Re: [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population

[Jason Frank]

I'm in Ortonville, and haven't seen a single hummingbird all summer long. I
only saw a few in the spring.

There are no Japanese Beetles this far west yet, so no one around here is
spraying for them. Plenty of people are spraying for everything else,
though. Ortonville is governed by the type of 20th Century idiocy that
employs a municipal mosquito spray truck which circles the town once a week
to kill every flying insect in its path (can't have all dem golfers and
lakeshore dwellers gettin all itchy, don't ya know). There are plenty of
flowers around town, and good nesting habitat in the parks and ravines. I
too am noticing low numbers of Barn and Tree Swallows... and I haven't seen
a Kestrel since April. At this point, it could be a whole cumulative effect
of climate, over-spraying and insect population collapse, and bird flu,
which I'd imagine could spread to hummers if their feeders are in close
proximity to seed and suet feeders. All those storms and heavy rain during
nesting season probably didn't help, either.

Jason Frank

On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 8:36 PM Nancy Steinhauser 
wrote:

> Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this summer.  From a
> great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.and who knows the
> ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have dwindled to less than a
> dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones have fledged.
> Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above Two Harbors)
> have reported the same "drop" in birds.  Bewildered.  They started to
> disappear early to mid-June and have not returned.  Wondering about bird
> flu.
> We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because of all the
> rain.  But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to feeders in
> previous wet summers.
> Any ideas/experiences?  The numbers here have been steadily going up for
> over
> 25 years.  Many feeders out.  Such a shock to have so few birds.
> Thanks in advance.
> Nancy in Superior Highlands
>
> 
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>
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> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


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[mou-net] Little Blue Heron at Salt Lake

[Jason Frank]

An apparent Little Blue Heron was found at Salt Lake yesterday afternoon.

It is showing up as an eBird report (by Nolan Meyer) now. He has a pic of
it crouching in a patch of phragmites.

I was down there yesterday evening between 6:45 and sunset, and didn't see
it. But I did see the picture, and to me it looks like a good call.

It was seen along the western bay, between the peninsula and the farm. This
is the point of access from the SD side, across the road from Zoar Church.

PLEASE NOTE: The line between public and private land cuts and east-west
line through the center of the bay.

When exploring the bay and peninsula, please do not hike to the southern or
southwest corner of the bay. That's somebody's yard. Stick to the
north/northwest side of it and you'll be fine.

Here is the DNR's map of the property line:

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/detail_report.html?id=WMA0091101

Also note: the easiest approach to this location would be from the south,
taking the border road (111th) north from Hwy 212. The roads around the NW
corner of Salt Lake could be difficult for low-riding 2-wheel drive
vehicles right now.


Jason Frank
Ortonville MN


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Weekend 2024 - Final Tally - 130 species

[Jason Frank]

Hello Birders,



Our final tally for the Salt Lake Birding Weekend can be found here:



https://moumn.org/saltlake/



We had 130 species this year, with upwards of 150 birders canvassing the
Lac qui Parle/Big Stone region. Morning weather was tough, but lots of
shorebirds started showing up after lunch, with Salt Lake being one of the
highlights. There we found Wilson’s Phalaropes, with Stilt Sandpipers and
Long-billed Dowitchers feeding side-by-side. All five of our core Grebe
species were located, with multiple pairs of courting Western Grebes
spotted in the Refuge and on the scattered potholes lakes of Big Stone
County. Other highlights included Sandhill Cranes, a Spotted Towhee in Big
Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Snowy and Cattle Egrets, along with
Black-necked Stilts, were located on Sunday.



Shorebird migration is now peaking in the area, and there is even more
standing water in the fields than there was last weekend.



Thanks again to all of our participating birders, my fellow guides Ken
Larson, Steve Weston, and Trey Weaver, and to the cities of Marietta and
Madison, the Marietta Legion Auxiliary, Madison Mercantile and Kris
Shelstad, and the Sons of Norway Lodge for hosting and feeding us.





Jason Frank

Ortonville MN


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Viewing Platform

[Jason Frank]

For those many, many birders who will be visiting Salt Lake this weekend:

Please be aware that the viewing platform on the Minnesota side is
pretty rough shape.

I'm requesting that groups and caravans of birders avoid using it this weekend.

With extremely high water and no mudflats on that side of the lake,
there aren't any decent viewing opportunities there right now anyway.

Currently, the best viewing areas are the peninsula across from Zoar
Church on the South Dakota side (but once you step out onto the
peninsula, you're technically back in Minnesota) and at the east
corner of the lake from the roadside.

Thank you!

Jason Frank
Salt Lake Birding Weekend Coordinator
Ortonville, MN


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Re: [mou-net] Garganey at Long Lake WPA, Cottonwood Co.

[Jason Frank]

UPDATE: I'm told by Brandon Semel that the bird is being reported on Discord.

What is Discord, you ask?

It is: "an instant messaging and VoIP social platform which allows
communication through voice calls, video calls, text messaging, and
media and files. Communication can be private or take place in virtual
communities called servers".

