[mou-net] Cattle Egret, Rice County
5 Cattle Egrets in the pasture across from Shager Park on Cannon Lake on Hwy 60. Take Hwy 60 west out of Faribault about 2.5 miles. The birds are foraging on the east side of the Hwy. There is an Osprey platform in the pasture. 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] Ah, Spring! Winter.... Spring!
Despite the cooler than normal weather the past few days (and some distinctly white stuff on the ground in the AM early on Saturday...) our yard was bursting with spring bird song and frogs calling during this wonderul Mother's Day Weekend. This AM, I added Blue-headed Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, and Catbird! Weekend birds around our yard include Wood Ducks in the oaks, Canada Geese but no goslings yet, Turkeys calling at dusk on Saturday, Sora Rail out in the marsh, Sandhill Cranes in the marsh, Broad-winged Hawk out at the end of the drive just like usual, and Barred Owls later in the day and at night when I go out with the dog to get a bit of fresh air. The Ravens are commonly overhead during the day so I know their nest is quite nearby again this year. Tree Swallows are gurgling over the marsh. Song Sparrows are very common this year. A Red-breasted Nuthatch stopped by for a bite at the suet and peanut feeders -- hadn't seen it for a while. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is calling and checking all the trees--maybe he'll stay around this year, but they usually go a bit farther north. The Phoebe is somewhat quiet right now so I know they are sitting on the nest which is always built on a ledge we put up for them under the eaves of the house in the L next to the garage, a nice quite area to raise one's young... but the WREN! Wow, what output those little guys have! We had one in the closed-door fireplace last week, he must have come down the chimney while investigating a good place to make a nest start. We tried to use a butterfly net to get him to fly into, but he eluded us. So, we isolated him on the back porch and then picked him up after he got tired of missing the open door. Got a good look at his evil-looking bill, and then let him go. He flew to the side of the house, blinked the ash from his eyes a few times and off he went, to resume singing just a little while later. Speaking of output, the goldfinches are also pretty prolific, considering that they won't nest until later in the summer! While working in the garden during the rain on Friday (under the trees it wasn't so bad but I got pretty wet anyhow!), I heard several Black-throated Green Warblers, and many Tennessee Warblers with their 3-parted song that, if you are closeby, can give you almost the same decibels as the Sandhill Cranes in the marsh during the day or the frogs at night! There are still some Yellow-rumped Warblers, too. One Ovenbird is singing quite close to the house, plus some are singing from opposite sides of the drive. White-throated Sparrow song awoke me early each AM, while the Indigo Bunting's song was a welcome addition during the day. Last week we had Nashville, Black-and-white, Tennessee, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers all over the place for a couple of days. This week I hope to add Redstarts and Chestnut-sided's, maybe a Pine, the Yellow, and Yellowthroat, maybe a cuckoo or two, and I will put out the jelly for the Orioles and the sugar-water for the Hummingbirds. This AM I plan to spend out digging up sod so I can move my daylilies to a sunnier bed, hopefully before the rain sets in. Due to a lightning strike that took out a previous computer, I now have a bit of sun that I can put daylilies and peony's into, to break up the shade-lovers like hosta, astilbe, bleeding hearts, trillium, huechera, and ligularia. I love to listen to the birds while I work in the garden. Quite relaxing despite the exersion of digging up sod. This PM I will catch up on email and other indoor things, but I'll keep a window cocked open to hear the birds if they'll sing through the rain. Ah, in Just- springwhen the world is mud- luscious (to quote a favorite poet...) Holly Peirson Columbus, Anoka Co. 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] Brewster's+
Sherburne NWR, Blue Hill Trail this morning (primarily new arrivals): * Brewster's Warbler (hybrid, chasing Blue-winged), only six warblers total though * Harris' White-crowned among ten sparrows * Swainson's Thrush Yellow-throated Vireo. Good birding to all! 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] What an opportunity!
