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2021 News and Projects
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December 18, 2021- Christmas Bird Count
Dec. 18th turned out to be a pretty nice day for our 2021 Christmas Bird Count. Seasonal weather (temps in the teens), some light fluffy snow and a little sunshine later in the day meant easy traveling for our nine teams. We located nearly all the "expected" birds and also found several less common birds including: a Red-headed Woodpecker, several Tufted Titmouse, a Wood Duck, some Northern Shoveler Ducks, some Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Shrikes, a Northern Saw-whet Owl and even Red-winged Blackbird. Our "owl team" started their day at just after 4am and they had an encounter with a very unusual owl - possibly a Short-eared Owl - and are working to verify it. We'll get the entire list posted on our web site soon. At the end of the day several teams gathered at Quarry Hill Nature Center to tally our finds and share our day's adventures. Our preliminary count (which is being verified) shows that we found at least 54 species on Count Day and another 6 species so far during count week (12,685 individual birds)! See more photos and the complete specie list here. 
December 4, 2021- Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Twenty-two people joined Terry and Joyce Grier at Quarry Hill Park for the December bird hike. It was a cloudy 45 degree day, but the park was very quiet. We found a few families of chickadees and nuthatches in the woods, one brown creeper, 50 pigeons at the waste-to-energy plant, about 30 crows flying over the park, and a few woodpeckers. At the feeders by the nature center, we saw the usual: black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, American goldfinch, house sparrow, house finch, dark-eyed junco, blue jay plus downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpecker. Though we saw a limited number of birds, it was a nice day for a hike in the park! 
November 30, 2021-Crows and Ravens
Dr. Kaeli Swift has a lot to say about crows during our monthly Zoom program - and her enthusiasm about these big black birds was contagious. Did you know there are 46 species of crows worldwide? Or that baby crows have blue eyes? Or that the reason you often see them wandering around your yard is that they're looking for bugs to eat? Bugs and insects make up the majority of their food ... after that they like carrion and garbage. And the reason they congregate in urban areas is because they're smart, adaptable birds - and we've practically designed our cities to exactly meet their needs. Our short grass lawns, overflowing garbage cans and nice warm places to roost - perfect habitat for a crow family (and they do like to gather in large groups!). It was a fascinating presentation and we encourage you to learn more about crows, ravens and other corvids by checking out Dr Swift's blog at https://corvidresearch.blog . November 20, 2021- Tundra Swan Field Trip
A record 19 people came out to view the Tundra Swans on our field trip to the Mississippi River today. The morning started off very overcast and gray and we were a bit disappointed that the majority of Swans were not near the Brownsville overlooks. Instead we saw most (several hundreds) as we drove between sites. Ducks were also less plentiful than in previous years and we had to really look to find the species we did. A DNR volunteer was on site and explained that the birds are very late this year - so viewing could get better over the next week to 10 days. After a good look on the Minnesota side, 12 of us drove over to the Shady Maple Overlook on the Wisconsin side. The Swans were a bit closer there and Tammie and Dave Gross spotted an unusual Widgeon which we thought was an American Widgeon - Eurasian Widgeon Cross - a life bird for everyone in the group so that was a great find. (Later we learned that it was actually a rare color variant of a normal American Wigeon called a "Storm" Wigeon - still a great find!) The sun came out around noon and made a big difference in being able to see colors. On the drive we saw a variety of hawks, Bald Eagles and more. It was a fine day! Species sighted throughout the day: Tundra Swans, Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead Duck, Golden Eye Duck, Gadwall, Widgeon, Pelicans, Northern Shoveler, Mallards, Canvasbacks, Hooded Merganser, Scaup, Pintails, Wood Ducks, Green Wing Teal, Coot, Canada Geese, Sandhill Cranes, Gull, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Coopers Hawk, Kestrel, Chickadee, Cardinal, House Sparrow, Blue Jay, Goldfinch, Pigeon, Starlings, and Pheasant (which narrowly escaped death by car) Many thanks to Terry & Joyce Grier for leading this fun trip. Photos by Sandy Hokanson (sorry about the poor quality - the birds were waaaay far out!) November 6, 2021- Bird walk at Quarry Hill
Bright sunny skies greeted our group of a couple dozen birdwatchers this morning at Quarry Hill. The birds were active and we found a good assortment. I think everyone's highlight was when we came across a Coopers Hawk bathing in Silver Creek! It was a very tolerant bird and didn't fly off right away so everyone had a chance to get a good look. We saw several Robins which will probably head south soon - though many are now choosing to stay for the entire winter. Two Brown Creepers were spotted but we didn't get very good looks at them as they were quite high up in a tree. And we found one juvenile White-crowned Sparrow, and White-throated Sparrow - late migrants we were lucky to find. In all we saw or heard 21 species including: Mallard, Coopers Hawk, Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Finch, Goldfinch, Robin, Brown Creeper, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, Crow, Canada Geese Thanks to Terry and Joyce Grier for leading the walk. Sunday should be another great day for a walk in the woods - we hope you can get out and enjoy it before the weather turns. Photos by Sandy Hokanson 
Oct. 26, 2021- Monthly Program - When Yellow Warblers call - Red-winged Blackbirds listen!
