Siskins!

Although I've had a single Pine Siskins visiting my feeder periodically since November, this last cold front finally brought down a sizable sum of seven seed-eating siskins. I've decided to share some of my photos.

Greeting the Birds of a New Year

In early and mid December, I spotted 2 Least Sandpipers at the Bois D'Arc Conservation Area just a little northwest of Springfield. When the new year came around, I decided to see if the hardy little shorebirds had managed to remain in spite of sub freezing temperatures in recent days. The peeps were gone, but replacing them was a flock of at least 9 American Pipits, another Ozarks winter rarity. A couple of them posed nicely for the winter afternoon photographs.

Just down the road, I spotted my first winter Wood Duck in several years. This one is arguably the most beautiful North American duck, and it is always a joy to take in its glorious plumage.A couple Red-tailed Hawks in the area made me take a second look in hopes of turning up a Rough-legged Hawk, but neither passed the test for dark wrists. Here's their pictures, nevertheless.
The most exciting sighting of the day, however, came when I least expected and was too quick to get a picture. Looking into a barn that I have checked a 1000 times unsuccessfully, I encountered a Barn Owl high in the rafters! At the instant I saw it, it swooped through the exit. I briefly looked for it outside of the barn, but a pang of guilt swept over me. I hope it returns, and brings with it a mate. For now, I'll keep its location on the down low, and hope that spring brings fledglings!

January is looking ok. A day earlier, I picked up Winter Wren, Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Bald Eagle at Linden, all while playing disc golf. Yesterday there were 21 Black Vultures feasting on a deer carcass on the roadside near the Springfield Nature Center. It seems I haven't even tried, and my year list currently stands at 47 species. Plans to check some lake and ponds tomorrow to add some waterfowl. Who knows where this will end?

Top Ten Nature Moments of 2008

Once again it is with gratitude and a desire to share the joy of the great outdoors that I post my top ten nature moments of 2008.

As a retired biology teacher, I know that natural awareness and environmental responsibility is taught in the classroom, but the teachings simply do not take hold without awe inspiring, first hand encounters with the natural world and all of its beauty. We who long for our next day out of doors have developed a heartfelt gratitude for the gift of Nature. It is from the core of this "gratitude within" that we are called into action to educate others, and to protect, defend, and preserve our biosphere.

So yes, this is a self-indulgent episode in blogging, but I still prefer to think of it as a testimony to the power of Nature to transform lives and to instill, as Rachel Carson coined, "a sense of wonder" in all of us.

My Top Ten Nature Moments of 2008

10. Fellows Lake Feathers! In November, I was forced to study the subtle difference between Western Grebes and Clark's Grebes as a tempting intergrade bird appeared on Fellows Lake. I ultimately decided it was a Western Grebe, but only after 2-3 days of mulling it over in my mind. This place is always special. It is the location of my life Clay-colored Sparrow, Northern Shrike, and Pacific Loon discoveries in past years. Last, but surely not least, it is the main piece of the pie in my section of the Springfield Christmas Bird Count circle, where I learned that "every bird counts."

9. Environmental Education Excellence!: Receiving a $26,000 grant from the Together Green project to set up the first annual Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems (GLADE). Our plan is to select 16 of the finest young environmental leaders in Southwest Missouri high schools, to have them converge in a week long residential adventure and to put them to work near the Arkansas border in an effort to restore habitat for Swainson's Warbler, Bachman's Sparrow and other endangered species of Missouri. Check it our plans at www.greenleadershipacademy.org

8 Bodacious Bois D'Arc Boids! I have underbirded Bois D'Arc Conservation Area. I vow not to do it again this year! In 2008 the area produced stunning views of LeConte's Sparrow, Wilson's Snipes, and American Pipits. A single Dunlin appeared in November. In December, I spotted 2 late Least Sandpipers that stayed for at least 2 weeks.7. Aldrich Avian Adventures! On a comfortable August morning, Marvin and I headed up to the Aldrich arm of Stockton Reservoir in search of Buff-bellied Sandpipers. Although our target species eluded us, we enjoy large numbers of terns and shorebirds, getting soul satisfying views of Western Sandpipers and Least Terns.

6. Lockwood Luxuries! Although I had discovered a Northern Shrike at Fellows Lake last winter, I was again thrilled when birder friends Charley, Lisa, and David found another Northern Shrike in the Lockwood area. I convinced Charley to join me a few days later. We quickly found the cooperative Northern Shrike and added a stealthy Prairie Falcon to my Missouri list. The speedy bird was hard to keep up with, but as I look back, I realize that we were very fortunate to get three looks before it disappeared into the distant prairie.