This is relatively short notice (actually really, really short notice) but the MOU has a unique opportunity this weekend at the Urban Birding Festival! Imagine being in the midst of the event - a bright 70 degree day with hundreds of eager birding enthusiasts milling about talking about the FOY birds they saw that day and where to find them! Imagine the wide eyed wonder of young kids coming to their first birding event and looking for some type of guidance from someone other than their parents - and there you sit! You have a free check list of all the birds in the state! The kid takes it and cherishes it like a golden ticket, then starts his path of birdwatching - spring boarding on the check list you gave him. Imagine all of the different binoculars people will have, different birding hats, different birding books, different clothes for birding - some with their pants tucked into their socks - different levels of expertise - and all of it parading in front of you for your enjoyment, education and experience. And they are coming to you because you all you did was volunteer for a 3 hour shift at the MOU information table inside the Spring Brook Nature Center in Fridley - the activities center for the Urban Birding Festival of the Twin Cities. The festival is quickly becoming one of the most popular mid-May events for birders and families and it is growing every year. We need 4 volunteers - two per shift - to cover the two shifts that will run from 9 am-to-noon and noon-to-3 pm at the nature center. Volunteers only need to show up, sit at the table or stand, and hand out checklists and MOU membership pamphlets. We will have some beautiful poster handouts and will likely have most of the similar stuff that is at the State Fair booth. This is a great opportunity to get out, volunteer, contribute and make a difference just by being there! Before or after your shift you can take advantage of any of the numerous birding events offered for free at the festival. Check out there web site to see what all they offer - www.urbanbirdingfestival.org. We will have all of the components there in the nature center and all the first volunteers will have to do is pin up the MOU banner on the table and arrange the materials on the table top. The last shift will have to take it all down and put it back in the box. That is basically it. Everything else is gravy!! Please contact Jennifer Vieth at 651-270-4736 as soon as possible to jump in and to clarify any questions before you create an amazing spring experience for yourself and to many others. This memory will last you quite a while. Start smiling now! Thomas Maiello Angel Environmental Management, Inc. Maple Grove, 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] Twin Cities migrants, Prothonotary at Crosby Farm Park
Hi all, This morning was the first this year where I really felt like spring had arrived. 16 warbler species, plus lots of new arrivals, and much bigger numbers of many migrants than I'd been seeing prior to today. I also relocated the Prothonotary Warbler at Crosby Farm Park that Scott Loss reported last week. I started out birding my way down the Mississippi through south Minneapolis, stopping at a number of little sites along West River Parkway between Franklin Ave and 46th St. I usually bypass it better-known migrant spots, but this morning I was rewarded with lots of new arrivals. In addition to the main paved path along West River Pkwy, the area has tons of little trails running along the top of the bluff and down the slope. In many areas, the steep slope down to the river puts the treetops right at eye level - ideal for watching migrating warblers. Highlights and new arrivals (for me) in this area this morning included: Gray-cheeked Thrush (1) Veery (1) Red-eyed Vireo (1) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (5-10, surprising numbers for this late in spring) Cape May Warbler (several) Chestnut-side Warbler (1) Blackpoll Warbler (several) Northern Waterthrush (many) Redstart (3) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (many, in groups of 2-3) Catbird (my FOY) Probably the oddest thing I saw all day was a lone Ruddy Duck out in the middle of the Mississippi River, swimming erratically and feeding on the surface like a phalarope. I then headed over to Crosby Farm Park in St. Paul. I made my way down into the far southeast corner, where I heard and caught a few distant glimpses of a Prothonotary Warbler (most likely the same one reported by Scott Loss on Friday). This is along the dirt trail that goes south from the main paved trail near the east entrance to the park. There's an area of flooded forest where the Prothonotary was singing constantly. Other birds at Crosby: Tennessee Warbler (many) Golden-winged Warbler (1) Blue-winged Warbler (1) Blackpoll Warbler (1) Northern Waterthrush (15+, all over the place) Ovenbird (5+) Redstart (tons, and they weren't there on Saturday) Baltimore Oriole (ditto) Yellow-throated Vireo (1) Warbling Vireo (many, on territory) I've yet to see or hear an Orange-crowned Warbler this spring. Where are they? And where are the flycatchers? I've only found Phoebe and Great Crested so far. Hooray, spring! Matt Dufort 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] Bird Banding at Urban Birding Festival - 7 AM to Noon
