I stopped at GCD SNA this afternoon after volunteer work with Friends of Miss River. I parked at the 110th St entry (S end) and walked along the ridge trail to the N. I was surprised to see a freshly tilled corn field just E of the trail. There I heard and then saw an AMPI fly and land in the field. A minute or two later another landed on a clod and stayed for good observation. I only saw two at one time but concluded I had probably seen 4 birds or so. Suddenly alarm calls and the birds flushed from the field. I counted about 22 birds in the flock. Then looked at the accipter (Sharpie or Cooper's) flap-gliding above the field edge. I watched it with binocs and one and then another AMPI flew close to the raptor. The flock disappeared in those few seconds. However, I think they went down in the same field because I continued walking the trail to get better look at a whitish bird (shrike?) perched on brush pile past the field. It vanished and on the way back I heard AMPI calls from the field. If you look for them bring a scope if you have one. Their backs are dirt brown and unless they move they are nearly impossible to see--- easier if you see the beige breast against the brown background.
This field is about 6-8 acres maybe. I am curious why this farm field seems to be on a big piece of SNA (middle of E border). Need to follow up with DNR. maybe it is scheduled for future prairie seeding. However, this bare ground might be good for AMPIs for a while and maybe Horned Larks and Longspurs also. I also saw one Meadowlark and one pair of flying Vesper Sparrows and a few others unconfirmed as VESP or Savannah. Very quiet compared to May. These AMPIs are moving from the Arctic tundra to the southern states. They also nest on Alpine tundra and are very common on the tundra of Mt Evans Wilderness Area near Denver every summer. There they feed in the 'glacial' stream coming out of Summit Lake. (used to be "Water Pipit"). I wonder if these birds would have flushed for a falcon (bad reaction), but know the Accipter can't pick them out of the air when they are high and fast. Is it possible they 'know' the flight patterns or wind shapes of the dangerous and less dangerous bird-killers? PS. I lost a charcoal knit hat with visor that I had put in my back pocket. It might be on the trail or near the N end of the copse of trees. If any birder picks it up I can get it from you if you email me. thanks. Gordon Andersson St Paul ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
