Vulture

Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura

vul-ture (vul cher), n. 1. any of several carrion-eating birds of the families Accipitridae and Cathartidae. 2. a person who profits from the suffering of others.

Western Grebes

Western Grebes

One of the blessings of living on the Great Plains is the sight of Western Grebes on prairie lakes. This beautiful pair was doing a little synchronized swimming earlier this week.

Black-crowned Night-Herons

Black-crowned Night-Herons

I spotted my first Black-crowned Night-Herons of the year at South Dakota's Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge last night just before dark. These two birds were resting up for a night of fishing. The scientific name, Nycticorax nycticorax, means "night crow," because of the birds' nocturnal habits and harsh, crow-like call.

Burrowing Owls

Burrowing Owl

I saw my first Burrowing Owls of the year this weekend. There were at least five owls standing on fence posts and dirt mounds in a prairie dog town a few miles north of Fort Pierre. I will check back there periodically, and will post an update when I see the first cute, little baby owls.

Bird Devotional 12

Upland Sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me.” Habakkuk 2:1

If you want to see Upland Sandpipers, go to any area of extensive natural grasslands in the northern Great Plains during the early summer. Look for a field that has been enclosed using wooden fence posts. I guarantee that before long you will spot an Upland Sandpiper standing atop a wooden fence post, surveying its domain. Upland Sandpipers like standing watch on fence posts. Of course these birds frequented grasslands of the northern Great Plains long before pioneers started planting wooden posts in the ground. I often wonder what they stood upon back then. Did they use prairie dog mounds or piles of dried buffalo dung, perhaps? They were once abundant throughout the Great Plains, but their numbers have declined in the last century due to habitat loss and hunting. Upland Sandpipers spend the winter months in South America in parts of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

As he wrote today’s Bible verse, the prophet Habakkuk seemed to have been complaining to God: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). “Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13). Habakkuk wanted an answer from God, so he stood watch and waited. He prayed, and God promised an answer: “For the revelation awaits an appointed time…though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3). Have you been complaining to God about something? Have you called for help and sensed that God is not listening? Do you wonder why God seems to be silent? Then join with Habakkuk and confess, “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me.” God assured Habakkuk that the answer would come. You can have that same assurance. Stand your watch and wait.

Heavenly Father, help me to stand my ground, to watch, and to wait. I trust you to answer my prayers at the appointed time. Amen.

Upland Sandpipers

Upland Sandpiper

Upland Sandpipers have returned to the Great Plains after spending the winter months in South America. They are birds of the grasslands, but they love standing on fence posts.

























When the wind blows, the footing can get a little precarious.

Fence posts are great, but nothing beats walking around in the grass!

A New Eagle

Bald Eagle

My friend, Tucker Lutter, has just finished his last requirements to become an Eagle Scout. Tucker is a 15 year old birder from Iowa, and you can read his blog, Birding With Tucker, through a link on the lower left side of this site.

Tucker joins over a million previous recipients of the Eagle Scout award. Those men include former President, Gerald Ford; astronaut, Neil Armstrong; Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Breyer; movie producer, Steven Spielberg; Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder, Shane Victorino; the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe; numerous governors, senators and successful business leaders; and yours truly who received his award 44 years ago. Congratulations, Tucker, and welcome to this select fraternity.

Waterbed

Long-billed Dowitchers Getting Ready for Bed

These migrating dowitchers were settling in to roost for the night in late October in central South Dakota. There were also large numbers of ducks, geese and cranes roosting nearby. Why do you suppose these birds chose to sleep in the water on what was going to be a very chilly night? The primary reason is protection from predators. If a coyote or other animal were to come along, it would make a lot more noise splashing around in the water than it would on dry land. There is also safety in numbers. A bird that is a deep-sleeper can rest assured that one of its light-sleeping buddies is going to sound the alarm when danger approaches. Though it sounds uncomfortable to us, sleeping in water is simply a way of life for many birds.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa

I found this beautiful Marbled Godwit earlier this week in central South Dakota. What a bill! With a tool like that it can find all kinds of good things to eat in the mud and shallow water.

What Rhymes With Pelican?

American White Pelicans

Ninety nine years ago a man named Dixon Lanier Merritt penned these immortal words:

A wonderful bird is the pelican.
His bill will hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak,
Enough food for a week,

But I fail to see how the helican.

Yesterday we saw large numbers of American White Pelicans in the Pierre area. As I was photographing this pair in the waters below Oahe Dam, a Common Loon popped up, as if to say, "Hey, I want in this picture, too!" There must be a lot of fish in those waters. In addition to these birds, the "fishermen" included Western Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, Bonaparte's Gulls, an Osprey, and boat-loads of humans.

