[mou-net] Sightings around Duluth
Thanks to the coaching of Mike Hendrickson, yesterday we were successful in seeing a flock of 15 Bohemian Waxwings across the street from 4143 West Tischer Road (hiway 69)(near Howard Gnesen RD, Hiway 34)in north Duluth. . Life bird for both of us. We were there at noon on Saturday the 16th. The sun was out, it was great. We then headed for Sax-Zim and, on the way, out in the open on Highway 7, between Birch and Payne, just north of Hiway 133, 100 yds south of mailbox # 7857, great views of a cooperative Northern Hawk Owl perched up in the east side of the road. This was at 12:40 pm also on Saturday, the 16th. We were disappointed in not seeing Pine grosbeaks at the Blue Spruce Feeders but we had great views in beautiful light of a boreal chickadee and gray jays at the Admiral Road feeders. Our most curious find was a mature bald eagle perched in the middle of a field in the snow- just sitting thre looking around, no water nearby on hiway 29 in Meadowlands. Marilyn and Warren Regelmann 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] Western Blue Earth County on Sat
I had a chance to get out in search of Snowy and Short-ea Hey birders, I had a chance to get out in search of Snowy and Short-eared Owls on Saturday (no luck on either), but I did find a couple of good birds. On 169th St. east of CR32 there is much grassland and there were several pheasants in the area. I also found two flocks of Gray Partridge in this area as well. Some benevolent conservationist has put out some hardware cloth feeders along the roadside with shell corn and the birds are appreciating the help. An immature Red-headed Woodpecker was seen visiting one of the feeders and this is my first winter record for this species in the county. Further west on 166th St. (south and west from 169th) there was another group of pheasants and two Song Sparrows--another new winter record for me. Also in this vicinity I had a couple of flocks of Snow Buntings, a couple of flocks of Horned Larks, and a single Lapland Longspur. Much habitat but not many birds. I did have a Northern Shrike just southwest of Lake Crystal on Hwy 60 on the northwest side of the road as well. One other note--ice is patchy and drifting has occurred in some areas. Use caution driving in this area. Happy birding! Chad Heins Mankato, 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] Long-tailed Duck in Stearns County
Today from about 11:00 to 12:15 there was a female Long-tailed Duck along the Mississippi River just north of St. Cloud. Initially it was about 350 yards NW of the 9th Ave. bridge, but eventually it moved farther NW to the Sauk River mouth. As far as I could tell, it was always in Stearns County, right along the ice edge on the river's Stearns County side. Views can be obtained from Heims Mill Canoe Access, situated on the north side of the Sauk River mouth, and from directly under the 9th Avenue bridge on the Sauk Rapids side of the Mississippi. Phil Chu Department of Biology St. John's University Collegeville, MN 56321 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] Canal Park Gulls in Duluth
Late this morning Chad Gustafson and I observed the following gulls at Canal Park in Duluth: -1 adult and 1 third-cycle Great Black-backed Gull -1 adult and 1 first-cycle Glaucous Gull -1 first-cycle Iceland Gull -1 first-cycle gull that was either a dark Iceland or a light Thayer's; this bird's tertials appeared finely patterned like an Iceland but its bill seemed a bit larger and longer, suggesting a Thayer's -hundreds of Herring Gulls Bob Dunlap 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] Gull correction
In my previous post I should have said second-cycle Great Black-backed Gull, not third-cycle. Bob Dunlap 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] Sax Zim
A drive through Sax Zim this morning included the following sightings: - Boreal chickadee, gray jay, and black-backed woodpecker all still at Admiral Road feeding station this morning. - Redpolls along Arkola Road between railroad tracks and McDavitt Road. - Two blackbilled magpies on Arkoloa Road just west of the intersection with McDavitt. - Pine grosbeaks in several areas including the Arkola feeder, Blue Spruce feeders, and around feeders in Kelsey. - Northern shrike on Zim road just east of where it crosses the St. Louis River. 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] Townsend Solitaire-Lyon County
