[mou-net] February Lake Co. Loon
I just recieved an email inquiring more information about the loon I saw in Two Harbors on February 22nd to confirm species identification. When I saw the loon I was absolutely thrilled because I was thinking it could be a Yellow-billed. I took time (30 minutes) to follow it and observe it from the dike and the shore because it was being VERY active in its feeding. I was able to see it well enough to see a striped collar on its neck. The lighting wasn't the best but the bill looked more gray than yellow. It looked to be the same size as a Common Loon though of course size can always be decieving. The bird was an adult in non-breeding plumage. To me the most distinguishing characteristic was the collar which had a pattern consistant with a Common Loon. I would have absolutely loved for this bird to be a Yellow-billed which is one of my most wanted birds but I do believe that it was an out of season Common Loon. If anyone has any further questions feel free to email me. Good birding, Jason Caddy Minneapolis j.ca...@hotmail.com _ Windows Live™ Contacts: Organize your contact list. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/marcusatmicrosoft.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!503D1D86EBB2B53C!2285.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_UGC_Contacts_032009 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 Loon- a second look
The information from my last email about the Common Loon was going off the Sibley Guide to Birds, which was all I had with me at the time of observation. After viewing several other sources and images on the internet I am not quite as sure of my initial ID, though it is still the most likely. I do remember the loon having more of an upturned bill than most Common Loons. Again, the bird was backlit and therefore all observations were made very difficult. I wish that I would have had a scope at the time (though the bird was extremely active and would have been difficult to pinpoint). This is what makes birding so challenging and fun-- and sometimes frustrating. Good birding, Jason Caddy Minneapolis j.ca...@hotmai.com _ Hotmail® is up to 70% faster. Now good news travels really fast. http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_70faster_032009 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] Hawk Owl (St Louis)
Present this morning on Melrude Rd just S of Berg Lake Rd. This area is worth checking if you fail to see owls in the bog proper, as up to three individual birds have been present in the last few days. Ben Yokel Cotton Sent via BlackBerry by ATT 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] present, E. Screech Owl, Minnetonka, Hennepin Co.
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009 at 10 am, I noted the owl is sleeping in the wood duck box visible from the street. Look through the pines at the southwest corner of the house to see the larger pole mounted box at the northwest corner of the house. Last Sunday it was sitting in the hole from 1 PM until dark. If you are lucky you might see it sitting in the hole. George Skinner 15330 Lynn Terrace Minnetonka, MN 55345-5734 952-936-0811 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] Itasca County field trip results!
This is sort of a tongue-in-cheek subject line as nary a birder showed up for today's Itasca County field trip! I expected a few individuals, but I sat there in the parking lot of the Civic Center and nobody showed! (Must have been the cold--preregistration will be required for next year's trips.) So, I did what any self-respecting birder would do and went out by myself. Even though we would have tried them as a group, I skipped the Northern Shrike and Three-toed Woodpecker spots from yesterday since I had already seen those birds. Here's how I did: Black-billed Magpie (1) - Priem Rd Hoary Redpoll (1) - Priem Rd, just submitted documentation Evening Grosbeak (several) - feeders in Effie Common Grackle (1) - same feeder setup as the EGs...my second Itasca winter sighting ever of this species Gray Jay (2) - Alder Rd at the suet feeders Brown Creeper (1) - Alder Rd hanging near the feeders (but not using them) Barred Owl (1) - roosting right above the Alder Rd feeders! White-winged Crossbill (many) - Alder Rd and a lone female actually eating at the same feeder as the Evening Grosbeaks with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls also hanging on it! Pine Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Common Redpolls in good numbers. All finch species mentioned were present at the feeders in Effie. Lots of redpolls in Bigfork. Oddly, after a banner Boreal Chickadee day yesterday, I missed this species despite nearly an hour of watching the Alder Rd feeders. Finally, a lone House Sparrow at the awesome Effie feeders (don't worry, I have met and spoken with the homeowner) was so much of a surprise (I've never seen one in Effie) I had to check it twice to make sure I didn't have a county-first Eurasian Tree Sparrow. The feeders AT the Effie Cafe were also pretty busy with finches. Shawn Conrad http://users.2z.net/itasca_chippewa_birding/ _ Windows Live™ Contacts: Organize your contact list. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/marcusatmicrosoft.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!503D1D86EBB2B53C!2285.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_UGC_Contacts_032009 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] Gray Partridge
Seven gray partridges tonight digging in the snow one-quarter mile north of 180th and Joan in Dakota County, on Joan just north of the line of evergreens, at dusk. Roy Zimmerman Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
