Re: [mou-net] Potential First State Record Won't Be Shared

[Steve Weston]

There are a couple of issues relating to sharing and reporting birds.

First is the rare bird that can not be adequately reported to be accepted. 
Very first state records are accepted without a picture.   One bird that was 
accepted without a picture was the first and only state record of the 
Crested Caracara.  True it was a well known, reputible observer and an 
unmistakable bird.  While it is unknown in neighboring states, it was seen a 
few days later in Ontario.


I reported and wrote up a bird that has never been seen in Minnesota.   It 
has been found in neighboring states, but not here.  The good news was that 
it hung around for at least four more days.  I was able to refind it both 
times I looked in those days.  The trouble was that I did not have a camera 
worth taking a picture.  The other problem was that nobody believed my find. 
It was a female Black-chinned Hummingbird.  I wrote it up and it was not 
accepted.  If I was on MOURC, voting on my write up, I would not have 
accepted it.  It is too bad that I couldn't get people to believe me, but I 
believe it was important to document the sighting.


The first sighting of a Stygian Owl north of the Rio Grande was not reported 
until about fifteen years later, after someone else reported one, which 
promted the birder to dig out that picture of a strange owl that he had 
taken years before.  I do not remember if the documentation on the second 
Stygian was any good.


Of course there is the bird that was found only once in North American and 
seen by no birders.  The birders visiting the community did not believe the 
kid who found it when he offered to take them to view it.  So, the kid went 
out and shot the only Hoopoe ever documented in North America.   Strange 
birds can show up anywhere.  I believe that it is important to report those 
birds, even if it is unlikely to be accepted.


There are good reasons not to report to the listservs certain birds. 
Certain nesting birds may be suseptible to disturbance, such as a nesting 
loon.  I do not understand the lack of report of a Worm-eating Warbler in 
the metro area.  This is a bird that is unlikely to be nesting in the area, 
but, again, I do not understand why the bird was not reported.


Anyway...  just a few thoughts.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
swest...@comcast.net


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[mou-net] update Blue Grosbeak Stony Point, St Louis Cty

[Don Kienholz]

The Blue Grosbeak made an appearance at about 5 PM today Wed/20th. Dan Conelly, 
Seth House, and myself observed the bird for about 10 minutes before it hid 
behind some hedges in front of the house. I had been watching the yard and 
feeders for about 30 minutes before the bird appeared. It seems to hang out in 
the bushes in the front yard. It is very bushy and the bird can hide in here 
with many sparrows. (white-crowned, clay, chipping, song, white-throated.) I 
did not see it fly in so it may have been in the bushes all along. 

 

Dan Conelly posted a photo he took on MOU recently seen

 

Regards
Don Kienholz

 

 

 

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[mou-net] Fwd: [mnbird] Painted Bunting Moorhead Clay County 5/20

[Derek Bakken]

forwarded from MNBIRD


-- Forwarded message --
From: Connie Norheim 
Date: Wed, May 20, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Subject: [mnbird] Painted Bunting Moorhead Clay County 5/20
To: MN Bird 


A male Painted Bunting showed up at a feeder yesterday at 438 Birch
Lane in Moorhead, Clay County. I heard about the bird this afternoon
and went over and saw it about 1, and it was still there when Becky
Oberlander went over about 2 PM. The property owner, Kathy Bresee has
given permission for people to come see the bird from the street. From
Main Ave (after it turns and goes south) turn east at Oak Way by the
hockey arena, then take the first left onto Birch Lane. The signs for
Birch Lane and Birch Circle are on Kathy's corner. Her house is a
light green.

The bird has been feeding in her back yard. When I saw it this
afternoon it first flew into her apple tree, then dropped down onto
the picnic table and then into the blue plastic swimming pool that's
under a feeder (she also has seed in the swimming pool and the bird
liked to sit down in the pool and eat too). If you park on Birch
Circle you can easily look into her backyard and use your car as a
blind.

Connie Norheim
Fargo
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-- 
Derek Bakken
spottedtow...@gmail.com
ornitholature.blogspot.com

Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members
make it!

Also, please report your bird sighting to eBird and/or the MOU.  The
information gathered is vital to the future of birds.