Bird Devotional 11

Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia

“The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.” Psalm 104:12

Song Sparrows are so common in open woods and fields that I often consider them to be the “default” birds of such areas. I hear a bird singing in the distance, and get a little closer to determine what it is: Song Sparrow. I see a dark speck on a distant tree branch and train my binoculars on it: Song Sparrow. I hear rustling in vegetation near the edge of the water and see a bird fly out: Song Sparrow. I often wish to see something different for a change. Yet, I am never disappointed when I hear one of these little birds singing its sweet, warbling song.

Psalm 104 was the inspiration for the hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” The entire hymn can be found there: “lofty mountain grandeur,” “rolling thunder” “forest glade”, and “gentle breeze.” Today’s verse, “They sing among the branches,” becomes, “I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.” Do you remember your first trip to the mountains? What was your first experience with thunder? Do you have a favorite path through the woods? When your mind wanders back to such things, do you think of God our Creator? The psalmist did: “How many are your works,

O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures”

(Psalm 104:24). Stuart K. Hine did when he wrote the opening line of his hymn: “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made.” God wants to speak to us through His creation. Sometimes His voice is peaceful and soft as a “gentle breeze.” “He makes winds His messengers” (Psalm 104:4). Sometimes it is loud and terrifying. “He who looks at the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke” (Psalm 104:32). The next time you hear a Song Sparrow or other bird “sing sweetly in the trees” or witness any of the other marvels of creation, ask God what He is telling you. Listen. He is speaking.

Father, thank you for the world you created. Speak to me through your creation. Open my ears that I might hear you. Amen.

It's the Terns' Turn

Forster's Tern, Sterna forsteri

Yesterday I saw three Forster's Terns in Pierre. Those were the first terns I have seen this spring. They will be joined later by other tern species (common, black, least and Caspian), but the Forster's seem to always be the first arrivals. Terns are similar to gulls, but are generally smaller, with more pointed bills, and forked tails. I am always curious about people who have birds named for them. I discovered that the Forster of this tern's name was Johann Reinhold Forster, an 18th century German naturalist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his second Pacific voyage.

Swainson's Hawks Are Back

Swainson's Hawk, Buteo swainsoni

Swainson's Hawks have returned to the Great Plains for the summer. I saw my first one of the season on the Fort Pierre National Grasslands yesterday. I observed that hawk admiringly, knowing that it had just flown in from Argentina. These birds undertake a remarkable migration from the Pampas of South America to the Great Plains of North America. They are sometimes called Grasshopper Hawk because their diet for much of the year consists of large insects. The long, hot summer is right around the corner--the Swainson's Hawks are back!

Sam Peabody

White-throated Sparrow

Bird book authors often come up with cute little phrases or “mnemonics” to describe the sounds made by birds. One bird whose song is described in this way more than any other is the White-throated Sparrow. This sparrow’s song has often been written as “Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody” or “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.” Birdwatchers in Canada hear a slightly different sound, and describe it with nationalistic fervor as “Oh, Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.” An author who must have had a certain woman on his mind, wrote the song as “Oh, sweet Kimberly, Kimberly, Kimberly.” It has always seemed to me that the White-throated Sparrow’s song is far too somber and mournful to contain the word “sweet.” For that reason, “Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody” is quite appropriate as a way to remember this bird’s song. The White-throated Sparrow is one of the most attractive of the native North American sparrows. Its head is marked with black and white stripes, it has a bright yellow spot in front of each eye, and on the throat is a clear white patch. They nest in Canada and the northern United States, and spend the winter in the southern portion of North America.

The rather scruffy-looking bird pictured above was feeding below the Farm Island bird feeders in Pierre yesterday afternoon. It was the first White-throated Sparrow I have seen all year. The photograph below is one of my favorites because I took it one autumn while standing next to Jim Rising, the author of a comprehensive book on North American sparrows, The Sparrows of the United States and Canada. That bird posed nicely for our group for the longest time--as if it knew who was among those watching it!

White-throated Sparrow

Egret Day

Great Egret and Snowy Egret

Yesterday I saw my first egrets of the year at Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge. I was not surprised to see a Great Egret like the one pictured at the left. However, a real treat was the sight of three Snowy Egrets like the plumed beauty on the right. Egrets in South Dakota mean that summer is on its way.

Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

The Northern Shoveler is named for its large, shovel-shaped bill. The bill is a very useful tool for digging in the mud for the small invertebrates that compose the bulk of its diet. These ducks are congregating in large numbers on shallow lakes as the breeding season begins here on the Great Plains.

The Tree

The Tree

A Resurrection Poem by Bill Bossman

Life was fine,
But death would come.
I was cut,
Just as the others,
Some for buildings,
Some for ships or chariots,
Some for tools or furniture,
Some for firewood.
But me...
I became an ugly killing post.
I would rather be burned.
At least then for my death
There would be life-giving warmth,
Not killing,
Death,
Agony,
The cursing of pain.