5. Gustav Gulling! When Hurricane Gustav's landfall path reached into Southwest Missouri, I beelined down to Table Rock Reservoir in seach of Royal, Sooty, or Bridled Terns. Although unsuccessful in my tern quest, I was fortunate to be with one of Missouri's top birders, Joe Eades. He spotted my life Sabine's Gull along a distant shore, and we marveled in its distinctive yin-yang triangular wing pattern.

4. Wetlands Wonders! In September, I journeyed out to Kansas, where I birded Cheyenne Bottoms for a single afternoon. Not only did I add Red-necked Phalarope to my life list, but I photographed grace in action in wading American Avocets and swarming Monarch butterflies. Quite a sight!

3. Big Day Bonanza! An unbelievable 125 species on our May Big Day! Marvin, Charley and I arrived on the Missouri Prairie at sunrise, covered the roads down to the Busiek State Forest glade and Mark Twain National Forest, on to the Palmetto Meadows and urban waters, and finished some 14 hours later at Lake Springfield! This awesome day broke my previous big day record by 20 species!

2. Outer Banks Odyssey! The holidays provided a wonderful opportunity to visit my NC son and daughter-in-law and we all ventured to the the Outer Banks. Besides spending 4 days on the beach and visiting three light houses, I managed to pick up 4 life birds as my son struggled to pick up his 300th NC bird for 2008. Birds that I added to my list were Red-throated Loan, Mute Swan, Surf Scoter, and my favorite, the Purple Sandpipers of Oregon Inlet near Pea Island NWR.

1. Wyoming Wonders! An incredible family trip to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. It all started when my brother-in-law planned a family reunion there. Fourteen of us converged in Moran Junction, Wyoming, sightseeing our way up to Cooke City, Montana, and back to Moran Junction. The valley of the Lamar provided an amazing wildlife viewing experience that I will never forget. We arrived early in the morning in the valley of the Lamar, shortly after the Slough pack of wolves had taken down a young bull elk. Lying on the banks of the river, the carcass became the hub of biological activity for at least two days. The wolves gorged themselves, magpies and coyotes waiting on the sideline for a clearing in the mob. As the wolves dispersed, a Grizzly Bear barreled down the hill at an incredible speed. At one point, it confronted a member of the wolf pack. There was no doubting who the boss was in that valley as the bear chased the wolf out of sight. In the distance, huge herds of American Bison grazed in valley. At one point the distance between us and a bull buffalo became too close for comfort, however. We barely got into the car as the behemoth passed within inches of our vehicle. Amazing mammals were joined by Amazing birds on the trips, as Ferruginous Hawks, Prairie Falcons, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Trumpeter Swans, Red-bellied Sapsuckers, and Western Grebes rise up in my memory, but there were more..... many more. It was truly a "once in a lifetime" experience!

So that's another year passed. Wishing you many life birds and many life birding relationships in 2009! Cheers to all!

Six Random Things Meme

I was tagged by Mike at the Feather and the Flower with a Six Random Things meme. Although up to this point, I have stuck fairly closely to birds and conservation issues on this blog, I've decided to dive into the meme world. I ask myself.....why would anyone care, but then I, too, visit blog sites looking for interesting writers and people in general. I only hope I have something of interest to share.

Here are the rules for Six Random Things:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. *done
   
2. Post the rules on your blog. *here they are.
   
3. Write six random things about yourself. *below
4. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. *will do

I skipped a couple of rules, but hey, as far as I know, anyone that wants to can do this on their blog. Who needs an invitation?

1. I play bluegrass music, although not as much as I used to play. I own a Martin D-15 LE with a spruce top and a Wynn mandolin built in the late 70's. In the early 80's I played with a band called Backwoods Harmony at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Later I played with the Wynn boys in a band called Cedar Ridge. We played fairs and local venues. Now I just go up to the Ozark, Missouri, Square and pick with jam groups on summer evenings.

2. I also ride a sweet road bike. I posted about my Colnago Dream Plus on my blog once. I was going to sell it to buy a spotting scope and binoculars. Well, I couldn't sell the bike because I still love it, and I bought the scope and bins anyway. So, I've decided to start riding it again. There are recently completed greenways trails in my town, and they keep me off the road, where increasing numbers of drivers are text messaging and not looking at the road!

