i spy a pine siskin

There have been reports of a Pine Siskin irruption in the Twin Cities. Pine Siskins are small finches. "Adults are brown on the upperparts and pale on the underparts, with heavy streaking throughout. They have a short forked tail. They have yellow patches in their wings and tail, not always visible; otherwise, it appears to be a very small streaked sparrow." Their breeding grounds are in Canada, Alaska, and the northern parts of the U.S. They migrate southward in winter.

Pine Siskins have recently been reported in Minnesota. A little over a week ago, I saw a flock a of 15 to 20 feeding on white cedar cones in our yard. I've waited years to see these "winter" finches. Every winter in Minnesota there have been reports of siskins and red polls and this is a first time sighting for me.

A Pine Siskin feeding at the top of the tree.

A Pine Siskin, in the center of the photo, feeding.

It's difficult to see in the photo but there are four Pine Siskins in the tree.

a bitter sweet election

On the sweet side we can say "President-elect Obama." On the other "bitter pill" side, California passed Proposition 8, social conservatives Michele Bachmann and Erik Paulsen were elected to congress in Minnesota, and the Franken Coleman race for a senate is still undecided. The election recount for that race started yesterday.

Obama supporters were elated that Obama won the election. People danced and partied in the streets of Minneapolis and all over the country. After election night, reality slapped us in the face. Proposition eight passed in California. Of all the states, I never thought California would pass a constitutional amendment that declared that marriage can only be between a man an a woman. It happened. And now people are rightly protesting the vote. Conservatives have deemed this as "anarchy." Where have we heard this before?

As for Minnesota politics, how did this happen? How did Bachmann get re-elected after her anti-american diatribe on MSNCB? Did the DFL choose the wrong candidates? Is the DFL primary process dysfunctional? I am baffled at how Bachmann and Paulsen got elected. Other than their district's are in "conservativeville" outside the Twin Cities proper. In Bachmann's pre-election appearance on MSNBC's show "Hardball," she accused Obama and several liberal, leftists, as "anti-American." She said the news media should investigate this, "Are they pro-America or anti-America?" After seeing this I was waiting for that knock on my door, to be taken away for questioning about my "anti-American" views. Obama will be president, but Minnesota is still stuck with Michele Bachmann for two years. At least it's not six years.

Links:
Sign the petition against Prop 8

Doug Grow over at Minn Post wrote an excellent article on how the Minnesota DFL screwed up some key elections in Minnesota. Read it, click here.

Vote NO on Prop 8

After Obama Victory, Dancing in the Streets (Minneapolis)

MnIndy Video: Obama win prompts nighttime dance-party in the streets of Minneapolis