Refound a solitaire that was originally found on the Marshall CBC. The bird was in the conifers at the Jacobson Marsh WMA, 7 miles south of Marshall on Cty Rd 7. Note that this is a very long walk on snowshoes to get to these conifers. It took me over an hour to get there and it was only about a half mile, if that. The snow is very deep and my snowshoes kept falling through the crust. Occasionally I would find my self standing over 3 feed down from the top and snowshoes do not come up easy when they are covered in snow. Do not follow my tracks through the cattails as that was the worst part. The best way would be to walk around the lake and the cattails. The snow in the conifers was 5-6 feet deep so I did not enter the trees. The solitaire helped by sitting in a tall deciduous tree and singing. A person maybe could get lucky and only have to walk to the lake and use a scope to scan the other side but I didn't try and carry a scope in there. Barb did not try to go in as with her short legs she would never have made it. Denny Dennis and Barbara Martin Shorewood, MN dbmar...@skypoint.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] Report from South St Paul
It was a glorious late afternoon along the Mississippi River in South St Paul today. The water was calm, the temperature was comfortable and the low clear sunlight made even the mallards look exotic. I looked for the long-tailed duck that was here 3 weeks ago, but did not find it. I saw and heard a number of brightly marked male goldeneyes throwing back their heads and doing their courting call, what the book describes as a “harsh nasal double note” but I’d say they sounded more romantic (especially when the trains didn’t drown them out) . Further down the river, two bald eagles swooped down repeatedly, trying to catch a lone mallard, but whenever those talons came close, the mallard dove under with a splash. 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] Lake County / Duluth Birding
Guided a group of birders from Nebraska today and day 2 with Ted from Virginia. Highlights: Spruce Grouse: Female on the Whyte Rd about mile east of Stoney River Rd and a male about a mile and half east of the Stoney River Rd. We saw another female Spruce Grouse on the Stoney River Rd about a 1/4 mile north of the Whyte Rd. ** I saw 3 lifer mammals on the Stoney River Rd!! We were waiting in my Yukon on the Stoney River Road for the Nebraska birders to meet us after they were done viewing the male Spruce Grouse on the Whyte Rd. When all of a sudden I noticed some shapes walking about a 1/4 mile from us. I put my binoculars on the shapes and originally told my passengers they were Timber Wolves but as the shapes got closer to us I noticed they were not Timber Wolves but LYNXES!!! One of the Lynxes sat on the road and faced us and the other ( smaller ) Lynx was moving along the side of the road. We wonder if they spotted the female Spruce Grouse on the road since the grouse was holding very still. Then the grouse errupted and flew into the woods and the two Lynxes walked into the woods on the east side of the road. Then the third jumped into the road and followed the other two Lynxes. We knew one was smaller than the other one but the third that jumped out in the road after the other two left, we could not determine if it was smaller or not since we had no size comparision. Then as we sat in my Yukon giving high fives a Snow Shoe Hare ran across the road as if the cats scared it as they were walking into the woods. I always wanted to view these mammals and my wish came true today! Even though they were pretty far from us for photos it was a really cool sighting for all of us! Two Harbors: Bohemian Waxwings along the road that leads to the Light House and South Avenue. There at least 10 Bohemian Waxwings among a good size flock of Cedar Waxwings. Jim Lind told me these waxwings were in this area last week. Thanks Jim! Duluth: Canal Park Gulls: 5 species 1. Great Black-backed Gulls ( 3 = 2nd cycles 1= first cycle and 1=adult ) 2. Glaucous Gull ( 3 first cycles and 1 2nd cycle ) 3. Thayer's Gull ( 1 adult ) 4. Iceland Gull ( 1 first cycle ) * We had a unid large owl fly across the Stoney River Rd north of the Whyte Rd. * Whyte Rd Stoney River Rd continues to be a great spot for Spruce Grouse. I got excellent photos of a female Spruce Grouse to go along with my male Spruce Grouse I took yesterday. With the warm weather we saw very little as far as finches in northern Lake County. Good Birding Mike Mike Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.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] Duluth gulls
