Re: [mou-net] WW Crossbills Falcon Heights UMN Campus Ramsey County
I saw the White-winged Crossbill flock (originally reported by Derek Bakken yesterday) on the U of M - St. Paul campus this morning. They were feeding atop a lone spruce 2 houses north of the intersection of Commonwealth and Cleveland. I had a brief look before they flew off toward the general direction of Derek's sighting from yesterday (Knapp and Fifield in the student housing complex, a couple blocks away). Scott Loss St. Paul - St. Anthony Park Subject: WW Crossbills Falcon Heights UMN Campus Ramsey County From: Derek Bakken Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:15:52 -0600 20-25 WW Crossbills (half males and half females) at the intersection of Fifield and Knapp on the UMN Campus at about 11:15am today. google map: http://tinyurl.com/b63e6s -Derek Bakken ornitholature.blogspot.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
[mou-net] Common Redpolls, Brown Co.
Hi, Had a flock of ~ 24 Common Redpolls at my home feeder in Sleepy Eye this morning. Not terribly unusual for this winter, but it is significant in these are a new yard bird for me in almost 10 years and only the third sighting I've had of them in Brown County. One looked very similar to Sibley's illustration of a first year female Hoary but I just don't feel comfortable ID'ing it as one. Good birding, Brian Smith Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] White-winged Crossbills, Nicollet County
After not seeing them in Nicollet County since mid-November, this morning a small flock of White-winged Crossbills flew over the Interpretive Center on the south side of campus at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. So far it seems like the majority of southern MN crossbills have been heading southeast, but perhaps now that food supplies are getting used up they will take a turn southwest. Bob Dunlap, Nicollet County bobthebirdman.blogspot.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
[mou-net] White-winged Crossbills Carpenter Nature Center Washington County
I apologize for the late posting- At 12:30 today?there were about 8 White-winged Crossbills feeding in the small stand of trees right outside Carpenter Nature Center's Visitor Center front door. They foraged for about 20 minutes then flew off to the treeline. Jen Vieth Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] WW Crossbills-Steele Co./Snowy Owl-Dodge Co.
Hi everyone! I re-found the Dodge County Snowy Owl this morning at 11:45 am. It was on the east side of 150th Ave, about 150 yards out, sitting on the ground on the south side of a fenceline that runs east/west. The fenceline is 0.4 miles north of where 700th St. intersects. I also found a flock of at least 8 White-winged Crossbills in Owatonna at Sacred Heart Cemetery, which is located at the south end of town off of Cedar Ave, just north of Hwy. 14. There were 6 males and 2 females that I could see, but I'm sure there were a few more. There were also some Pine Siskins feeding with the crossbills. Also of note today were 13 Eurasian Collared Doves in the town of Claremont, on the south side of the grain elevator. Other highlights today included Northern Shrikes in both Steele and Dodge Counties, as well as several flocks of Snow Buntings. And there was a rather large flock of Common Redpolls near the border of Rice County and Steele County at the intersection of Rice CR 21 & 98. I tried getting a good look in case of a Hoary Redpoll mixed in but the flock was very skittish and didn't perch for more than a second or two before flushing and flying around, only to fly off shortly afterwards. Pretty fun day! Good birding! Dave Bartkey Faribault, MN screech...@q.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
[mou-net] Great Horned Owl-Dakota County
Today, observed a Great Horned Owl on nest in Dakota County.This bird has nested here at least for the last 3 years. The nest is just east of the intersection of Dodd Road and Cedar Avenue. James Otto _ Hotmail® goes where you go. On a PC, on the Web, on your phone. http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/learnmore/versatility.aspx#mobile?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_WL_HM_versatility_121208 Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] W-W Crossbills (Plymouth, Hennepin Co.)
