[mou-net] story on Science Friday on Imperial Woodpecker

[G Andersson]

Not to depress everyone before the new year even starts, but my sister sent
me this story from NPR about a search for the IMWO in Mexico.  

 

  _  

 

This is the link to read the transcript of the interview with Tim Gallagher
of Living Bird and Cornell Lab of Ornith.  At the bottom of the transcript
is information for a link to watch the actual footage from years ago of the
last recorded sighting of the Imperial woodpecker.

 

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/23/144190097/searching-for-a-ghost-bird?ft=1
 &f=5

 



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[mou-net] the 41st annual National Wildlife photo competition (with birds)

[G Andersson]

There were 27 K entries in six categories.  I didn't see any MOU names in
the photo credits this time, but only the First Place in each category and
Grand Prizes are published in the magazine.  There is a bird category. And
there are winners for pro, amateur, and youth in each.  Last year Bernard
Friel's photo of a flying indigo bunting was on the cover.   

 

www.nwf.org/photozone

 



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[mou-net] Aitkin County Great Gray Owl

[Refsnider]

Thanks to previous posts, at noon today we were able to refind the great 
gray owl on Hwy. 18 in Aitkin County.  It was perched in a tree right 
along the roadside ditch 2.8 miles east of Hwy. 169.  Previous posts had 
noted it at 2.9 and 4.6 miles east of 169.


Our thanks to the folks who continue to post the locations of wintering 
owls.  The great gray owl was a lifer for two members of our group, so 
the previous posts were greatly appreciated.


Near that location on 18 we also observed 12-15 white-winged crossbills 
(a lifer for one of us) and several common redpolls.


On the way back to the Cities we make a quick stop at Cedar Creek to 
check on the red-headed woodpeckers reported by Steve Weston.  We easily 
spotted 6-8 individuals from the public hiking trail from the parking 
lot at the north end of Durant.  This, too, was a lifer for one of our 
group.


A very good day of birding, due to the kindness of previous posters.  
Thanks again.


Ron Refsnider
Coon Rapids


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[mou-net] GWGU Tuesday

[Don Kienholz]

I relocated the Glaucous-winged Gull today on the compost piles at WLSSD off of 
27th Ave. West. The bird was feeding and scavenging with the large gull flock 
and then flushed and most likely landed on the ice with the others offshore. 
The compost site is not open to the public, however, it may be viewed thru the 
fence. RegardsDon Kienholz  

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[mou-net] Fall 2011 The Loon is on the MOU web site and Gray names

[David Cahlander]

All issues of The Loon up to and including the Fall 2011 issue, are available 
on the MOU web site.

http://moumn.org

click on

MOU Publications -> Search Index for The Loon

MOU members are allowed to read all of the issues, while non MOU members have 
access to all but the last two years of The Loon.

Listing Supplement

Names of observers who are not MOU members, are inactive, or expired, have been 
"Grayed out".  Names in other lists such as "Recently Seen" and "RQD lists" are 
also "Grayed out".  

MOU Membership

It is easy to renew your MOU membership by going to

Contact or Join the MOU -> Renew/Join Using PayPal

or by writing us at 

  MOU
  J. F. Bell Museum of Natural History
  University of Minnesota
  10 Church Street SE
  Minneapolis, MN 55455-0145

Please include your name and address if joining by check.

Gray Errors

If you see that your name is gray and you are an active MOU member, please send 
me a note.

Thanks.
---
David Cahlander da...@cahlander.com Burnsville, MN 952-894-5910


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Re: [mou-net] GWGU I'D suggestion

[Jesse Ellis]

I received four responses to my post on the Glaucous-winged Gull on ID
frontiers, which linked to Karl Bardon's photos. Three of these said the
bird was quite typical for a female Glaucous-winged Gull, while one felt
the bill was too petite. I think all thought the wings were probably not a
concern. No one posted publicly back to the list, so I am just paraphrasing
reponses.

Good birding,
Jesse Ellis
Madison, WI



On Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 1:57 PM, Terence Brashear wrote:

> It was posted by Jesse Ellis a couple of days ago on that list.
>
> 
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>



-- 
Jesse Ellis
Post-doctoral Researcher
Dept. of Zoology
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, Dane Co, WI


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Re: [mou-net] [mou-rba] GWGU@ 27th Ave 12:30

[Jesse Ellis]

Hey all-

Sorry for the short iPhone post from my dad's phone, that I forgot to sign.
Yesterday at around 12:30, Jason Caddy, John Ellis, Lars Benson and I found
the Glaucous-winged Gull, briefly, among 500 gulls on the ice at 27th
avenue (sounds like very much the same group that Didrick Benz had). Jason
first noticed the gull on the ice after the flock had risen and settled a
few times, off the to side next to a 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull, which made
for nice comparisons. Then the GWGU got up and flew, allowing us to see
from below the lack of black on the wing tips. When it landed, the grey
primaries with white tips were visible, as was the size of the bird
compared with nearby Herring Gulls. Then it rose again and worked right,
and out of sight behind some vegetation around the curve to the west. Not
the stunning photo op Karl had, by any means.

