Kyle, Tami, Thank you for the reports, nice to read..
Two winters ago we had Red-breasted Nuthatch winter in / around our backyard in St. Paul. Last winter I saw none. This winter they are back again, I've identified there are two of them this year, a pair. They don't hang around here past spring, in the ~8 years we've lived here. I saw the Shrike this morning down by Old Cedar Bridge, that's been hanging around there this winter. I saw the Shrike catch what I believe was a field mouse and fly it up into a tree, and got a photo of this, not of great quality but a capture of an interesting behavioral moment in any event. The mouse is about as big as the Shrike! https://www.flickr.com/photos/fisherkingbat/52725961691/in/dateposted-public/ I saw a Mourning Dove fly by too, those were the most notable sightings this morning.. I went up last Saturday to Taylors Falls, hoping to see the Harlequin Duck and it never showed that day. I noticed the next day though, last Sunday, there were sightings reported to ebird, so I chose the wrong day. I'm not sure if it's still being seen there or not, I'll have to check ebird. Happy birding to you all, Brian On Fri, Mar 3, 2023 at 12:23 PM Tami Vogel <tvo...@wrcmn.org> wrote: > Just a bit south of you in Afton, we have horned larks lining the fields > alongside the roads. First flocks showed up almost two weeks ago, but now > there are many more. I love watching their graceful flight as they lift off > from the exposed gravel edge as you approach. They're almost impossible to > spot until they take off. > > My barreds have been displaced by a pair of horneds, who are actively > calling even during the day. > > There was a bit of excitement here when a mature bald eagle was in the top > of one of my neighbor's burr oaks for 4 days in a row. We were all > wondering if it was going to nest there, especially my neighbor who has two > very tiny pomeranian mixes, lol... Eagle has moved on, neighbor is > relieved. > > Swans flew overhead this morning. With Lake Edith and Hudson being just to > the northeast, and farmfields to my west, I see swans on a regular basis. > Who knew that we'd ever have a day when swans were that common of a > sighting? Just a remarkable recovery story. > > Saw what I think was a harrier yesterday on the field just north of 94 and > west of Manning. Admittedly didn't get a good look at it since I was > driving, lol. > > Goldfinches are definitely brighter, and red squirrels are very frisky. > > Waiting for my titmice to return 🙂 > > > - Tami in Afton > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Kyle Te Poel < > kyle.tep...@gmail.com> > Sent: Friday, March 3, 2023 10:59 AM > To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> > Subject: [mou-net] Washington County this morning > > This is partly a test--I haven't received an email on this list since > January (I know it's a slower birding season but still, worth a test)--and > mostly a bird update :) > > Here in rural Washington County, it's been a birdy morning at my place. > Duetting barred owls; several returning, singing Red-Breasted Nuthatches > (nesters on my property, but largely absent this winter); a Sharp-Shinned > Hawk patrolling my feeders; Trumpeter Swans calling in the distance; and a > pair of Sandhill Cranes probably hoping for a little less snow. Hope there > are some birds in your neck of the woods as well! > > Kyle Te Poel > Stillwater Township, MN > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__moumn.org_listservice.html&d=DwICaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=snLk402EdGQk2AGMnqHuqLjpoQdeo-zzvOkLCCNaeRo&s=ZchJG04CrwZcNDS-iMkRvpmfjUUmG4TfE72fR_e7hiY&e= > Archives: > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.umn.edu_archives_mou-2Dnet.html&d=DwICaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=snLk402EdGQk2AGMnqHuqLjpoQdeo-zzvOkLCCNaeRo&s=pYQK1HggozugF4pTN2TRNl9gsviJrHuYWpvduUFT0LY&e= > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
