The tally for September in the Valentine vicinity is indicative because of notable differences and additions to the lore of the local wildbirds.
The highlight of the month was flushing and seeing in flight a Common Poorwill at the hills north of the city park on the 14th. This was not only a new addition to the local avifauna, but a significant record for the region.
Especially notable are comparative details associated with the Turkey Vulture and Common Nighthawk.
The number of vultures present during the month was significant, with the high count mid-month on the 14th. At the end of the survey period, there were 41 that counted on the north edge of the city, eastward of the city park. These birds appreciate the tree snags left standing about as a result of past wild fires, and roost overnight and were readily seen in the morning as they waited to soar during their daily search for something eatable. These birds are masters of the air and the unseen currents they convey with their flight and wing movement to propel them hither and yon. They are supreme avian aerialists.
A noticeable difference for nighthawks was the lack of migratory movements on different evenings. Though a watch was kept on multiple evenings, there were none of this birds observed. This was a dramatic difference in comparison to the numerous instances during September, 2015.
Canada Goose continued to be intermittent, with just a few seen at the Mill Pond. There arrival is usually indicated by their obvious honks, as they fly in from northward.
A family group of Wild Turkey was present during the month around the North Lake Shore Hills, and comprised a hen and her five youngsters. A couple of them walked upon the front porch, but alas, no low level turkey bell was there for them to indicate their visit. The sighting was still welcomed. There had been six juveniles, but one obviously suffered some unknown fate. One morning, there were several turkeys from elsewhere that made a visit. While bicycling to Government Canyon on the 30th, a group of eight turkeys were walking on the prairie of North Park Ridge, just northwest of the shooting range. A hen had two smaller juveniles, indicating that she nested very late in the season, but was still successful in raising some progeny.
No surveys were done for Chimney Swift that would roost within town chimneys, though they were known to have been gone by the end of the month.
By the end of the month, American Robin became numerous. Dozens were feeding on the seeds of cedar trees. Seasonal migrants that arrived included the spritely Audubon's Warbler and Lincoln's Sparrow, each with subtle feather coloration that prominently indicated features essential for their identification. A Western Osprey was being observant at the fish hatchery, looking to observe and pluck some government raised commodity for its daily meal.
There were the regularly seen residents that could be appreciated on many days. The Eastern Bluebird - vivid in cerulean colors - were not seen every day, but often enough to convey their vivid color amidst the changing greens and browns of the changing autumn season. The little House Wren continued to occur, and most often heard as they blatantly voiced their presence. The White-breasted Nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadee are always appreciated. The Red-breasted Nuthatch was very prominent at Government Canyon during the visit, and the two noted was a minimal count, as there may have been another one or two of these birds present and vocalizing.
The Valentine Livestock Auction Company facility is a haven for the Rock Dove (i.e., pigeons). These birds can be seen any day at this place. The facility also attracts some other sorts of birds, though it is obviously not a place to appreciate wild birds mostly associated with prairie and woods. Go here if you would like to perhaps see a Common Starling.
When a White-throated Sparrow arrived, it was an indication that the summer season was gone. A nice sighting was the female Indigo Bunting at the end of the month at the Valentine Mill Pond. Subtle coloration she had as foraging on the north side of the place.
Overall there were 51 species noted during the month. Add in the Chimney Swift to add another number to the tally. There were 193 individual records kept for the 30 days, which seems minimalistic, but is still was enough to be indicative. During September 2015, the tally was 45 species, with the number of recorded observations nearly 60 fewer.
Most observations occurred at the North Lake Shore Hills and the Valentine Mill Pond. An end of the month outing to Government Canyon was a great time, with some nice observations, and to add to the day, there were some new sorts of flora found, with pictures taken for documentary purposes.
| Julian date: | 248 | 250 | 252 | 254 | 255 | 257 | 258 | 268 | 271 | 272 | 274 |
| Canada Goose | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | 5 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 6 |
| Wood Duck | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 7 | 2 |
| Wild Turkey | - - | 7 | - - | - - | 8 | 6 | - - | 13 | 6 | - - | 14 |
| Great Blue Heron | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 |
| Turkey Vulture | - - | - - | 60 | - - | 4 | 2 | 95 | 20 | - - | 41 | 41 |
| Western Osprey | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Cooper's Hawk | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-tailed Hawk | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Killdeer | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 11 | 2 |
| Rock Dove | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 25 | - - | - - | - - |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | - - | 6 | - - | - - | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | - - | - - | 5 |
| Mourning Dove | - - | 5 | - - | - - | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | - - | 2 | - - |
| Great Horned Owl | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 2 | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Common Nighthawk | 4 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Common Poorwill | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Belted Kingfisher | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - |
| Downy Woodpecker | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 3 | 1 |
| Northern Flicker | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Eastern Phoebe | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Blue Jay | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| American Crow | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 3 | - - | 1 | 1 |
| Cedar Waxwing | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 4 | - - | 4 | - - |
| Black-capped Chickadee | - - | 4 | - - | - - | 4 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 3 | 2 |
| Marsh Wren | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - |
| House Wren | - - | 3 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | 2 | 1 | - - | 1 | - - |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Grey Catbird | - - | 2 | 2 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | - - | - - |
| Brown Thrasher | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Common Starling | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 25 | - - | 15 | 45 |
| Eastern Bluebird | - - | 5 | - - | - - | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | - - | 6 | 3 |
| American Robin | - - | 3 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 45 | 65 | 20 | 15 |
| House Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 25 | 35 | - - | - - | - - |
| House Finch | - - | 34 | - - | - - | 5 | 25 | - - | 12 | - - | 3 | - - |
| American Goldfinch | - - | 4 | - - | - - | 3 | - - | 32 | 14 | - - | 9 | 2 |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Common Yellowthroat | - - | - - | 5 | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Audubon's Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 6 | 6 | - - |
| Western Meadowlark | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Red-winged Blackbird | - - | - - | 5 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 12 |
| Common Grackle | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 15 | - - | - - |
| Song Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 3 |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - - | - - | 2 |
| White-throated Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - |
| Chipping Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 10 | - - |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 2 | - - | - - | - - | 2 |
| Spotted Towhee | - - | - - | - - | - - | 3 | - - | 4 | 1 | - - | 6 | 1 |
| Northern Cardinal | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | 1 | - - |
| Indigo Bunting | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 |
Any day that includes an appreciation and enjoyment of wild birds is a good day. The variety of places to go birding at Valentine means that there can and have been a lot of good days. And it is free, the only requirement is an interest and time to hike about and observe. A motto to consider about finding birds that are present: You don't know if you don't go. The birds are there and where you go will provide an opportunity to look and learn.
My current tally for Valentine and its local environs is 114 species.