The posted schedule for the Urban Birding Festival indicates that the 5/15 activities at Springbrook Nature Center run from 9:00 to 3:00. However, the Bird Banding Program will run continuously from 7:00 until about noon, depending upon the number of birds captured. We plan to conduct the banding program in the picnic shelter that is just north of the nature center building. If you want to help set up the nets and traps, come at 6:30. Check it out if you want to see migrating warblers up close, help release banded birds, listen to bird heartbeats, and learn more about birds and bird banding. ---Ron Refsnider 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] strange bird sound at Schaar's Bluff Saturday
Hi all, On Saturday, I was walking in the woods at Schaar's Bluff (I was on the trail on the south of the visitor center, near the meadow) where they've clear cut the area off the trail, and I heard a strange sound to my right. It sounded like a bird gurgling water bubbles (I know of no other way to describe the sound I heard). I know it was a bird and this was its call note, because later on it did some trilling (its song). I've listened to some bird songs, but I've not yet heard anything that comes close to what I heard. In my mind, I know I've heard some bird's callnote being compared to this, but I can't recall which species. I am leaning toward something like a thrush or warber. It was either on the ground or high up in a tree (I am leaning about 99% toward it being up high in a tree). It's none of the thrushes I've listened to (Wood, Veery, Swainson's, Gray-cheeked) and I have only listened to a few Warblers. It's not a water bird as I was not close to the water. I'm totally stumped and I'm hoping for some help. Richard Richard L. Wood, Ph. D. Hastings, MN rwood...@yahoo.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] Space still available for Birding the Bend MOU Trip 5/22-23
As we put the itinerary together there is still space for people to join the MOU Birding the Bend trip to Blue Earth and Nicollet counties on May 22-23. This should be right around peak warbler time in the lower MN River Valley, which means lots of migrants! Shorebird habitat is also appearing in several places, which means we should have a decent chance of seeing several species (including godwits and large plovers). In addition to expected migrants, we should also be able to find our local specialties, including Kentucky and Cerulean Warblers, Whip-poor-will, both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, and Least Bittern to name a few. Base North Mankato both nights. Those interested please email me at rdun...@gustavus.edu. This is a free MOU trip; the only expenses are food, lodging, and gas (expense shared between participants). Bob Dunlap -- Bob Dunlap Naturalist, Linnaeus Arboretum Manager, Nobel Hall Greenhouse Gustavus Adolphus College 800 West College Ave. Saint Peter, MN 56082 507-933-7199 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] Ruff-Annandale sewage ponts
A adult female Ruff was found a few minutes ago by Mark Junghans, Jeff Stephenson, Jerry Pruitt, and Ron Erpelding. It is in the middle pond of the Annandale sewage ponds. At 12;00 it was still present when Ron called us. Per Kims book the directions to the ponds are: 0.9 mile northeast on Highway 24 from Highway 55, then east 0.7 mile on 80th Street, and southwest 0.5 mile on Conservation Club Rd. 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] First Double Digit Warbler Wave
10 warblers in Pioneer Park, Princeton (35 minute lunch time walk, city park along Rum River in Princeton), 12 overall on day: Blue-winged (Sherburne) Tennessee Nashville Yellow (Sherburne) Chestnut-sided Yellow-rumped (still predominant) Black-throated Green Black-and-White American Redstart Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Common Yellowthroat. Surprisingly, no Golden-winged on day. Grey-cheeked Thrush also in the park, but no Wood Thrushes yet (nest there). Good birding to all! 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] Cattle Egrets still present @ 1pm
Hi everyone, The 5 Cattle Egrets were still present this afternoon at 1 pm. Thanks so much to Cindy Vern Krienke for finding and posting these! Good birding! Dave Bartkey Faribault,MN greathornedd...@hotmail.com _ The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendarocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5 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] Mankato area reports
