Midwest Birding Symposium

Tweet Finally made it up to Lakeside. Checked in and got the key for my cabin. When I registered, I was told that everything was full, so I had to settle for a rustic cabin. Here is the rustic cabin that I'm staying in


Not too bad with a sleeping bag. I enjoy not having the temptation of watching TV!


Birders were chumming for birds using popcorn. Didn't draw much other than Ring-billed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls. A few Canada Geese flew over as well. One birder advised that the popcorn was blowing into the windows of the lower deck of the boat. Saw some Caspian Terns earlier, but none while on the cruise.



Cruising by island, note the dead trees from all of the Double-crested Cormorant whitewash.



Beautiful sunset as we were heading back to the Lakeside dock.



Meeting lots of new birders, internet bird friends, and ones I haven't seen in a long time! Tweet

Early American Pipit

Tweet I decided to stop by East Fork State Park Wednesday morning before going to the store to get everything I need for the upcoming Midwest Birding Symposium. Since there was only one fisherman on the beach, I thought I might have a chance of seeing some shorebirds. There wasn't much going on bird wise, despite the lack of people and dogs. I did manage to see one Pectoral Sandpiper looking for bugs in the grass with the Killdeer - it even puffed up and threatened the Killdeer - pretty cool. There was also an Osprey flying around.

Went to the other side of the beach by the fisherman, I wasn't expecting to see anything. From a considerable distance, a small bird briefly caught my eye in the grass. I was hoping it was another wondering Northern Wheatear, but I know that would be unlikely. I went over to investigate and found this American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) (dang, but still good bird) chasing bugs in the grass with a Killdeer.



If everything goes right with my laptop, my next post should be from the south shore of Lake Erie from the Midwest Birding Symposium. Tweet

International Vulture Awareness Day 2009

Tweet Today, September 5th, is International Vulture Awareness Day. Vultures (sometimes wrongfully called Buzzards, which is a term for Old World hawks - Buteos) play a vital role in our ecosystems by cleaning up dead carcasses. Many people wrongfully fear vultures, which is unwarranted. Below are some facts about vultures that make them cool - at least to me anyway!

Did you know that a group of vultures is called a wake?

A "wake" of Black and Turkey Vultures.

Black Vulture Coragyps atratus

Turkey Vultures are one of very few birds that can actually smell, which allows them to locate carrion by scent. Black Vultures (which cannot smell) take advantage of the TV's ability to find carcasses by scent and often repay the TVs by bullying them while feeding.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Photo: USFWS

According to DNA studies, New World Vultures, (Black and Turkey Vultures around here) are more related to storks than raptors. Many people find this hard to envision, but when I picture storks like the Wood Stork and Jabiru , the similarities are very apparent to me. This is called convergent evolution.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Photo: USFS

Did you know that the pH of a vulture's stomach acid is 0 (pH of water is 7)? This makes it very corrosive and allows them to eat rotting flesh that contains bacteria/toxins such as anthrax and botulinum, which would kill just about any other animal. This also allows them to use it as a weapon, for when they feel threatened, they can projectile vomit at their harasser.

I think vultures are cool! Tweet