[mou-net] roadkilled N. Hawk Owl at Knife River
The Northern Hawk Owl at Knife River was found this morning dead on the north side of the MN Highway 61 expressway. It looked like it was hit by a vehicle. Jim Lind Two Harbors 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] EUrasian Collared-Doves in Washington County, plus Harlequin Duck
I found three Eurasian Collared-Doves in the southern part of Washington County this afternoon 3/8/09. They were located on Neal, just north of 100th St., at the 1st farm east of Neal, north of 100th. Two were sitting on a wire and one was on the ground feeding. They were south of the gray buildings. At one point they flew across the road and into a medium-sized conifer on the west side of the road. At Point Douglas Park I was delighted to see the male Harlequin Duck! He was fairly close to me, so I took some decent pictures of him. There were also Greater and Lesser Scaup, Common and 1 make Red-breasted Mergansers and Redheads. Another birder told me he saw the Gray Partridge at Joan and 180th in Dakota County today. My hour and a half vigil at dusk failed to make them materialize. Linda Sparling 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] Correction: *Washington* County Longspurs incl. Smiths
Larry Sirvio reminded me that that area is Washington, not Dakota, County. Thanks! The area is along 110th St. S, just east of 95 in Hastings. Just east of 95/110 St S junction, there is a section with no houses and fields on both sides of the road. The north side is tilled exposed soil. The south side is wet shortgrass closer to the road, then a large flooded ice patch and corn stubble farther from the road. Diana Doyle S. Minneapolis Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
Re: [mou-net] Dakota County Longspurs incl. Smiths
I was about 1/2 hour behind Diana, and never saw any flocks---perhaps they were still spooked...or my car windows are too dirty! Linda Whyte On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM, Diana Doyle wrote: > This afternoon at ~12:35, on my way to the Carpenter Nature Center's Owl > Program, I passed a field with scores of snow buntings and longspurs. I > watched them briefly and then had to leave. I returned at 4:00 and spent > about a half-hour watching. There were literally hundreds of birds > (~500+?), looking like a swarm of locusts when a passing Cooper's Hawk sent > them into the air as one single huge elongated flock. > > Most interestingly, I saw at least 2 longspurs with bold "harlequin-like" > facial patterns, reminiscent of a lark sparrow. Other than the very bold > black facial pattern, the rest of the bird was relatively drab brown and > brownish-yellow (like the shortgrass area it was feeding in). I watched them > from ~50 feet away. A few females (plain drab brown) were also mixed in. > > The area is along 110th St. S, just east of 95 in Hastings. Just east of > 95/110 St S junction, there is a section with no houses and fields on both > sides of the road. The north side is tilled exposed soil. The south side is > wet shortgrass closer to the road, then a large flooded ice patch and corn > stubble farther from the road. > > The snow buntings were in the ice/corn stubble area. The lapland longspurs > (I did see some males with extensive black) were also further back, more > mixed with the snow buntings (and squabbling with them sometimes). What I > believe were Smith's longspurs were in the short bare grass area in front of > the ice patch (between the ice patch/corn stubble and the road). The grass > is sparse so I had great looks (but not of their bellies as they were in the > classic longspur horizontal skulk position). > > Sorry about the hasty email but I wanted to put out a heads-up in case > others are in the area. I waited a few minutes after the Cooper's flushed > them but then had to leave. This large flock may return since the habitat > seemed excellent. > > I'd love a confirmation of my sighting if anyone saw them this afternoon (I > told several people at CNC about the large flock I had spotted on the drive > in) or if anyone is in the vicinity in the next day or so. > > Thanks, > > Diana > > p.s. And a sight I've never seen: scores of snow buntings were perched in > the lone mature tree in the middle of the south field. In a tree?? But I saw > them as they commuted between the field and the lone tree perch! > > Diana Doyle > S. Minneapolis > > > Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > 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] Dakota County Longspurs incl. Smiths
This afternoon at ~12:35, on my way to the Carpenter Nature Center's Owl Program, I passed a field with scores of snow buntings and longspurs. I watched them briefly and then had to leave. I returned at 4:00 and spent about a half-hour watching. There were literally hundreds of birds (~500+?), looking like a swarm of locusts when a passing Cooper's Hawk sent them into the air as one single huge elongated flock. Most interestingly, I saw at least 2 longspurs with bold "harlequin- like" facial patterns, reminiscent of a lark sparrow. Other than the very bold black facial pattern, the rest of the bird was relatively drab brown and brownish-yellow (like the shortgrass area it was feeding in). I watched them from ~50 feet away. A few females (plain drab brown) were also mixed in. The area is along 110th St. S, just east of 95 in Hastings. Just east of 95/110 St S junction, there is a section with no houses and fields on both sides of the road. The north side is tilled exposed soil. The south side is wet shortgrass closer to the road, then a large