[mou-net] Eagle Viewing from Lake City to Wabasha: Better as Ice retreats?
I'm hoping to go down to Wabasha again next week, and have had two experiences there this winter with different results. I went in late December and had over 100 eagles, and got some nice pictures of them in-flight and in the trees near Lake City. However, a month later when I went in late January as more of the river had froze up right until you get into Wabasha, there were far less eagles, only a few and the light was poor for any decent photographs. From those with more experience or who have been there recently, is now a good time to go? Or am I better waiting until mid to late March as the weather warms and more ice breaks up? Perhaps it was just a day-to-day thing as they are certainly out and about, and I just went on a day where there weren't as many in the area. My hope is to see a good number of them in the sky or perched in trees to get more shots - they are great to watch. Thanks for the advice! Fr. 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
Re: [mou-net] Behavior around roosting owls
Someone told me just recently of a concept developed elsewhere into a system that would aid birders but might also protect vulnerable birds. It's called "Keeper of the Bird". When a special bird is found, the finder or another trusted volunteer becomes the formal "Keeper" of that bird and its site information. The Keeper agrees to have his/her contact information publicized, so that others may contact him/her for viewing. Perhaps something like that might also act as crowd control; it might even allow an opportunity for ethical birders to educate the less scrupulous about appropriate behavior---or to discourage their activity. It would be a shame, after all, to eliminate others from the learning opportunity provided by seeing a bird "in situ", if we could safeguard the bird by moderating the experience. The only other answer seems to be, to share sightings with only a trusted few, who would then be obligated to also limit their sharing with one or two trusted others--a branching tree of contacts. Meanwhile, in the case of this owl, since it is on Nature Center property and its location is clearly marked, perhaps a posting of ethical viewing standards could be placed prominently in the vicinity---and those who witness troublesome behavior should address this directly with perpetrators. Linda Whyte On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 9:34 PM, Stefanie Moss wrote: > I'm so tired of this. It happens again and again and every time we're told > it's just a rogue individual and we should all keep posting all our > sightings. Obviously its a really big problem. Birders say they love > birds > but really they just love seeing them. They love them like a philanderer > loves women. > > Kurt > > > On 2/27/12 9:11 PM, "Andy Forbes" wrote: > > > Today I was fortunate to get to see the roosting N. Saw-whet Owl at the > > Dodge Nature Center. What is unfortunate is that I could tell where it > was > > long before I could even see the trees that it was in. There was a large > > group of people talking loudly, less than 10ft. from the owl. What is > worse > > is that some of these people were moving branches and even shaking the > tree > > to get shots of the bird with its' eyes open. > > > > I appreciate that owls are beautiful birds and it is hard not to get > > excited about them. Keep in mind though that this bird is trying to > SLEEP. > > Let's hope that the owl doesn't leave this roost tree because of this > > harassment. Not only would that be bad for others that would like to see > it > > that haven't, but it may move to less suitable location and end up being > > dinner for a Great Horned Owl or something else. > > > > I beg future visitors to PLEASE use restraint around this - and other - > > roosting birds! Keep a respectful distance, keep noise to a minimum, use > > common sense. This type of harassment is not only unethical, it is also > > illegal. > > > > > > Andrew Forbes, Burnsville, Dakota cty. > > > > > > > > > > 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 > 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] Behavior around roosting owls
