The autumn months of September and October of 2018 had typical conditions for the Valentine. There was one snow event but the results quickly melted and with ample continuing rainfall, vegetation continued to thrive. The localities visited were similar for these two months starting in 2015. Temperate days with slight winds were certainly appreciated.
These are some of the more notable occurrences for the period. Birds are present daily so the big decision is what days will records be kept? Records are kept most notably for occurrences of irregular or new species, and the tally then filled with what typically occurs. Every day is a good day to bird-watch in and about Valentine. Foibles might result in contrary actions, or lack thereof.
- Trumpeter Swan: the arrival and continued occurrence from 23 Oct to the 27th of a single adult was especially notable at the Valentine Mill Pond, because of the dearth of previous sightings. This big fowl was at the low flats just west of the primary pond pier. This is an area where some community members have been searching for funds so the pond could be dredged to reestablish open water conditions. A single swan returned on a first day of November.
- Ducks: various species feed on the pond-weed and other vegetation that occur because of shallow-water and marsh conditions at different places amidst the overall extent of the pond from its dam, westward to huge berm constructed for the Highway 83 travelway.
- Wild Turkey: a group of two families with a female and five young and another female with a single young were regularly seen, and they often appreciate the regularly-placed seed on the front walk of my shack. One or another mother turkey is attentive to her brood which make their way in dominance. The parent is most attentive to the situation to ensure safety for all of them. Some male turkeys have arrived once in a while and they certainly strut using vocalizations, feather displays including tail feather spreads and antagonistic behavior to establish their dominance. Turkeys have so many feathers which they regularly shake around. The littlest young turkey has been seen dealing with abuse from associated older juveniles of a different brood with their larger size and natural dominance. They chase around to get rid of competition for the black sunflower seeds they prefer. What is not understood why these birds leave their droppings in the middle of food they are eating? The results remain while the flock goes elsewhere. At least the spot has been cleaned when there was enough rain-water to sweep away the mess.
- Golden Eagle: a magnificent juvenile was languidly soaring over the mill pond and was a new addition to the local birdlist.
- Sandhill Crane: would have been more prevalent during their southward migration than the single record indicates. Other regional reports, notably on ebird, provide other indications of seasonal occurrence.
- Greater Yellowlegs: likely occurs more than the single observation of a busy shorebird indicates.
- Rock Dove: even though there are only a couple of records, the species is a permanent resident and most notable near the livestock market, which is not always along my street-way travel route.
- Common Nighthawk: the lack of noted occurrences of migratory flocks is an obvious difference from a previous year. Site and date details were similar, but the right times were lacking this year.
- Belted Kingfisher: probably more prevalent than indicated, but obviously they were not observed to the usual extent at suitable habitat for fishing along Minnechaduza Creek, as previously observed.
- Eastern Bluebird: very transient though it is a regular resident. What is needed to get them to a feeder is not known because that would be a laudable goal and a great addition to bird-watching from my tiny shack.
- American Robin: numerous and prevalent while busy among the trees and lawns at different spots about Valentine.
- Sparrows: during the end of the period, the arrival of winter species was readily obvious.
- Dark-eyed Junco: arrival appreciated as the first birds of the season were busy eating weed seeds, but eventually they found the spread bird seed and have been the visitors in the morning, even before the time of the sunrise.
- Northern Cardinal: permanent residents but the population is so sparse that they are not seen very often. They are known to appreciate privately situated bird-feeders.
The overall tally for the two months was 64 species. There were 14 dates of record.
