[mou-net] MN Valley--Old Cedar Ave
At the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge this afternoon, starting at the Old Cedar Ave bridge parking area, I saw 28 species. Red-winged blackbirds and song sparrows were singing their hearts out, yellow-rumped warblers were abundant and I even saw one yellow warbler. I saw at least 8 great egrets, several great blue herons, and a great variety of water birds. Driving home I saw an osprey in flight, on Cedar Ave near the south shore of Lake Nokomis. I've heard others say there is a nest nearby. Sandy Herzan 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 Horned Owl yard bird
I was sitting in my computer room and heard a Great Horned Owl. I opened my back door and I could hear two calling to each other. One eventually flew in and landed on an Austrian pine in my back yard. It called a few times and moved on. I assume it was following the other owl. They're gone now but it was an exciting few moments. One of the birds was higher pitched than the other. I know that the higher pitched Canada Goose is male. Does anyone know if the male and female hoot at different pitches and if so which one is higher? Rick Hoyme Hennepin County Plymouth, 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] Eur-CollaredDove-Sherburne
Sighted the Eurasian-collared Dove in Clear Lake, 6pm, end of 2nd block E of Hwy 24 intiially at the end of the 2nd set of elevator bldgs (w/ white rusty cone bins) in a sort of dump pile near a yellow auger. It didn't want to be in the space of the Cowbirds (50+), RWings, Grackles, a couple Brewers , so it flew up on a wire adjacent from where I was parked, then dropped to the ground and began feeding alone around the power pole there a few yards away. mjb 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] Smith's Longspur/Brown Co.
Hi, Mark Ochs, Doug Kieser and myself birded around Brown County today and our target bird was Smith's Longspur. We walked a large area of CREP grassland located on the east side of 330th Ave., Section 20 in Mulligan township (this is approximately 1/2 mile north of the intersection of County Rd. 20 and 330th). These grasslands, in my opinion, are excellent Smith's Longspur habitat. We parked on a field approach that is by a wooden sign post with no sign on it. Please note that this is private land, however, no one has ever said anything to me when I've hiked around in there nor did anyone question us today. Anyway, we walked directly east into the grassland and very shortly started flushing Smith's Longspurs. They gave their slower Longspur call that doesn't have the "teew" calls like a Lapland Longspur gives. At one time we counted twenty-two Smith's Longspurs in flight. We believe that we found at a minimum thirty Smith's Longspurs today. We were able to view and hear them mostly in flight but also saw them on the ground. All of us saw two male Smith's in breeding plumage on the ground together at one time. As I wrote, these grasslands are a large area. Mark thought that the two sections of grasslands we hiked (this would be the field due east of the field approach and the adjoining field on the south) to be about 130 acres. We came back in the afternoon to try to get better views of the Smith's and this time we flushed a total of seven Smith's but weren't able to get very good looks of them. The Smith's found today were the second county record. I found a single male Smith's on 4-10-11 in this same field. I apologize for not posting about that until now but I wanted to wait until after our group had the field trip today so Doug and Mark could try for them. Other birds of note included a Rough-legged Hawk soaring near the intersection of County Road 8 and 110th St. We also heard an Eastern Meadowlark (rare in Brown County) singing in the grassland on the north side of 110th St. (Wood Lake WMA). At this grassland Doug flushed a probable LeConte's Sparrow. There were two Ross's Geese (one adult and one juvenile) on Boise lake (between Springfield and Sleepy Eye on 200th St.). They were near the shore on the NW corner of the lake hanging out with a Canada Goose. Also on Boise lake was a Western Grebe and a Horned Grebe. Lots of ducks still around the area and at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds. Shorebirds were scarce today. Good birding, Brian Smith Sleepy Eye 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] More about the Hermit Thrush & other songbirds at the hawk count today (Duluth, MN-St. Louis Co.)
Here are some cool facts and other happenings with the songbirds atop Duluth today. Enjoy! http://naturallyavian.blogspot.com/2011/04/thrushes-at-hawk-counting-site.html Good birdwatching, Erik Bruhnke Duluth, MN * NATURALLY AVIAN* 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] Hermit Thrush, raptor count and pictures (all from Duluth, St. Louis Co.)
Here are the hawk count totals from today. I think that tomorrow has some potential to be a good day of raptor movement... https://www.hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=543&ryear=2011&rmonth=04&rday=17 And I saw this beautiful Hermit Thrush this morning while hawk counting. It must have moved in last night! It was seen with the juncos, Fox Sparrows and American Robins. Photos of the Hermit Thrush below: http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/133992834 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/133992842 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/133992846 Good birdwatching, Erik Bruhnke Duluth, MN *NATURALLY AVIAN* 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] Ritter Park
Amber Burnette and I birded Ritter in Lakeville and had a few FOYs. Great crested Flycatcher Swamp Sparrow Ruby Crowned Kinglet YB Sapsucker Fox Sparrow Field Sparrow Yellow rumps were around in good numbers. Nick Tangen Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile 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] about the metro
Friday: With the wind whipping through, there were not many birds about. I watched a Kestrel riding the wind, when suddenly it saw something of interest, spun a 360, and stopped in its "tracks" and hovered effortlessly in the wind with just a few sporadic wing beats to keep it stationary. the maneuver was awesome! I always glance at road kill to try and determine what animal tried to take out a car. Of late I have noticed a fair number of mink have been unlucky in their spring dispersal. If you see one of these beautiful animals, look for a long dark brown mammal. You can confirm its ID if you can see its white chin. Saturday: Birded in the morning around Randolph. Found 18 species of waterfowl including about ten each of Snow Geese (both phases) and Horned Grebes at Lake Bylessby. East of town we found more than 20 Snipe and a few less in a flock that included both yellowlegs and perhaps some Pectorals. There were large flocks of Tree Swallows. Everywhere in the open country we found pairs of Horned Larks and Vesper Sparrows. We also found Song and Savannah sparrows. 180th Street swamp has high water with good habitat, but no birds that we hadn't seen earlier. Steve Weston on Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN swest...@comcast.net 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] birds in yesterday's snow
Hi All-- We were blanketed by about 2 inches of wet snow yesterday. Days with snow-covered fields are often productive along roadsides. I have posted on my blog photographs of a Vesper Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, and a Killdeer from the Northfield (Rice Co.) area. http://dantallmansbirdblog.blogspot.com I looked for the Sandhill Cranes reported breeding in nearby Dakota Co., but I did not find them. I will look again soon. dan -- 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] Eurasian Collared Dove, Clear Lake, not found
The Eurasian Collared Dove in Clear Lake (Sherburne County) was not found over noon time yesterday; however, the number of people present, plus two trains rumbling through, tended to scare off everything but the grackles. If anyone sights again, please report (county bird). Thank, Bob, for sharing. 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
