Today (1/5) I was driving from Waconia toward Chaska on CR10, approaching Hwy 212, when I passed a raptor sitting in the middle of a harvested corn field. I ID'd the bird as a probable immature Eagle, as it appeared to be completely dark. I pulled a U-turn, and grabbed my binocs, and confirmed my high-speed look. The bird was completely dark. As I looked at it, it took off showing a white band on its tail and the undertail pattern of a Rough-legged Hawk.
One of the most interesting birds of the CBC's was a Northern Flicker that we were able to watch at a feeder. It didn't look quite right. It's face was gray and the chest mark was outlined in white. these field marks were indicative of a red-shafted flicker. The presence of a minimal red crescent on the nape of it neck, indicated that it was an intergrade red/yellow shafted flicker. When it flew, it had yellow shafted wing linings. Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN swest...@comcast.net ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