flooded ice patch and corn stubble farther from the road. The snow buntings were in the ice/corn stubble area. The lapland longspurs (I did see some males with extensive black) were also further back, more mixed with the snow buntings (and squabbling with them sometimes). What I believe were Smith's longspurs were in the short bare grass area in front of the ice patch (between the ice patch/ corn stubble and the road). The grass is sparse so I had great looks (but not of their bellies as they were in the classic longspur horizontal skulk position). Sorry about the hasty email but I wanted to put out a heads-up in case others are in the area. I waited a few minutes after the Cooper's flushed them but then had to leave. This large flock may return since the habitat seemed excellent. I'd love a confirmation of my sighting if anyone saw them this afternoon (I told several people at CNC about the large flock I had spotted on the drive in) or if anyone is in the vicinity in the next day or so. Thanks, Diana p.s. And a sight I've never seen: scores of snow buntings were perched in the lone mature tree in the middle of the south field. In a tree?? But I saw them as they commuted between the field and the lone tree perch! Diana Doyle S. Minneapolis 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] FW: L. Byllesby, Dakota Cty, Wells Lake, Rice Cty
_ From: Laura Coble [mailto:shearwate...@frontiernet.net] Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 7:37 PM To: 'mnb...@lists.mnbird.net' Subject: L. Byllesby, Dakota Cty, Wells Lake, Rice Cty Lake Byllesby, southeast of Randolph, MN, has just started to very slowly open up near the shore at the shallow northwestern end of the lake, and is partially open near the hwy 56 Cannon River bridge. I saw one Bald Eagle perched in a tree and no waterfowl except Canada Geese and Mallards yesterday, viewed from Randolph Cemetery, south of hwy 88. It looks as if continuing cold weather will delay a significant thaw for a while. There is a narrow "canal" of water along the shoreline below the cemetery. Several other birders and I saw 9 species of ducks at Wells Lake yesterday, southwest of Faribault, off of Hwy 60, along hwy 12 (at the dike bridge). We saw most of the ducks Dave Bartkey reported on March 5th, (C. Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Gadwell, N. Pintail, N. Shoveler), plus small flocks of Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Am. Black Duck (4) with the Mallards, and at least one pair of C. Goldeneye. I didn't see Canvasback, but they may have shown up later. The patch of open water extends out from the bridge area, and under the bridge, but ice still covers most of the lake. The advantage is that the ducks are fairly close to shore. I didn't have time to check Alexander Park in Faribault, which Dave mentioned in his post. I also saw a N. Harrier and Rough-legged Hawk near L. Byllesby (Dakota Cty) west of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, north of Randolph, and a N. Harrier just east of Nerstrand State Park in Rice County. I looked for a Red-headed Woodpecker at Nerstrand, and didn't find one. I did find a Pileated Woodpecker. Laura Coble Cannon Falls 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] Koochiching County
Milt Blomberg forgot to mention that the information we got for birding most of Koochiching and Itasca Counties came from Shawn Conrad. If you need a good guide or info for this great birding country contact him in the Grand Rapids area. He has a web page for his guiding so type in Koochiching Birding and Shawn Conrad and his site will show up.Thanks Shawn for the help. As I was driving through the area with Milt it brought back memories of how natural and beautiful Koochiching County is and how abundant the rare bird species are. *I lived up there for 8 years and still go back once a month.*If anyone wants to join up in about a month I would be willing to have you tag along. 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] Some interesting responses from our E-Mail
Greetings: So far we have had three responses by E-mail and one by phone. Thanks for the replies of those who responded. Another birder thought that person was joking and that an Arctic Repoll is unlikely. He said it sounds like a partial Albino Redpoll. We looked up the Artic Redpoll on Google, and it has a red cap with a white breast. Another birder said they have a Common Redpoll with a copper top. They also have had an American Goldfinch with a white top. The fourth birder was interested in our report and wants to be notified if it shows up again. The bird was seen on the ground and in the nearby ornamental apple tree. We live at Trails Edge apartment, 715 Central Avenue North. There is a parking lot on the west side of the apartment where you may park while looking for the birds. As you go around the north side of the apartment you come see a shelter where you can look for birds at the single feeder. There is also a suet feeder on tree east of the walking/biking trail where we see a Pileated Woodpecker from time to time and other woodpeckers, too. OR, as you go east from the parking lot, on north side of the apartment you can see the feeder east of the apartment. Forest and Kirsten Strnad Faribault, 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] Shrike at Des Moines River Prairie SNA
I am assuming that it was a Northern Shrike, as I didn't get a detailed look. Also had some Purple Finches at the office in Lakefield today. Eric Harrold Lakefield, 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
Re: [mou-net] We think an unusual bird!