Presented by Shelby Lawson / Ph.D student at University of Illinois People respond to ambulance sirens by getting out of the way - we learn that behavior over time. Do birds learn to respond to other birds alarm calls? Shelby Lawson's is trying to answer that questions and more. She's studying the “seet” calls of Yellow Warblers - and how other birds react to those calls. The “seet” calls are a warning that Brown-headed Cowbirds are in the area, and Cowbirds are bad news as they try to lay their eggs in other birds' nests Shelby's team has discovered that Red-winged Blackbirds eavesdrop on the Yellow Warbler "seet" call and use it to protect their nests from Cowbirds as well. Her research is fascinating and opens up many questions about how birds and mammals become aware of the "languages" around them, eventually understand what's going on ... and then use that information to their advantage. Thank you, Shelby! Oct. 9, 2021- Bird walk at Chester Woods
Eleven Birders came out to walk around Chester Woods on Saturday morning. We arrived at 8 am and the weather was perfect with sunny skies, temps in the 60s and just a hint of a breeze. We found 40 total species including seven kinds of sparrows (we think we also heard an Eastern Towhee which would make eight). We were a little disappointed that we didn't find any White-crowned Sparrows though. Out of a possible seven kinds of woodpeckers to be found in SE Minnesota we managed to locate six - only missing the Red-headed Woodpecker. Other birds found included one Yellow-rumped Warbler, several female Purple Finches, several ducks, shorebirds and other songbirds - the full list is below. Raptors were scarce and we only saw one Red-tailed Hawk during the walk which ended at 10:30, but as we stood around talking in the parking lot afterwards a Bald Eagle and an Osprey did a flyover. Never leave early! Many thanks to Mike Degerstrom and Patty Trnka for organizing and leading this walk. Species list: Canada Geese, Wood Duck, Mallard, Ring-necked Pheasant (heard only), Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker (heard only), Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Field Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow. Lincoln's Sparrow, Eastern Towhee (possible - heard partial call but never saw it), Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal Oct. 2, 2021- Bird walk at Quarry Hill
The sun held on for our walk at Quarry Hill Saturday morning and after many hot dry days it was a bit damp and humid from the light rain Friday night. A big crowd (26 folks) showed up so we split into two groups to search for late migrants. Leaves were falling everywhere making it a challenge at times to separate out the birds, but between both groups we found some excellent birds including a Brown Creeper, Cedar Waxwings, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and several warblers including a Black-throated Green which made several people's life lists. Here's the entire list: Killdeer, Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Crow, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker (several), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Brown Creeper, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Mallard, Robin Thanks to Joyce and Terry Grier for leading and a special note of thanks to Joanna, a young birder who spotted and identified several of the birds listed above before us old folks were able to pick them out! Photos by Sandy Hokanson Oct. 2, 2021- Sparrow Walk at Kalmar Reservoir Last night's rain made the grass sparkle in the morning's sunrise as our group of 14 gathered to search for migrating sparrows at the Kalmar Reservoir. The grass was quite wet but most people were prepared with waterproof gear ... and it was worth getting wet legs to get some good looks at these special sparrows. We saw a large number of LeConte’s Sparrow (est. 13 total, 8 at East Reservoir, 4 east side of South Reservoir, and 1 on the west side of South Reservoir. We only found one Nelson's, but just check out our list - it was a very good morning! Canada goose, Mallard, Ring-necked pheasant, Killdeer, Sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk (likely), Red-tailed hawk, Turkey vulture, Northern harrier, Great blue heron, mourning dove, Blue jay, Crow, Black-capped chickadee, Red-breasted nuthatch, House wren, Sedge wren, Marsh wren, European starling, American robin, American pipit, American goldfinch, White-throated sparrow, LeConte’s sparrow, Nelson’s sparrow, Savannah sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, Swamp sparrow, Eastern meadowlark, Red-winged blackbird, Bobolink, Common yellowthroat, Orange-crowned warbler, yellow-rumped warbler Thanks to John Hockema, Mike Degerstrom and Kim Emerson for leading this fun walk. Photos by Sandy Hokanson Sept. 25, 2021- Sparrow Walk at Kalmar
We had a successful Sparrow Walk at Kalmar today and found several including Nelson's, LeConte's, Song, Swamp, Savannah, and a possible Henslow's Sparrow. Bob Jansen (A well known birding expert) came down from the Twin Cities, accompanied by John Hokema and Kim Emmerson, to get his first record Nelson's for the county. The Henslows (if confirmed) was the first one I have seen in the county this year. We had 8 people on the trip including John Weiss from the Post Bulletin. It was a lot of fun with plenty of us sharing stories with Bob Jansen afterwards in the parking lot. Bob is 89! Confirmed species list: Sandhill Crane, Franklin's Gull, Bald Eagle, American Crow, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, American Pipit, American Goldfinch, LeConte's Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Yellowthroat Report and Photos by Jerry Pruett Sept. 19, 2021- Root River County Park Field Trip
Raptors were the bird of the day on our walk at Root River County Park this morning. Our group of seven saw a Coopers Hawk, two Bald Eagles, a Broad-winged Hawk and at least one (maybe 2) Red-tailed Hawks. Other notable finds were a Philadelphia Vireo, a female Scarlet Tanager a Red-breasted Nuthatch... and quite a few gnats. Thankfully the windy weather helped keep the gnats at a manageable level. It was hard to get good looks at the smaller birds as they were doing a good job of hiding behind leaves (and bird-eating hawks)! The meadows are in their late autumn splendor with several varieties of blooming asters and goldenrods which were covered in bees and insects. We even saw a few butterflies (Eastern Comma, Viceroy & Monarch). Root River is a great park and we encourage you to give it a try. Species seen or heard: Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, flycatcher sp. (probably a Wood Peewee), Philadelphia Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Swallow sp. (probably Barn swallow), Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Gray Catbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, Scarlet Tanager Sept. 18, 2021- County 9 Marsh Field Trip