Here is my partner.
We will die together.
Just as I thought:
Bleeding,
Weakness,
Pain.
He can't hold me.
He can't bear me up.
Now I must bear him up.
Nails.
Through Him,
Into me.
Blood.
From Him,
Onto me.
Now will come cursing.
Now will come dying.
His death.
My death.

Words.
Words of hope?
Words of comfort?
Where is the cursing?
Words.
Words of forgiveness?
Forgiveness in bleeding?
Forgiveness in dying?
Words.
Words of life?
His life?
My life?
Eternal life.
Ugly killing post?
No.

Lovely...
Living...
Tree.

Good Friday Devotional

Tufted Titmouse (Photo by Paul O. Roisen)

Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor

“I tell you, Peter...” Luke 22:34

On a stroll through the woods in the eastern United States you might hear the call, “Peter, Peter, Peter” echoing from the forest canopy. If you are quiet and careful, you may be able to get a look at a Tufted Titmouse foraging in the trees. The Tufted Titmouse is a small, gray bird with a tidy crest and a prominent, dark eye. Their “Peter” calls are usually made in phrases of two, three or four, and are repeated continually as the birds hop from branch to branch. They sing most often in the summer months, but sometimes also are heard singing in the middle of winter.

“I tell you, Peter,” was the way Jesus addressed His disciple on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Jesus continued by informing Peter, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny three time that you know me” (Luke 22:34). The fact that Peter denied that he knew Jesus sometimes obscures the transformation that later took place in Peter’s life. That transformation began during the time Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection. John 21:15-18 records that Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you truly love me?” and that Peter answered in the affirmative three times. The Book of Acts records that after the resurrection of Jesus, Peter was arrested three times. On the first of those occasions, Peter and John appeared before the Jewish leaders and were commanded not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Their response reflects a remarkable change from the man who had three times denied that he even knew Jesus: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). Three was a significant number in the life of Peter. Three times he denied that he knew Jesus. Three times Jesus asked him, “Do you love me?” Three times he was placed under arrest. As you hear the Tufted Titmouse say, “Peter, Peter, Peter,” remember not only that Peter denied Jesus three times, but that he also stood before the authorities three times and acknowledged Jesus as Lord.

Father, I thank you for the example of Peter, and that you can also empower me to overcome my fears and to acknowledge you. Amen.

We Eat Our State Bird

Northern Harrier Eating Ring-necked Pheasant

From time to time I have seen T-shirts and other items for sale in South Dakota with the message, "We eat our state bird." Earlier this week I came upon a Northern Harrier doing just that. A somewhat morbid aspect to the scene was that a half dozen other pheasants were standing around within thirty feet of the harrier, watching their relative being eaten. You never know what you will see out on the prairie.

April 8, 1959

Today is the 50th anniversary of one of the most memorable events of my childhood. I will never forget April 8, 1959. My father had left for work early as usual. However, on this day he came back home while I was still getting ready for school. He announced that the local Ford dealer had stopped him on the street corner, waved four tickets in front of him, and said, "Come on, Harley, you're going to Omaha to see a baseball game. The Giants and Indians are playing this afternoon, and I've got tickets." So Dad told Mom that she would have to go down to our clothing store and work for him while he, the Ford dealer, the town barber, and a local farmer all went to Omaha to see a major league exhibition game. Then he leaned down, and sensing my disappointment at not being able to go along, said, "I'll bring you something, Billy." I lit up and responded, "Bring me a baseball!" Dad laughed and said, "You want me to catch a baseball for you? Who do you want to hit it? Willie Mays?" "Yeah," I replied, "Willie Mays. Bring me a baseball from Willie Mays!" He left for Omaha. I went to school.

In the early evening I was playing on the floor in the living room. Supper was on the stove waiting Dad's return. I heard footsteps on the front porch, and then the door opened. My father walked over to me, leaned down, and handed me a baseball. He had caught a foul ball hit by Willie Mays. It turns out that he had to put a pretty good move on the Ford dealer to get the job done. The two of them both reached up at the same time, and Dad came out the winner. He tried unsuccessfully to find Willie Mays that day to have him sign the ball, but immediately began concocting a plan for a summer vacation the following year. No, not to San Francisco where the Giants played, but to Milwaukee, a closer destination where we saw the Giants play the Milwaukee Braves. Those two games seem almost magical now as I think back. We saw eight future Hall of Famers that weekend, some of the most legendary names in the history of baseball: Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Red Schoendienst, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie Mays. And yes, we took along the baseball, and before the first game we got Willie Mays to autograph it.