3. I went to college in 1970 on a small baseball scholarship at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Kansas. I am left handed and was a pitcher. I pitched when it was very cold in the early spring of my freshman year and ruined my arm. It still is painful for me to throw a baseball hard, but

4. I play disc golf for recreation and exercise. The closest course is only 2 blocks away, and my friends and I completed a country version of a 10 hole course at Lindenlure on the Finley River just last Saturday. We used big galvanized tubs for the baskets, and tucked the tubs back into the brush. It's a decently challenging course. 5. My wife and I were married in 1973, that's 35 years ago although she doesn't think I remember how long ago it was. We were part of the original Mother Earth News and Rodale Press Organic Gardening "back to the land" movement and lived way off the beaten path for many years. I had what I called the "Appalachian School Teacher Dream", where one goes to a poverty stricken mountain community, drives the school bus to and from work, and gives young people the key to escape from their world of poverty and illiteracy. So, we did all of that it in the Ozarks. However, we live in the suburbs now. My lovely, social daughter needed the town connection and besides, that simple, but hard life just burned us out after 24 years. Bicycling to work makes more ecological sense any way!

6. I have not always been a birder. When we camped on the Mulberry River in northern Arkansas in 1973, I thought that the Turkey Vultures soaring above us were Eagles for longer than I care to say. I know what you're saying...... "what was he smoking?" It was years later that my 11 year old son told me he read that the Native Americans often referred to vultures as "peace eagles", as they always appeared above their gatherings and took no life to sustain their own. I like that story, and it was one of the first of myriads of bird lore, tales, trivia, and facts that I have learned from my son since.

Christmas Bird Count

It was December 18, 1993, when my son and I ventured out on our first Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. At the time, we had no idea of the luck that spread over us on that day and in the years following. The "piece of the pie" that we were assigned to was then, and is still today, the finest chunk of habitat in the Springfield circle. It includes the beautiful and spacious water supply for the city, Fellows Lake.

View Larger Map
Fellows Lake is not so big that it cannot be fully covered, a scope view from the north shoreline can reach the main body of the lake. Only a southeast extending arm in out of sight in the early morning of the CBC count but we make sure that we pick that up in the slanting rays of the late afternoon sunlight on CBC day.
On that day in 1993, all the birds were magical. I remember vividly my son Nathan saying that, on this day every single bird counts........., even the single Starling on the line was added to the 20, 000 others, blowing away my scientific concept of "significant digits"! I will never forget our views of an immature Cooper's Hawk on a fence post. It is a species that is regularly encountered in modern southwest Missouri CBCs, but in 1993 it required documentation. On top of that, it was a lifer for both my son and me. We carefully described to each other every detail of the reasonably cooperative accipiter. Ultimately, our documentation was accepted, a beginning birder triumph.

We learned quickly that our leader, former Springfield Conservation Nature Center director and current Director of Field Support or the National Audubon Society, Dave Catlin, was all about the number of species that we accumulated for the day. At lunch we would carefully identify the gaps in our list, and we would target specific habitats to fill them in.

When I think back, I am amazed that we were invited to be part of his "elite" birder team. I guess Dave probably saw the potential and precocious birding ability of my son, and thought that he was an excellent bet! I just happened to be his driver!

Speaking of that team of elite birders..... Although my son is now unable to join us since his move to Tarheels land in North Carolina, we still will be putting together a formidable group. The most noteable to bloggers is world traveler, founder of Birdstack, author of Search and Serendipidity, and birder phenom David Ringer. See the current Birds of the Solistice count day link on the sidebar.

Second is Bo Brown, long time musician, bohemian, and birder extraordinaire, whose work, along with Dave Catlin's is sited here and here. Bo has birded around the world, participating as a professional bird researcher at various locales from Point Reyes to Northwest Arkansas and far beyond.

Third is Charley Burwick, retired from the FAA; he joined Nathan and I on that "first for him, too" CBC count in 1993. Charley has risen through the ranks to become an excellent birder. He is currently the president of both Audubon Missouri and the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society.

And so, we set out to our Fellows Lake sector again this Saturday. It is my 16th year in a row to participate in southwest Missouri CBCs. The excitement is palpable, and I just can't wait to see what turns up this year.............. on that very special day when "every single bird counts".

The Least of These

The 2 Least Sandpipers that I reported 2 weeks ago still remain at Bois D'Arc CA this afternoon, December 14. Forty + degree drop this evening will surely test their resolve.Also saw 2 Loggerhead Shrikes out by Fellows Lake. No luck so far in the search for Northern Shrike out in the Fellows Lake area this year.

