[mou-net] SW MN White-winged Crossbills in 7 Counties
There appears to be a minor White-wing Crossbill irruption occurring at least in Southwest MN. Not sure if the birds have been present all winter or are in the process of returning to Northern MN. The species has been seen in seven Southwest MN Counties over the past week or so and with the exception of Brown and Nobles Counties not in large numbers. In every case the species have been found feeding on the cones of White Spruce trees. Dates locations the species have recently been seen are as follows: 1. Redwood County Tuesday, 2012-03-06 seen by Ron Erpelding in Wabasso, MN @ 2:50 p.m., 4 birds ( 2 male 2 female) seen behind the 571A 571B Bottle Duplex on South Street 2. Lyon County Tuesday, 2012-03-06 seen by Ron Erpelding in Lynd, MN @ 12:40 p.m., 3 females, left side of 112 (small red house) on the west side of Redwood Street North 3. Yellow Medicine County Tuesday, 2012-03-06 seen by Ron Erpelding, @ 7:15 a.m., single female, in the Yellow Medicine Lutheran Cemetery East, adjacent to the east side of MN Hwy 23 as it curves around Hanley Falls, MN on the east side 4. Nobles County Seen in 3 locations on 3 dates in the county - 15 birds Originally found by Brian Smith on 2012-02-19 at Bella Lake Dam Recreation area on the Iowa border, 12 birds seen on 2012-02-22, @ 9:25 a.m., at 31270 Paul Avenue - ¼ mile north of the Peterson WMA by Ron Erpelding and 3 birds seen on 2012-03-03 by Herb Dingmann Ron Erpelding at the dog exercise park off of CR 59 on the extreme southern tip of Okabena Lake in Worthington, MN 5. Pipestone County Saturday, 2012-03-03 Seen by Herb Dingmann Ron Erpelding @10:30 a.m., 4 birds (3 females 1 male) seen in the Hillside Cemetery located on the south side of MN Hwy 268 on the west side of Edgerton, MN 6. Murray County Saturday, 2012-03-03 Seen by Herb Dingmann Ron Erpelding @2:20 p.m., 4 birds ( 2 females 2 males)seen at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery @ 852 190th Avenue (From US Hwy 59 between Slayton Avoca, MN turn north on 190th Avenue) 7. Brown County 20-40 bird flock first seen by Brad Bolduan on 2012-1-22 and refound along with 3 Red Crossbills by Brian Smith at the adjacent New Ulm, MN Lutheran Catholic Cemeteries, seen by many birders since that date- most recently on 2012-03-01 Ron Erpelding Kandiyohi County Willmar, 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] Mountain Bluebirds in Tofte, Cook Co.
Two Mountain Bluebirds were seen last weekend on March 3 at the Coho Cafe in Tofte, Cook Co, on the lake side of MN Highway 61. The birds were apparently hanging around the deck eating berries. There was an earlier report from Kim Risen of a Mountain Bluebird at the same location on February 16. Jim Lind 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] Red-winged Blackbirds, Bloomington
Just had three Red-winged Blackbirds fly by my office window here in Bloomington, near Normandale Lake. First of the year (for me). Andy Forbes 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 arrivals
Hi everyone! Between the large numbers of Greater White-fronted Geese on the ice at Wells Lake and MANY large flocks flying overhead this evening, I estimate there was somewhere between 1600 to 2000 of them! It's mind blowing thinking of what totals might have been accrued during the course of today! Other highlights were a couple of Rusty Blackbirds west of Morristown with a large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds and 5 Pied-billed Grebes by the bridge at Cannon/Wells Lake. Also of note was the drastic increase in numbers of Hooded Mergansers, Canvasbacks, and Northern Shovelers. 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] Lake Byllesby, Dakota Co.- GWF Geese, Ross' s Geese, etc.
Just got back from the Lake Byllesby area (birded between 400-515), and it was PACKED with waterfowl, mostly on the lake itself, but also on ag fields just north of it (best viewing location was on Cty. Rd. 86 just east of its' intersection with Hwy. 56). 10,000 individuals between all species present in the area - mostly Canada Geese and Mallards, but still impressive. Here are some of the other species that were present, along with estimates of their numbers: Greater White-fronted Geese- @250 on reservoir, @100 on ag fields. Cackling Geese - 3 (likely more, but I didn't have time to really scan) White Geese - @50 individuals present total, of which at least 30 were Ross' Geese. Surprising! All on the ag fields. Gadwall - 100 Northern Pintail - 20 Northern Shoveler - 20 American Wigeon - 35 Green-winged Teal - 30 Blue-winged Teal - 1 Common Merganser - 10 Hooded Merganser - 5 Lesser Scaup - 100-125 Ring-necked Duck - 50 Great Blue Heron - 1 (flew across lake) Ring-billed Gull - 15 Bald Eagle - 20 (kept the waterfowl on the lake nervous) Killdeer - 1 (mudflats on lake) Horned Lark - 2 (ag fields) Also saw a nice dark phase Rough-legged Hawk on Blaine Ave., about halfway between its' intersections w/Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 47. Andy Forbes, Dakota Co. 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] Metro birds tonight
Hello Birders, I had time to hit a few spots on the way home: *Bass Ponds* - hogback pond Pie-billed Grebe - 1 (FOY) Lesser Scaup - 1 Am. Robin - 2 Common Merganser - 1 Bald Eagle -2 *Fort Snelling SP *Redhead - 3 (FOY) Barred Owl - 1 **Trumpeter Swan - 28 Canada Goose - 10 Mallard - 10 *Kaposia Landing* (Ramsey side) Wild Turkey - 1 Tom on Concord Ave. Great Blue Heron - *THIRTY SIX *- that is the most I've ever seen in one spot at one time Common Merganser - 50plus Bald Eagle - 4 I was hoping to spot a Black duck but had no luck -- Sincerely, Jim Ryan Saint Paul's Westside One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken. -* Leo Tolstoy* A well governed appetite is the greater part of liberty. - *Lucius Annaeus Seneca* 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] American Woodcock, Ramsey County
Just after sundown this evening I was very surprised to hear an American Woodcock perform its aerial courtship display near my house a few blocks west of the U of M St. Paul campus. There's not much woodcock habitat in the vicinity so this early migrant will undoubtedly move on, but this is over two weeks earlier than my previous personal FOY woodcock in MN. 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