I'm so tired of this. It happens again and again and every time we're told it's just a rogue individual and we should all keep posting all our sightings. Obviously its a really big problem. Birders say they love birds but really they just love seeing them. They love them like a philanderer loves women. Kurt On 2/27/12 9:11 PM, "Andy Forbes" wrote: > Today I was fortunate to get to see the roosting N. Saw-whet Owl at the > Dodge Nature Center. What is unfortunate is that I could tell where it was > long before I could even see the trees that it was in. There was a large > group of people talking loudly, less than 10ft. from the owl. What is worse > is that some of these people were moving branches and even shaking the tree > to get shots of the bird with its' eyes open. > > I appreciate that owls are beautiful birds and it is hard not to get > excited about them. Keep in mind though that this bird is trying to SLEEP. > Let's hope that the owl doesn't leave this roost tree because of this > harassment. Not only would that be bad for others that would like to see it > that haven't, but it may move to less suitable location and end up being > dinner for a Great Horned Owl or something else. > > I beg future visitors to PLEASE use restraint around this - and other - > roosting birds! Keep a respectful distance, keep noise to a minimum, use > common sense. This type of harassment is not only unethical, it is also > illegal. > > > Andrew Forbes, Burnsville, Dakota cty. > > > > > 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] Behavior around roosting owls
Today I was fortunate to get to see the roosting N. Saw-whet Owl at the Dodge Nature Center. What is unfortunate is that I could tell where it was long before I could even see the trees that it was in. There was a large group of people talking loudly, less than 10ft. from the owl. What is worse is that some of these people were moving branches and even shaking the tree to get shots of the bird with its' eyes open. I appreciate that owls are beautiful birds and it is hard not to get excited about them. Keep in mind though that this bird is trying to SLEEP. Let's hope that the owl doesn't leave this roost tree because of this harassment. Not only would that be bad for others that would like to see it that haven't, but it may move to less suitable location and end up being dinner for a Great Horned Owl or something else. I beg future visitors to PLEASE use restraint around this - and other - roosting birds! Keep a respectful distance, keep noise to a minimum, use common sense. This type of harassment is not only unethical, it is also illegal. Andrew Forbes, Burnsville, Dakota cty. 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] Dodge Co. Snowy Owl: Not present
One final post on the Dodge County Snowy Owls in case there are some birders wishing to travel here to view the owl(s). I saw one Snowy Owl last Thursday (2/23). There were a few birders out last weekend looking and to my knowledge they did not find an owl. I did one final check this evening. I think they've moved on. It was a great run this winter finding five Snowy Owls which was aided by virtually no snow cover. The first owl, a nearly pure white adult male, was seen Jan. 6. That was followed by a second owl, a very dark juvenile. These two owls moved from the area fairly early. The owl I eventually referred to as the 700th St. Snowy Owl first showed up on Jan. 10. In early February two more owls entered the area. It was a genuine treat to see all three owls within a mile of each other. The last time I saw all three was Feb. 17 on the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count. Ken Vail 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] Wells Lake waterfowl update
Hi everyone, Well, it looks like the small group of Greater White-fronted Geese only stayed here for Saturday as no one has relocated any since then. But a smattering of new migrants have moved in. Today the following was present: Hooded Mergansers-3 males and 2 females. 1 male Ring-necked Duck. Lesser Scaup-1 male, 2 females. 1 male Northern Pintail 3 American Coots Also, numbers of Common Mergansers are growing. The pintail and ring-neck were present, and found by Gene Bauer, yesterday. Wells Lake is located west of Faribault. To get there, take Hwy 60 about a mile west to Rice CR 12 which is a right turn only. Follow 12 until you come to a bridge. This bridge separates Cannon and Wells Lakes and the current provides open water all winter. When the weather starts to warm, this open patch grows rapidly and the ducks and geese, pardon the pun, flock here like crazy! We get a pretty diverse mixture during March and into April. Please note, there is no parking on the Wells Lake side but the other side is fine and has a nice wide shoulder. I will continue to monitor and report through early March. 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] 2012 Photothon winning photos & Friends of Sax-Zim Bog "Bog Blog"
Hi all, We have posted the top 5 winning images from the 2012 Photothon & BDathon winners on the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog website: Congrats to Shawn Zierman of Duluth and Erik Bruhnke of Duluth on their 1-2 finish! http://www.saxzim.org/bdathon/ We also have started a new "Bog Blog" http://www.saxzim.org/bog-blog/ Enjoy! Sparky Stensaas 2515 Garthus Road Wrenshall, MN 55797 218.341.3350 cell sparkystens...@hotmail.com www.SaxZim.org Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
