[mou-net] [mou-rba] MOU RBA 14 March 2015
-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 14, 2015 *MNST1503.14 -Birds mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Trumpeter Swan Wood Duck Turkey Vulture Killdeer Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Black-backed Woodpecker Eastern Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire Le Conte's Sparrow Song Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: March 14, 2015 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (r...@moumn.org) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Saturday March 14th, 2015. There has been very little to talk about as of late, and most all reports have been of northbound migrants. A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen on the 12th in east Duluth along the West Knife River Road, three-quarters of a mile west of the northern end of Homestead Road. Two more were at Sherburne NWR along the Ann Lake Campground Road at the Sand Dunes State Forest, and Jay Hamernick reported a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER here last week. Go south from Orrock on county road 5 for one mile, and then turn east on the Ann Lake Campground Road. There is a small parking area on the south side of the road with a yellow gate at the head of the trail. Solitaires are often seen on the south side of the road adjacent to this trail. On the 14th, Tom Tustison found an early LE CONTE'S SPARROW at Resurrection Cemetery in Dakota County. A Townsend's Solitaire is also being seen in the area. Other northbound migrants reported recently include TRUMPETER SWAN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, TURKEY VULTURE, KILLDEER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, SONG SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and COMMON GRACKLE. The next scheduled update is Thursday March 19th, 2015. 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 Wing Blackbirds, Bluebirds
While going for a morning jog with my large furry sidekick, was delighted to hear something I had not heard for quite some time, a singing eastern bluebird. Red wing blackbirds were also heard in the city park, along with a red bellied woodpecker. No waterfowl yet. Fr. Paul, Delano 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] Benton County today
Lesser scaup on the Miss. River at Sauk Rapids, along with two brown creepers. The masses of ducks and geese that have been on the river all winter are dispersing. Some large flocks of juncos in several locations, and the large flock of snow buntings are still along CR 7 northeast of Foley. Three male red-winged blackbirds were near the intersection of CRs 1 and 2 just a little bit ago. Didn't see them in this spot this morning. A pair of eastern bluebirds (!) were along CR 90 on the west side of the St. Cloud airport. There is a song sparrow coming to my feeders at home. Betsy Beneke St. Cloud, Benton 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] Lake Byllesby and south
Drove south from the Twin Cities today - most ponds and marshes are all still frozen. Byllesby has lots of open water on the Randolph end but water very low. Is it always this low in March? Saw a Red shouldered hawk perched in the farmhouse yard across the road from the county park entrance at the northwest end of Byllesby. Also lots of singing House finches. Red-winged blackbirds just east of the Geneva wtp but water still frozen - which didn't seem to bother a couple of Killdeer. Big Island State Park ponds and marshes all still frozen but did see a Song sparrow. Turns out, there's pretty much always something to see. -rick, mpls Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry 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] [mou-rba] Coon Rapids Dam Update
It was another wonderful morning out at the Dam on the Coon Rapids Side. The redheads and the lesser scaup were still there and in increasing numbers but still not a lot. I saw more buffleheads and goldeneye. My friend Larry saw some ruddy ducks but they weren’t in the area that I was walking. I also saw my first bluebirds of the season. There was a pair by the walkway that hung around for quite a while. We saw six or seven trumpeter swans a couple of bald eagles, more Canada Geese, and even more cedar waxwings. There were at least 20 hooded mergansers on the BP side of the river, thanks to a tip from another birder with a scope. There was a young man flying a drone near the channel. He said that he had the sense to keep it way from nests so I was happy about that. Here is a link to some photos. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronsthoughts/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronsthoughts/ Ron Taube Coon Rapids 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] LeConte's Sparrow
This morning I found an early LeConte's Sparrow at Resurrection Cemetery in Dakota County. It flushed from the edge of the grassland into a small spruce tree. I was able to get within 3 feet as it was trying to hide in the spruce. Tom TustisonHennepin 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
