[mou-net] SE Wisconsin raptors, photos & unusual-looking Rough-legged Hawk photos
Hello everyone, I'm posting this email to keep in touch with MN birding friends, but also ask for thoughts/comments on a photo of a Rough-legged Hawk I observed today. This is the copied email I sent out to wisbirdnet a mintue ago: I hawkwatched on Lapham Peak tower today for four hours, and had some wonderful sightings!!! Four adult Bald Eagles made and appearance, in addition to 30 Cooper's Hawks! Six Red-shouldered Hawks showed off their beauty, and I was able to get some pretty cool photos! Of the past five days of hawkwatching, today's photos are my favorite. In the gallery, the last 11 photos of this gallery are from today! Enjoy http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/lapham_peak_hawkwatching There was one bird today that I identified as a Rough-legged Hawk. This bird had the carpal patches (dark 'wrist' patches on the underwing), in addition to a pale tail with a dark band(s) on the base of the tail. The overall feel of the bird was Rough-legged Hawk, due to the wings having an more elongated and narrower appearance than a Red-tailed Hawk's wings. The one thing that's throwing me off is that this bird has a completely dark, hooded appearance, and the head contrasts with the pale chest. This is a characteristic of Red-tailed Hawks, and I cannot find any examples of light morph Rough-legged Hawks having a solid dark head like this. My three clearest photos of this bird are in the following links. Comments and thoughts are welcome! http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/122855265 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/122855267 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/122855270 Here's the link to the updated Lapham Peak hawk count numbers, in case you're interested: https://www.hawkcount.org/month_summary.php?rsite=702 Canada Goose 535 Great Blue Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 8 Bald Eagle 4 Cooper's Hawk 30 Red-shouldered Hawk 6 Red-tailed Hawk 36 Rough-legged Hawk 1 Sandhill Crane 102 Killdeer 7 Ring-billed Gull X Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Blue Jay 1 American Crow 35 Black-capped Chickadee 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 American Robin 7 European Starling 2 Red-winged Blackbird 52 Common Grackle 162 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 House Finch 4 American Goldfinch 10 Good birdwatching, Erik Bruhnke Waukesha, WI NATURALLY AVIAN - Bird photography and guided bird hikes www.pbase.com/birdfedr birdf...@gmail.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] Carver County-Golden-crowned Kinglet and more Tundra Swans
This afternoon there was a Golden-crowned Kinglet at Rapids Lake MVNWR. While I didn't get out early to check on early morning migration of Tundra Swans, I did find a total of 389 in 2 flooded fields, 1 along cty. rd. 51(near 182nd St.) and the other along cty. rd. 52. 15 flew in while I was observing along cty. rd 51. Also in the flooded fields were some Lesser Scaup, a few Redhead, Mallard and Canada Geese. Horned Lark were scattered along all the cty. roads. A Bald Eagle was eating a meal on the remaining ice on Rapids Lake. After he left some Crows and Ring-billed Gulls came in for the scraps. A Red-tailed Hawk was chasing a 2nd Red-tailed that had a rodent in its talons. A 3rd Red-tailed Hawk came and caught a vole in the grass below.The female Northern Harrier was still hunting at the refuge and a male was hunting along cty. rd. 52. _ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_2 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] Fwd: [NEBirds] Common Crane
FYI to anyone travelling to/through Nebraska the next few days. Sid Stivland Plymouth, MN - Forwarded Message - From: "Walker, Thomas" To: "toutbirdc...@yahoogroups.com" , "nebi...@yahoogroups.com" Subject: [NEBirds] Common Crane Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:46:39 -0500 Just to get the word out, a Common Crane was observed and photographed yesterday around noon about 5.5 miles east and 1 mile north of Hershey, or about 1 mile south of Muskrat Run WMA in Lincoln County, just off of Platte Valley Road, west of North Platte. After the initial observation, the bird flew to the NW towards a feedlot area, not sure if it was relocated or not. I will probably try to get out to look for it today. With the front that came in over night including 40 mph NW winds, I doubt that it went anywhere unless it left yesterday afternoon. Good news is that we haven't gotten any precip out of this storm as of yet.will update on that later also if that changes so that people can be aware of any potential road condition issues. I will post an update later if I know anything more. T. J. Walker - District Manager, Wildlife Division - Partners Section Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 301 East State Farm Road North Platte, NE 69101 Office Phone 308-535-8025 Cell Phone 308-530-7659 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 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] Arrivals
New arrivals in Mille Lacs County: Cackling Geese Tundra Swans Northern Pintail (1) Lesser Scaup (1) Bufflehead (1) All in the 169 ag ponds across from Long Siding/CR 13. Good birding! 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
[mou-net] Upcoming banding session
Hey everybody, Just wanted to let everyone know we're having our monthly banding session at the Lowry Nature Center tomorrow, Saturday March 20th, from 8 - noon. The center is located in Carver Park Reserve which is just west of Victoria, MN on County Road 11 between Highway 5 and Highway 7. I have hopes for early migrants being around but the weather change coming may dash those hopes. http://minnesotabirdnerd.blogspot.com Roger Everhart Apple 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] [mou-rba] MOU RBA 19 March 2010
