A very nice variety of wildbirds were observed in the immediate vicinity of Valentine during the spring month of May. The month started with the passage of migrants and ended with young waterfowl by the end of the month.
Bird observations were made on more days than typical because of the need to record an unusual occurrence. Also helpful were three ebird reports from the Valentine City Park (14th, 17th with the ebird report combined with personal observations, and the 30th).
The following is some analysis of species occurrence.
- Canada Goose: the first goslings were seen on May 18th (julian date 138) at the western extent of the Valentine Mill Pond; at least two pair raised young here.
- Wild Turkey: regularly seen earlier in the month and then sparse until the end of the month when the flock of ten was prominent at the bird seeds fed at my residence at the North Lake Shore Hills.
- Great Blue Heron: regularly seen flying along above the north hills and occasionally at the Mill Pond; two occupied nests were present in the east woods at the Valentine City Park and was noted that none of the ebird reports made any reference to the presence of this species at this locale.
- Turkey Vulture: more prevalent this season than in previous years, and most typically seen in numbers at their roost locale with birds notable throughout the day soaring over the north hills.
- Red-tailed Hawk: a pair certainly nested in the North Lake Shore Hills, as at least one of the birds could be seen nearly every day.
- Spotted Sandpiper: along Minnechaduza Creek with a surprising three at some sandy beach habitat at the west end of the mill pond.
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo: their presence late in the month was a sure sign of summer.
- Chimney Swift: most prevalent in Valentine.
- Red-bellied Woodpecker: surprisingly sparse.
- Hairy Woodpecker: more prevalent than the single record would indicate; the bird seen was carrying food at the western edge of the city park.
- Eastern Phoebe: most readily seen along Minnechaduza Creek in the city park and near the mill pond dam.
- Western Kingbird: pairs most prevalent at several places among the urban setting of the Heart City.
- Tree Swallow: eventually allowed to use a nest box where the mid-April blizzard froze the eggs of a pair of nesting Eastern Bluebird.
- Purple Martin: there are at least three known house in Valentine, the most prominent one at the Wacky West campground.
- American Cliff Swallow: the largest nesting colony is on the Highway 83 bridge over Minnechaduza Creek.
- Marsh Wren: vagrant at the mill pond.
- Blue-grey Gnatcatcher: notable seen perched for a short time on a powerline near a line of trees.
- Grey Catbird and Brown Thrasher: not seen or heard very often once they get actively nesting.
- Swainson's Thrush: two of the three sightings at the city park.
- American Robin: much more prevalent than minimal numbers indicate; first seen carrying food on May 23rd.
- Ovenbird: reported from the city park.
- Orange-crowned Warbler: also only from the city park.
- Bullock's Oriole x Baltimore Oriole: well seen foraging outside a window of my residence; seen earlier this year than the two sightings in 2016.
- Black birds: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird and Common Grackle were regular and common visitors to bird seed being provided to the local animals.
- Great-tailed Grackle: heard then seen at a building just west of the livestock market and then seen a bit later in the parking lot of the elementary school this May record is much more indicative of breeding season occurrence that the 28 March record in 2016.
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak: only single birds seen on the north side.
- On the 23rd, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and two Black-headed Grosbeak had a contention about habitat along Lake Shore Drive at the northeast extent of the mill pond.
- Black-headed Grosbeak: more prevalent in the vicinity this year, with a pair first seen at the western edge of the city park on the 10th; a pair continued to be present at the place where the two grosbeak species contended over habitat.
- Blue Grosbeak: male well seen in the north hills mid-month.
This is a list of the species observed.
| Proper Name | 122 | 125 | 127 | 128 | 130 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 143 | 148 | 150 | 151 |
| Canada Goose | -- | 8 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 11 | -- | 11 | -- | -- | 11 |
| Wood Duck | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Blue-winged Teal | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Northern Shoveler | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Wild Turkey | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 10 |
| Pied-billed Grebe | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Great Blue Heron | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 |
| Turkey Vulture | -- | 8 | -- | -- | 11 | 5 | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | 23 | 27 | 2 | 24 |
| Western Osprey | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 2 |
| Spotted Sandpiper | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | -- | 8 |
| Mourning Dove | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 5 | 4 | -- | -- | 4 | 4 | -- | 7 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- |
| Common Nighthawk | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| Chimney Swift | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 20 | 3 | 8 | -- | 13 | -- | -- | 2 | 3 | -- | 8 |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Downy Woodpecker | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Northern Flicker | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 |
| American Kestrel | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Eastern Phoebe | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 3 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Eastern Wood Pewee | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Least Flycatcher | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Western Kingbird | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 6 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 |
| Eastern Kingbird | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 1 | 4 | -- | 2 |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Bell's Vireo | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 |
| Warbling Vireo | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-eyed Vireo | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 |
| Blue Jay | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 |
| American Crow | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | 2 |
| Cedar Waxwing | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Black-capped Chickadee | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Tree Swallow | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| Purple Martin | -- | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 23 | 12 | -- | -- | 15 | 5 | -- | 6 | 6 | -- | 6 |
| American Cliff Swallow | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | 5 | 50 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 35 |
| Marsh Wren | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| House Wren | -- | 2 | 1 | -- | 5 | -- | 1 | -- | 14 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | 3 | 6 |
| Blue-grey Gnatcatcher | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Grey Catbird | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
| Brown Thrasher | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
| Common Starling | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| Eastern Bluebird | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 |
| Swainson's Thrush | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| American Robin | -- | 10 | -- | -- | 14 | -- | 4 | -- | 33 | -- | -- | 10 | 6 | 2 | 25 |
| House Sparrow | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 | -- | -- | -- | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 |
| House Finch | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | -- | -- | 4 | 4 | -- | 2 |
| American Goldfinch | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 | 1 | -- | 7 | 3 | -- | 3 | 3 | -- | 3 |
| Pine Siskin | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Ovenbird | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Common Yellowthroat | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| American Redstart | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- |
| American Yellow Warbler | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 | 3 | 8 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Myrtle Warbler | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | -- | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Baltimore Oriole | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 1 | -- | 2 | 1 | -- | 4 |
| Bullock's Oriole x Baltimore Oriole | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Orchard Oriole | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -- | 2 |
| Red-winged Blackbird | -- | 30 | -- | -- | 25 | 25 | -- | -- | -- | 25 | -- | 20 | 15 | -- | 30 |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | -- | 20 | -- | 1 | 25 | -- | 3 | -- | 14 | -- | -- | 8 | 10 | 2 | 10 |
| Common Grackle | -- | 12 | -- | -- | 39 | -- | -- | -- | 40 | -- | -- | 10 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| Great-tailed Grackle | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Song Sparrow | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Harris's Sparrow | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 1 | 1 | -- | 3 | 6 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| White-throated Sparrow | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Chipping Sparrow | -- | 10 | -- | -- | 9 | 6 | 6 | -- | 14 | -- | -- | 6 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| Field Sparrow | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | 3 | 4 | 5 | -- | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Lark Sparrow | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 2 | 2 | -- | -- | 4 | -- | 5 | 4 | 4 | -- | 6 |
| Spotted Towhee | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 1 | 2 |
| Northern Cardinal | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | 1 | 3 | -- | -- | 3 |
| Blue Grosbeak | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Indigo Bunting | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 |
The tally of 82 species this year compares to 74 in 2017 and 86 in 2016. The combined total is 98 species and one hybrid sort.
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