[mou-net] snowy owl on "Nature" (PBS) next Sunday 12/15/13
Folks You might have seen this show "Magic of the Snowy Owl" last year. It will be rebroadcast this Sunday at 7:00-8:00 pm. I remember it is a year in the life of a pair of SNOWs on the arctic tundra. It includes the youngsters long march to where there were more lemmings to eat. I think there is good Chesnut-Collared Longspur footage also. Gordon Andersson 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] Aitkin County update
You have gotten some of the news from Aitkin County already but now .the rest of the story. This morning Butch Ukura and I headed out birding at about 7a.m. The first bird of the day was a GREAT HORNED OWL at the edge of town. We headed up to Aitkin County 18 and found 3 GREAT GRAY OWLS between Pietz's Road (320th Place) and about another 200 yards east. At times the three owls were very close to each other and could easily be seen in one view. There have been 2 SNOWY OWLS around Aitkin lately. We found the one owl near the junction of C.R.1 and C.R.22 about three miles north of Aitkin. Later this afternoon the owl was seen just to the north of the diversion channel bridge, a couple miles further up the road. The second SNOWY OWL ia being seen about 4 1/2 miles north and east Aitkin along hwy169/hwy 210. Other good birds seen today: 2 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, 5 RUFFED GROUSE, 7 BALD EAGLES, 1 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES, 2 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, 1 AMERICAN ROBIN, 20 SNOW BUNTINGS, 4 LAPLAND LONGSPURS, 20 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 2 NORTHEREN CARDINALS and several AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. Warren Nelson 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] 2014 BRRRR Dathon—Wor ld's Colde st. Regist ration ope n
Hi All, 2014 BDathon/PHOTOTHON It's time again for the 4th Annual Event sponsored by Friends of Sax-Zim Bog and Eagle Optics ...and you could win a $500 pair of Eagle Optics 10x42 ED Ranger binoculars! Will it finally be frigid for the "World's Coldest Birdathon?" Yes! Guaranteed. Can you and your teammates beat the record set in 2013 of 54 species by the "Badger Irruption" team? How about gunning for the repeat-winners "Cold and Green" in the Wintergreen non-motorized category and topping 33 species? You can do it! Registration for the 4th Annual Friends of Sax-Zim Bog BDathon/Photothon is now open. Help us preserve land in the Sax-Zim Bog by joining the "World's Coldest Birdathon!" Entrance fee is $25. More info & Registration here: http://www.saxzim.org/bdathon/ YOUR OWN FUNDRAISING WEB PAGE ...and each participant will have their OWN WEB PAGE...All pledges taken online...PAINLESS FUNDRAISING...No begging for pledges/checks after the event! THE MAIN EVENTS BDathon 2-Day is Friday-Saturday January 10-11th. Most species recorded wins. BDathon 1-Day is EITHER Friday or Saturday (you decide!) Most species recorded wins. WINTERGREEN CATEGORY is a one-day birdathon event (either Friday or Saturday..you decide). Teams must travel under their own power in one contiguous trip. (Bus travel is allowed in the city limits of Duluth and other towns) PHOTOTHON is a full 12 days! Dec 28-January 8th (best portfolio of 10 bird images taken in the area during this time frame). PARTY AFTERWORDS Saturday Evening compilation and dinner will be at Hartley Nature Center Duluth. Dinner at 5:30 pm with awards, compilation, door prizes, stories to follow. GARY THE GRANITE GREAT GRAY Winners will get their name on the world's coolest trophy—the 150 pound Great Gray sculpture…and all winners will get their picture taken with Gary. What an honor! SOLO OR WITH FRIENDS Teams of 1-5 will scour the hinterlands and urban wilds of NE MN and NW WI to find the most species. Photothon is a solo venture. NOT JUST SAX-ZIM BOGALL NE/NC MN AND NW WI The BDathon/Photothon "playing field stretches across all of NE MN and NW Wisconsin. Part of the strategy is to create an itinerary that will take advantage of the best winter birding locations. See map here: http://birdnation.squarespace.com/storage/Map%20of%20Bdathon%20area.pdf PRIZES, GIFTS & MORE! All Participants will receive a gift. First time participants will receive a "I Survived the World's Coldest Birdathon" mug with our Snowy Owl logo. At the dinner Saturday night, we'll have a drawing for amazing door prizes from Frost River, Whole Foods Co-op, Bemidji Woolen Mills, Kollath-Stensaas Publishers and more! But here's the really special prize—Eagle Optics has graciously donated a $500 pair of Eagle Optics Ranger 10x42 ED binoculars to the person who raises the most pledge dollars! Wow! Register and more details at: http://www.saxzim.org/bdathon/ Sparky Stensaas Executive Director Friends of Sax-Zim Bog PO Box 3585 Duluth MN 55803 218.341.3350 cell spa...@saxzim.org 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
[mou-net] Great Gray Owls Near Ray
Donald Graves saw two great gray owls Friday evening (Dec 6) at dusk on CR29, 1/4 mile west of Highway 217 in Ray. 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] Long Eared Owl.