This morning a small group of birders led by Mike Degerstrom & Patty Trnka visited the County 9 Marsh. The weather was a bit nippy early but the sun shining on the deck was warm and the winds were calm. Over a 90 minute period we saw or heard at least 30 species of birds. Favorites included 3 Great Egrets, a Kingfisher, and a young Coopers Hawk that chased up a flock of 150+ Red-winged Blackbirds. We also had a Snipe flyover and land in the grass and watched a Ruby-throated Hummingbird nectaring at Spotted Jewelweed plants in amongst the cattails near the deck. (Keep those hummer feeders up though early October - they are migrating now.) After the marsh we stopped for a quick visit at the Silver Creek Reservoir and added Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture and Blue-winged Teal to our day list. A very fine morning of birding! Species at Cty 9 Marsh: Wood Duck, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Mallard, Ring-necked Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Great Egret, Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Marsh Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch , White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting 1 Sept. 4, 2021- Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Wet ground and gray skies greeted the 24 folks that came out for our bird walk at Quarry Hill this morning. We split into two groups and altogether we saw (or at least got glimpses of) some pretty good birds. Warblers are migrating through right now and the leaf cover made them hard to spot - but we still managed to identify 8 species including Redstarts, Magnolia, Canada, Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Black & White, Chestnut-sided and an Ovenbird. Other birds seen or heard included Warbling Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Cardinals, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Baltimore Orioles, Robins, Downy & Red-bellied Woodpecker, Goldfinches, House Finches, House Sparrows, White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees and we even had an Osprey flyover. We also noted that the wet weather has caused a lot of mushrooms, fungi and puffballs to appear. Many thanks to Terry and Joyce for leading another fun walk! Photos by Sandy Hokanson August 25, 2021- Tagging Monarchs
It was hot and steamy at the Monarch Tagging event this afternoon at Northern Hills Prairie in Rochester - but that didn't stop the more than 50 people who came out to catch and tag a butterfly. The kids practiced their swish and flick technique and then had a lot of fun sneaking up on and netting their Monarchs. Everyone was able to tag and release at least one. The folks from Quarry Hill brought out some great exhibits including some live caterpillars munching on milkweed leaves and a couple of chrysalises. We had hoped to hold one more event on Thursday, August 26 but the forecast is for rain so we've decided to cancel. Wet nets can damage butterfly wings and we don't want that. If you missed this tagging event we encourage you to visit the prairie on your own to admire the plants, insects and birds that live there. Thanks to Pam Meyer and the Quarry Hill staff for doing such a great job at this event, and to Joel Dunnette and Sandy Hokanson for catching extra butterflies! Photos by Sandy Hokanson August 8, 2021- Restored Prairie Field Trip -
Early this spring a small group of ZVAS members toured Steve Williams restored prairie and woodlands in Mower County. Today we went back to see what a difference a few months can make. It was sprinkling when we arrived, but that soon stopped and our tour began. We rode in the back of Steve's pickup to selected spots and walked so we could get up close and personal with the plants. The spring flowers were gone, replaced by Indian Plantain, Gentians, Blazing star, Rattlesnake Master, Boneset and much more. Butterflies, soldier beetles, native bees and flower flies were everywhere. In the wetter areas we found Ironweed, Cardinal Flower, Spotted Jewelweed, Arrowroot and the very rare Green Dragon plant. And when we weren't marveling at all the plant diversity we also saw or heard 20 species of birds, including Indigo Buntings, Sedge Wren and Dickcissel and 13 species of butterflies ... plus a few sleepy garter snakes. We missed seeing the prairie skinks and blue-spotted salamanders - but Steve saw them two days ago so we know they're there. It was a special day and we're so grateful to people like Steve and his family who work hard to restore and preserve these pockets of natural beauty. Photos by Sandy Hokanson August 7, 2021- Monthly Bird Walk -
We cancelled our walk this morning due to the stormy weather but 4 board members managed to find a break in the rain long enough for a quick run up to the oak savannah at Quarry Hill. Terry, Joyce, Dave & Eric found several birds including indigo bunting, white-breasted nuthatch, gray catbird, goldfinch, robin, house wren, chickadee, downy woodpecker, blue jay, crow, pigeon, eastern wood peewee, Baltimore Oriole and cardinal. And the savannah plants are doing fine too. If you get a chance be sure to visit this under-appreciated area. All photos by Terry Grier July 27, 2021 - ZVAS Potluck
We had a lot of fun at our Pot Luck at Chester Woods. It was a bit hot and steamy, but in the shade of Shelter #7 we had a great time reconnecting with friends and sampling the wonderful foods everyone brought to share. The Griers brought some photo albums (the actual printed kind - not on a phone) full of past ZVAS events we could reminisce about. Later several folks took a a short walk around the trail and in the prairie. Eastern Kingbirds were foraging nearby and the group heard but couldn't locate an Indigo Bunting. The prairie is in it's full glory so many plants were pointed out and identified. Nothing tops a Minnesota summer picnic! July 17, 2021 - 23rd Annual Butterfly Survey
On Saturday, July 17 several teams of volunteers spent the day walking through meadows, prairies, glens, fens and wooded areas around the Rochester area - all searching for as many species of butterflies as we could find in a single day. We had great weather for our count and found a total of 32 species (704 individual butterflies). Monarchs, Cabbage Whites, Great Spangled Fritillaries & Common Wood Nymphs were found in good numbers. Hairstreaks, Sulphurs, and Red Admirals were hard to come by and Anglewings were downright scarce. In fact we only found one Eastern Comma - a low number indeed! On the other hand, 3 Aphrodite Fritillaries were spotted and we haven't seen any of those since 2014. We really wanted to find the Baltimore Checkerspot that had been seen just a week ago in the Chester Woods fen - but we weren't able to relocate it. (Still, it's nice to know it was there as we haven't seen one on a count day since 2005). We'd like to thank Chester Woods for the use of a Gator to get to some of the remote areas of the park. Thanks also to all of our Citizen Science volunteer counters including: Anna Lovrien, Jerry Pruett, Jim Peterson, Ruthann Yeager, Terry Grier, Joyce Grier, Patty Trnka, John Trnka, Sarah Locher, Roberta Bumann, John Weiss, Joel Dunnette & Sandy Hokanson. Click to see the complete species list. Read John Weiss' article about the count - it appeared in the Rochester Post Bulletin on July 22, 2021. 
