[mou-net] Agassiz NWR
FYI The bridge at the west entrance to Agassiz NWR is going to be replaced. Detour signs on CR 7 are already up, closure signs , equipment, and materials are already at the site. For anyone who plans a trip soon to Agassiz and is not familiar with the area, here is the best way to get into Agassiz from Thief River Falls until this project is completed. From Thief River Falls, go east on MN 1 to Pennington CR 20( becomes Marshall CR 12 in a few miles), take a left on CR 20 and go approx. 8.8 miles to Marshall CR 120, where you take a right. The road is gravel and in good shape this morning. At the first corner ( where the Long-tailed Jaeger was found for those of you who saw it), take a left ( N) and follow to the first opportunity for a choice. That will be the corner before Farmes Pool. Take a left there and go north to CR 7 coming out within the refuge. At CR 7 you can take a right and proceed as usual to headquarters. Please note that MN 32 will only get you to the closure, and you will then have to go south a few miles on CR 12 to CR 120 so that is not recommended. Also at Farmes Pool, there is no way to get into the refuge proper, so you will have to return to the last corner to get into Agassiz. I have no idea when the project will start, but I think soon based on what I observed this morning. I also have no idea where the detour signs will take you, but think it may rejoin CR 7 way east of the refuge, or maybe not at all. The detour I outlined above is not significantly longer from TRF and the road is usually good. Conditions inside the refuge this morning: Headquarters Pool completely ice covered still. Some open water on South Pool where there were geese, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, and a few other duck species. At Headquarters I found two Fox Sparrows in the woods there. Otherwise, birding was about what I find in our yard here. Auto tour route is not open yet of course. Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, 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] Carver County Swallow(2 species)
What a difference a year makes. Deep snow and thick ice cover at this time last year to the arrival of swallows to the area about 20-30 days early this year. 2 swallow species arrived today along the west bank of the Minnesota River at Rapids Lake MVNWR. 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow and 1 Tree Swallow were meandering north.The song of the Northern Rough-winged Swallow was what initially got me to look to the sky. Since I identified the song of the Rough-winged first, this marks the first year that Tree Swallows have not been the 1st identified swallow. Full Rapids Lake MVNWR count Canada Goose ~25(didn't pay too much attention to these) Trumpeter Swan 3 Wood Duck 14 Mallard Blue-winged Teal 2 Northern Shoveler 3 Redhead ~20 Ring-necked Duck ~200 Common Merganser 23 Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Bald Eagle 5 (2nd morning in a row that a young Bald Eagle failed at his attempt to catch a duck) Sandhill Crane 1 Killdeer 2 Ring-billed Gull 3 Mourning Dove 2 Great Horned Owl 1 heard only Belted Kingfisher 1 (compared to the arrival of other species this year, this is relatively late) Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker 4 Eastern Phoebe 2 (1 initially singing from farmhouse but flew about 100 yards south, 2nd about 1/4 mile south of that) Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Tree Swallow 1 Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 (different locations than the overwintering birds so likely recent arrivals) Eastern Bluebird 1 American Robin American Tree Sparrow 5 Fox Sparrow 15 (a couple more probably heard) Song Sparrow 25+ Harris's Sparrow 1 (same bird as yesterday) Dark-eyed Junco 7 Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark 1 Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird North of Assumption on the east side of Cty. Rd. 33, 2 flocks totaling ~195 Greater White-fronted Geese flew in from the northwest and landed in a field. 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 trespassing-Lake Byllesby
Hi everyone, I stopped at Lake Byllesby mid-afternoon today. As you turn off of CR 88 to the cemetery, you used to be able to turn left at the cemetery and park at the top of hill overlooking the lake. Today, I see there are two fresh signs posted for no trespassing. I was here a little over a week ago and there was nothing. Anyone know the story here? There were several people on the shoreline below the hill fishing. According to the signs, they were trespassing as well. 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] Ramsey County Snipe and Woodcocks
I went to Tamarack Nature Center tonight in search of woodcocks. I got there at 6pm and watched a couple of tom turkeys sparing for a while. I walked over to the wetland between the woods west of the visitor center and I35E and spotted a great horned owl in an evergreen. I walked around to get a better view of the owl and two owls flew out, one perching at the top of a tamarack giving a nice look at the horns highlighted against the sky. I waited there until almost dark and decided to head back toward the car. I was just entering the grassy area behind the visitor center and a winnowing snipe flew overhead. I walked a little further and starting at least two woodcocks peenting, in the grassy field not far from the visitor center. I listened to them for 10 minutes from about 7:45 until almost 8pm. Neat. 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] E. Phoebe, Lilydale Regional Park, St. Paul
