Day 3 in Minnesota started off with a bang as we picked up Boreal Chickadee, White-winged Crossbill and Brown Creeper within the first half hour.   After a futile attempt to locate a Northern Goshawk, we headed to an area where a Snowy Owl has been regularly sighted over the past couple of weeks.  

Along the way, we saw our second and third Great Grey Owls.  Both were in hunting mode under the gray morning skies.

After striking out with the Snowy Owl, we headed southeast to Crex Meadows in Wisconsin.  Again, we picked up three more species quickly including Ring-necked Pheasant, American Tree Sparrow and the Horned Lark pictured below.

Shortly thereafter, we located the Golden Eagle perched high in a pine tree under the deteriorating Wisconsin sky.

While searching for the Sharp-tailed Grouse, we witnessed Bald Eagle sex.  Sorry, but the photos are not suitable for this blog.  What I'm really trying to say is I didn't get a good picture.  Anyway, with a little luck, there will be a couple more eagles flying around this spring.

With the weather deteriorating into snow flurries, we weren't able to locate the Sharp-tailed Grouse or the Rough-legged Hawk we were looking for.   We did run across this Ruffed Grouse, probably the 10th one of these observed during our three days in the north country.

While we did not get every target species on the list, we did very well, adding 27 species to the YTD tally which currently stands at 254. So, in just a month and a half we are more than half way to the 2025 goal of 500 species.   Unfortunately, the more we get, the tougher it becomes to get more.  We'll see. 

Now it's back to the Free State of Florida and some birding in shorts and t-shirts instead of four layers of pants and jackets.

-33 degrees.   As in below zero.   That was the temperature Wednesday morning at the Sax-Zim bog north of Duluth, MN as we began our search for anything with feathers or fur.

This Pine Marten didn't mind the cold at all.

The headliner for day 1 was lifer #541... the Boreal Owl.  This owl is about the size of a football and may or may not be present in the bog in any given year.

Day 2 was warmer with the thermometer reading just -21 degrees below zero when we arrived at the bog.  The Great Gray Owl was a super find to start the day.  After empty trips the past two years, we finally got one this year.  We spotted it atop a dead tree about 50 yards off the road but it quickly disappeared into the forest.  Happily, it emerged just down the road and posed for pictures while it soaked up the 'warm' Minnesota morning sunshine.  In contrast to the Boreal Owl, the Great Grays average about 28" in length.

We then headed further north to Grand Marais, MN in search of Bohemian Waxwings.  Along the way we passed the Split Rock Lighthouse standing watch over the western shore of Lake Superior.  This lighthouse dates back to 1910.

And, yes, we got the Bohemian Waxwings.  This is another species that we have not observed on the last couple of trips to Minnesota.

The photo below shows a mixed group of Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings.  The Bohemians are easily distinguished from their more common cousins by the rufous red color under their tails.

The Bohemians flew into the ash tree where they collectively crushed the ash berries with the Cedars and then flew out as quickly as they had arrived.  And, that was that.

Tomorrow, we take another shot at a Snowy Owl before heading to western Wisconsin in search of Golden Eagle, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Rough-legged Hawks and American Tree Sparrows.  And, no, they were not previously called Mexican Tree Sparrows.

  

 After leaving New Jersey and the 1,500 Snow Geese at Brigantine behind...

we spent three days at the Outer Banks picking up several new species for the year including the Northern Gannet.

Our pelagic boat trip went 31 miles off-shore but we only picked up three new species for 2025 and 0 lifers.  That was quite the disappointment.  The wind throughout the day made the ocean look like a giant slurry of mercury, water and concrete mix.  At times, it looked more like a moonscape than an ocean.

In addition to very poor lighting conditions, trying to take photos of small birds on a boat bobbing in 5 to 10 foot swells was made even more difficult by the propensity of the birds to either dive or fly away as the boat came into range.  If the birds happened to stay put, you typically had a second or two to locate the bird through the camera, focus and shoot before the next wave removed the bird from view.

I did manage a serviceable shot of a Razorbill...

and, while we saw many Dovekie during the trip, I was unable to get a picture.  The photo below shows a Dovekie from my visit to Huntington Beach in South Carolina last year.  Dovekies are about the size of a Nerf football.  The Razorbills are a bit larger.

We also saw numerous Atlantic Puffins.  Again, no shots but, this is what they look like from a previous trip to Maine.

Tomorrow, we'll be at Huntington Beach in South Carolina searching for Horned Grebes, White-winged Scoters and Red-throated Loons.  I have had no luck with the latter two over the past four years.   Then it's on to Minnesota on Tuesday and the Sax-Zim Bog where temperatures will likely be a balmy minus-5 to 10 degrees (F).  This means my suitcase will get heavier as I will need to pack an extra t-shirt.

Having completed a quick stop in Charlotte to pick up a clean bill of health from the dentist and, after picking up some common winter birds for the area including Red-headed Woodpecker, Pine Warbler and White-throated Sparrow, we made a beeline past the D.C. swamp to the New Jersey coast near Atlantic City.

It was a balmy 31 degrees when we arrived late morning at the Barnegat Lighthouse in search of maritime species that winter on the mid-Atlantic coast.  The late afternoon was spent at the Edwin Forsythe Wildlife Refuge formerly known as Brigantine... a much better name in my opinion. We pretty much checked every box on the list with 21 new species observed for the year.

Among the ducks observed were the showy Long-tailed Duck...

The Harlequin Duck...

And, the Surf Scoter.

This American Pipit would have been new for the year had I not seen it in South Texas two weeks ago.  Some birds have limited ranges, some don't.

I managed my best look to date of the very skittish Snow Bunting.

Northern Harriers making their lonely, late afternoon sorties over the grasses are a fairly common site in large marshes like Brigantine.

