From snoeowl at aol.com  Sun Jul  2 15:28:52 2023
From: snoeowl at aol.com (Allen Batt)
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2023 15:28:52 -0500
Subject: [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles
References: <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341.ref@aol.com>
Message-ID: <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341@aol.com>

  For 30+ years of Junes, I?ve done a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) covering parts of Mower, Freeborn and Steele Counties. A BBS isn?t only a frolicking foray away from life?s accustomed roads, it?s a practice in mindfulness. I start at 5:02 a.m. and make 50 stops for 3 minutes each and tally every bird I see or hear. Like many things in life, it?s important to listen. Each year, the Red-winged Blackbird has been the bird I?ve counted most often. The BBS never fails to thrill and surprise. I heard a Willow Flycatcher ?Ah-choo.? Sandhill Cranes appeared as usual, but Trumpeter Swans did not. I see one Chimney Swift each year. Oddly, it?s always just one. Red-headed Woodpeckers weren?t in numbers high enough to cause anyone to consider a hunting season, but I saw a bunch. The collective noun for woodpeckers is a descent. I see that in flickers in my yard each year, but the Red-headed Woodpeckers were cleverly spaced for my constant amazement. Another highlight didn?t involve a single bird. I saw more Snapping Turtles than mosquitoes. I love a BBS?it keeps my 3-minute egg timer employed. Excelsior!
  On another subject, that of Japanese Beetles, beautiful botherations that feed on over 300 plant species. I?ve heard and read that starlings are prime predators of adult beetles. Garter snakes and grackles were mentioned. I know skunks and raccoons tear up a lawn in their pursuit of Japanese Beetle grubs and chickens have plucked a few adults, but has anyone seen anything eating the adult beetles?

Al Batt


From rrmeierotto at stthomas.edu  Sun Jul  2 19:47:20 2023
From: rrmeierotto at stthomas.edu (Meierotto, Richard R.)
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2023 00:47:20 +0000
Subject: [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles
In-Reply-To: <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341@aol.com>
References: <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341.ref@aol.com>
 <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341@aol.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR01MB3882F53016E9C636E18A2621DD29A@DM6PR01MB3882.prod.exchangelabs.com>

By

Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
________________________________
From: Mnbird <mnbird-bounces at lists.mnbird.net> on behalf of Allen Batt via Mnbird <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 2, 2023 3:28:52 PM
To: Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net <Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
Subject: [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles

  For 30+ years of Junes, I?ve done a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) covering parts of Mower, Freeborn and Steele Counties. A BBS isn?t only a frolicking foray away from life?s accustomed roads, it?s a practice in mindfulness. I start at 5:02 a.m. and make 50 stops for 3 minutes each and tally every bird I see or hear. Like many things in life, it?s important to listen. Each year, the Red-winged Blackbird has been the bird I?ve counted most often. The BBS never fails to thrill and surprise. I heard a Willow Flycatcher ?Ah-choo.? Sandhill Cranes appeared as usual, but Trumpeter Swans did not. I see one Chimney Swift each year. Oddly, it?s always just one. Red-headed Woodpeckers weren?t in numbers high enough to cause anyone to consider a hunting season, but I saw a bunch. The collective noun for woodpeckers is a descent. I see that in flickers in my yard each year, but the Red-headed Woodpeckers were cleverly spaced for my constant amazement. Another highlight didn?t involve a single bird. I saw more Snapping Turtles than mosquitoes. I love a BBS?it keeps my 3-minute egg timer employed. Excelsior!
  On another subject, that of Japanese Beetles, beautiful botherations that feed on over 300 plant species. I?ve heard and read that starlings are prime predators of adult beetles. Garter snakes and grackles were mentioned. I know skunks and raccoons tear up a lawn in their pursuit of Japanese Beetle grubs and chickens have plucked a few adults, but has anyone seen anything eating the adult beetles?

Al Batt

_______________________________________________
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Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net
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From hamerjohn34 at gmail.com  Sun Jul  2 23:25:28 2023
From: hamerjohn34 at gmail.com (John Hamer)
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2023 23:25:28 -0500
Subject: [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR01MB3882F53016E9C636E18A2621DD29A@DM6PR01MB3882.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341.ref@aol.com>
 <84C0A16E-3337-4565-927A-B53843F40341@aol.com>
 <DM6PR01MB3882F53016E9C636E18A2621DD29A@DM6PR01MB3882.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <CALeEiicga+9Cegs-PkbcfgSF41Cpab3NQ2aULiVb3fQJezOG1w@mail.gmail.com>

I really enjoyed your summary on the quantity of species.  We just moved
from our home in Mound where I had maybe a 20th of an acre restored to
tallgrass prairie. I had a smattering of Japanese beetles. They didn't seem
to have a favorite food and they are quite obvious sitting on a leaf .
They never did any extensive damage to.any particular plant. I was really
impressed that you had so many snapping turtles.  We were short on snappers
dead on the road. I didn't see many wandering around in people's
yard looking for a place to lay their eggs.  I birded the area behind the
MN Valley Natl. Wildlife Headquarters just after the flood waters went
down.  There were 3 dead snappers floating in a little backwash.  I thought
it might be because of the flood but another person on MN birds said they
have a pond where they saw a pair breeding, the next thing they were
floating dead.
Thanks for the post.