July 10, 2021 - Butterfly ID Refresher Class
This morning ten ZVAS members gathered at Chester Woods for a refresher course in Butterfly Identification. Joel Dunnette led us through the basics and showed a short film of butterflies in flight - which can be very helpful when identifying them at a distance. The rain let up after the indoor portion of the class and several butterflies, including a Baltimore Checkerspot (shown above) were found in the "Fen" area west of the maintenance buildings. Next Saturday is our big count day so we're hoping for warm sunshine! Most years we see between 23 - 47 different species in a single day - with a high count of 67 species in the Rochester area in a single season. July 3, 2021 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
We found 21 species of birds on our walk at Quarry Hill this morning - though with summer foliage at it's height we didn't always get a good look at each bird - and some we only heard. Many birds have fledged now and we spotted young Chickadees, Nuthatches and Rose-breasted grosbeaks all begging for food from their hardworking parents. We also saw 7 species of butterflies, several Ebony Jewelwing damselflies and many interesting plants in bloom. Thanks to our leaders Terry and Joyce Grier, and to Dave Gross and Sandy Hokanson for helping with identifications. Check our Facebook page for more photos and enjoy your Independence Day Weekend! Birds: Black-capped Chickadees Northern Cardinals Goldfinches Barn Swallow Blue Jays Robins White-breasted Nuthatches Great Crested Flycatcher American Redstart Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Rose-breasted Grosbeaks House Wren Ruby-throated Hummingbird Downy Woodpecker Gray Catbird Bald Eagle Indigo Bunting House Sparrows Red-winged Blackbirds Song Sparrow Butterflies: Meadow Fritillary Great Spangled Fritillary Monarch Black Swallowtail Silvery Checkerspot Cabbage White Northern Pearly Eye Photos by Sandy Hokanson June 20, 2021 - Kirk Payne has been busy banding Kestrel chicks.
In early June, not far from Chester Woods, Kirk climbed up a ladder and took a look into a nest box. He found 3 female chicks and one male plus an unhatched egg stuck to the bottom of the box. Based on feather development, he estimated they hatched in mid May, and would fledge in another week. They were quite docile, maybe because of the extreme hot weather at the time. Kirk gently placed them all in a yellow bucket and brought them down to ground level to be sexed, banded, and weighed. He threw out the old bedding material and put new, clean bedding in. The chicks had little blackflies on them so they were treated with a mite & tick spray before being placed back in the box (no doubt wondering what just happened to them!). The parents flew around, occasionally landing in a tree to watch the proceedings. The mom didn't return to the nest until everyone had left the area. The whole operation took less than 30 minutes. Next he checked on a nesting box out at Oxbow Park that had been put up by ZVAS members Jerry Pruett and Jim Peterson. Four fuzzy young chicks (2 males and 2 females) were found in this box and the park naturalists, including 4 summer interns, had a great experience holding the chicks, and watching Kirk go through the monitoring and banding process. Two other Kestrel chicks fledged in early June from a box on Kirk's property (they had nested very early in a box that he had pre-rigged with a camera). Kirk's regular video posts on Facebook about these birds have been fascinating. If you missed them you can still see them here: https://www.facebook.com/kirk.payne.1029 (You may need to scroll down to previous posts to find them all). And finally - just this morning he was out at another nest box that Jim Peterson had put up on his property northeast of Rochester. This box was originally built to attract Barn Owls - so it was a bit of a surprise to find Kestrels in it. A group of 15 friends and ZVAS members watched as Jim took 5 chicks (1 male & 4 females) from the box and handed them over to Kirk for banding. All were healthy and the parent birds returned to care for them as soon as the group left the area. Thank you Kirk for sharing your experiences with these beautiful raptors. And thanks to Jim Peterson, Jerry Pruett and Dave Nelson for putting up so many nest boxes. Report and photos by Terry Grier & Sandy Hokanson June 5, 2021 - Quarry Hill Bird walk
This morning 16 people came out for our walk at Quarry Hill. As a group we saw and/or heard 32 species (though not everyone saw every bird). The trees are fully leafed out making it easier for the birds to hide. One highlight was finding an Eastern Kingbird on its nest near the pond. Most birds are nesting right now which means they are more secretive - though some are still calling and courting. At the end of the walk some of us watched a Ruby-throated Hummingbird doing it's "mating dance" in front of a female in the Crab Apple tree near the Nature Center. (The male flies in a "smiley face arc" over and over again in front of the female.) It was a great walk on a warm summer day. Be sure to stay hydrated and don't over do it as the days get hotter! Many thanks to Terry & Joyce Grier for leading this monthly walk and to Brendan Lanpher, Dave Gross & Sandy Hokanson for being spotters. Photos by Sandy Hokanson. Species list: Red-winged Blackbirds, Baltimore Orioles, House Wren, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, White Breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Ruby-throated hummingbird, Indigo Bunting, House Finch, Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Grackles, Black-capped Chickadee, Killdeer, Pigeon. Canada geese (many with goslings), Mallards, Coopers Hawk, Eastern Kingbirds, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-Throated Vireo, Gray Catbird, Redstart, Blue Jay, Cardinal May 22, 2021 - Un Paseo para Observar Aves