Forest, you've just seen the elusive and rare Arctic Whitepoll. Steve Roman Champlin, MN cicind...@gmail.com http://steveroman.naturescapes.net/ http://www.tc.umn.edu/~decke003//CicindelaTropicale/Home.htm 612-508-1528 - Original Message - From: "Forest & Kirsten Strnad" To: Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 11:32 AM Subject: [mou-net] We think an unusual bird! Greetings: We just got home from churdch and looked out our kitchen window,. I wa surprised to see many species of birds. BUT, one looked like a COMMON REDPOLL, with a piece of bread in its mouth. I called to Kirsten and she got the bird in her inoculrs and said, "It is not a piece of bread, it is a WHITE spot on top of the head. It looks like a COMMON REDPOLL with a WHITE SPOT on top of its head. Does that ever happen? Has any other prson seen a Common Redpoll with a white spot on the top of its head where it is usually a red spot? Forest and Kirsten Strnad Faribault, 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 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] We think an unusual bird!
Greetings: We just got home from churdch and looked out our kitchen window,. I wa surprised to see many species of birds. BUT, one looked like a COMMON REDPOLL, with a piece of bread in its mouth. I called to Kirsten and she got the bird in her inoculrs and said, "It is not a piece of bread, it is a WHITE spot on top of the head. It looks like a COMMON REDPOLL with a WHITE SPOT on top of its head. Does that ever happen? Has any other prson seen a Common Redpoll with a white spot on the top of its head where it is usually a red spot? Forest and Kirsten Strnad Faribault, 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
Re: [mou-net] courting eagles
Saturday afternoon, I saw a mature Bald Eagle carrying nesting material (a sizable stick) towards the area where the nest near the 58 club is/was located. I was traveling eastbound on crosstown just east of Cedar Ave and the eagle was east of my position flying WNW so I am assuming that is where it was headed. Jim Ryan Saint Paul On Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 9:29 PM, linda whyte wrote: > For anyone interested in breeding birds, a pair of eagles was doing > courtship maneuvers just over and around black Dog lake this > afternoon. I believe it may be the pair that uses the nest near the > power plant that is visible from the observation platform at Old Cedar > Ave. When viewed later from Black Dog Road, the nest appeared to have > one "mature" head just showing above its rim. > > Also present: a shrike at the west outlet, a pair of trumpeters and > some gadwall on the west end of the lake; coots among the mallards, > Canadas, and c. mergansers by the plant; and hooded as well as common > mergansers on the river by the plant, along with a red-tailed hawk. > Chet Myers mentioned a (lesser) scaup on the river, by the east > outlet, though we missed that. However, we did find a brown creeper > just east of the parking area over in Black Dog Park, not to mention > the usual wb nuthatches, chickadees, and downies. > > Linda Whyte, with Jed Askari and Katie Burns > > > Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > -- Sincerely, Jim Ryan 651-308-0234 business cell -- Your life is what your thoughts make it. - Marcus Aurelius http://naturalobservations.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] Koochiching saturday
Via Hwy 71 out of Northome: 8 magpies in the Gemmel area, 7 Snow Bunting Along the Toumey-Williams Forest Rd west of Big Falls via CR30(plowed about 6-7 miles back): 2-American Three-toed Woodpeckers (~1mi N right side stripping area) 1-Northern Hawk Owl (~2mi N in White Birch snag L side of road w/ Black Spruce logging on R side) 3- Boreal Chickadee (up Hendrickson Camp Rd just past the logged off area, note woodpecker stripping area here along the cut area border) 1- Spruce Grouse(1/2 mi past the Hendrickson Camp Rd) 7- Gray Jay 1- Ruffed Grouse Back along CR 30: lots of Common Redpolls, 1 Hoary Redpoll, a possible 2nd one), Bald Eagle In Big Falls itself: Pine Siskins, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Via CR 6: Red Crossbill and White-winged Crosbill (in white spruce top) Itasca County (Effie feeder 1 door down from Effie cafe): 2 Bohemian Waxwing mjb 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 Black-backed, Long-tailed Ducks, Duluth & north
Inquired - came - saw - conquered (with great MOU help): * Canal Park, Saturday 8:00-8:50 AM - Great Black-backed, Iceland, Glaucous, Herring & single Ring-billed Gulls * North Shore, Saturday ~ 9:30 AM - Long-tailed Ducks (90). Thank you, Peder & Eric for your posts & recommendations. Two state birds and home to central MN by noon! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
