreciated birds. Some other favorites were a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers (very uncommon for Kutzky Park), Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrushes and an Indigo Bunting, a Wood Peewee, an Ovenbird, some Clay Colored Sparrows. Birding is often very good right after a rain storm as the birds are eager to get back to feeding and ignore us birdwatchers (as long as you don't get too close). Many Thanks to Lance Vrieze for leading this trip! Species: Mallard, Mourning Dove, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, American Crow, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Common Grackle, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 9, 2023 - Early Bird Walk at Kutzky Park
Last night's rain didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the six birders who came out on this morning's early walk at Kutzky Park. After a slow start we eventually picked up 14 warblers including a Redstart, a beautiful male Blackburnian, an Ovenbird, a Black-throated Green, a Magnolia, a Wilson's, a quick glance at a Golden-winged and more. The warblers were mostly grouped together in one small area which was quite fun to see. Other great finds were a Purple Finch, a White-crowned Sparrow and couple Wood Ducks and watching a Great Blue Heron fly overhead. Many thanks to Mike Degerstrom for leading - it was definitely worth the wet shoes! Species List (43 total): 2 Wood Duck, 11 Mallard, 2 Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, American Robin, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Ovenbird, Golden-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Sandy Hokanson. Note: the mostly gray skies made photography a challenge, so a couple of the photos here are from other walks. We just wanted you to see the wonderful variety that can be found at this time of year. May 8, 2023 - Bird walk at Kutzky Park
Today 16 birders joined together for a lunchtime walk at Kutzky Park. We found 31 species of birds including 8 species of warblers. A lone Black-throated Green Warbler gave early arrivals some good looks, but late comers weren't able to relocate the bird. Yellow-rumped Warblers were numerous. We were happy to also find a few Nashvilles, Yellows, Palms, and a Common Yellowthroat. Chestnut-sided and Wilson's warblers were reported earlier but we couldn't find them. We also didn't find any Orioles - though we know they have arrived in the area - so it's time to get your jelly and oranges out. The next two weeks should be prime time for migrating birds. Many thanks to Lance Vrieze for leading today's walk. Species List: Mallard (with 8 ducklings), Mourning Dove, Hairy Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 6, 2023 - Wildflower Walk at Izaak Walton Wetlands
It looked like rain when we first started out on our wildflower walk on Saturday afternoon at the Izaac Walton Wetlands, but fortunately only a few sprinkles fell. Eleven participants found the trails in pretty good condition though recent rains had created a few wet spots. Spring wildflowers were everywhere. Virginia Bluebells are nearing their peak bloom but should be good for another week or more. False Rue Anemone is abundant and in spots it carpets the forest floor. Trout Lilies, Spring Beauty and Rue Anemone are just starting to bloom and Bloodroot is nearly finished. Many other plants were identified (see ohotos) though they some aren't blooming yet. As a bonus we also saw some very good birds. Two Great Egrets were in the pond and three Green Herons were quite active circling overhead. A Veery, Northern Waterthrush and several Palm Warblers were also found along the path. Many thanks to our leaders Terry & Joyce Grier and to Carmen Nomann for help with plant identification. Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 6, 2023 - Bird Walk at Quarry Hill
The rain held off and and the birding was fantastic this morning at Quarry Hill. Two dozen birders joined in and together we spotted 45 species - our best walk so far this year! Last night's stormy weather brought us an influx of warblers and we were delighted to find 10 species (complete list below). Other great finds included Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Phoebe, Barn Swallows, White-crowned Sparrow and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Many thanks to our leaders Terry & Joyce Grier and all the other birders who helped spot our targets! Species list: Canada Goose, Mallard, Rock Pigeon, Killdeer, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Brendan Lanpher & Sandy Hokanson May 4, 2023 - Bird Walk at Kutzky
Ten people came out early this morning to check for warblers and other birds at Kutzky Park near downtown Rochester. The sun was out and the temps were near 50F but the birds weren't moving much. We did identify 27 species, including 4 warblers (Yellow-rumped, Palm, Orange-crowned and Northern Waterthrush). The surprise bird of the day was a female Purple Finch. A small hawk flew over at one point but we didn't get a good enough look to identify it. More birds should be coming through in the days ahead so we just have to get out there and find them. Thanks to Mike Degerstrom for leading this morning's walk. Species list: Canada Goose, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, American Robin, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Northern Waterthrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal Photos by Sandy Hokanson April 28, 2023 - Arbor Day