My son took me 2 miles North of Bowlus and showed me a long Eared Owl he found. It was on the east side of the road exactly on mile marker 26. We watched it as it scoped out a squirrel. The snow is bringing out a few of the night (evening) owls into the day hours. 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] Great Grey Owls Aitkin County
This is an addition/correction to my earlier post on the sighting of Great Grey Owls. The birds were sighted in Aitkin County between the Pietz Road and the Hebron Cemetery on Aitkin County Road 18. Good Birding, Butch Ukura 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] Savaloja Small Grants Program
Every year the MOU supports several bird-related projects through the Savaloja Grants Program. This year grants ranged from $700 to $1400. Projects funded in 2013 included a native plant restoration of T.S Roberts Bird Sanctuary, color banding and blood analysis of nestling Peregrine Falcons, field guides and binoculars for a Young Naturalist Program, bird banding equipment for research banding at Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center, and sterilizing equipment to make owl pellets safe for student dissections. For 2014 MOU has up to $8000 available to fund projects, including $3000 from a donation to support projects that diversify Minnesota’s birding community by recruiting or involving minorities and people of color. These groups are currently underrepresented among Minnesota birders, but are projected to grow from 9% of Minnesota’s population in 2000 to 16% by 2030. Encouraging their participation in birding will help keep MOU strong and better able to speak for all Minnesotans on bird-related issues. Individuals or organizations are encouraged to submit grant applications to the MOU for Minnesota projects that increase our understanding of birds, promote preservation of birds and their natural habitats, or increase public interest in birds, including in populations currently underrepresented in Minnesota's birding community. Application information may be obtained by emailing gra...@moumn.org, or going to http://moumn.org/grantinfo_2014.pdf. The deadline for receipt of grant applications is January 31, 2014. Grant recipients will be notified by April 1, 2014. 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
One Snowy Owl seen at Jct of Aitkin Cty Rds 22 & 1. This location Is approx 3 miles north of stop light In Aitkin. Good Birding 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] Song Sparrow
I have had a lone song sparrow under my Mpls. feeder this week. Forgot to go south. Hope it makes it, at least there are plenty of feeders in this area to keep it fed. Peter Schmidt Minneapolis 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 throated sparrow - Hennepin
Noticed a white throated sparrow in a flock of house sparrows feeding on some seeds that have been consistently provided at Johnston hall on umn's east bank. Justin Watts, Hennepin 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] RFI: Lewis' Woodpecker
With my semester winding down, I finally have time to con Hey birders, With my semester winding down, I finally have time to consider a run at the Lewis' Woodpecker. I have not heard a recent report and was hoping someone knew the status of the bird. Has it been surviving the cold snap? Thanks, Chad Heins Mankato "But ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" --Job 12:7, 9 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] Great Grey Owl
Three GGO seen by Warren Nelson and Butch Ukura. Location is between 320th Place and Hebron Cemetery at approx 8 to 8:30. Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