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[mou-net] Blue Grosbeak at Stoney Pt

[Kim R Eckert]

I just received a phone call that the immature male Blue Grosbeak  
which I saw at ~11:00 am at Stoney Point in St Louis Co reappeared at  
the feeder at 12:55 pm (after nearly a 2-hour absence) and is still  
present at this time. Again, the location is 1389 Stoney Point Dr.   
Kim Eckert 
  



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[mou-net] Volunteer

[Carole Nimlos]

Thank you everyone for your responses-believe it or not, I had the article
at home but couldn't remember the publication.  
Carole


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[mou-net] Hooded Merganser babies

[Sid Stivland]

Just had a family of just-hatched Hooded Mergansers swim past my house on the 
pond.  Must have used my Wood Duck house.  I was not paying attention - guess I 
might need to invest in a duck-cam next year.

Also have two batches of baby Mallards on the pond with 6-8 chicks each.  Might 
be a good year this year.

Sid Stivland
Plymouth


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[mou-net] Possible Mocker

[Richard Wood]

Hi all,

We MAY have had a possible Northern Mockingbird on our deck this morning.  I 
say "MAY" and "possible" because I am clueless as to what else it may be.  It 
was a gray bird, with the size of a Mocker, but there was no white on the wing. 
 We don't think it was a Grackle, as the bill was too long.  I am stumped as to 
what it could be other than a Mockingbird.  I've looked at all the passerines 
in the various field guides that I have and found nothing that looks like what 
we saw.

Please note that I am way familiar with Mockers, having seen them in Maryland, 
Texas, Florida and elsewhere.

Richard

 Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
Hastings, MN
rwood...@yahoo.com




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[mou-net] Mockingbird and Bell's Vireo still present Tuesday morning.

[Derek Bakken]

Hello,

I took a long bike ride this morning and refound the Bell's Vireo
(singing its heart out) at the Lake Nokomis lagoon and the Northern
Mockingbird (singing from the large sign and foraging across the
street in the Metro Transit parking lot) at 77th and Longfellow (SW
corner of the airport).

Directions to both can be found in recent posts.

Thanks to Diana Doyle for finding and posting both these sightings.



-- 
Derek Bakken
spottedtow...@gmail.com
ornitholature.blogspot.com

Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as
members make it!

Also, please report your bird sighting to eBird and/or the MOU.  The
information gathered is vital to the future of birds.


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[mou-net] Blue Grosbeak at Stony Point, St. Louis Co.

[Jim Lind]

Kim Eckert just called to report an immature male or female Blue 
Grosbeak at a feeder at 1389 Stoney Point Drive.  This is the first 
house you come to when driving down Stoney Point Drive from the west. 
 The bird was associating with some Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and was 
initially seen a little after 11:00 am.

>From Scenic Highway 61, turn onto Stoney Point Drive at Tom's Logging 
Camp.  The house is about a half mile in from Scenic 61.

Jim Lind


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[mou-net] Connecticut Warbler - Old Cedar Ave Bridge

[Bruce Baer]

At 10:00 there was a Connecticut Warbler on trail over to the Bass Ponds.  
Where the two trails come back together and in the brush along the pond on the 
south side of the trial.  They sing very loudly.


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[mou-net] MRVAC - SW Minnesota - Field Trip Report - May 16 - 19, 2009

[CRAIG MANDEL]

May 16 - 19, 2009

Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter 
South Western Minnesota
Field Trip Report
140 - Species observe for the entire trip.

Just finished a trip to South Western Minnesota, with a group of birders from 
MRVAC.  The most unusual species we observed was an adult Mississippi Kite.  
Here is a break down of the trip, with locations and some of the species we 
observed.  Please email me directly for further information on the trip or the 
species we observed.

May 16 - Watonwan County - 63 species observed between 4:00 and 7:30 pm. 
Fedji Lake - Small wave of Warblers here and an Osprey was observed near the 
lake
Eagles nest County Park - Wood Thrush - 3 birds heard and observed in the main 
parking area.  Mix of Warblers and Sparrows also observed here.
Town of Butterfield Sewage Ponds - Snow Geese (19), Ross's Goose (1)
***Note that you may no longer enter these ponds, without permission.  It may 
be possible to arrange for permission through the city.  But currently the 
Mayor and County Sheriff have asked at least 4 groups of birders that I am 
aware to leave the ponds.  So while there are a number of interesting species 
there, I would highly recommend that you do not enter the ponds.  The Geese 
were visible from the road on the 16th.