Today Silver Lake Park was full to brimming with kids taking part in Arbor Day activities hosted by Rochester Public Utilities. They learned about trees, birds, and how everything is connected. Smoky Bear even made an appearance. Thank you to all the many volunteers and organizations that make this annual event possible! April 25, 2023 - Meeting at Quarry Hill
At last night's program at Quarry Hill Jeff Feece gave us an update about Rochester Parks priorities for the upcoming year and these include: 1. Improving access to natural areas, 2. Preserving areas of natural value, and 3. Expanding nature-based program outreach and education about natural areas. More good news - their budget has increased and they've received several grants. He also talked about work being done at Prairie Crossings and the Northern Hills Prairie. He acknowledged that much work is needed - especially to control invasive plants like buckthorn, garlic mustard, scilla and more. If there is a park that's special to you, and you want to help, our Parks Department is always looking for volunteers to assist with specific projects. and encourage people to contact them. You can learn more about the plan here: https://www.rochestermn.gov/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/system-plan-project Thanks, Jeff for a great update! Also - we held our annual elections last night. Mike Degerstrom was elected president. Outgoing and long-term president Joel Dunnette will remain on the board. You can see the entire slate of officers and directors here. April 23, 2023 - Rochester Reservoir Field Trip
There were a few peeks of sun on this morning's walk around Root River County Park. The wind still had a bite to it, but our 11 participants were sheltered from it for most of the walk. Our focus was on early spring wildflowers, but we also saw some great birds! Flowers first: Despite the recent cold weather we found Snow Trillium, Dutchman's Breeches and False Rue Anemone in full bloom. Blood Root, Hepatica, Spring Beauty, Virginia Bluebells are budding out and near blooming while many other plants like Columbine, Ramps, May Apple, Trout Lily and Nettles are shooting up fast. Spring wildflowers don't last long and many will be gone by mid May so take the time to come out and see them while you can. Birds! We saw or heard 33 species with a Barred Owl being everyone's "bird of the day". Other favorites included a Broad-winged Hawk, a Golden-crowned Kinglet and some Hermit Thrushes. Ruby-crowned Kinglets were very numerous. Several Yellow-rumped Warblers were foraging for insects in bark crevices and on the ground. We didn't see many insects flying in the cold weather so hope the birds are finding enough to survive another cold night. Eastern Bluebirds were checking out the nest boxes in the meadow near the parking lot and we spotted a pair of Chickadees stuffing nesting materials into a tree cavity. The woods are awakening and there will be much more to see in all of our area parks in the weeks ahead. Birds: Wild Turkey, Ring-necked Pheasant, Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, House Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler Bird photos by Lucas Lin, flower photos by Sandy Hokanson April 22, 2023 - Rochester Reservoir Field Trip
Seventeen birders came out on our Rochester Reservoir Field Trip this cold, windy and snowy morning in search of waterfowl and other birds. It was a challenging search with the snow blowing into our faces and clouding our binocs and scopes at times - but we eventually found a combined total of 54 species. Highlights included a Common Loon at the County 9 Marsh; two Black-crowned Night Herons, and a flock of American Avocets at the East Kalmar Reservoir; a Greater White-fronted Goose and a Snow Goose at Kalmar South; Franklin's Gulls and Horned Grebes at Cascade Lake; Pelicans, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Northern Harrier at Silver Creek Reservoir. We saw most of the ducks we expected to find with the notable exception of mergansers - none were found today. Cormorants and Coots were abundant. One Sora Rail was heard but not seen. We also didn't find a single swallow, but the strong winds and lack of insects probably kept them grounded. We did find a single Yellow-rumped Warbler, several Savannah Sparrows and Meadowlarks as well. The complete list is below. Many thanks to Lance Vrieze and Mike Degerstrom for leading this trip. Their sharp eyes and ears found many birds that would likely have been missed by cold birders who were fighting the strong wind. Species list: Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Wild Turkey, Ring-necked Pheasant, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Sora, American Coot, American Avocet, Killdeer, Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs, Franklin's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Blue Jay, American Crow, Horned Lark, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, House Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal Photos by Lucas Lin and Sandy Hokanson 