This morning we hosted "Un Paseo para Observar Aves" - a bird walk for Spanish speakers - at Quarry Hill. Our group of 21 kids and adults walked around the pond and found several birds (aves), turtles (tortugas), squirrels (ardillas) and more. We were surprised how few birds there were - we saw or heard 19 species including a pair of Yellow Warblers). With the trees fully leafed out the birds are hard to spot - and many of the resident birds have started nesting which means they do not sing as often. But the sun was out and we had fun learning new words as we tried to describe our finds in Spanish. Thanks Eric Matteson for organizing and leading this walk! From Eric: El 22 de Mayo, 2021 tuvimos nuestro ‘Paseo para observar Aves en Español’ en el Centro de Naturaleza Quarry Hill. Nosotros éramos 21 personas, inclusivo unos niños. Los niños también estaban encantados de ver varios gansitos, tortugas, libélulas, ardillas, ardillas listadas y peces. Durante del paseo, vimos o escuchamos varias especias de aves, entre los fueron: Cardenal Norteño (Northern Cardinal), Carpintero Velloso Menor (Downy Woodpecker), Sita de Pecho Blanco (White-breasted Nuthatch), Chara Azul (Blue Jay), Dominico Americano (American Goldfinch), Mirlo Primavera (American Robin), Ganso Canadiense (Canada Goose), Gorrión Doméstico (House Sparrow), Gorrión Cantor (song sparrow), Carpintero de Carolina (Red-bellied Woodpecker), Zopilote Aura (turkey vulture), Chipe Amarillo (yellow warbler), Mallador Gris (grey catbird), Pato de Color (mallard), Goldrina Tijereta (Barn Swallow), Bolsero de Baltimore (Baltimore Oriole). Watch this web page and our Facebook page for up-to-date information and announcements about future programs in Spanish and English. En esta página web y nuestra página de Facebook encontrará información actuales y anuncios sobre programas futuros en español e inglés. May 11, 2021 - Lunch with the Birds
Crisp, clear skies greeted the 20 people who came out on today's "Lunch with the Birds" walk at Kutzky P.ark. We're still lacking warblers, but did manage to find 8 species of them along with 23 other species. The wind should switch to the south tomorrow - so we still have high hopes for a wave of warblers later this week. Of course the leaves won't stop growing so it's getting harder to get good looks at the birds. The warblers we found today were the Northern Waterthrush, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, Black & White, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Nashville and Northern Parula. Thanks again to Lance Vrieze for leading the walk. May 9, 2021 - Hok-si-la Field Trip
Our Hok-si-la Field Trip today was both challenging and fun. The birds were sparse and hiding high up in the trees (causing sore necks later) but our group of 14 managed to locate 37 species. Our favorites included a Cape May Warbler, a Barred Owl, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a Red-headed Woodpecker. After lunch we headed over to Frontenac State Park in search of the rare Yellow-throated Warbler that had been reported in the area and after some confusion about which trail we were on the bird was found. We also saw Golden-winged Warblers, Tufted Titmouse and Yellow-throated Vireos here. By the end of the day were all tired but satisfied with our finds. We're looking forward to later this week when the winds are supposed to switch to the south - which should bring a new wave of warblers in - so watch for more bird photos to come! Many thanks to Joyce and Terry Grier for leading this trip - and to Brian Jump for being such an excellent spotter! May 8, 2021 - 4th Annual BIG Birding day
Today was "Global BIG Birding Day" which meant birders everywhere were out searching for as many species as they could find. ZVAS had several birders out looking in small teams and individually and not all reports are in - but at least 94 species (including 13 warblers) have been reported so far by Brendan Lanpher, Cody Miller, Sandy Hokanson, Brian Jump, Terry Grier, Joyce Grier and Joel Dunnette. Sites visited included Quarry Hill, Eastside Marsh, Silver Creek Reservoir, Chester Woods, Kutzky Park, Kalmar South and Kalmar East reservoirs and Willow Creek. The weather was chilly, but sunny skies in the morning helped a lot and we think we all a had a pretty good BIG day. Click here to see the complete species list and more photos. May 6, 2021 - Kutzky Park - Thirteen people came out for "Lunch with the Birds" at Kutzky Park today. Lance Vrieze led the way along the creek as we searched for new birds migrating north. We saw (or heard) at least 34 species, 8 of which were warblers. Highlights included a Northern Parula, a Harris's Sparrow and a flyover by an Osprey carrying a fish.
The main thrust of warblers is yet to appear. The cool weather and blustery NW winds seems to be holding them back. They do need bugs to eat - and the cold is keeping the bug population down a bit. The first day we get winds from the south should bring more birds in greater numbers. Thanks Lance for leading! We look forward to your next walk on on Tuesday, May 11th at noon (meet at the Kutzky Park Picnic shelter). Species list: Mallard Osprey Chimney Swift Least Flycatcher Ruby-crowned Kinglet Palm Warbler Yellow Warbler Black & White Warbler Common Yellowthroat Northern Waterthrush Wilson's Warbler Northern Parula Yellow-rumped Warbler Harris's Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Clay-colored Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Eastern Towhee Black-capped Chickadee Goldfinch Housefinch House Wren Mourning Dove Baltimore Oriole Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Robin Red-winged Blackbird Grackle Starling Brown-headed Cowbird May 1, 2021 -Quarry Hill Walk - It was a beautiful morning for our walk this morning at Quarry Hill. Our group of 18 found two great birds - a Red-Headed Woodpecker and a Solitary Sandpiper - mixed in with all the "regulars". A Junco and two Pine Siskins were near the feeders along with several White-throated Sparrow - all 3 of these species will be heading north soon. Finding the Red-headed Woodpecker (Thanks Eric S. for spotting it) was extraordinary as no one from Audubon has seen one in the park for many, many years. We're hopeful that one will take up residence in the savanna area.