If anyone out there can get some more information, feel free to post
it here in this thread!

I would be open to caravanning down there during Salt Lake Weekend if
the bird is still present and being seen on Saturday.

On Wed, Apr 24, 2024 at 2:16 PM Jason Frank  wrote:
>
> I have a second-hand report of a Garganey at Long Lake WPA, near the
> small town of Westbrook, in Cottonwood County.
>
> This is a report coming from US F&WS Biologist Brandon Semel.
>
> I am not going to have time to drive down there and take a look this
> week, so I'm not fielding advice on how to find the bird, where to
> view, where to park, etc.
>
> Coordinates I've been given are:
>
> 43.9635603, -95.3770522
>
> If anyone who uses Facebook notices that there are sustained sightings
> of this bird leading up to the weekend, please keep me informed via
> email!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jason Frank
> Ortonville


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[mou-net] Garganey at Long Lake WPA, Cottonwood Co.

[Jason Frank]

I have a second-hand report of a Garganey at Long Lake WPA, near the
small town of Westbrook, in Cottonwood County.

This is a report coming from US F&WS Biologist Brandon Semel.

I am not going to have time to drive down there and take a look this
week, so I'm not fielding advice on how to find the bird, where to
view, where to park, etc.

Coordinates I've been given are:

43.9635603, -95.3770522

If anyone who uses Facebook notices that there are sustained sightings
of this bird leading up to the weekend, please keep me informed via
email!

Thanks,

Jason Frank
Ortonville


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[mou-net] Husdonian Godwit, Dunlin in Big Stone Co.

[Jason Frank]

I'm passing this along from Douglas Pierzina via eBird...

As of this morning:
2 Hudsonian Godwits, 5 Dunlin, 6 Baird's Sandpipers, 1 Lesser
Yellowlegs among many other waterfowl at Lane WPA in Big Stone County.

At the crossroads of Big Stone CR 5 and CR 7.
2 miles due south of the tiny town of Barry.


Jason Frank
Ortonville


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions Report

[Jason Frank]

Hello Birders,

Water is high in the Salt Lake birding area. Larger wetlands and the
Minnesota River are particularly full. We are forecast to receive over
1 inch of rain in the next 24 hours, so mudflats will be very few and
far between this year.

Leaves are also budding early. Swallows, Martins, and large
Dragonflies have appeared in the area, and bug splatter showed up very
thick on my windshield this weekend.

Yellow-rumped Warblers, Kinglets, and various other small Passerines
are moving through as well. Yellow-rumps are being seen hawking
insects in cattail stands.

Large flocks of Green-winged Teal are showing up now, and there are
still good numbers of ducks in the area, especially in Big Stone NWR
and Salt Lake. Canvasbacks, Gadwalls, Shovelers, Buffleheads,
Redheads, and Hooded Mergansers were very abundant this past weekend.
The Emily Creek delta area, at the west end of Lac qui Parle Lake at
Hwy 40, is looking like it'll be a productive backwater for
shorebirds.

I still haven't seen any decent-sized flocks of shorebirds in Lac qui
Parle, Big Stone, Swift, or Yellow Medicine Counties yet.

I have, however, been dropping GPS pins at productive-looking fields
and pastures with standing water in them, and will share a digital map
of these coordinates with our guides.

Finally, please be sure to RSVP for the dinner at Sons of Norway Lodge
on Saturday night at 7:00, if you're interested. Advance registration
is $15 per plate, and pre-payment by check or cash can be sent to
Bernice at the following address:

Bernice Oellien
2570 280th St
Madison MN 56256
oel...@farmerstel.net
(507) 829-0676

Full info for the Salt Lake Birding Weekend can be found here:

https://moumn.org/saltlake/


Jason Frank
Ortonville MN


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[mou-net] Massive Snow Goose Movement May Be Underway

[Jason Frank]

Yesterday morning at Salt Lake in Lac qui Parle County, I estimated up to
10,000 Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese gathered together in a
mixed flock.

This morning around 10:30 AM, I drove around the lake twice, and estimated
30,000 mixed Snows and White-fronted, with Snows being a bit more
prevalent. At the observation deck, I met Ezra and Isaac Hosch, who were
there earlier in the morning, estimating a total of 60,000 around sunrise.

This is the most impressive concentration of Snow Geese I've seen in Lac
qui Parle County since March 2013. Certainly one of the most remarkable
waterfowl concentrations I've seen in the area in many years. We have a
south wind forecast through Monday night, so there may be even more
movement underway right now.

OTHER SPECIES SEEN

4 Western Meadowlarks in the Marietta/Salt Lake area
Large flock of Pintails at Haydenville WMA
First Turkey Vulture in Ortonville (the fabled "scout" in the ravine)
2 Great Blue Herons, Hwy 75 Refuge Dam
Still some Common Mergansers off the Dam's Berm Road
A few Killdeers here and there, but no Yellowlegs yet


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Re: [mou-net] Barred Owl behavior this morning

[Jason Frank]

A parliament of owls working out an eleventh-hour deal to keep the forest
from shutting down...?