April 22, 2023 - Earthfest Expo
There was big crowd at Expo today at the Northrup Center in Rochester. Pretty much all of the local environmental groups were on hand to provide information about everything from birds to bees to native plantings to water quality and more. There were activities for kids, a band playing and I even saw dancing in one corner. A huge thank you to the organizers for hosting such a great festival and to all the volunteers who helped make it possible. I's good to see more and more people putting value on our good earth. April 15, 2023 - Field Trip to Armstrong Wetlands / Rice Lake
It was misting when our group of 9 birders left Rochester this morning. But by the time we arrived at Armstrong Wetlands the rain had stopped and it was just cold and windy. We were able to set up our scopes and see lots of waterfowl hunkered down in the reeds. Not much was flying and we'd periodically retreat to the cars to warm up and get out of the wind. After the wetlands we visited Rice Lake State Park and then our group split up with half headed back to Rochester and half driving around checking out flooded fields and eventually making a quick stop at the Kalmar Reservoir. In total we spotted 58 species, a good number but lower than we might have found on a nicer day. Some highlights were a Savannah Sparrow, a Vesper Sparrow, a Bald Eagle carrying a Pheasant, a Bonaparte's Gull, 4 Great Egrets and a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese. At Rice Lake we found a few early spring wildflowers that will be in full bloom soon. These included Spring Beauty, False Rue Anemone, Trout Lily, Wild Leeks (ramps) and Cutleaf Toothwort. Chorus frogs were also singing. It will be cold again for a couple days, but spring is on the way so get out when you can! Many thanks to Terry & Joyce Grier for leading this trip! Species list: Greater White-fronted Geese, Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swan, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Common Merganser, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Pheasant, Pied-billed Grebe, Mourning Dove, Rock Dove, American Coot, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, Bonaparte's Gull, Forster's Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Kestrel, Northern Shrike, Blue Jay, American Crow, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, American Robin, European Starling, House Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-Headed Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle Photos by Lucas Lin and Sandy Hokanson April 13, 2023 - Woodcock Walk at Chester Woods
More than 50 people came out to Chester Woods last night in hopes of watching Woodcock perform their "sky dance". The weather was nearly perfect - clear skies and warm temps. Mike Degerstrom gave a short talk describing the habits of these plump little birds and then we we all spread out along the North Trail west of the Horse Corral parking lot to look and listen. It wasn't long before we started hearing the Woodcock's distinctive "peent" calls. When the sun was finally down we watched our first bird of the night fly low right past us and out over a field. For the next 30 minutes we listened and watch as more than a dozen birds took off - displaying to attract a mate. It was a bit frustrating as we weren't able to get really good looks at any one bird. Several photographers tried to capture them in flight with little success. Still it was a special night, hearing the birds call, hearing the winnowing of their wings as they descended back to the ground, and watching the stars, planets and constellations appear - we even watched a few satellites cross the sky. Woodcock will continue "dancing" through April so feel free to visit Chester Woods or Quarry Hill to see if you can find them. Learn more about Woodcock and hear their calls here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/# American woodcock photo in flight by Samuel Paul Galick (not taken last night) Crowd shots by Sandy Hokanson Video from last night by Victor Griffon April 1, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Last night's snow turned our bird walk this morning at Quarry Hill into a winter wonderland. Maybe not ideal birding conditions, but the eight people who attended did eventually find 20 species, most very near the bird feeders. Best bird of the day was a single Fox Sparrow among a large group of Robins foraging in an exposed area near the parking lot. Then we enjoyed a quick look at 12 Tundra Swans which flew over as we were getting ready to leave. The wind was a bit raw in exposed areas, but overall it was a fun morning and we're looking forward to more and more birds as spring progresses! Species list: Mallard, Canada Goose, Tundra Swan, Red-winged Blackbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Mourning Dove, House Finch, American Crow, Dark-eyed Junco, Fox Sparrow, House Sparrow Photos by Sandy Hokanson 
March 29, 2023 - Understanding Bird Behavior