On the bluffs below hwy 13, west of the Lilydale brickyards, a Barred Owl flushed from its perch and flew down toward the railroad tracks at the base of the bluff. In the process of searching for it, we came across a displaying tom turkey with 8 hens. We did not re-locate the owl, but we did find a couple of E. Phoebes just east of where Ivy Falls Creek emerges from the ravine and flows toward Pickerel Lake. the Phoebes were extremely vocal. Linda Whyte St. 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
[mou-net] Hawkwatching today in Duluth (with pictures)
Today I joined up with Frank Nicoletti at Thompson Hill on the west side of Duluth, and had a great time counting migrating raptors. Bald Eagles made up a good portion of the day's raptors observed, with a Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawks moving through too. About half an hour to wrapping up the count this afternoon, I spotted and photographed a KILLDEER flying by. A few handfulls of Swans flew by today as well, as did a Common Grackle and Common Mergansers. Yesterday while out leisurely watching hawks with a friend near Enger Tower, I spotted two Mourning Cloaks flying around. Mourning Cloaks are a beautiful butterfly with brownish-red-wine-colored wings, with a little black detailing throughout the wing profile, followed by a bright yellow trailing edge. Below are my pictures from today. Bald Eagle (with neat tidbits, under the viewed photo) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/142159049 Killdeer http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/142159051 Sharp-shinned Hawk http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/142159052 The views from atop the west side of Duluth, while counting raptors http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/142159053 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/142159054 To learn more about the spring raptor count in Duluth, go to: http://hawkridge.org/research/springcount.html To see this season's total bird counts (raptors and songbirds alike), go to: http://hawkcount.org/month_summary.php?rsite=543 Good birding, Erik Bruhnke Duluth, MN -- *NATURALLY AVIAN* - Guided Birdwatching Trips and Bird photography 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] Birding Recommendations
I have a family member who is coming into the area this week. She is an avid birder from California and I'd like to showcase some of the offerings of the Twin Cities area. Sadly I'm not sure where to take her. I'm new to the area (few months) and was hopeful the snow and ice would still be around so I could take her down along the Mississippi to see the Bald Eagles. I went down in January and absolutely loved it. With the warm weather I'm at a loss for locations that would provide her an opportunity to see something out of the ordinary. Since I'm located in the South Metro, I was planning on taking her along the MN river bottoms and black dog preserve to see the migrating waterfowl and geese as well as the bald eagles. Any suggestions would be appreciated, like I said earlier, I'm new to the area and am just getting my bearings on locations. Thanks for any input, Keith Kirkwood Apple Valley, 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] 18 march - hermit thrush - MN Valley NWR
18 March - Hermit thrush on the northwest side of Long Meadow Lake, Minnesota Valley NWR, about a mile southwest of the Old Cedar Ave Bridge (seemed a little early) highlight among the waterfowl was 50-60 Common Goldeneye... best, rich ppCare2 makes it easy for everyone to live a healthy, green lifestyle and impact the causes you care about most. Over 12 Million members! a href=http://www.care2.com; target=_blankhttp://www.care2.com/abr /br / Feed a child by searching the web! Learn how a href=http://www.care2.com/toolbar; target=_blankhttp://www.care2.com/toolbara 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] Douglas County weekend
Had a good mix of winter migrants and spring migrants, including Pine Siskin, Purple Finch and a flock of about 2837 Lapland Longspurs (kidding but seriously a HUGE flock swirling around.) More interesting were waterfowl. Lake Jennie opened up on the south end and today had 345 Tundra Swans, 55 or so White Fronted Geese and many ducks, including Coot, Redhead, Canvasback, Common and Hooded Mergs, Ringnecks, Buffleheads, GW and BW Teal, Shovelers, Gadwall, Am Wigeon, Wood Duck and possibly more. I did not note any Scaup in the county. I Had Song Sp, many Tree Sp and Juncos but no other Sparrows. Also had N. Flicker, Mourning Dove, Kingfisher, many Killdeer, at least one Woodcock, one Snipe and only one Greater Yellowlegs. Also at other sites had two Snow Geese and several Cackling Geese. Lake Osakis was ice but should go in the next day or two I would think. John Ellis-St. 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
[mou-net] Bylesby No respassingSign - and birding opportunities, WaterFowl Identification