John Hamer



On Sun, Jul 2, 2023 at 7:48?PM Meierotto, Richard R. via Mnbird <
mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> wrote:

> By
>
> Get Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Mnbird <mnbird-bounces at lists.mnbird.net> on behalf of Allen Batt
> via Mnbird <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
> *Sent:* Sunday, July 2, 2023 3:28:52 PM
> *To:* Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net <Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
> *Subject:* [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles
>
>   For 30+ years of Junes, I?ve done a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) covering
> parts of Mower, Freeborn and Steele Counties. A BBS isn?t only a frolicking
> foray away from life?s accustomed roads, it?s a practice in mindfulness. I
> start at 5:02 a.m. and make 50 stops for 3 minutes each and tally every
> bird I see or hear. Like many things in life, it?s important to listen.
> Each year, the Red-winged Blackbird has been the bird I?ve counted most
> often. The BBS never fails to thrill and surprise. I heard a Willow
> Flycatcher ?Ah-choo.? Sandhill Cranes appeared as usual, but Trumpeter
> Swans did not. I see one Chimney Swift each year. Oddly, it?s always just
> one. Red-headed Woodpeckers weren?t in numbers high enough to cause anyone
> to consider a hunting season, but I saw a bunch. The collective noun for
> woodpeckers is a descent. I see that in flickers in my yard each year, but
> the Red-headed Woodpeckers were cleverly spaced for my constant amazement.
> Another highlight didn?t involve a single bird. I saw more Snapping Turtles
> than mosquitoes. I love a BBS?it keeps my 3-minute egg timer employed.
> Excelsior!
>   On another subject, that of Japanese Beetles, beautiful botherations
> that feed on over 300 plant species. I?ve heard and read that starlings are
> prime predators of adult beetles. Garter snakes and grackles were
> mentioned. I know skunks and raccoons tear up a lawn in their pursuit of
> Japanese Beetle grubs and chickens have plucked a few adults, but has
> anyone seen anything eating the adult beetles?
>
> Al Batt
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mnbird mailing list
> Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net
> http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net
> _______________________________________________
> Mnbird mailing list
> Mnbird at lists.mnbird.net
> http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net
>
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From snoeowl at aol.com  Tue Jul  4 20:31:35 2023
From: snoeowl at aol.com (Allen Batt)
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2023 20:31:35 -0500
Subject: [Mnbird] BBS and Q about Japanese Beetles
In-Reply-To: <CALeEiicga+9Cegs-PkbcfgSF41Cpab3NQ2aULiVb3fQJezOG1w@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CALeEiicga+9Cegs-PkbcfgSF41Cpab3NQ2aULiVb3fQJezOG1w@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <1A1689C7-F938-4A08-A127-2A6FAF21F3AA@aol.com>

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From juddz at comcast.net  Sun Jul  9 14:57:41 2023
From: juddz at comcast.net (juddz at comcast.net)
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2023 14:57:41 -0500
Subject: [Mnbird] Free BWD Magazines
Message-ID: <000001d9b29f$a00f6d10$e02e4730$@comcast.net>

Admin: Delete if not appropriate.

 

I have a large collection of Bird Watcher Digest magazines. I am moving and
must get rid of them . They are free to anyone who wants them. E-mail me if
you are interested.

 

Magazines are from 1986-2021 missing only 2 issues: Nov-Dec 2011 and Jan-Feb
2019.

 

Judd Zandstra

Judd44z at gmail.com <mailto:Judd44z at gmail.com> 

 

 

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From birdminn at yahoo.com  Wed Jul 26 17:47:00 2023
From: birdminn at yahoo.com (carol schumacher)
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:47:00 -0500
Subject: [Mnbird] Rain and ruby-throats
References: <CBBC710D-2D3F-417F-AE1B-A540DAA61122.ref@yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <CBBC710D-2D3F-417F-AE1B-A540DAA61122@yahoo.com>

We have been blessed with consistent rain in Winona keeping the garden and rain barrel happy. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are numerous and battling for ports on their feeders. Just happened to catch nine contesting six ports this morning.

During heavy rain it?s easy to see it?s tougher to find/retrieve pollen. So why do they get into a frenzy before rain?  And why so many?

Usually we enjoy the highest numbers while evening dinner on our deck. We can usually track the direction they come from and figure out the shrubs and cedars where they go before they come racing back. Often the next morning we have lower numbers and different mix of breeding and immature birds. 

Carol Schumacher
Winona, back from Mississippi River bluff edges