A big thank you to Dr. Wenfei Tong who spoke to us last night via Zoom about birds and why they do what they do. She explained how many behaviors are rooted in attracting a mate. One example being that female European Barn Swallows prefer mails with long tails, while American Barn Swallows prefer males with redder breasts - why? We don't know - yet. She also talked about how birds are adapting to the changing world around them., Some are singing louder in noisier urban areas. Some are coming north earlier and staying longer into the winter season. Birds that have difficulty adapting will face increasing pressure from climate change, and that's not a happy thought. If you missed the program you can learn more about Dr. Tong at https://www.wenfeitong.com/ March 11, 2023 - Eagle Watching Field Trip
With snow predicted to fall most of the day, Joyce and Terry Grier led a field trip with one other participant to see Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River. Many winters, eagles anxious to get to nesting territories further north get stopped by the frozen ice of Lake Pepin, and get stacked up by Read's Landing. With our very snowy late winter weather, very few eagles are being seen yet. We decided instead to visit Whitewater State Park where the feeders were very busy with Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Nuthatches, House Finches, Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Cardinals, plus 40 Juncos and 3 White-throated Sparrows. We continued on through the Wildlife Management Area to the spring-fed pools which had a great variety of waterfowl. We saw Canada Geese and Mallards, of course, but also Gadwall, Common Merganser, Wood Ducks, and a Hooded Merganser. We also found 4 Trumpeter Swans, 7 Sandhill Cranes, and one Killdeer in the open water! Other highlights while driving included a single Song Sparrow, over a hundred Robins in the road, and on the way home about 150 Horned Larks flying off the edge of the roads in small groups. Oh, yes, we did see 2 Red-tailed Hawks and 3 Bald Eagles too! Report and photos by Terry Grier March 4, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Sunshine and temperatures in the 30’s greeted 20 people for our monthly Quarry Hill Bird Walk this morning. We did not find the rare Harris’s Sparrow that has been a regular visitor, but did have unusual flyover looks at a Trumpeter Swan looking for open water, and a lone Sandhill Crane that came back a little early. We also got glimpses of a Red-tailed Hawk calmly circling over the top of the rock quarry being harassed by two noisy crows. We were lucky to see a dozen Cedar Waxwings in the top of a big poplar tree near a trail up to the oak savanna. We walked carefully as the trails were rough and icy from the recent rain that later froze, looking up when we could to check for birds. We saw 17 species, mostly at the feeders, including: two Canada Geese, one Trumpeter Swan, Mourning Dove, one Sandhill Crane, a Red-tailed Hawk, Downy & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, American Robin, Cedar Waxwings, House Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinches, and several Northern Cardinals. Two birds were heard but not seen: a Red-winged Blackbird and a brief call of a Song Sparrow identified by the Merlin phone app. Anticipating spring? The sun seems warm, but the amount of snow is keeping temperatures below average, so spring is not quite here yet! Bird photos (except Cedar Waxwings) by Lucas Lin, others by Terry Grier. Report by Terry Grier. February 28, 2023 - Journey of a Thousand Lifers
Forty people logged in last night to hear Bill Volkert talk about his seven month long journey through South Africa, Madagascar, India, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur and Borneo in search of birds. He tallied 1,328 species (of which 1,025 were lifers), traveled almost 40,000 miles and took more than 35,000 photos. It was fascinating to hear about his adventures and we all enjoyed the wonderful photos of birds most of us will never see. If you'd like to learn more about Bill's trip and the many other things he does, visit http://billvolkert.com/ February 4, 2023 - Bird Walk at Quarry Hill
Fifteen people enjoyed a brisk bird walk at Quarry Hill this morning. We all got nice looks at the rare Harris's Sparrow which is still hanging around, as well as a Tree Sparrow. As expected, most birds were near the feeders and we spent a lot of time there. We sighted 15 species including: Downy, Hairy & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, Goldfinches, White-breasted Nuthatches, a Brown Creeper, Crows, a Mourning Dove, Dark-eyed Juncos, House Sparrows, a Tree Sparrow, a Harris's Sparrow, a Robin, and a few Northern Cardinals. The Brown Creeper was sighted after the walk when several of us went inside to watch a while longer from the bird viewing room. There's still some open water on the pond, but no muskrat were found today. We all appreciated the more normal winter temps (upper teens and 20s) and look forward to even warmer weather to come. Many thanks to Terry and Joyce Grier for leading our walk! Photos by Sandy Hokanson January 24, 2023 - Tracking Kestrels Program