To answer a question from the list; about No Trespassing sgns at Lake Byllesby. I suspect someone got tired of all the people on private property, sespecially if someomne left any trash behind (one of my pet peeves - if you can pack it in, yu can pack it back out. If you don't, you may ruin it for not onoly yourself, but other people as well. And long as you are there, why not take a plastic bag with you, and pick up amjy trash you see. I hve picked up two full bags in the last tow days in the park behind Inver Grove Library. Anyhow, if memory serves me right, private propeprty only exteneds as far as normal water line on lakes and ponds.Therefore, if you are on a sandy shore, or in the water, you are on public property. I suppose you could walk through the cemetery and onto the beach from there. I actually had a better view of the large flocks of snow and white-ftonted geese from the Boat Landng on the south side of the lake. And you can see the mudflats if you walk in along the river on the west side. Obviously you should always check out the Randolph Industrial Park if you are in that area. I've seen 3-5 species of praire sparrows, Horned Lark, Bobolink, Dickcissel, Harrier, B Eagles, RE Hawks, Kildeer, Mallards, several specie of diver ducks and a Loggerhead Shrike (especially in the ponds near the road and church. From there if you go south on Hwy 56 to the first gravelroad west, which goes by the former Maltby Nature Area, which was a great spot to view prairie wildflowers, and keep going around the first curve south, then park and get out at the second curve near the Christmas Tree sales lot, and then go through the entrance on the fence at the corner of the north side of the road, and up to the top of the hill, you will see Crocus flowers when they bloom early in the sspring. I've also seen Eastern Meadowlark, Northern Harrier, and Eastern Bluebirds in the prairie and on the goat hills. If you go south on Hwy 56 and take a left (east) where you see the sign for Vang Church, follow the gravel road around the first and second curves going north, and watch the power lines, you may see Red-headed Woodpecker and often an abundance of Indigo Buntings and sparrows during migration. Also check out the bird feeders when you go through the farm (with the house on one side and the barn on the other side of the road), look for RT Hummingbrd, Indigo Buintings and Pileated, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Red-headed woodpeckers at the bird feeders, and possibly a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on the suet feede.Keep following the gravel road east, to Hwy 14 (tar). If you check the CRP fields on 14 north of the intersecion you may see Bobolink, Eastern and Western Meadowlark, Eastern Kingbird and more sparrows. If you turn around and go south on 14, then go east on Cty 44 (gravel) look for Wild Turkey, more Buntings, B Eagle, Kestrel, Barred Owl, Eastern Bluebird. RT Hawk, Scarlet Tanager etc. This makes a great trip for drive by birding. And you can head over to Big Woods State Park, which is only about 5 miles west. Or he Cannon River Nature Area south of Northfield,or Rive Bend Nature Center in Faribault.Check the prairies across from the Hospital in Northfield, for Dickcissel, sparrows and wrens. Yesterday Saturday March 17, 2012, I heard the first Song Sparrow, Ring- billed Gulls, Brown Thrasher and Red-winged Blackbirds and Downy and Red- bellied Woodpecker of the spring in our backyard. I also saw a flock of Dark- eyed Juncos (probably from Iowa). The Brown Thrasher is a summer regular. And the woodpeckers are normally here through the winter, but I did not hear or see them this last winter. Earlier in the week I saw about 8 pair of Mallards, only one pair of Canada Geese this year (so far) and one pair of Hooded Mergansers (don't think they stayed around last year). Add that to our normal 4-6 Blue Jays, pair of Northern Cardinals, pair of Red- bellied Woodpeckers, pair of Downy Woodpeckers (no Hairys) dozen or so Black-capped Chickadees,4-6 Gray squirrels, 2-4 Cottontail Rabbits, 1 Opossum, several White-tailed Deer, family of 2-6 Coyotes (no Raccoons seen), and you have our normal year round fauna. My wife saw a pair of Bald Eagles and we saw a Red-tailed Hawk last week. So - we have a backyard bird count of 12 so far this year. Although we are right across from Inver Hills College, about 1/4 mile behind Inver Grove Library and 1/2 mile from Simley HIgh School, I have heard but not seen any House Finches, and have not seen a single European House Sparrow, which I consider very strange. I have not heard our Great-horned Owls this year either. But, we have heard coyote pups trying out their hight pitched howls behnd the house. I'm hoping to see our Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Phoebees, Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and Green Heron again this year, plus the pair of Common Yellowthroats that were here last year too. .
[mou-net] Spring arrivals
Saw my 1st Bluebirds of the year on the eastern end of northern bike trail loop in Elm Creek Park in Champlin. Saw the first Great Blue Heron of the year on the drainage pond on the north side of North Hennepin Corridor trail between Douglas and Noble Ave on the border between Brooklyn Park and Champlin. Keith Carlson keithec...@usfamily.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