At work at Pet Expo in Mankato 5/6-8: Two reports of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Several individual Baltimore Oriole sightings one report of three A number of Rose-breasted Grosbeak sightings two of females At my home: House Wrens since the 5th-on suet log Gray Catbirds and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers at the grape jelly feeders frequently Individual male and female Baltimore Orioles since the 6th-this morning a pair Brown Thrasher appeared again today at one of the suet logs Both male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Constant serenade by Harris' Sparrows At Perch Lake WPA this morning: My FOY Great Egret A pair of Trumpeter Swans that have been seen either on the lake itself or adjacent wetlands Ross's Goose not seen today 100+ American Pelicans on the lake Hundreds of shorebirds unidentified- to far away and couldn't hold binoculars steady with the wind shaking the car one drake Northern Shoveler A number of Blue-wing Teal in pairs Waiting for Indigo Bunting, Hummers, Eastern Towhee, and Orchard Oriole Has the Target Field Kestrel been officially named Kirby yet? John Nelson Good Thunder 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] Aitkin Count last weekend
I did some birding this last weekend with the Bee-Nay-She bird club on Saturday morning and with Bill Stauffer Saturday afternoon and on Sunday. I wound up with a total of 90 species. Some of the highlights were: 2 NORTHERN HAWK OWLS ( we saw one several times near the junction of C.R.18 and highway 169 -- all times between one-half and one mile north of C.R. 18 and the second was on a telephone pole near the junction of C.R.18 and C.R.5); a LARK SPARROW at the Rice Lake NWR at the parking lot by the Rice River bridge,a new county bird for me; SHARP-TAILED GROUSE dancing in the middle of C.R.18, about two miles east of hwy 169; BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES near Gun Lake and on C.R.15 west of Aitkin; an early BOBOLINK on C.R. 56 east of Aitkin. Warren Nelson 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] Ruff no longer present
Denny Martin just phoned and asked me post that a Peregrine chased the shorebirds off the Annandale sewage ponds and the previously reported female Ruff had not subsequently been refound. He said that a number of the shorebirds have returned, however. Jim Eagan, 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] Cattle Egrets still present @ 1pm
I saw the egrets at 3 PM. Also: Barn Swallow Tree Swallow Cliff Swallow Purple Martin dan tallman On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 1:51 PM, Dave Bartkey greathornedd...@hotmail.comwrote: Hi everyone, The 5 Cattle Egrets were still present this afternoon at 1 pm. Thanks so much to Cindy Vern Krienke for finding and posting these! Good birding! Dave Bartkey Faribault,MN greathornedd...@hotmail.com _ The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendarocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5 Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html -- Dan or Erika Tallman Northfield, Minnesota http://sites.google.com/site/tallmanorum http://dantallmansbirdblog.blogspot.com http://picasaweb.google.com/danerika daner...@gmail.com the best shod travel with wet feet Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes --Thoreau 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] Sunday, May 23 field trip to Tiffany Bottoms, WI
The Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis is sponsoring a field trip to Tiffany Bottoms. It will feature a 5 hour train trip through the area, with a one hour stop to eat our bag lunches. The cost is $5, and there are 5 spaces left on the train. If you are interested, please e-mail Susan Tertell at stert...@gmail.com for more information. 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] Grey Cloud Dunes
The forecast not withstanding, it seemed worthwhile to check out Grey Cloud dunes for recent arrivals. Aside from Yellow-rumps there were few warblers in evidence, perhaps due to the winds. The one exception was the numerous yellow-warblers singing on territory. It was dismaying how many of them seemed to be stalked by cowbirds. They resorted to evasive tactics to ditch the cowbirds, and it was not difficult to believe they've developed other strategies to foil the attempted parasitism. Other notable singers present in good number were Brown Thrashers, E. Towhees, Baltimore Orioles, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak; and White-throated, Song, Field, Savannah, Clay-colored, and Grasshopper sparrow. In the grasses of the field atop the dunes there were two short calls like a metallic hiccup; they matched my recordings of Henslow's Sparrow. I like to get a visual confirmation of the ID. Linda Whyte 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] Hello from Oregon with many photos!