Lockwood Luxuries

In hot pursuit of a Northern Shrike spotted by Charley Burwick, Lisa Berger, and David Ringer last weekend, I bee lined to a largely agricultural area north of Lockwood on both Monday and Friday this week. Although the Monday trip did not result in the NSHR, I was not disappointed.

A light dusting of snow in the area made Monday a day for Longspurs. I ran into 3 mixed flocks of Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs. With snow these little guys are a little easier to find, but locating them in a picture is still very difficult. I shot at least 20 photos and came out with only one that clearly identifies the species.
On the way home from Lockwood on Monday, I decided to stop by a mudflat area in the Bois D'Arc Conservation Area to check for late shorebirds. I found these two Least Sandpipers hanging out with the regular Killdeer and occasional Wilson's Snipe found during Ozark winters. After running a few errands on Friday, I realized that I had a window of opportunity to dash out to Lockwood once again. I called Charley and he was up for another search of the Lockwood area. Not long after leaving the main highway to the region, we saw a flock of 80 Lapland Longspurs scattered across a field. Shortly thereafter, 40 Brewer's Blackbirds were spotted sharing a tree with a Red-tailed Hawk. I was surprised when I entered my observation of these Brewer's Blackbird on e-bird, the sighting required confirmation by a reviewer. I saw flocks of them on both days, and they are truly winter regulars in the Lockwood area. I was intriqued by a MoBird post this week by Larry Herbert of Joplin. He said that of the 10 or so Northern Shrikes that he has seen in his lifetime, 8 have been associated with brush piles, and that is true of this Lockwood shrike. The second brush pile from the left that this particular shrike inhabited is clearly visible on Google maps. It must be a fairly recent picture.
View Larger Map

And, On this day, the Northern Shrike was right where he was supposed to be, on the second brush pile. One year ago, on December 8, I saw my first Northern Shrike, but it was not in a brush pile nor was it as cooperative as this one was. All the key field marks are visible in the photos. Take a look!
It would have been a wonderful 2 hours of birding if it had ended there. But one mile south of the Northern Shrike, we were delighted to spot a Prairie Falcon zipping low down the road in front of the car. We were lucky enough to observe the restless bird briefly as it sat on a fence post, and then we flushed it to another fence row and I got a great swing by look at it as it darted for cover. Although this isn't my photo, it certainly is a picture etched in my memory. Although I believe I had a very brief glance at the bird on Monday, this look would go down as my first Missouri Prairie Falcon. Just after a look like the one below, the bird hung a sharp left and I clearly saw the dark wingpits. Check! Got it!

Photo by Doug Backlund at http://pie.midcoat.net/dougback/North%20Cave%20Hills.htm

Since I had another committment at 4:00, we headed for home. The drive home was largely uneventful except for a nice look at a Black Vulture soaring over the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. Some days, like this Friday, the great birding boils down to a couple hours in the field. Guess that is proof that anything can happen the instant you slip out that front door!

Western Grebe at Fellows Lake?

Ok, I know very well the role that anticipation plays in birding...... Once I was sure that a stick was a Belted Kingfisher at Fellows Lake on a pre-dawn CBC morning..... And, the thought of a life bird (or an Ivory-billed :) ........) literally changes what you "see" in the field. But I confess here. I'm second guessing this bird. I know the default is a Western, but this black cap seems to run very high, above the eye even, and that bill..... it sure is yellow.

I thought I had the Clark's Grebe, and from what I've read, some individuals are indistinguishable from Western. Better safe than sorry, I conclude. But why is this a distinguishable Western Grebe? I'd really like to know for some reason other than the 90% Redtail Rule in the Ozarks. And, I may just have to go back to try for a closer look. But here's 4 crummy pictures of a bird waaaaaayyyyyyyyy out there, two from Charley and 2 from me.

Any insight would be great!

Charley's photo: To me, the verdict is out. Just what is it: Clark's or Western?

My photo: The black cap seems to intersect with the bill at the top of the culmen

Charley's photo: Most convincing evidence of Western, thick black on back of neck. But still, note the pale plumage on the back.

Ok, I know that white "bleeds" in photos, but again the black cap intersects at the culmen.

And so, I make my case, tenuous as it is. But, I'd like to learn......... And, I hope the bird sticks around a while, and decides to come closer to shore when I am there.....

Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems (GLADE)

I promised in my last blog entry to elaborate on a brand new environmental education project that my colleagues and I have been developing. The best way to describe the whole exciting project is to share the press release with you, incorporating a few green partner logos* and pictures along the way. So, here's our new project, the collective brainchild of GOAS environmental activist Lisa Berger, MSU Biology professor Dr. Janice Greene, field station manager Celeste Prussia, and environmental educator, me!


If you are currently in the 10th or 11th grade in Southwest Missouri and have a strong interest in ecology and environmental issues, the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems is looking for you!The Greater Ozarks Audubon Society is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a TogetherGreen Innovation grant to help fund a Green Leadership Academy for teens. The seven day residential academy is a joint project of GOAS and Missouri State University, and will be held June 21-27, 2009. GOAS is one of 41 newly-announced TogetherGreen national innovation grants that will help change the lives of some local young people and help them to shape a better environment.

Teens working with entomologist at recent TogetherGreen Volunteer Day.

A $26,000 one-year grant will allow the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society and Missouri State University to join forces to create a seven-day teen leadership skills academy, building on previous educational collaborations to bring new environmental skills and restoration opportunities to local students.

Participants in the GLADE project, located at MSU’s Bull Shoals Field station, will learn about local species and habitats, endangered species, riparian corridors and water quality. They will participate in hands-on habitat restoration and will design environmental programs.

Organizers expect the program will equip academy attendees with a green skills toolbox for initiating conservation projects in their schools, homes, and communities.

"Each teen participating in the academy with develop the leadership skills and ecological knowledge to reach others and to make a positive difference in our natural environment," said Greg Swick, Director of GLADE.

“Our long-term goals are to build a network of young conservation leaders and to develop a working model for youth conservation leadership development. We are excited about the possibilities.” “We hope to build an enthusiasm for the natural world that will continue to grow as participants return to their communities, and we hope that each will gain the confidence to know that they can make a difference,” added Janice Greene, Director of the Bull Shoals Field Station.

The solar powered renovated Drury House at the Bull Shoals Field Station.

The Bull Shoals Field Station is located within the White River Glades and Woodlands Important Bird Area and the Drury-Mincy Conservation Area, managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. This area was historically characterized by abundant hill-top gladed areas mixed with savanna and woodland and streams lined with giant cane. Today, many of the glades are overgrown with eastern red cedar. Encroaching commercial development from nearby Branson and Table Rock Lake resort districts poses a threat to habitat coverage, continuity, and management.

TogetherGreen is a National Audubon Society program funded by Toyota Motors.

For more information, go to the official GLADE website.

*logos of Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri State University, Greater Ozarks Audubon, and TogetherGreen used with permission only.

Envisioning a World of Change

Being a science educator for 31 years, I often advocated for alternative energy use and habitat restoration/preservation in the biology classroom. As evidence of human-induced climate change mounted, I also incorporated this knowledge into the curriculum.

Since everyone I know is excited about the election results and is talking "change" these days, I thought I'd add my $.02. On that note, the interaction on ecological and energy related issues within the public school system is simply not enough to enact the scope of changes that we need in this area of public debate. We need hands on, experiential learning environments and resources for our brightest students so that they can develop the ecological ideas and technology that will lead us into an environmentally sustainable future.

Working specifically with identified populations of gifted students, as I still do, has allowed me to touch the future in many ways that are undetectable during the students' years in my classroom. I try to plant seeds, but it's these students' ideas and dreams have the potential to become the cornerstone of American ideals and to make indelible, positive marks on the world of the future.

The magnitude of human environmental impact is upon us. In this time of change, I envision the proliferation of green leadership academies that select enthusiastic, community minded young people from all over the United States and the world to participate in experiences designed to develop within them a deep ecological awareness and an equally in-depth awareness of leadership skills that can rally people to take actions that ultimately lead to a ecologically sustainable planet.

Awareness of environmental and energy issues among our very brightest can unleash a myriad of possible solutions. Ecological awareness, combined with training in leadership, conflict resolution, and group interaction will ensure that each of these young people returns to his/her community as an activist in the areas of environmental public policy, including, but not limited to, alternative energy sources, climate change issues, and habitat preservation/restoration projects.

I am excited to share that I am a green partner and the director of one such prototypic model of a habitat restoration based green leadership academy which will be launched next summer. More on that in my next post.

For a preview, go to our website, www.greenleadershipacademy.org