-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 19, 2010 *MNST1003.19 -Birds mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Ross's Goose Cackling Goose Canada Goose Trumpeter Swan Tundra Swan Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier Broad-winged Hawk Killdeer American Woodcock Belted Kingfisher Loggerhead Shrike Eastern Bluebird Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Lapland Longspur Rusty Blackbird Common Grackle -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: March 19, 2010 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (r...@moumn.org) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, March 18th, 2010. As is the previous few weeks no unusual species have been called in. Spring migrants, however, continue to be reported daily. Flocks of both TUNDRA SWAN and TRUMPETER SWAN have been moving northward across the southern half of Minnesota. Good numbers of both CANADA GEESE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE have been reported as well along with a few SNOW GEESE, CACKLING GEESE and ROSS'S GEESE. GREAT BLUE HERONS are already on nests at a few southeastern rookeries. A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was reported on the 18th from Fillmore County, two days earlier than its median arrival date. Very early was the BROAD-WINGED HAWK seen at the Lowry Nature Center in Carver County on the 14th. Other arrivals have been DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, TURKEY VULTURE, KILLDEER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, NORTHERN HARRIER, BELTED KINGFISHER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, SONG SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and COMMON GRACKLE. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, March 25th, 2010. 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] [mou-rba] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, March 19, 2010
-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *March 19, 2010 *MNDL1003.19 -Birds mentioned Snow Goose Canada Goose Trumpeter Swan Tundra Swan Mallard Northern Pintail Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Gray Partridge Sharp-tailed Grouse Greater Prairie-Chicken Wild Turkey Northern Harrier Golden Eagle American Kestrel Merlin Sandhill Crane Mourning Dove Snowy Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Shrike Black-billed Magpie Horned Lark American Robin Cedar Waxwing Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes Date: March 19, 2010 Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours) Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjop...@q.com) This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, March 18, 2010 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. Spring is coming the the northwest. As I compile this report, the ice is slowing sliding out of the Red Lake River by our house east of Thief River Falls, although I know that some ice still remains as the river passes through town. Birds are starting to come back - I saw two small flocks of geese, and a merlin on my way to work, and the resident horned larks have arrived in our neighboring fields. I have reports of CANADA GEESE, and HORNED LARKS from most counties. Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported on the species that he and Ron Erpelding saw in northwest of Lancaster on March 12: WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in Lancaster, GRAY PARTRIDGE, WILD TURKEYS, MERLIN, and NORTHERN SHRIKE among others. Connie Cox reported a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in Clearwater County this week. >From Agassiz NWR in Marshall County, Gary Tischer reported that the pools are about 50 % ice free already, and the first waterfowl are starting to come in. This week there were a few CANADA GEESE. 5 MALLARDS and several COMMON GOLDENEYE arrived on March 16. On March 13, there were 15 CEDAR WAXWINGS at headquarters, and the BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES are making a nest there also. On March 18 a NORTHERN HARRIER was seen, and a BUFFLEHEAD showed up at Agassiz Pool. Along MN 89 at Mud River there were 2 SNOW GEESE, and a TUNDRA SWAN on March 16. Ten NORTHERN PINTAILS were observed on private land north of the refuge on March 18. Pam Murphy in Pennington County southwest of Thief River Falls reported a pair of SANDHILL CRANES, several MOURNING DOVES, and a flock of 80-100 WILD TURKEYS that are resident nearby. Some of these turkeys were also reported by Bruce Olson who lives west of Thief River Falls. Zeann Linder observed a MERLIN calling near her house in the city. Anita Vettleson reported that she saw four WILD TURKEYS near Plummer in Red Lake County this week. Ron Erpelding and I saw a GOLDEN EAGLE just inside Red Lake County in the northwest corner of the county on March 13. Chris Merkord found WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS on the East Grand Forks campus of Northland Community and Technical College in Polk County on March 13. Sandy Aubol reported 2 COMMON REDPOLLS in East Grand Forks on March 16. Kelly Larson, while birding in Polk County at Glacial Ridge, saw TRUMPETER SWANS, CANADA GEESE, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN, GRAY PARTRIDGE , NORTHERN HARRIER, and many HORNED LARKS on March 17. Best of all, she found an adult SNOWY OWL on the snow clumps along the edge of the road a quarter mile southeast of the gravel company office. Ron Erpelding and I found two GOLDEN EAGLES in the county on March 14- one at Glacial Ridge in the gravel pit, and one southeast of Sherack near the border with Red Lake County. Mel Bennefeld reported two flocks of CANADA GEESE and a female NORTHERN HARRIER at the Pondorosa Golf Club in Clay County on March 17. In Otter Tail County, Dan and Sandy Thimgan saw AMERICAN KESTREL on March 16, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on March 17, and COMMON GRACKLE and AMERICAN ROBINS on March 18. Thanks to Anita Vettleson, Bruce Olson, Chris Merkord, Connie Cox, Dan and Sandy Thimgan, Gary Tischer, Kelly Larson, Larry Wilebski, Mel Bennefeld, Pam Murphy, Ron Erpelding, Sandy Aubol, and Zeann Linder for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjop...@q.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, March 25, 2010 Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, 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