As noted, this flock was rich with winter gulls, including at least 12
Glaucous Gulls (1 adult, most 1st-cycle birds), 1 1st or 2nd cycle Iceland
Gull, two Thayer's Gulls (1 adult, 1 1-st cycle), and 2 Great Black-backed
Gulls (1 adult and 1 1st cycle).

Jason left and we moved around a bit trying to get better views, but did
not refind the Glaucous-winged. However, on our way out an immature Goshawk
flew over, making for a nice day of winter birding.

Both before and after this period we checked Canal Park for gulls
generally, but it seemed like repeated ship traffic was spooking most of
the gulls. All we saw here were a few Ring-billed Gulls, straggling Herring
Gulls, and a single 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull.

See you at the Brrrdathon...


Jesse Ellis
Madison, WI

On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 2:44 PM, John P. Ellis  wrote:

> Briefly on ice, flew west. Also 12 GLGU, 1 ICGU, 2 GBBG , 2 THGU, goshawk.
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> 
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>



-- 
Jesse Ellis
Post-doctoral Researcher
Dept. of Zoology
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, Dane Co, WI


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[mou-net] Dead Subarctic Great Horned Owl

[Madeleine Linck]

One of our staff found a dead owl in her backyard, St. Michael, Wright
County,  over the holiday weekend. The eyes are frozen shut, but it has
prominent ear tufts and is very white on the breast with some barring.
It appears very light weight. 

 

 

Madeleine Linck

Wildlife Technician

Three Rivers Park District

12615 County Road 9

Plymouth, MN  55441

763-694-7851

mli...@threeriversparkdistrict.org
 

Fax: 763-557-4943

 



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[mou-net] GWGU try this again

[Terence Brashear]

Here are the comments from my friend Stan Walens from San Diego on the bird.


Well, here's my very unofficial take.
I keep waiting for some gull expert to chime in.
Are you hearing anything that isn't on MNOU?

I pretty much agree with the few people who have shed doubts and for the 
reasons they have presented


Lots of things look really good for GWGU.
Orbital ring is pink.
there is a small black subterminal band on the bill; good for adult winter GWGU
the wing pattern is pretty good for GWGU
the wing extension is short

here are the things that bother me
the color of the markings on top of the head is too gray, rather than brown; 
also the smudging on GWGU should be most noticeable on the ear coverts, yes?
the bill often appears too slender [not so in a couple photos], although some 
female GWGUs have slender bills
the head is a strange shape for GWGU; this a big question mark for me
the window on P9 look more substantial than I expect on a GWGU
in some photos it appears as if there's a little too much black in the 
wingtips, although some GWGUs show dark gray primary tips [and on the other 
hand, some people think that indicates Western or Herring Gull in the 
parentage], but in these photos, is it shadow?
the rump and tail appear too gray [a photographic artifact?]
on pictures of the sitting bird, I don't like the pattern of white on the 
tertials--lacks the clean edge of a GWGU, and I don't see the broad white 
edges to the secondaries that I would expect

my conclusion would be that there probably is another species of gull in the 
parentage a couple generations back


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[mou-net] Fw: the GWGU?

[Terence Brashear]

Here are the comments from my friend
Stan Walens in San Diego


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Re: [mou-net] GWGU I'D suggestion

[Terence Brashear]

It was posted by Jesse Ellis a couple of days ago on that list.


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[mou-net] GWGU I'D suggestion

[Al Schirmacher]

Would love to get ID Frontiers listserv involved in this discussion, since some 
of the top "gullers" are in that list.

Could someone who has seen and/or photographed it post to that list?  
Alternatively, feel free to send a photo link to my other email address - 
pasto...@princetonfreechurch.net - and I'll post it for you.

Just a suggestion to help bring clarity.  Have had good luck over the years 
with that group.

Al Schirmacher

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[mou-net] Fwd: GWGU

[douglas chapman]

Another Seattle birder chimes in on the possible GWGU.

Michael is a long-time leader of pelagics out of Westport WA as well as other 
birding.

