[mou-net] Duluth raptor/songbird movement!
The conditions for counting raptors today in Duluth could not have been more pleasant for raptor-viewing, and were very encouraging to raptors just urging to head north. Today's flight was spectacular; a total of 300 raptors were counted today! Red-tailed Hawks were the most commonly-observed raptor today. Of the 158 Red-tailed Hawks observed today, three were dark morphs! Today I got to observe the largest kettle of Red-tailed Hawks I've ever seen... A total of 18 Red-tailed Hawks were soaring upwards in a single kettle - two Bald Eagles were mixed in there too. Seeing this scattered concentration (if there is such a thing) made me watery-eyed. It was such a treat to witness, and I'm sure that there are more impressive raptor flights to come this spring! A "kettle" is a migrating group of raptors which is riding a thermal/set of thermals higher and higher. It was so cool to see the groups Red-tailed Hawks migrating up high. I have many pictures taken today during the count, however they'll have a to come in a day or so :-) It's getting late, and I have to be up early for another action-packed day of hawk counting! Photos from today will be up soon, possibly including a fly-away butt-shot of the little longspur cursing the skies - but also a large section of the Red-tailed Hawk kettle... and more! Today I observed several other new migrants to the area: A single Lapland Longspur gave bubbly trills and the chew-note call as it flew north, as well as observing a Killdeer, 2 Common Grackles. In the early afternoon today, a lone, high-flying Sandhill Crane flew by! In case you're interested in seeing more about the day's count details, the link below has what you're looking for :-) http://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=543&ryear=2011&rmonth=04&rday=05 Good birdwatching, Erik Bruhnke Duluth, MN -- *NATURALLY AVIAN* - Bird photography and guided birdwatching tours www.pbase.com/birdfedr www.naturallyavian.blogspot.com 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] Osprey in Crow Wing County
An Osprey was back at a nest today on Co.Rd.30, Wolford Twp., off Hwy. 6 north of Crosby, Crow Wing County.. Steve & Jo Blanich 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] Phoebes at Sherburne
There are 3 eastern phoebes right outside the front door of our headquarters/office right now! Betsy Beneke Sherburne NWR 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] Springbrook Nature Center
For the second spring in a row I am leading a birding course through the U of M's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Our first outing was this morning to Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley. I was surprised by the diversity of early migrants present, and there seemed to be a notable movement of migrating birds to the northwest as we saw many flyover Ring-billed Gulls and several Killdeer. On a side-note, I saw my first Hermit Thrush Monday evening on the U of M - St Paul campus. Highlights from Springbrook follow: Great Egret Great Blue Heron Blue-winged Teal Common Merganser (flyover) Belted Kingfisher Killdeer (flyover) Pileated Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpeckers at nest hole Winter Wren Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3) Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow (2) Scott Loss St. Paul 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] Hyland Lake, Bloomington - New Arrivals
At Hyland yesterday many of the same birds were present that were also present on Sunday April 3. The main differences were that the Shovelers and Blue-winged Teals were gone. The new arrivals though were 2 American Wigeons and I believe 1 female Pintail. I believe it was a pintail at least, based on the body shape with the long slender neck. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnbirder/5592595796/ Everything else was still there from the previous day. All three Merganser species, less Ring-necked Ducks, more Scaups (only noticed Lesser), and 2 Redheads. Ben Harste Bloomington, 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] Peculiar Waterfowl Observations
Stop regularly at a temporary ag pond this time of year, since interesting waterfowl have been known to show up. However, the last few days, I've begun to wonder what is in the water. 1) While scoping through geese, hoping for something beyond the omnipresent Canadas, one Canada did a forward roll in the water. As in a somersault. From a still position, not landing. Must admit, first for me in 18 years of birding. 2) While scoping through mallards and ring-necked (at perhaps 800 yards at 50-60x), observed a mallard-sized duck with dark (black or very dark brown) head, brownish red breast/upper abdomen and a full whitish crescent in the uppertail coverts area. The male mallards' green heads were easily distinguished around it, as were the ring-neckeds head shapes (neither fit). And I have no clue what to do with the full crescent. Hybrid? 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] Carver County
New migrants this morning included Blue-winged Teal, Common Loon, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 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] Barred Owl pair, visible, Minnetonka, Hennepin Co
At 7:50 am one owl sitting in the Norway Spruce north of our deck. I think you can only see it from inside our house. You can call me if you want to see it (if it stays put). The other is in a tall thin pine 30 ft. north of the pole mounted wood duck boxes at the northwest corner of our house. You can see it from the street. Just park west of the spruce trees at the southwest corner of our house. The owls seem to be snoozing. I have put up a nest box for Barred Owls along my north property line. Maybe I'll get a pair. Good Luck, George George Skinner 15330 Lynn Terrace Minnetonka, MN 952-936-0811 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] Live from Freeborn County
Purple martin here on April 3. It was welcomed with open eyes. Vesper sparrow songs this morning. "Here, here, there, there, everybody down the hill." Pleasant birding. Al Batt Hartland 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] new arrival SNWR
Fox sparrow made a Brown-headed Cowbird at Sherburne NWR - woo hoo!!! Fox sparrow made a brief appearance under the feeder early this morning. Pastor Al and others have seen them on Mahnomen Trail. Blue Hill Trail is still a bit snowy, and icy, in spots - a little treacherous. We HOPE to be able to open the Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive for the weekend of April 23-24. No promises, as it's very soft, muddy, and flooded in a couple of spots yet. Betsy Beneke Sherburne NWR Sherburne County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