For most of our walk the birds were quiet and not very active. The main brace of warblers has not yet arrived and we only found a single Yellow-rumped Warbler and an Orange-crowned warbler. We'll be watching for more warblers over the next 2-3 weeks. Our leaders Terry and Joyce Grier reported that they saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a Gray Catbird in their yard this morning... so that's a hopeful sign that birds are on the way. April 27, 2021 - Monthly program - Prairie Haven - Last night's zoom presentation by Marcie and Mike O'Connor was fascinating. In 2000 they bought an old farm (approx 425 acres + 75 purchased later) and have worked since then to return it to how it looked before European settlers came into the area. The before and after pictures taken by Marcie were incredible and show how much can be accomplished if you just keep at it. More recently Mike has begun making audio recordings the track of coyotes calling was especially haunting! If you want to learn more about what’s happening at Prairie Haven visit https://www.prairiehaven.com/.
To learn more about Mike's audio recordings visit https://www.earsinthe driftless.com/. Thank you Marcie and Mike! April 25, 2021 - Root River Field Trip - It was a chilly morning for our walk at Root River County Park today. The sun was out early, but it quickly clouded over making it hard to get good clear looks at the 25 species of birds our group of 11 birders heard and saw.
The highlight of the day was a Barred Owl we watched being chased away from its roosting spot along the old stagecoach trail. Other birds included an E. Bluebird bringing nesting material to one of the boxes, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Phoebes, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and a possible Sharp-shinned Hawk. There are still Juncos hanging around and we did hear White-throated, Song and Field Sparrows. The prairie had been burned just a few days before our walk, but the spring woodland flowers are still in bloom with lots of false rue anemone and dutchman's breeches to be seen. The snow trillium is nearly gone but a few patches can still be found and the bluebells have not peaked yet. Migrating birds should be coming in faster now as May approaches and we're all looking forward to seeing more warblers! April 24, 2021 - Reservoir Field Trip - Nineteen participants, including 3 people from the Twin Cities, came out for our Reservoir Field Trip Saturday morning. Our three leaders included Lance Vrieze, Jerry Pruett, and Michael Degerstrom. Due to the number of people and cars, we split into two groups and traveled to reservoirs in opposite order. Lance's group got a bonus of going to the Lily Farm development to see an active Osprey nest on a tall cell tower and the Heron rookery.
Grey skies with on-and-off light mist, temperatures in the 40's, and a brisk breeze kept us cool as we toured the Eastside Wildlife Management Area (also known as the Cty 9 marsh), Silver Creek Reservoir, Willow Creek Reservoir, and the East and South Kalmar Landfill Reservoirs. There were similar ducks, coots, and pied-billed grebes at all locations. Highlights of the day: We saw a Swamp Sparrow at the marsh. At Silver Creek there was a Brown Thrasher singing 40' up in a tree, an Eastern Phoebe, a Pileated WP and 2 Wilson's Snipe flying over, 12 Double-Crested Cormorants, 35 White Pelicans, and 5 Sandhill Cranes. Willow Creek had a Field Sparrow, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Ruby & Golden-Crowned Kinglets, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, 6 Pelicans flying in, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, and Pectoral Sandpipers. At both landfill lakes we found E Meadowlarks, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, both Yellowlegs, and Pectoral Sandpipers. At the East Kalmar Reservoir there were Greater White-fronted Geese, an Osprey, a Great Egret, and 2 Long-billed Dowitchers. At South Kalmar we found Semi-palmated Plover and Dunlin (shorebirds), and a Bald Eagle. Our extra stop at Lily Farm yielded 8 Turkeys, the cell tower Osprey, and 12 Great Blue Herons at the rookery. Both groups combined saw a total of 81 species - including 12 species of shorebirds - quite a day!! It was a good day birding with new year-birds for almost everyone, on a day when some of us might have let the weather keep us at home. Reported by Terry Grier & Lance Vrieze All photos by Terry Grier Here's the full species list: Greater White-fronted Goose Canada Goose Blue-winged Teal Northern Shoveler Gadwall American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Canvasback Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Ring-necked Pheasant Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe Mourning Dove Rock Pigeon American Coot Sandhill Crane Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Dunlin Least Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson's Snipe Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Ring-billed Gull Forster’s Tern Double-crested Cormorant American White Pelican Great Blue Heron Great Egret Osprey Northern Harrier Bald Eagle Broad-winged Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Belted Kingfisher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe American Crow Blue Jay Black-capped Chickadee Horned Lark Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Brown Thrasher American Robin House Sparrow American Goldfinch Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Yellow-headed Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal 
April 17, 2021 - Wetlands Field trip - The ZVAS team had a great day of birding on Saturday at Armstrong Wetlands, Rice Lake State Park and Kalmar East. Sunny skies, light winds and temps between 40 - 60 degrees were an added bonus. Thirteen people came along for the ride (8 left in early afternoon) and over the course of the day (between 7am - 4pm) we saw 57 species!
