ALWAYS IN SEASON
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Often overlooked, the clay-colored sparrow attracts attention
The clay-colored sparrow deserves more attention than it gets. It is one of our most common nesting sparrow species. Common doesn’t mean frequently reported, however.
May 19, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: ‘Lark woodpecker’: A trickster in the bird world 
A long-delayed and very compressed migration is now at full tide. The first barn swallow of the season showed up at my place west of Gilby, N.D., on Thursday evening.
By Mike Jacobs , May 12, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Ibis sightings liven up spring
Valley wanderings put birds beyond northern range
By Mike Jacobs , May 05, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Spring comes, and with it come the birds
Spring has arrived, and with it the birds — both all of a sudden. The rapid influx of birds has made it almost impossible to keep track, but for me, two species stand out.
By Mike Jacobs , April 28, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Slowly, winter birds give way to spring species
It’s tempting this week, with this weather, to write only about winter birds.
By Mike Jacobs , April 20, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: If these are American kestrels, it must be spring
Paul Kannowski often chided me for thinking that birds were reliable signs of spring. Plants are better indicators of the passing seasons, he said. Insects better still.
By Mike Jacobs , April 14, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Unusual visitor from the tundra provides a birding highlight
There’s a rock in a field along Grand Forks County Road 33 just east of Gilby. It’s a good-sized rock, and the landscape is pretty close to completely flat. That makes the rock a kind of landmark. It’s also an attractive perch for birds.
By Mike Jacobs , April 07, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Crows entertain, challenge and remind us of bygone days
The crows show up about St. Patrick’s Day every year. This is no coincidence. St. Patrick’s Day occurs just ahead of the spring equinox, when days and nights are equal in length.
By Mike Jacobs , March 24, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Gull provides diversion during global wait for pope
The bird of the week would be the Sistine seagull, except there is no such bird species. A gull — or a series of gulls — did perch on the chimney for much of the time Wednesday that the world waited for word of a new pope.
By Mike Jacobs , March 17, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: March brings bluebird weather — and bluebirds — to the valley
It might be rushing the season to talk about bluebird weather — but not by much. Bluebirds are early migrants, and bluebird weather refers to a fine spring day after a spell of nasty weather. Weather like we had last week.
By Mike Jacobs , March 10, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: An intimate glimpse reveals the waxwing’s real ID
Waxwings present an identification challenge — though happily, there are several good ways to separate the two species.
By Mike Jacobs , March 02, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Several species make news in the bird world
The week brought a lot of news from the bird world: About shrikes: I’ve had several reports of Northern shrikes haunting feeder operations.
By Mike Jacobs , February 24, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Larks begin their return to the Red River Valley
Here’s one observation from a quick road trip across North Dakota this past week: The horned larks are coming. Lots of them.
By Mike Jacobs , February 17, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Curious in several ways, starlings make us curious, too
The starling is a curious bird — in both senses of the word. It is an eager learner, especially of songs, and an energetic explorer of its surroundings. It is also a bit odd. They also evoke questions from human observers, and I’ve found them quite fascinating.
By Mike Jacobs , February 10, 2013
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Snow buntings own the winter roadsides in N.D.
If country roads had birds to represent them the way states and nations do, then surely the snow bunting would be among the birds to represent North Dakota’s roads.
By Mike Jacobs , January 27, 2013
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