2012 Bird List

 To see photos of most of these birds, follow my 2012 bird list on Pinterest


Anseriforms: Swans, geese, ducks

• Tundra Swan (3/11, Superior Drive pond)
• Trumpeter Swan (3/25, Lake Byllesby)
• Greater White-fronted Goose (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Canada Goose
• American Wigeon (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal (#40, 3/25, Lake Byllesby)*
• Gadwall (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Northern Pintail (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Northern Shoveler (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Canvasback (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Redhead (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Lesser Scaup (#42+, 3/7, Superior Drive pond)
• Bufflehead (3/18, Lake City)
• Wood Duck (8/4 near Thielke Lake)
• Common Goldeneye (3/18, Alma WI)
• Ring-necked Duck (3/10, Wells Lake; 3/11 Superior Drive pond - # appx 12)
• Hooded Merganser (#5, 3/7, Superior Drive pond)
• Common Merganser (3/10, Wells Lake; many dozens 3/18 Lake City)

Galliforms: Grouse, Ptarmigan
Gaviiformes: Loons
Podicipediformes: Grebes

• Pied-billed Grebe (3/18, "Gadwall Lake" near Frontenac)*
• Western Grebe (8/4 - Bitter Lake, SD)*
• Clark's Grebe (8/4 - Bitter Lake, SD)*

Pelecaniformes: Pelicans; Cormorants

• American White Pelican

Ciconiiformes: Herons; American Vultures 

• Great Blue Heron (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret*
• (Not sure if this is the right category) White-faced Ibis (3/15, Lake Byllesby)
• Turkey Vulture (3/18, Alma WI; 3/24 Northfield)

Falconiformes: Hawks and Eagles; Falcons

• Osprey (8/4 near Thielke Lake)*
• Bald Eagle 
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Cooper's Hawk
• Merlin
• American Kestrel

Gruiformes: Rails and Coots; Cranes 

• American Coot (3/10, Wells Lake)
• Sandhill Crane (3/18, east-central WI)

Charadriiformes: Plovers; Sandpipers; Gulls and Terns 

• Killdeer (3/11, Superior Drive Pond; #6 3/25, Lake Byllesby*
• Greater Yellowlegs (3/25, Lake Byllesby)*
• Lesser Yellowlegs*
• Solitary Sandpiper (5/5, rural Rice County)*
• Spotted Sandpiper*
• Pectoral Sandpiper*
• Least Sandpiper*
• Semi-palmated Sandpiper*
• Marbled Godwit*
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper*
• Dunlin
• Baird's Sandpiper*
• Stilt Sandiper*
• Dowitcher sp*
• Wilson's Snipe*
• Willet*
• Semi-palmated Plover*
• Ring-billed Gull*
• Franklin's Gull*
• Forster's Tern*
• Caspian Tern (8/4 - Bitter Lake, SD)*

Columbiformes: Pigeons and Doves 

• Rock Pigeon
• Mourning Dove

Cuculiformes: Cuckoos and Anis 
Strigiformes: True Owls 

• Great Horned Owl (Jan. & Feb., Carleton Arb; on nest at Lake Byllesby 3/25)
• Barred Owl (Jan., Carleton Arb)
• Snowy Owl (Early Jan., at MSP Airport)

Caprimulgiformes: Nighthawks  
Apodiformes: Swifts; Hummingbirds  

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/6)

Coraciiformes: Kingfishers 

• Belted Kingfisher  (4/17)

Piciformes: Woodpeckers 

• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker (sporadic during winter; seen on back lawn 3/25)

Passeriformes: Tyrant flycatchers; Shrikes; Vireos; Jays and Crows; Larks; Swallows; Titmice and Chickadees; Nuthatches; Creepers; Wrens; Kinglets; Gnatcatchers; Thrushes; Mimic Thrushes; Starlings; Pipits; Waxwings; Warblers; Tanagers; Sparrows; Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings and Dickcissel; Blackbirds, Grackles and Orioles; Finches; Old world sparrows 

• Eastern Phoebe (3/24, near Northfield)
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Horned Lark (3/25, on dirt road near west end of Lake Byllesby)
• Tree Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Cliff Swallow (5/13)
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• House Wren
• Sedge Wren (Carleton Arb)
• Eastern Bluebird (3/24, near Northfield)
• American Robin (3/7)
• European Starling
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Song Sparrow (3/24, near Northfield)
• Chipping Sparrow
• Clay-colored Sparrow
• Swamp Sparrow (Carleton Arb)
• White-throated Sparrow (3/18)
• Lark Sparrow (5/6 - Goodhue County)
• Northern Cardinal
• Baltimore Oriole (5/6)
• Orchard Oriole (5/12, Carleton Arb)
• Dickcissel (6/3 - McKnight Prairie)
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak (5/12, Carleton Arb)
• Indigo Bunting (8/19, Carleton Arb)
• Bobolink (near lakes west of I-35); female western MN*
• Red-winged Blackbird (3/6)
• Yellow-headed Blackbird*
• Common Grackle (3/18, La Crosse)
• House Finch
• Pine Siskin (sporadic during winter)
• American Goldfinch
• House Sparrow

* = 8/3-5, Western MN/Eastern SD, Shorebird Workshop