Highlights included several Horned Grebes, lots of ducks and Coots (Northern Shovelers were everywhere), a couple shorebirds (Greater YellowLegs & Killdeer), a Barred Owl (heard only), a Great Egret, Pelicans, Cormorants, Kestrels, Pheasants and Red-tailed Hawks. A spectacular look at a pair of Osprey (photo at left) at Kalmar East as we neared home brought our day to a spectacular close. We also want to mention that spring wildflowers are blooming now in Rice Lake State Park. In some areas the grould is virtually covered in blooming Trout Lily, Cutleaf Toothwort, Spring Beauty, Hepatica, and False Rue Anemone. It's really a sight to see and it won't last long! Many thanks to Terry & Joyce Grier for leading this trip. Species list for the day: Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Kestrel, Osprey, Barred Owl Turkey Vulture, Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Sandhill Crane, Great Egret, Pelican, Tree Swallow, Horned Lark, Song Sparrow, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Mourning Dove, Crow, Robin, Junco, Pigeon, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Flicker, Meadowlark, Trumpeter Swans, Ring-necked Duck, Gadwall, Coots, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Scaup Canada Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, Blue-winged Tea, Green-winged teal, Wigeon, Pied Bill Grebe, Horned Grebe, Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks, Pintail, Redhead Ducks, Canvasbacks, Wood Ducks, Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-billed Gull, Double Crested Cormorants 
April 15, 2021 - Woodcock Walk - Thirty-two people came out to see the Woodcocks perform their "sky dance" at Chester Woods this evening. We hoped the cloudy weather would get things started early but they didn't start to make their "peent" calls until a little after 8 PM. Unfortunately by that time it was dark enough that they were very hard to see - and they were most active further from the road than in previous years - so we did not get very good looks. At lkeast we know they're back and still doing their "thing". You can watch a short YouTube video about Woodcocks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx-iRZPts6E
April 8, 2021 - Heron Rookery Update - The Rochester Post Bulletin reported that the land use decision has been delayed until May 18 - their complete story is here:
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/government-and-politics/6972206-Development-decision-delayed-amid-heron-concerns Photo by Dave Gross April 3, 2021 - Quarry Hill Walk - 30 people came out for our walk at Quarry Hill this morning and although we didn't see a lot of birds - we sure couldn't complain about the weather! Bright sun and 60's is pretty nice for early April. We did see a new bird for the year - a Brown-headed Cowbird and spotted our first butterfly - either a Comma or Question Mark (we didn't get a look at the underside to make a positive ID). Get outside when you can. Songbird migration will be ramping up soon!
Save the Great Blue Heron Rookery
March 25, 2021- Today a small group of ZVAS Board members were invited to visit a Great Blue Heron Rookery in SW Rochester. We saw more than 30 herons in and around more than 2 dozen nests. Some were already displaying courting behavior. We were astonished - none of us were aware of this site - but thankfully a few local landowners have known about it and protected it for the last 30 years. Now this site is being threatened with a housing development, even though the land is only marginally suitable for housing. This is the ONLY known heron rookery near Rochester - it would be a tragedy to lose it. We hope you'll like and follow the "Save the Rookery" page that concerned neighbors have created here: https://www.facebook.com/SAVE-the-Rookery-102615235261429 Your help is urgently needed! Reach out to your local representatives, and the Rochester Township board members. Tell them YOU CARE. Tell them NOT to allow building permits that destroy this critical habitat located along Boulder Creek, edged by 60th Ave SW. (Note: there is no public access to this site at this time - please do NOT attempt to find them as they will be breeding soon.) This rookery, hidden away in the woods, it is our whole community's treasure. Let's protect them. Matt Kitzmann, Seat 1 (507) 398-5576 Matt@ssccleans.com Brian Mueller, Seat 2 (507)252-8078 Muellerbrian88@yahoo.com Jeff Orth, Seat 3 507-254-6358 Jefforth155@aol.com Brian Zmolek, Seat 4 Tel: 507-951-8852 Email: brian.zmolek@gmail.com Jamie Neisen, Seat 5 Tel: 507-258-5215 Email: jpneisen@yahoo.com You can also call and email your County Commissioner: https://www.olmstedcounty.gov/.../board-of-commissioners 
March 23, 2021 - BATS!
We'd like to thank Kristen Lear for presenting last night's zoom program about bats - it was was pretty cool. Did you know bats are the world's only flying mammal? There are more than 1,400 species worldwide (8 species live in Minnesota) and many are in serious trouble through loss of habitat. In our area white-nose Syndrome, an exotic fungus that appeared in 2006, has killed an estimated 99% of the Little Brown Bats in Minnesota ... and we need those bats to eat our mosquitoes! You can learn more about bats and the work being done to save them at https://www.batcon.org/ 
March 22, 2021 - Owl commotion
A Great Horned Owl nest in NW Rochester has been all over Facebook and the news media ... and we get it ... it's not often you find an owl nest that is so accessible. And these owls have so far been very tolerant of all the commotion. To avoid distressing the owls beyond their tolerance point, please consider viewing them from your car. The owls are used to car noise, but not to people talking loudly and making sudden moves. If you do get out of your car to get a better view, please move slowly, be quiet and only stay a few minutes. If you visit the site and there are already 5 or 6 cars watching, please come back at another time. DO NOT FLY DRONES anywhere near this nest. Also - please be aware that the owlets will soon begin "branching". This means they will move out of the nest and perch on nearby branches where they will flap and exercise their wings. Sometimes they fall to the ground. If you see this happen DO NOT "rescue" them. The parents will feed them on the ground and may even attack you if approach the chicks or leave the road. So go see the owls - safely - from a distance. Thank you! Here's some more info about treating owls with respect: https://www.internationalowlcenter.org/respectful... Thanks KAAL TV - for getting the word out on how to keep the the Owls safe in NW Rochester. Good advice from Karla Bloem of the International Owl Center and Joel Dunnette, President of Zumbro Valley Audubon. Watch the clip here. March 5 & 6, 2021 - Quarry Hill Walk & More
