[mou-net] Western Tanager in the Twin Cities
Leslie Englert has had a male Western Tanager visiting her feeder in Maple Grove, Hennepin County, since 11 January. Birders are welcome to visit, though she has asked that people please park on the street and walk into the backyard from the right side of the house. The houses are close together there and, in pointing this out, she specifically requests that birders please be considerate of her neighbors. Leslie's directions are: From I-494 take Bass Lake Road exit, head west. After Vicksburg Lane, there is construction on Bass Lake Road. Continue to the 2nd traffic light (after the one at Vicksburg Lane) and turn left onto Lawndale. Turn right onto Fieldstone Blvd. Take the 2nd right onto Queensland Lane N and take the second right again onto Queensland Lane N. Fourth house on the right, #6448. This is a record late Western Tanager by several months. The previous latest date on record is 16 September 1989 (Duluth). Anthony Hertzel axhert...@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
Re: [mou-net] Bald Eagles in the Lake Pepin area
Thanks to all who replied to my inquiry. We're on our way this morning and hope to have good birding. ---Judd -Original Message- From: Judd Zandstra Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 7:08 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: [mou-net] Bald Eagles in the Lake Pepin area I will be spending the weekend in the Lake Pepin area and will have a couple hours each day to do some birding. I'm eager to observe and photograph Bald Eagles and any other interesting birds in the area. Any advice I can get on good locations and techniques would be greatly appreciated. I understand the Reads Landing area might be good. Also, on the way there I plan on stopping at the Carpenter Nature Center. Does anyone know if the Townsends Solitaire has been sighted there recently? Please reply back channel. Thanks, Judd Zandstra Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1901 / Virus Database: 2109/4754 - Release Date: 01/19/12 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] Question about grassland birds
Let me clarify a bit. We do not want to stop hay mowing. The Nov/Dec 2009 issue of Audubon magazine ran an article about research in Vermont that showed that hayfields that were mowed on the typical schedule produced 0.0 fledged Bobolinks per female, whereas fields mowed on a modified schedule produced 2.8 fledged Bobolinks per female. On the basis of this research, the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Vermont, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offered farmers payments to compensate for loss of income from the lower value of their hay crop. The modified mowing schedule in Vermont was: mow before the first of June, then don't mow for at least 65 days (rather than the typical 35 to 40 days). The first mowing will destroy some nests, but the delayed second mowing gives the birds a chance to (re-)nest and fledge their young. The Vermont NRCS has discontinued the program because rules do not allow compensating farmers for foregone income. There is some hope that the rule may be changed or interpreted in a way to allow the program to resume in the future. The Audubon article is at http://mag.audubon.org/articles/birds/buying-time. The brochure describing the Vermont NRCS compensation program is at ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/VT/Programs/WHIP/G-Bird%20brochure.pdf. I have a seven-page .pdf document describing the study of nest productivity in Vermont, which I would be happy to email to anyone who would like to have it. We in Audubon MN would like to see a program like this get started in Minnesota. We think a good first step might be to get the University of Minnesota to adopt the modified mowing schedule on its hayfields, and we could study the results. I have been disheartened in about the second week of June every year to watch the tractor mowing a large hayfield at the U of M's Research and Outreach center in Waseca. A few meadowlarks, Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows, and perhaps other birds, are always attracted to the lovely expanse of grass, but their young have no chance of survival. The U of M ag department has six research and outreach centers around the state. I don't know if the other centers also have hayfields. It would be good if we had some data on nesting dates of grassland species in different parts of Minnesota. Julian -Original Message- From: Judy Chucker Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 9:56 AM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: [mou-net] Question about grassland birds I was at yesterday's Audubon EIC meeting where Julian Sellars is spearheading an effort to stop the mowing of hay at U of M stations around the state, which leads to the slaughter of our grassland birds during nesting season. We were wondering if there is any data on the approximate nesting times around the state. We realize that there will be much variation--not just from region to region, but from year to year within the same region. Nevertheless, it would be helpful to have some data as a starting point. If you have any information you could share, it would be most appreciated by us and the birds. Thanks! Judy Chucker St. Louis Park Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html 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] Scott County - Wilkie Unit, MVNWR - January 21, 2012
January 21, 2012 While leading a walk at the Wilkie Unit, of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, in Scott county. Here are a few of the species of birds we observed on the walk. Trumpeter Swan Gadwall American Black Duck Ring-necked Duck Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Pied-billed Grebe American Coot Craig Mandel egretc...@msn.commailto:egretc...@msn.com Minnetonka, Hennepin 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
[mou-net] Towhee/Snowy Owl
Hi everyone, The Austin Spotted Towhee is still present. Doug Keiser and I observed it this morning. There is also an overwintering White-throated Sparrow visiting the feeders. We also found a male Snowy Owl in Dodge County north of Claremont along CR 1 just north of where it crosses CR 20. It was on a power pole on the east side of the road. This was around 1pm. Also of note, there were 6 Eurasian Collared Doves at the elevators in Claremont. Good birding, Dave Bartkey Faribault, 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] Western Tanager not present, Hennepin County
Several of us looked for the previously reported Western Tanager in Maple Grove late this afternoon without success, and it sounds like no one was able to find it this morning either. According to others, the homeowner last saw the bird on Thursday. Bob Dunlap -- Robert Dunlap Graduate Research Assistant Natural Resources Science and Management University of Minnesota Hodson Hall 1980 Folwell Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108 Email: dunla...@umn.edu 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] No Western Tanager, Hennepin Co.
I went to look for the Western Tanager that was reported this morning in Maple Grove and did not find the bird. Other birders had not seen the bird today either. One birder reported that it was last seen on Thursday. The sign for Fieldstone Blvd. is knocked over so you have to be careful when looking for this intersection. Jason Caddy 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] White-winged Crossbills. Fox Sparrow, Golden Eagles - Winona County
Hello all, Dedrick Benz and I went out around Winona and Houston counties as part of the annual Golden Eagle survey today. We found not only Golden Eagles, but other birds of interest: The first was relocating a FOX SPARROW first found last week by Dedrick and Chris Hockema. This bird is in Wiscoy Valley on Winona County Rd 17. From Highway 76 head west on Co. 17 about 8/10th of a mile. You will come across a farm with the house and barn on either side of the road. Just past look for the sparrow feeding along the side of the road and hanging out in the brush. About 1.2 miles further look for a stand of spruce on the south side of the road. Here we located a flock of c. 20 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS feeding. The birds flew in as we approached, and later departed toward the west. We located six GOLDEN EAGLES on the day, though two of these may actually have been the same bird seen a couple hours apart. Four of the birds were juveniles and two were adults. All were found in Wiscoy Valley along Co. Rd. 17 except one juvenile which was on Highway 76 about 3/4 of a mile south of the turnoff to 17. If anyone is interested in more specific locations on the birds, feel free to back-channel me. Other birds of interest on the day included Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, Northern Shrike (1), Rough-legged Hawk (2), and Eastern Bluebird. In all, a nice day of winter birding! Dave Williams Winona 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] Snowy Owl: Dodge Co.
The Snowy Owl adult previously reported is still being seen in the area along 700 St. between 120th Ave. and the Dodge Co./Steele Co. line (the last utility pole going west on 700th). This morning at 8:00 the owl was located between 120th Ave and 110th on a utility pole on a barricaded lane going north. I've made it a point to travel this road on the way to and from work and have observed the bird on four occasions in the last week. One time the bird was first observed in Dodge Co. and then flew to a low hill in Steele Co. Ken Vail Blooming Prairie Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