Kristin Hall, Biologist and State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator with the Minnesota DNR, gave a presentation to us via Zoom last night on work being done to monitor Minnesota's Kestrel population. These small raptors have been declining each year and no one can really pin point where the problem lies. For three years Kristin's team has been attaching little solar-powered, backpack transmitters to Kestrels and then tracking their movements via the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Motus is a series of radio towers and receivers which record any bird (carrying a backpack) that flies within 15 kilometers of the tower. Motus began in eastern Canada and has expanding into the U.S., Central and South America. The collected data is fascinating to review and it's all made available to researchers to help better understand how our birds (and other wildlife) travel and what types of habitat they need to sustain their populations. The MN DNR has partnered with six mid west states to expand the Motus Network and they've done a great job so far. You can find out more about Motus at http://motus.org ZVAS will be looking deeper into the Motus program and considering if we could get a tower erected in the Rochester area and/or purchase backpack transmitters for the Kestrels that use our local nest boxes. More to come on that! January 21, 2023 - Golden Eagle Survey
Golden Eagles! Today several ZVAS members took part in the annual Golden Eagle Survey sponsored by the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. While final results are still being tallied, here's a report from of the team covering Route 6 near Rollingstone, MN (Terry & Joyce Grier, Sandy Hokanson & Lucas Lin). The weather stayed in the 20s and ground fog coated the trees in white frost when we started our search at 10am. The landscape was beautiful but we really wanted to find birds and not much was flying. Still, we managed to find 31 species of birds on our rambling drive through the hills and valleys. At 11 am we located a single Golden Eagle perched at the end of a long valley, probably the same bird we've seen in this spot before. Sadly it was too far out to get good photos and we left to look for more. We found many other raptors including Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Rough-legged Hawk, Kestrel, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a Northern Shrike (not technically a raptor - but a great find). Besides the everyday Downy WPs, Chickadees, Blue Jays, Cardinals, etc., we also found several Eastern Bluebirds, a Robin, several Song Sparrows, Tree Sparrows, Horned Larks and small group of Pheasants feeding on some berries up in some scrubby trees. At one point we briefly left our territory to check out the open water near Lock & Dam #5 and were astonished to find 60 - 70 Trumpeter Swans swimming along with numerous Canada Geese, Common Goldeneye and a Common Merganser. We didn't find any more Golden Eagles, but had a great time searching for them! We'll post the results of all the teams when the report is available. Addendum: Click to see the final results of the survey: https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golden-Eagle-Survey-Report_2023.pdf Photos by Lucas Lin, Terry Grier and Sandy Hokanson January 7, 2023 - Quarry Hill Bird walk
A juvenile Harris's Sparrow was the bird of the day on our walk at Quarry Hill this morning. This young bird should have flown south last fall, but we're glad he's still around and finding food. We all had nice look at him. We also found a Brown Creeper and at least a dozen Robins, but no Red-breasted Nuthatches today. The weather was a frosty 3 degrees when we started out, but the sunny sky and snow-covered trees were stunningly beautiful and helped us forget the cold. As expected, most of the birds were found near the feeders (all the regulars) but we enjoyed watching two muskrats on the edge of the ice as we walked around the pond. All in all a very nice winter morning. Thanks to Terry and Joyce Grier for leading us. Species seen: Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Junco, House Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Brown creeper, Goldfinch, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Robin, Crow Photos by Sandy Hokanson and Brendan Lanpher January 1, 2023 - Whitewater River Valley Christmas Bird Count
Today more than a dozen ZVAS members participated in the Whitewater River Valley Christmas Bird Count. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 20s and low 30s and hardly any wind. There was some ground fog early but it lifted quickly. One Team including Terry & Joyce Grier, Sandy Hokanson & Lucas Lin found a rare species - a Varied Thrush! Other great finds included Rough-legged Hawk, Kingfisher, Wilson's Snipe, Golden Eagle, Bluebirds, and Northern Shrike. Everyone had a great time helping with this citizen science project and several enjoyed a quick lunch at the Whitewater Visitor Center after the count ended. Afterwards most of the birders went in search of more birds to get their 2023 bird lists off to a good start. We'd like to Sara Holger for organizing this event! She is tabulating all the numbers and we'll post totals (and the list) here when they are available. Most years average around 30 species. Photos by Terry Grier and Sandy Hokanson |
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