Watching gulls in Duluth today, both at Canal Park and the Superior Entry, I observed a total of 7 Great Black-backed Gulls (1 adult, 3 second-cycles and 3 first-cycles) and 5 Iceland Gulls (1 adult, 2 second-cycles and 2 first-cycles), both high counts for the state. Also present were 3 adult and 1 second-cycle Thayer's Gull, a reduction in number from earlier in the season. Amazing numbers of gulls continue to overwinter in the Duluth-Superior harbor where I have been tracking the total number of individuals. Photos of these birds can be seen at www.pbase.com/karlbardon Also at Canal Park was a male Lesser Scaup, which joined the male Greater Scaup wintering there on 15 January. Karl Bardon 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] Sax/Zim Sunday
Birded up in the bog for a few hours this PM. No great grey owls seen on McDavitt today. I had a second hand report of a great grey seen early this AM on Stone Lake Road. No sightings later in the day. Nice looks at new and old hawk owls. Probably new hawk owl just south of Stone Lake Road on Highway 7. Hawk owl just north of Powerline cut on Highway 7 seen in deciduous trees on east side of road, probably the North bird reported recently. Didn't see the bird south of the powerline cut. This bird was visible from about 12-2 pm. Hawk owl seen on Hwy 28 just west of Cranberry on south side of road. (probably the bird seen in this area recently). This bird was seen several times during the day, but often perched far off the road on the south side of 28. Hawk owl seen on McDavitt in the area where Great Grey owls seen. This bird is probably the bird seen recently north of the train tracks on McDavitt. This bird was seen far off the road on the East side, but flew to the road edge around 2pm. The hawk owls seen on Hwy 7 near 133 and on NIchols lake road were not seen today. As with past sightings, the birds are not staying visible for long periods of time. The owl on Highway 7 south of Stone Lake Road was only seen after 3pm. I made at least four passes through that area before that time and the bird wasn't evident until late in the day. Snow buntings were seen in several locations on Highway 7. The Admiral road feeders were quite active today. Good birding. David Alexander Duluth, 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] Great Gray Owl, 4 Hawk Owls
Birders, Some highlights from the last couple days in northern Minnesota include: GREAT GRAY OWL: 1 on Stoney River Rd, 5.8 miles north of Whyte Rd. 4:15 pm on 17 Jan. We watched it hunting for at least 20 minutes. Great looks! 4 NORTHERN HAWK OWLS: 1 on McDavitt Rd, 2.5 miles north of Sax Rd. 4:50 pm on 16 Jan. 1 on Whyte Rd, 2.9 miles northeast of Stoney River Rd. 3:00 pm on 17 Jan. 2 on Stoney River Rd, 1.1 and 4.0 miles north of Whyte Rd. 3:45 and 4:47 pm on 17 Jan. BOREAL CHICKADEES: 4 at the Admiral Road feeder on 16 Jan. 1 along Whyte Rd. on 17 Jan. BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS: 2 on McDavitt Rd, ~3 miles north of Sax Rd. As far as finches go, we've had numerous WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, PINE GROSBEAKS, PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and PURPLE FINCHES. Also, we had a couple NORTHERN SHRIKES on Rt. 7, south of Sax Road. Good Birding, Cory Gregory Ashley Casey Ames, IA 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] next Birds Beer next Sunday 01/31 at 4:00 pm at Joe's Garage Mpls
. this time with K's of AMCR's for company. new location. this is an informal and friendly group of bird folks friends. listers and not. beer or not. birds or not (conversation might get off the feathered warm-blooded fellow earthlings, but that is also O.K). You might match some names from mou-net with faces. specific info below: http://www.birdchick.com/wp/birds-and-beers/ Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