I still have that ball, and it is one of my dearest physical possessions. Looking back, though, what is even more dear is the memory of the moment I saw the ball and the smile on my Dad's face. He had done what fathers always try to do, but very rarely accomplish. He had made his son's dream come true. Thanks, Dad, for the baseball...and thanks for the memory of April 8, 1959.

Double-crested Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorants have returned to South Dakota. These birds are fish-eating machines, and will be on the lakes here until the weather turns cold next October. The one in the middle is doing a little grooming, but the other three are in classic cormorant poses: neck outstretched, head tilted up, and riding low in the water.

Great Blue Herons

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias

The Great Blue Herons have returned to central South Dakota in the past two weeks. They have even started building a new heron rookery near Oahe Dam. Our "weekly blizzard" this past weekend didn't seem to slow them down any. Below is a photo of four herons near one of the two nests constructed so far. I hope the fact they have started this construction project means spring is almost here for good.

Four Great Blue Herons

(One Standing on Nest)

Bird Devotional 10

White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis

“He who seeks finds.” Matthew 7:8

Many different types of birds glean insects from the bark of trees by foraging from the ground up. There are, however, insects that are missed by those birds because they are always looking in one direction. The nuthatches comprise a family of birds that fills this void in the food chain by hunting for insects while traveling headfirst down the trunks of trees. Thus, by being upside down, nuthatches find food that the other birds have missed.

There are four members of the nuthatch family found in North America. The White-breasted Nuthatch is the most common of these throughout most of the continent. Nuthatches are constantly on the move, hopping about on branches and crawling down tree trunks. Their noisy “yank-yank” calls announce their presence in almost any woodland. The “hatch” part of the name “nuthatch” is derived from the same Latin root as the word “hatchet.” A nuthatch is literally a bird that “hacks open nuts as with a hatchet.” Nuthatches do not have the type of bill that can readily crush the outer shell of hard seeds. Therefore they have developed the habit of wedging the seed into a crevice in the bark of a tree and hacking it open with their bills.

Nuthatches find their food by diligently seeking it. We must also be diligent in seeking our spiritual food. Jesus told many parables about seeking, such as the woman who searched for the lost coin and the shepherd who searched for the lost sheep. We have His promise, “He who seeks finds.” Trust Him to lead you in your search.

Father, as I seek to know you I am comforted by the knowledge that you are seeking me. I will keep on seeking as you guide me in my search. Amen.

Red-Shafted

Northern Flicker

The woodpecker called Northern Flicker has two color variations. The one most common in the east is called Yellow-shafted Flicker, and the one most common in the west is called Red-shafted Flicker. In Iowa, almost all the flickers are yellow-shafted. West of the Great Plains, they are almost all red-shafted. However, in a place in the middle of the Great Plains, like Pierre, you see both forms. In fact, there are even hybrids where the birds' ranges overlap. Because I almost always saw yellow-shafted birds where I used to live, seeing a red-shafted one is a treat. There are three main differences between the two forms of Northern Flicker. Where this red-shafted male has a red "moustache," the yellow-shafted bird would have a black "moustache." (Females, of course, do not wear moustaches!) The head of this bird is mostly gray. The head of the yellow-shafted is mostly tan. The most distinctive difference, though, is the one that gives them their names. The word "shafted" refers to the feathers on the undersides of the wings and tail. You can clearly see the red peaking out under the tail of this bird. The two forms were once considered separate species, but have been lumped together as Northern Flicker for many years.

See You Next Fall

American Tree Sparrow at Farm Island

American Tree Sparrow is one of the birds that breeds in Northern Canada and spends the winter in the "balmy" Great Plains of South Dakota and other parts of the United States. I have seen flocks of them all winter long out in the country, but in the past few days they have been at the feeders on Farm Island and at my house. Before long they will all disappear from our area and be on their way north for the summer. In my opinion there is no such thing as a plain little sparrow. Look at the intricate details of color. Aren't these birds beautiful? So long, little guys! See you next fall!

American Tree Sparrow on My Deck

Purple?

Purple Finch Female

Yesterday I read our monthly church newsletter and discovered that purple is the "color of the month" for April in the church pre-school. Then I looked out at our deck and saw the bird pictured above, a female Purple Finch. She was accompanied by scores of Pine Siskins and other birds, but though I searched off and on all day, I did not find any other Purple Finches. How do you like that? It's my first (and only) Purple Finch this year, and it's not even purple. Below is a picture of a male Purple Finch I saw a year ago in Nebraska. Does he look purple? If not, then what color is he?

Purple Finch Male

Ring-billed Gull Fooling Around

Look! I can stand on one leg...

...and turn around...

...and around...


...and never lose my balance!