Hi everyone,
I was out guiding in the bog this morning, and what a spectacular morning it was! Quantity was low, but by jove did quality make up for it! We started out heading north out of Meadowlands around 10am and quickly found 4 Black-billed Magpies at an old abandoned house. Just south of the T at Correction Line Rd, I spotted an adult Northern Goshawk come zipping out of a barn, flew across the road in front of us, then proceeded to sit up in the top of a tree in the scope quite nicely! It was the best views I've had of a Goshawk in the Bog all winter. Absolutely spectacular! Along Owl Ave, south of Overton Rd, we found a Porcupine, munching on White Pine bark. That was really cool to see! Our next stop was a quick one at the Welcome Center before heading up and checking for the N Hawk-Owl on Owl Ave. When we arrived, the bird was sitting in the birch tree, 10ft off the road. Again, spectacular views. The next stop was at the Admiral Rd feeders where we watched Gray Jays (which, by the way, were seemingly abundant today. We saw them everywhere) Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and the lone Pine Siskin. Then we headed over to Hwy 7 and saw a beautiful female Snowy Owl sitting on a Telephone pole near the greenhouse. We got to sit and enjoy the bird for several minutes before heading on. Near the Snowy Owl, we found the resident flock of Snow Buntings and enjoyed pretty decent views of those. About a mile south of the greenhouse, we got to enjoy extended, spectacular views of a Great Gray Owl, sitting in a birch tree just east of Hwy 7. Considering it was 2pm, it was a real treat to see! On our way back, through Meadowlands, an adult Goshawk flew over the road in front of us and kept going, out of sight. It was an awesome way to end the day! All in all, it was one of the more spectacular days I've ever had in the bog! -- Happy Birding! --Chris W, Madison, WI Tour Leader Swallowtail Birding Tours https://www.facebook.com/Swallowtailbirdingtours?ref=hl http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto Interpretive Naturalist Mississippi Explorer Cruises http://mississippiexplorer.com/ ch...@mississippiexplorer.com ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