It was raining clams at Brigantine as numerous American Herring Gulls were pulling clams from the tidal muck and dropping them on the dirt road upon which we were travelling.  Apparently, dropping the clams onto the road from 40 or 50 feet in the air helps open them up for the gulls.  Telling the insurance agent, "Well, my car got hit by a clam..." would probably be the acme of foolishness.

With the YTD count standing at 215 and most of our New Jersey target list complete, we head south tomorrow to the Outer Banks with a couple of stops on the Delmarva peninsula to search for Red-necked Loons and Common Goldeneyes.

Day 2 of the South Texas trip started with bright sunshine, temps in the low 50s and a jaunt down a dirt road known as the "Sparrow Road" past oil wells, ranches, and farm fields.   I had the road all to myself except for the occasional F350 trucks barreling down the road at 65 mph leaving dust clouds in their wake.  As if I needed to be reminded I was in Texas.

The day started with a pair of White-tailed Hawks surveying the surrounding fields.

This immature Lark Bunting was the second 'lifer' of the trip.  A very showy adult would have been great but, you take what you can get.

The sparrow road also yielded Greater Roadrunner, Peregrine Falcon, American Pipit, Curve-billed Thrasher, Loggerhead Shrike and  Savannah, Black-throated and Lark Sparrows.  I also observed my first Pyrrhuloxia outside of Arizona.  It looks like a cardinal with its beak smashed in.

I also had the photo blinds at Resaca de la Palma to myself.  Here I picked up the third 'lifer' of the trip - a Tropical Parula.  The life list has grown to 540.  The park ranger indicated folks had been looking for this bird in a couple stands of trees and brush near the visitor center. That sounded like work to me.  So, I opted for the photo blinds behind the visitor where I hoped the bird would make a visit to the pools of water there.  Et, voila...

Needless to say, the Parula was not happy with the Orange-crowned Warbler trying to sneak a peak while it took its bath.

The blinds yielded excellent photos of several other species including the Altamira Oriole.

Green Jay

Olive Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

And the appropriately named Black-crested Titmouse.

Another species observed was neither a Turkey nor a Chicken.  It was a Plain Chacalaca and a gosh darn nuisance at bird feeders.

Finally, with more than 900 species of birds in Costa Rica, many with crazy shapes, colors and sizes, the humble Clay-colored Thrush is their national bird.  

The trip yielded 3 lifers and 57 new species for 2025, bringing the YTD total to 179.   Almost 100 total species were observed during this quick, two day trip.  

It's back to several days of heavy-duty yard work before we head to North Carolina next week followed by visits to Barnegat, NJ and the Sax-Zim bog in Minnesota with a target list of 91 species of northern and maritime birds.

Today's South Texas birding effort started with temperatures in the low 40s with clouds, wind and hint of drizzle.  Even so, I think I'll take that over the 101 degree heat that South Texas typically has to offer.

I had massive Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park completely to myself with the exception of a few park employees, the birds and some rogue javelinas.

The javelinas really like the orange peels the birds knock to the ground. Unfortunately, some of the javelinas are chasing the folks who fill the feeders, prompting some of the feeders to be shut down for now.  None of them - the javelinas or the park employees - challenged me to a race on the bicycle I rented which is good because they all probably would have won. It was a crummy bike but, it saved me from having to walk about 4 miles this morning.

In all, I observed 70 species today with 36 new for 2025.  The first lifer of 2025 was this Common Pauraque.  Similar to a Whippoorwill, it sleeps by day and hunts by night.  Had the park ranger not been kind enough to point it out, I would never have found it.

The ranger also pointed out a McCall's Eastern Screech Owl.  See if you can spot the owl the way I had to looking through 30 yards of tangled undergrowth.

Another super find was the Audubon's Oriole.  This is the first time I have seen one.  I have only ever heard one previously.

And, while not a lifer, this is my best photo opportunity with a Gray Hawk.  Normally, I just get a fleeting glimpse as they soar quickly above the trees.  This one is sporting fashionable bird bands.

Today's effort moves the January YTD total to 158 which exceeds last January's previous best of 152.

Oh, and the owl?   It's perched in the fork of the tree.

The immoderate weather this week with cold temps, wind, and clouds have made birding a challenge.  But, the YTD total has increased to 120.

This Pileated Woodpecker was obliterating a rotten tree branch, feasting on the insect larvae contained within.

Bald Eagles are a fairly common sight in this part of Florida.

And the Florida Scrub Jays were busy finding acorns to bury in the sand.  There are 15 species of birds that are endemic to the United States, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world outside of this country.  The Florida Scrub Jay is endemic to Florida.  I am always happy to check this Federally threatened bird off my list because there is no chance of finding it anywhere else.

Now it's back to Key West for a few days to oversee the installation of our backyard and build a deck and pergola with swing that will likely become a daily go-to for the man cubs with their Grandma.  Also in the mix next week is a quick trip to South Texas for some Tex-Mex birding along the Rio Grande River to finish up the January birding agenda.  As I have noted before, there are no days off when you're retired.

 

The temps were in the 40's as Day 1 of the central Florida birding swing got under way this morning. The effort yielded 22 new species for the year, raising the 2025 YTD tally to 114.

Wilson's Snipes were everywhere at Merrit Island near Cape Canaveral.  If you have ever been snipe hunting... this is what you were looking for.

At the Orlando Wetlands, this Common Yellowthroat was in its early nest-building stages.

This Anhinga was enjoying fresh catch of the day...

... While a Tri-colored Heron was searching for a fresh catch of its own.

To this Purple Gallinule, the swamp is just one gigantic salad bar.

Until it's not.

A Little Blue Heron was simply soaking up the bright January Florida sunshine.