A flock of about 20 were feeding at eye-level on the small planted spruces on the west side of the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce parking lot. I was able to pull my car right up and they ate right in front of me. What I thought was interesting is how some of them would yank the entire cone off the tree then fly to another branch to tear it apart. To get to this area, from Highway 55, turn south on Old C-R 15. The road curves so it's eventually going east/west. Go on this road for about 1/2 a mile, and the parking lot will be on your left. Please note that there are quite a few planted spruces along Highway 55, so if you don't see the birds there, be sure to check out other trees in the area. I also found an American Black Duck with hundreds of Mallards at the Honeywell pond along Douglas Drive and the railroad tracks in Golden Valley. Good birding! Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley, MN Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Hoary Redpoll - Itasca County
I birded Alder Road and the Marcell/Bigfork/Effie corridor today including a few snowshoe treks in various spruce bogs. Birding was slow except for finches along Alder Road and at the Effie Cafe. A Hoary Redpoll was visiting the feeders at the Effie Cafe along with Common Redpoll, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Pine Grosbeak, and a few Evening Grosbeaks. I pasted documentation of the Hoary below. Pine Grosbeaks were abundant on Alder Road and other locations. White-winged Crossbills were numerous at Middle Creek on Alder Road, but this regular Boreal Chickadee spot did not produce today. I also saw several Gray Jays on Alder. Finally, I birded the entire stretch of open water on the Mississippi River in Cohasset, including walking both directions from the MP&L landing, and found the following: - 2 adult, 6 immature Trumpeter Swans - numerous Mallards - 4 Canada Geese - maybe a dozen Common Goldeneyes I haven't seen any waterfowl on the Mississippi downstream of Cohasset. (There is open water below the dam in Grand Rapids.) I have a second-hand report of a Black-backed Woodpecker yesterday at the Deer River DNR station on Hwy 6 but it was not seen today. There is an Itasca Birding Club field trip on February 28th that ends at the Effie Cafe feeders. Details are on the calendar on my website. If you are from outside of Itasca County and considering attending, please contact me in advance so we know if we need to plan for a larger group. Shawn Conrad http://users.2z.net/itasca_chippewa_birding/ After some sorting, I noticed an apparent male Hoary Redpoll foraging on the ground beneath the Effie Cafe feeders with several other finch species (Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Pine Grosbeak). The bird was light gray on the scapulars rather than the more tan color of the adjacent Commons. The streaking on the flanks was very faint. It's wing bars were clearly wider than on the adjacent Commons. Additionally, compared to the Commons, the pink of the breast was lighter and less extensive. The bill appeared smaller and the undertail coverts were not streaked. Despite careful study, I was never able to note the plumage of the rump. Upon realizing that the bird was a Hoary, I took field notes during the observation and told the Effie Cafe staff about the bird. Despite not being avid birders, 2 of these additional observers were able to repeatedly pick out the Hoary from the Commons (~15 Commons present) when the flock flushed twice and returned. Both noted the lighter gray color of the bird, less extensive pink, and less streaking on the flanks. I am not a photographer, so I was unable to get a photo, but one of the cafe staff took 2 photos of the bird with a camera phone and said she would email it to me. If I receive the photo and it is adequate for identification, I will attach it to this documentation later. On a behavior note, even though the other redpolls and finches were foraging over a fairly wide area, this bird consistantly stayed within about 2' of the bird feeder post. II. Species similar to this bird and how eliminated from consideration. See above III. Your experience with this and similar species. I have documented Hoary Redpoll multiple times and observed it in 5 counties. I observe Common Redpoll on most days of most winters at my feeder and while birding. Other Observers - if they have additional information regarding this record, please include with this report, or list their addresses so they can be contacted. 2 nonbirders who noted some field marks - no contact information given IV. Check applicable statements: x You were aware at the time of the observation that this record was unusual x Photos or tape recordings were taken of bird (Please attach to this report.) x Field guides were not used nor needed to make identification x Field notes or sketch made during observation, field guide was consulted (Please attach to this report.) Field notes or sketch made after observation, Identification made by consulting field guides while bird was in view Identification made from memory after consulting field guides later Field guides and other references consulted: V. Light conditions; bird-observer-sun orientation; time of day ~1100, sun bright, directly south with observer indoors facing east, no backlight issues Length of observation: several minutes over multiple observations Distance from bird: feeder is 10-15' from windowOptics used: not needed but viewed through 10x50 NikonHabitat: feeder _ Windows Live™ Hotmail®:…more than just e-mail. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_hm_justgotbetter_explore_012009 Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Spruce Grouse & Am Three-toed Woodpecker
In Lake Co today, my tour group found a Spruce Grouse on Hwy 1 and an Am Three-toed Woodpecker on Spruce Rd. The grouse was a male picking at grit in the road at mid-morning at mile 299.1, which is 12 mi NW of the Co Rd 2 intersection. Earlier in the morning there was also a road-kill Spruce Grouse in the traditional area on Co Rd 2, 1.1 mi N of the Sand River. The woodpecker was a drumming female on Spruce Rd, 0.6 mi N of Hwy 1. (The Spruce Rd turns off Hwy 1 near mile 297, 14 mi NW of Co Rd 2.) There were also several groups of Red Crossbills along Hwy 1 and on Spruce Rd, and we found a small flock of Bohemian Waxwings in Ely: these were near the corner of Washington St and 5th Ave, which is a few blocks NE of downtown. Great Gray Owls have apparently been getting harder to find this week, especially in the Sax-Zim Bog where virtually all the birders I know of (ourselves included) have not been able to find any. About the only sighting I'm aware of there was a brief fly-by this afternoon on McDavitt Rd, ~3 mi N of Sax Rd. Kim Eckert Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] black dog gulls?
I'm wondering if anyone has observed any gulls at Black Dog Lake of late. I know there are some hanging out down in Prescott. Ben in Chaska Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
