(Posted by Jason Frank <jmfran...@gmail.com> via moumn.org) FOY Rough Legged Hawk about 1:30 this afternoon, hunting near Florida Creek just north of Lac qui Parle CR 12 and CR 13 approximately 7 miles west of US Hwy 75, 2 miles south of US Hwy 212.
Also saw (FOY) Northern Shrike perched along a power line at the same time/location. Worth noting: there are lots of American Kestrels and Snow Buntings in Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties right now; more than I have ever seen at this time of year. Other observations: Downy woodpeckers have emptied most of the goldenrod galls. Great horned owls are courting; after sunset I can clearly hear 4 pairs in a 4-mile radius. Still seeing Northern Harriers hunting over fields between Madison and Canby. Creeks are open, as are some sloughs. Saw a big mixed flock of geese (various Canada and Greater White-Fronted) making their way south on Monday, December 26. This is the latest date I have for southbound geese in Lac qui Parle County. I have second-hand reports of frequent Snowy Owl sightings just over the SD border, between Ortonville and Milbank. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html