Today's walk at Quarry Hill featured a bright blue sky and our winter regulars - mostly Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Chickadees, Juncos, Downy & Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and a few Pine Siskins. Nothing new - but what a fine day to be outside! As the ice starts to melt we're all eager to find early migrating waterfowl, sparrows and more. On Friday, March 5th four members of our group drove over to the Winona, MN area and found some interesting birds including a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, Gadwall, Goldeneye and a Great Blue Heron. Further down the river they found more Goldeneye and several Common Mergansers. Also seen were a large flock of Turkeys, 3 Pileated Woodpeckers, Kestrels, Red-tails, Bald Eagles and more for a total of 31 species. The birds are out there - you just have to be in the right place at the right time - keep looking! Photos from both trips are shown here. All photos by Sandy Hokanson except Bald Eagle nest and Turkeys by Terry Grier. February 16, 2021 - Road Trip Snowy Owl & Varied Thrush
Snowy owls have been sighted recently in Dodge County and also near Nerstrand Woods so a small group of our Board members (Joyce and Terry G; Sandy and Greg H) decided to go look for them. Often chasing birds is futile as they can and do leave the area - but this time they got lucky and actually found a Snowy. A beautiful nearly all white bird let them observe it for several minutes. Joyce had also heard about a Varied Thrush (a very rare bird in Minnesota) located in Northfield so off they went and found that one too. Over the course of the drive they also saw several Pheasants, Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, Turkeys and even a fox loping across a field. Back in Rochester they checked another spot where Varied Thrush have been seen. They missed that one but did spot several Robins and Cedar Waxwings. A very successful birding day! Photos by Sandy Hokanson February 6, 2021 - Quarry Hill Bird Walk
Windy and zero degrees with a minus 20 wind chill meant only 7 hardy folk came out for our bird walk at Quarry Hill this morning ... and we didn't walk far! In fact we mostly huddled up against the east side of the Nature Center to stay out of the wind while we watched the birdfeeders. We did saw 12 species before our hands and feet got too cold to continue. They included: Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, Cardinals, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers, House Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, House finch, Goldfinches, Mourning Doves and Pine Siskins. The photos are a bit blurry - I was having trouble focusing (my glasses kept fogging up!) So good birds are out there - but be sure to bundle up if you head out in this weather. Stay safe! Photos by Sandy Hokanson 
January 26, 2021 - Maya Biosphere Reserve Program
Last night's ZVAS program about the work being done in Guatemala in the Maya Biosphere Reserve to restore bird habitat was fascinating! We watched a short video of folks capturing and banding birds (many of which are familiar to us here in Minnesota). Then Director Roan McNab gave us a more detailed overview of the work being done. The Maya Biosphere Reserve, which covers 5 million acres or 19% of Guatemala, has been losing forest steadily to ranching for many years. In 2020, after 30 years of continuing education and working together with the local communities they were finally able to stop the yearly losses and increase the net forest area. They conduct ongoing ecological assessments and evaluations of the land, work with local governments to find and remove illegal ranches and much more. One project they are particularly proud of is working to conserve the beautiful Scarlet Macaws of which there were only 300 left in Guatemala. In 2020 they successfully fledged 41 chicks - a huge success. They even monitor the weather (it's getting hotter) and the water supply is becoming irregular. Roan emphasized that their best hope for saving birds is saving the forest habitat and that takes joint efforts from the local communities and the rest of the world. If you'd like to find out more, or even take a birding trip to the area visit these sites to learn more. https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/ or https://guatemala.wcs.org/en-us/Wild-Places.aspx January 16, 2021 - Golden Eagle Survey
Our team of 4 went out in search of Golden Eagles again on Saturday but the overcast skies, intermittent rain and sleet didn't help. No Goldens were sighted in our territory. As a consolation prize we did see nearly 100 Bald Eagles on the very edge of our territory soaring high over the bluffs and sitting on the ice near open water on the Mississippi just south of Minneiska on Hwy 61 - and that was a pretty cool site. We also found a group of 27 Common Merganzers at that same location and a flock of 40 plus Snow Buntings on County 9 back near Rochester. All in all we counted 25 different species of birds but only 3 species of raptors (Bald Eagles, Kestrels and Red-tailed Hawks). Two of our group plan to go search for Goldens again today so we'll let you know if they find some. January 12, 2021 - Scouting for Golden Eagles
On Tuesday three ZVAS Board Members went out to scout their assigned territory for the upcoming Golden Eagle Survey on January 16th (Route 6 near Rollingstone, MN). They found 29 species of birds along the way - including 2 Golden Eagles. (We weren't sure of one of them until we checked the photos carefully) The photo shown here is blurry, but it's definitely a Golden. Other raptors seen were 11 Red-tailed Hawks, 9 Bald Eagles, 2 Kestrels and a possible Shrike. Hoping for more birds on Saturday's Official Count - maybe they'll be easier to see against a snowy background - wish us luck! January 1, 2021 - Whitewater Christmas Bird Count
Several ZVAS members took part in the Annual Whitewater Christmas Bird Count today. It was foggy in spots with frost on the grasses and trees but it was warm (in the 20s) and they found a great selection of bird species. Sandy Hokanson, and Joyce and Terry Grier covered Zone 6 and found 25 species. They were most happy to find a large flock of 80+ Common Redpolls (not a common bird in this area). Other interesting finds included 35 Trumpeter Swans, 12 Gadwall, a Rough-legged Hawk and 4 Purple Finches. Now we wait for the rest of the teams to report their counts. Above are a few photos from today. |
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