2/12/06--Sunday birding in Olmsted and Fillmore Counties Greetings:
My brother, Chris, and I spent time birding together on Sunday trying to relocate some of the species that have been around since January. Here are the results from our trip: Rochester area birds: @Snow Goose (blue phase)--Silver Lake. This bird has been around since Jan. 1st. It was seen by two groups of birders on Jan. 1st Big Days and was still present on Sunday. @Gray Catbird--Oakwood Cemetery. Originally found on Jan. 23rd this was seen by two separate observers last week, then again Sunday. Chris was able to photograph the bird for documentation. @American Coot--Silver Lake, below the dam, in the channel behind Western Digital. The female wood duck which was present on Jan. 23rd could not be found. @White-crowned Sparrow(adult)--Found by Chris. From US 52: exit onto 2nd ST SW. Go west 2 or 3 blocks. Take right (north) on 19th Ave. SW. Drive to Shorewood Senior Campus (5 blocks). Get out and walk northwest. There is a lot of ground to cover, but the area has been good for sparrows for several winters. @Song Sparrow--same area. Beaver Creek WMA, Fillmore County: Chris and I later drove down to look for the short-eared owls south of Ostrander. We bumped into our best birding buddy, Dedrick Benz, and around 5:54 p.m., Dedrick spotted one of the owls perched on a post in the parking area next to the two rows of spruce. During our visit, we saw 5 short-eared owls in the area. The owls (up to 6) have been regularly seen by many observers since their original discovery on Sunday, January 15th. New Business: Today, 2/14/06, Chris Benson e-mailed to pass along that the Northern Pintail, which has been present since late January, was seen again this morning at Silver Lake around 11 a.m. Happy Valentine's Day, and good birding... John Hockema Rochester, MN