Pic Of The Week: Sometimes Desperation Works Out (Hello Sedge Wren)

Sedge Wren is a bird that avoided my life list for many years. It took a desperate attempt in the chigger-infested swamps of Everglades National Park to finally find one...and let me tell you, a chigger infestation is not half as bad after a life bird. Strange to think this used to be considered the same species as Marsh Wren...how embarrassing! This bird was photographed on a rainy day at Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota, where you are less inclined to pick up parasites while watching one.

Black Terns

Last summer was heavily saturated with Black Terns, which is basically the same thing as what they call "living the dream". Of course, I was not in a dream-like state, I was in North Dakota, working as a Piping Ploverer for Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge. Lostwood had at least a couple of Black Tern nesting colonies, and nearby Des Lacs National Widlife Refuge had thousands of Black Terns once fall migration started.

Facemelting.

Since birders tend to shun the prairie states (FOR SHAME), most don't get the opportunity to see Black Terns very often. North Dakota is not for the faint of heart, but it will reward you with quality avian goodness.

All photos today are from Lostwood and Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuges, ND.

Black Terns make other terns appear clumsy and uncomfortable in the air. They are our only tern who are equally comfortable plucking insects from the sky and grabbing fish underwater.

Their reflexes and ability to turn on a dime are an inspiration to us all.

Here is a juvenile Black Tern in a more normal position. Note the especially short-winged and short-tailed appearance that very young birds have...they look deceptively not airworthy.

This time of year a lot of adults are heavily molting and have a distinct patchy appearance.

Black Terns will be migrating south across the continent for the next couple of months, with most arriving on their Central American wintering grounds by November. Stop lurking on the listservs and find one yourself.

Of course, earlier in the year Black Terns have a very well-deserved name. Only White-winged Terns look anything like this, and if you claim to find one while standing on American soil, be prepared to document it as if your life depended on it.

You will figure out if Black Terns are nesting nearby if you look up and see something like this. Getting attacked by Black Terns is conflicting...you feel honored that such a quality bird has dained to acknowledge your humble presence, but you have also just shat yourself in fear. And let me tell you folks....its hard to put a positive spin on having poo in your pants.

A winning bird, plain and simple.

Pic Of The Week: Nike Blackpoll

This Blackpoll Warbler is swooshing. I am not at liberty to discuss what exactly "swooshing" is, or what it accomplishes, but this is definitely what it looks like. In fact, this Blackpoll is fully swooshed...not something to take lightly. Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota.

Thou Shalt Not Partake of Decaf

Black Tern. If White Terns were almost renamed Angel Terns....then this would have to become Reaper Tern, or simply Angel Of Death. If you're going to go giving birds Christian names, you gotta go all the way.

Good day to you, Bourbon, Bastard and Birder. While you are most likely relishing the taste of juicy freedom that is Saturday, I've got a big storm keeping me indoors...so far its been a day of coffee, bagel, Descendents, Drag The River and the internets. Tomorrow I'm heading out to check on our very last Piping Plover brood of the summer, and then it's going to be essentially killing time before I take off for Yellowstone National Park in a few weeks. I'm pretty stoked.

Here's some assorted North Dakota and Montana photos. Have a great weekend nerds.

Nobody wants to get stuck in the mud, just ask this Semipalmated Sandpiper.

An Eastern Kingbird, complete with skirt.

The backyard. Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, ND.

Mountain Bluebirds invented their own shade of blue.

Red-winged Blackbird. They nice.

 My, what eyes you have dragonfly. The dragonfly densities in North Dakota dwarf anyplace I've ever been, although I think we passed the peak of the season. They are still flying around attached to eachother though, making sweet sweet dragonfly love. Can you imagine going for a walk while having sex? I can't either.

Blue-winged Teal seem to be the commonest waterfowl around these parts...none of them look like this anymore though. All of the ducks are now in their hideous eclipse plumage now, they make me sick.

North Dakota Home Entertainment System.