Doug Chapman
Sioux Falls, SD

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Michael Donahue 
> Subject: GWGU
> Date: December 27, 2011 11:02:01 AM CST
> To: vireolan...@live.com, food...@sio.midco.net
> 
> Hi Doug,
> Alan forwarded me the link to the MN Glaucous-winged Gull. Here are my 
> thoughts:
>  
> This is a really good example of why photos can be misleading!  Photo 1 looks 
> like it has a gonydeal expansion whereas in photo 2 it does not.
>  
> Overall the head and bill look too delicate to me to be a Glaucous-winged. 
> Glaucous-winged seem to have a smaller eye on a bigger head compared to 
> Thayer’s, and this bird seems big-eyed to me. (I can’t speak to the eye on 
> Kumlien’s, but I assume it's similiar.)  I need to find a way to quantify 
> this eye thing!
> 
> What strikes me most about these photos is how much white is on the tongues 
> of P8 and P7. It’s more white than a typical Glaucous-winged. It’s wingtips 
> look very white to me.
>  
> What was the wing projection like? Glaucous-winged should be noticably 
> shorter-winged compared to any Herring present.
>  
> Best wishes,
> Mike D



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[mou-net] Townsend's Solitaire Western Henn Co

[Robin LaFortune]

 Hi,

I found a Townsend's Solitaire on Sun and Mon at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve near 
Delano.  This was the same area that I found a Solitaire twice on 2 separate 
years(but not last year).  The location is directly east of Rattail Lake, south 
of the hiking trail and west of  Co Rd 92. I can't give very good directions as 
I was walking off trail thru the pines close to 92 and south of the hiking trail

Also in the area, I flushed a GHO and saw a couple of Brown Creepers and 
Red-breasted Nuthatches.  No winter finches, and otherwise pretty quiet.

Robin LaFortune
Delano, MN



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Re: [mou-net] MOU Records Committee - Ferruginous Hawk Accepted 6-1

[Steve Weston]

I agree.  I fear that the vote against the Ferruginous Hawk has nothing to
do with data (in this case a clear photo), but has to do with either of two
factors:

- a prejudice against the data gather.  I do not believe that such
prejudices should not be part of the process and that if the data can not
be impartially analyzed then the committee's processes are tainted and
should be modified.  I, for one, would prefer that the records be
submitted to the committee without identifying the observer.  By the way, I
do not feel that I am personally affected by this prejudice.

- a predisposition against what birds are expected to be observed.  An
example was the dismissal of an observation of several cowbirds
overwintering in Dakota County years ago by a well respected,
birder/ornithologist, and committee member, as not being likely.  We now
know that cowbirds regularly overwinter at large feed lots in Dakota County.

So, why isn't this a Ferruginous Hawk?

-- 
Steve Weston
swest...@comcast.net



On Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 8:32 AM, MARK OTNES  wrote:

> I appreciated seeing the proceedings of the MOU records committee in the
> latest issue of the Loon.  I find the reasons for records turned down and
> dissents (2 or greater,  I guess) to be very informative.  I would also
> like to see the reasons for dissent on those records that are accepted on a
> 6 to 1 vote.  In particular, I would love to read the one dissent on the
> Ferruginous Hawk seen and photographed (shown in the Loon) in Lac Qui Parle
> County on 10-25-2010.  I'm not an ace birder, particularly when it comes to
> raptors, so I would like to see that reasons that that raptor pictured in
> the Loon might not have been a Ferruginous Hawk.
>
> Mark Otnes
> Fargo ND
> 701-241-4194
> markot...@cableone.net
>
> 
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[mou-net] Merlin and Crow tag

[Thomas P. Malone]

At 0850 a Merlin and a Crow were seen flying southbound over Coon Rapids Blvd 
in Coon Rapids. Judging by the movement between them, it appeared as though the 
smaller Merlin was playing "tag" with the much larger Crow as they flew 
directly in front of my car.  Both birds seemed to be participating as at first 
the Merlin was the pursuer; the Crow was chasing the Merlin by the time they 
were out of sight. 


Thomas P. Malone
Attorney at Law
Barna Guzy & Steffen
Minneapolis Minnesota
tmal...@bgs.com
(Via BlackBerry)

[mou-net] MOU Records Committee - Ferruginous Hawk Accepted 6-1

[MARK OTNES]

I appreciated seeing the proceedings of the MOU records committee in the
latest issue of the Loon.  I find the reasons for records turned down and
dissents (2 or greater,  I guess) to be very informative.  I would also
like to see the reasons for dissent on those records that are accepted on a
6 to 1 vote.  In particular, I would love to read the one dissent on the
Ferruginous Hawk seen and photographed (shown in the Loon) in Lac Qui Parle
County on 10-25-2010.  I'm not an ace birder, particularly when it comes to
raptors, so I would like to see that reasons that that raptor pictured in
the Loon might not have been a Ferruginous Hawk.

Mark Otnes
Fargo ND
701-241-4194
markot...@cableone.net


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