May 17 - Nobles County - 102 species observed between 4:45 am and 4:00 pm
Hawkeye County Park - Orchard Oriole
Worthington - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was observed in 
the trees along Okabena lake.
Peterson WMA - Snow Goose - One White phase and one Blue phase Snow Goose were 
observed in the marsh along Paul Avenue, just North of 320th St.
Flooded field, with 9 species of shorebirds - 220th St., 1/2 mile West of 
Highway 256.
Fury Island County Park - 12 species of Warblers, 10 species of Sparrows
Hawkeye County Park - Orchard Oriole

May 17, 18, 19 - Rock County 111 species observed between 6:00 pm on the 17th 
and 6:30 am on the 19th
Gravel Quarry ponds, NE of Luverne
***The owner of the quarry, stopped and spoke to me on the 18th and was very 
nice.  He has no problem with people birding from the road and understands the 
importance of the area to birders and is interested in birds himself.  But he 
does not want anyone birding on his property.  It is fine to bird from the side 
of the road and one can observe all of the birds we did with out leaving the 
side of the road.  Also if you are birding there when the quarry is open, 
please be considerate of the truck traffic there.
City of Luverne Sewage Ponds - Accessed through the Golden Plump Processing 
Plant.
***Please follow the directions noted on the MOU web page, to access these 
ponds.  The people I spoke with were very friendly and helpful, but make a 
note, it took me a week for the Chamber of Commerce to arrange for my access to 
the ponds, as there was a new woman working there and was unfamiliar with the 
process.  So give yourself plenty of time before your visit to gain access.
The South East ponds had some great mud flats and about 200 shorebirds, with 12 
different species observed there.

Common Loon - 2 winter plumage birds at the gravel quarry ponds on the evening 
of the 17th.
Western Grebe - One Western Grebe was observed at the gravel quarry ponds on 
the morning of the 18th.
Virginia Rail - Luverne Sewage ponds
Ruddy Turnstone - One Ruddy Turnstone was still present at the gravel quarry 
ponds on the 17th & 18th.
Sanderling - Three Sanderling's were present on the 17th and 18th.
Eurasian Collared-Dove - This species was observed in several location in the 
town of Luverne.
Blue Grosbeak - A single male Blue Grosbeak was observed at Blue Mounds State 
Park on the 18th.  The bird was observed in the trees to the north of the Dam.

May 19 - Pipestone County - 81 species observed, between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm.
Gray Partridge - Two birds were observed in the grassy area on the West of the 
Pipestone sewage ponds.
Common Loon - Pipestone sewage ponds
***Mississippi Kite*** - An adult Mississippi Kite was observed in flight for 4 
to 5 minutes at 1:45 pm, at the intersection of 61st street & 70th
 Avenue.
Ruddy Turnstone - SW pond at the Pipestone sewage ponds
White-rumped Sandpiper - 100+ at the SW pond at the Pipestone sewage ponds
Red-necked Phalarope - 2, at the SW pond at the Pipestone sewage ponds
Orchard Oriole - 16 at 5 different locations in the county, including at least 
9 at Split Rock Creek State park.

Craig Mandel
egretc...@msn.com


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[mou-net] Mississippi Kite - Pipestone County - May 19, 2009

[CRAIG MANDEL]

May 19, 2009

Linda Felker, Dick Hartman and I observed an adult Mississippi Kite at 1:45 pm 
on the 19th in Pipestone county.  We observed the bird from about 100 yards for 
4 to 5 minutes, as the bird flew ahead of our vehicle.  The bird was first 
observed just North of the intersection of 61st Street and 70th Avenue, which 
is about 3 miles South of the town of Pipestone.  After our sighting, we spent 
about 45 trying to observe the bird a second time but were unsuccessful in our 
attempt to enjoy a second look and with the 25 mph SW winds its hard to tell 
where the bird was off to.  But it was heading South when we last observed it.

It will be interesting to see what another day of 30 mph+ winds will bring into 
the state.

Craig Mandel
egretc...@msn.com


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[mou-net] Cobb River WPA shorebirds

[Chad Heins]

Hey birders,

Chad Gustafson and I explored the Cobb River WPA this morning.  Shorebird 
highlights below:

Hudsonian Godwit (1)
American Golden-Plover (20+)
Black-bellied Plover (10+)
White-rumped Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Franklin's Gull

Happy birding!

Chad Heins
Mankato, MN



  


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[mou-net] Red-headed woodpecker

[Carole Nimlos]

There was an article somewhere recently about an area near Mpls. that was
being preserved because it had habitat and nesting Red-headed woodpeckers. 
Can anyone direct me to the spot or tell me where the article can be found?
 Thanks
Carole Nimlos


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