I've been checking the MOU listserve everyday. Thanks for keeping everyone in touch with the fun sightings you're having!.Speaking of recent migrants, there was an influx of Yellow-rumped Warblers yesterday that just showed up here in Cottage Grove. I can't wait to show all of you my bird photos, so here they are (my typed details of the time spent out here so far are after the photo links). I like to think of my photos as a journal of the beauty I'm seeing out here. I hope you enjoy the photos! My road trip adventure from Wisconsin to Oregon (birds from the prairies, mountains forests, amazing scenic views, mammals and more!): http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/roadtrip__heading_to_oregon Ocean photos (birds, mammals, scenic views and more!) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/pacific_ocean_birdwatching_adventures Inland photos (Saw-whet Owl photos so far, but more to come!) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/inland_birdwatching_adventures For my job I drive around on the logging roads going to specific locations within the different-aged stands of evergreens and survey for cavity-nesting birds. I found the first recorded active Red-breasted Nuthatch cavity for this study (this is 3rd year/last year) for this study. In addition, I found a Saw-whet Owl cavity 3 weeks ago. I went up to the snag, did the basic inventory (stability, cavity count, etc) and shortly after a little fluffy head popped out and just stared at me! Today there was an influx of Olive-sided Flycatchers and Yellow-breasted Chats throughout the plot... I'm thinking they arrived relatively recently. It's fun learning about the nesting process in cavity-nesting birds, and while doing so I'm also seeing new species too like Red-naped Sapsucker (the most common sapsucker on our plots). The most common birds on our plots are Chestnut-backed Chickadees. These little chickadees are so beautiful, and have a call somewhat reminiscent of those beautiful, northern-dwelling Boreal Chickadees. Wrentits are also very common in some areas, and they're a very tricky bird to find... They sing and sing like an all-day-long thrush (bubbly, but brief song) however they are rarely seen. In my Ocean photo album, I got a good close up of one alongside a ocean-side road with dense flowering bushes on lining the road edges. A few minutes before I took the photo of my first-seen Wrentit, I was treated to another beautiful bird... Golden-crowned Sparrow. They are somewhat similar to White-crowned Sparrows, but have a slightly different posture (still a chunky sparrow) with a beautifully topped-off head of black and sunny yellow. On my weekends I've been going out to the Pacific Ocean and camping out. The air is crisp and pure, the water is vivid in color, the waves calm the senses spark deep thoughts about stuff, and the wildlife are elegantly beautiful! Watching pelagic birds is such a fun experience. Hawkwatching is my true favorite birdwatching activity that I've ever experienced, however watching a group of Pacific Loons fly by, by the hundreds is also a thing of beauty. Pigeon Guillemots fly by in smaller groups, but they are vocal and are quite distinctive with their all black bodies and wings, except for the white wing markings and cherry-red feet. The dark-bodied Brandt's Cormorants fly by with their neon-blue throat patches shining and white face 'whiskers' blowing in the wind, whereas the slightly smaller Pelagic Cormorants zip on by with white vents lining their hind-quarters. Double-crested Cormorants are also found here as well. Oh and I forgot to mention the gulls... While on my initial trip west, I drove through most of Oregon on the northern side of the state, along the Columbia River. I saw several Olympic Gulls at one of the pulloffs (all of different ages)... and had never seen a Glaucous-winged Gull or Western Gull in my life yet (Olympic Gull is a cross between these two species). It was frustrating at first, looking at the group of gulls and wondering even what to make of these sharp-looking, but not well-defined gulls. With my trips to the ocean coast, I've identified gulls in large numbers on my own. In addition to the wonderful wildlife I've been observing, I have been making some wonderful connections with many people out here (managers of National Wildlife Refuges, trip leaders, and local birdwatching enthusiasts). It's so nice out here, however to be honest, I'm still biased towards the northwoods of WI and MN. Not to say that any place is 'better than another place' by any means, but there's that something about the northwoods back home that is a true home for me... I've established my sense-of-place in the northwoods, but every day I'm learning to identify more plants and birds, and soaking up the beautiful wooded hilly habitats of western OR. One of the interesting things about living here in western OR (about 1 1/2 hours from the coast) is that there is little if any raptor migration that has occurred since I got here back in early