| Proper Name Julian Date > | 253 | 257 | 265 | 270 | 271 | 272 | 275 | 277 | 279 | 282 | 296 | 297 | 298 | 300 |
| Canada Goose | 8 | 8 | 6 | - - | 8 | - - | 8 | - - | 19 | 28 | 23 | - - | - - | 19 |
| Trumpeter Swan | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wood Duck | - - | 11 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Northern Shoveler | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 5 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Gadwall | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 4 | - - | - - | - - | 7 | 26 |
| American Wigeon | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - |
| Green-winged Teal | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Wild Turkey | 16 | 6 | 8 | - - | - - | - - | 11 | - - | 8 | 8 | 8 | - - | - - | 8 |
| Pied-billed Grebe | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Great Blue Heron | 1 | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Great Egret | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Turkey Vulture | 8 | 11 | 12 | - - | 6 | 8 | 115 | 16 | - - | 9 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Golden Eagle | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | 1 |
| Sandhill Crane | - - | - - | - - | - - | 48 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Killdeer | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Greater Yellowlegs | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 |
| Rock Dove | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | 18 | - - |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | 11 | 6 | 8 | - - | 9 | - - | 6 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 19 |
| Mourning Dove | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | - - | - - | 4 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Great Horned Owl | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 |
| Common Nighthawk | 9 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Belted Kingfisher | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - - | 1 | - - |
| Hairy Woodpecker | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Northern Flicker | 1 | 3 | - - | - - | 4 | - - | 1 | - - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - - | 1 | 1 |
| Eastern Phoebe | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Western Kingbird | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Eastern Kingbird | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Blue Jay | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | - - | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - - | 1 | 1 |
| American Crow | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 455 | 2 | 1 | - - | 2 | 4 | - - | 3 |
| Cedar Waxwing | 11 | - - | 20 | - - | - - | - - | 10 | - - | - - | 14 | - - | - - | 20 | 14 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 5 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | 3 | - - | 2 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - |
| Marsh Wren | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 5 |
| House Wren | 2 | 2 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | - - | 2 | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | 3 | 3 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 | 1 | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 2 | 5 | - - | 1 | 2 |
| Grey Catbird | 2 | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Brown Thrasher | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Common Starling | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 5 | - - | 2 | - - | 27 | - - |
| Eastern Bluebird | 1 | - - | 4 | - - | 4 | - - | 6 | 4 | 6 | - - | 1 | 6 | - - | 2 |
| American Robin | 50 | 30 | 105 | 25 | - - | - - | 10 | 10 | - - | 25 | 50 | - - | 35 | 55 |
| House Sparrow | 25 | - - | 20 | - - | 20 | - - | 10 | - - | 15 | - - | 10 | - - | - - | 10 |
| House Finch | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | - - | - - | 15 | 6 | - - | 4 | 10 | - - | - - | - - |
| American Goldfinch | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Nashville Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Common Yellowthroat | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-winged Blackbird | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 20 | - - | - - | 67 |
| Common Grackle | 35 | - - | - - | 6 | - - | - - | 325 | - - | 20 | 6 | 5 | - - | - - | 5 |
| Song Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 3 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - |
| Harris's Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| White-crowned Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | 1 | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| White-throated Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Dark-eyed Junco | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | 20 | - - | 13 | 55 |
| Savannah Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| American Tree Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 2 |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 6 | 5 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Spotted Towhee | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | 2 | - - | 1 | 5 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Northern Cardinal | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
The tally for these two months compares to previous reports: 2017 - 69 species on 18 dates of record; 2016 - 63 on 27 dates of record; and, 2015 - 53 on 31 dates of record. The composite tally is 93 species for these two months in 2015-2018.
Occurrence of Cedar Waxwing increased, based upon the numbers based on multiple records of observation for a few years. Numbers are significantly different so this species is apparently living well in this region. They can be seen in the Heart City, at the Valentine Mill Pond and also amidst the North Lake Shore Hills.
Species that should have been better observed included...
- 1. Chimney Swift in the city but there is a nearly complete lack of effort to bicycle again to chimney places after having already been nearby in the morning when these bugeaters were elsewhere
- 2. gathered Turkey Vulture at their local roost at Government Pond, and
- 3. a meadowlark or two that might have been heard or seen if the bicycle was ridden further, perhaps to the city cemetery.
- 2. gathered Turkey Vulture at their local roost at Government Pond, and
There was no Western Osprey present this season though they have been very obvious in previous years. So this years' results can be attributed to lack of occurrence. Also not observed was the subtle Townsend's Solitaire which could have been expected, though it was subsequently observed in early November.