[mou-net] Least Bittern: Ol' Cedar Bridge, Mn River NWR, Hennepin Co, MN
Hello birders! Had a terrific morning birding with Scott Meyer. We started off at the Bass Ponds (MRNWR) at 6:35 am because Scott promised me some sort of yellow-crowned night-thingamajig but no luck on that bird! But we had lots of cool birds at the Bass Ponds area like wigeons and Franklin's gulls. After we moseyed over to Ol' Cedar Bridge where which was basically Soralapooza! We managed to scare up my second only Minnesota *Least Bittern*which disappeared into the cattails just south of the boardwalk observation platform! The woods west of boardwalk entrance were buzzing with warblers and 2 Scarlet Tanagers. For the morning, we had 13 or so species of warblers (between Bass and Ol' Cedar) with the best ones being parula, yellow, and blackpoll! Lookin' up, Alex Cruz Ramsey Co, 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] Common Raven in Clay County
There was a Common Raven circling over the pine grove at the entrance to Buffalo River State Park in Clay County at about 11:00 this morning. The is my first raven sighting in the area since last spring. In the park there were 5 species of warbler (Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Nashville, Palm, and Common Yellowthroat), very large numbers of robins and flickers, many White-throated Sparrows, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows, and my first Dark-eyed Junco of the fall. Mark Otnes Fargo ND 701-241-4194 markot...@cableone.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
[mou-net] Sherburne NWR on Saturday, Great Egret flock
We spent late afternoon yesterday at Sherburne NWR. The overwhelming aura was DRY!! Birding was slow on the Wildlife Drive, highlight was a gorgeous juvenile Northern Harrier, coursing over what's left of Little Bluestem pool. Also saw three Great Egrets in Big Bluestem, two Trumpeter Swans at the perpendicular crossing midway through, where they've been regular, two more at the farthest Stickney Pool, and a juvenile Bald Eagle at first Stickney. Waterfowl was only Canadas and a very few ducks. Only small birds were a few each of Bluebirds, Red-Winged Blackbirds still hanging around, and un-ID'd brown UFOs. Went up to the northwest corner, along CR3 and CR70, over to CR11 and back, for the last 20 minutes of daylight. Most unusual was a wing of 14 Great Egrets flying in from the north - we haunt that spot quite a bit in Sept-Oct and we've never seen Egrets like that before. We did see a total of about 20 Sandhill Cranes in small groups come in from the north; a few may have passed over before we got up there, but it's early for any significant numbers to be building anyway. I think. We were surprised to see a group of six Nighthawks, hunting (also saw a pair over the River at the Anoka bridge last week) - seems late for them? Erika Sitz Ramsey, north Anoka 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] Polk County arrivals
In my yard in East Grand Forks (Polk County) this weekend, the first of the season Harris's Sparrow arrived yesterday, 9/15. Today, 9/16, the first Dark-eyed Junco, Palm Warbler, and Swainson's Thrush. There was also a Peregrine Falcon sitting on the water tower on the north end of town this afternoon. Sandy Aubol Polk County East Grand Forks, 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] Nelson's (Sharp-tailed) Sparrow (3), Old Cedar Ave., Hennepin Co.,
It had seemed today's birding would be confined to a trip to Mankato to bring an injured Red-tailed Hawk to the Raptor Center, but fate dictated otherwise. We decided to do our exercise hike at Old Cedar Avenue this evening, in hopes of seeing the Least Bittern reported there. Ultimately we had as little luck with that, as we had in our search for the Yellow-crowned Night Heron at Bass Ponds last week. However, as often happens, when you miss one thing, you may very well get something just as good or better. Thanks to Bob and Nancy Williams, we finally got our lifer-looks at a Nelson's Sharp- tailed Sparrow. The Williams' shared that they had just seen the Sparrow about 5 minutes prior to our arrival, and it had flown in a circle around and through the grasses by the platform. After awhile, one of the birds showed up in a clump of grasses, and was eventually joined by two more. They gave us perfect looks as they circled around the platform and perched periodically in full view--certainly a most colorful species, with that orange-gold background in its plumage. Life may be "about the journey," but in this case, the destination was equally rewarding. Among others seen seen: a Snipe flushed from the dirt path leading out to the boardwalk; a Barred Owl flushed from a tree next to the path leading west from the parking lot; Common Yellow-throat Warbler and many Sora foraging out from the platform. Linda Whyte 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] Roberts Bird Sanctuay 9/16
While some friends were watching my daughter I checked out the west end of the Robert Bird Sanctuary for migrants. In a clearing the trees and bushes were full of warblers and other birds. I really enjoyed watching a 1st year Northern Parula and male Golden-winged Warbler bath with a couple of chickadees. There were seven species of warbler with the most notable being a striking male Blue-winged Warbler which is a species I rarely see in fall migration. There were also two vireo species, a Swainson's Thrush, White-throated Sparrows and a Brown Thrasher. I left the area and came back twenty minutes later at around 5:30pm to find that all of the migrants had left and the place was mostly quiet. Pretty cool to be able to watch birds with a live orchestra blaring in the background. Jason Caddy, Minneapolis j.ca...@hotmail.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] Mississippi Kite- Hawk Ridge
Another Mississippi Kite was seen at Hawk Ridge today (16 September), which is the third seen from the Ridge this season, and the fifth sighting in Duluth this fall. Today's kite was first seen from the main overlook at 4:08 pm, and we were able to watch it for an extended period of time- although it disappeared several times, the bird was in view off and on for over an hour!, with the last sighting at 5:18 pm. The bird repeatedly caught and ate dragonflies around us, and on one of its last passes, came directly over the main overlook, allowing us to take some identifiable photos. Observers on the platform besides myself included Andrew Longtin, Dave Carman, Steve Bockhold, Russ Edmonds, and Cory Ritter, but many other observers were able to see the kite as well. This sighting follows one seen from the Hawk Ridge main overlook on 27 August by Dave Carman and myself, an adult seen by Mike Hendrickson in Smithville on 3 September, a juvenile seen and photographed from the Paine Farm banding station near Hawk Ridge on 5 September (about 6 pm) by Cory Ritter and Nova Mackentley, and a juvenile seen and photographed at the Hawk Ridge main overlook on 6 September (about 9:52 am) by Cory Ritter. Karl Bardon Duluth, 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