Or maybe a failed attempt by the stakeholders in an owl love triangle to
resolve, at long last, the age-old question of who cooks for whom?

The female owl could just be going through some Jane Austen stuff right
now; a first-year bird who's still on the fence about whom to pair up with.


Jason Frank
Ortonville

On Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 7:43 AM Kyle Te Poel  wrote:

> This morning I saw two Barred Owls on the ground. From a distance of a few
> hundred feet, even with binoculars, I couldn't make out great detail about
> what was going on, but I presumed it was a territorial dispute and that
> perhaps one of the owls was being attacked. Or, perhaps one owl caught some
> prey and the other wanted it. But the seemingly aggressive behavior was not
> continuous; it would start and stop. Over the course of about 15-20
> minutes, this went on--lots of owls on backs, flapping wings, interspersed
> with moments where they'd stop, sometimes face each other, sometimes hunker
> down and get hard to spot, then sit up a bit taller, then physically
> interact again. Most of the time, one or both of the owls were vocal as
> well (usually the very high pitched wail). At some point, a third one flew
> in (but did not land near the other two), but I did not see if it landed
> nearby or continued on. Neither of the two owls on the ground paid it any
> obvious attention.
>
> I perused my bird behavior books, and many owl-based websites, and didn't
> find anything specifically describing what I saw (in fact, and much to my
> surprise, even my Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior repeatedly states "not much
> is known" about various Barred Owl activity).
>
> Eventually, both of the owls that were engaged with each other on the
> ground flew away, in the same direction, and moments later one was heard
> giving its typical who-cooks...call. Not sure what happened with the third
> owl that had flown in.
>
> As to what exactly was going on, I'm left not fully certain and would
> gladly hear any input from anyone who's witnessed anything similar. I
> assume the birds were not likely to be mating on the ground. I also assume
> that a fight would not result in both birds flying off together (or what
> appeared to be "together"), or taking "timeouts" during the act wherein
> both birds were just apparently relaxed and disengaged before eventually
> continuing with the tussle.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Kyle Te Poel
> Stillwater Township, MN
>
> 
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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions, Migrant Arrivals, March 5

[Jason Frank]

Well, this is going to be a strange year.

Between Big Stone Lake, the Whetstone River, Minnesota River Headwaters,
Marsh Lake, and down to Lac qui Parle State Park (Watson dam), I observed
the following duckish species over the weekend:

Canada Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Mallard, Gadwall,
Redhead, Canvasback*, Ruddy Duck, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked
Duck, Common Merganser**, Red-Breasted Merganser,*** Hooded Merganser,
Common Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Wood Duck.

*Flock of 8 on the Minnesota River, viewed from bridge off county highway
15 due south of Odessa/Refuge HQ.

**Large concentration (roughly 30) actively diving/feeding far out in the
NE reservoir, viewed from berm road (scope) off Hwy 75 along the dam.

***At least 3 male RB Mergansers visible through scope alongside the
aforementioned Common Mergansers.

1 lone, croaking Sandhill Crane flew over Ortonville Sunday morning around
10:00 AM, too high for me to see.

Ring-billed Gulls, Northern Harriers, Western Meadowlarks, and Killdeers
have also just recently appeared.

SHOREBIRD HABITAT, MIGRATION OUTLOOK

There is minimal shorebird habitat in the area.

There wasn't enough snow cover to leave pools of standing water in tilled
fields. Pothole wetlands are not showing much shoreline. Salt Lake, for
instance, will only have a few feet of mudflats, best viewed from the SW
corner.

The Minnesota River between Ortonville and Marsh Lake is pretty low right
now. Some of the most easily-viewed mudflats will be along river banks this
year. There should be some decent river channel viewing at several points
within Big Stone NWR, and also around Marsh Lake and the Lac qui Parle
State Park dam.

Cory Lake, at Hamlin WMA in southern Lac qui Parle County, may be one of
the more productive sites for spring shorebird viewing. (It can be
challenging there in the summer due to shoreline vegetation). The lake is
undergoing a drawdown and could pool up with some temporary water if we get
some precipitation in the next 2 months. It may end up being one of our few
expansive mudflats this year.

The forecast is calling for warm temps and south winds again by the
weekend, so I'd expect another big wave of movement.

Jason Frank
Ortonville


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Re: [mou-net] Sandhill Cranes, Rachel Lilly Preserve, Dakota C

[Jason Frank]

I just heard a lone Sandhill Crane call from a very high altitude over
Ortonville, around 10:00 this morning.

Jason Frank

On Sun, Mar 3, 2024 at 9:46 AM linda whyte <
004e7b0e779a-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:

> Currently feeding in NE corner of the lake, and seen from the dock on the
> north shore, at least one, perhaps one of 3 that circled the marsh to the
> south earlier.
> Also, a Barred Owl calling from the NE part of the property, closer to hwy
> 62.
> Linda Whyte
>
> 
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> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


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Re: [mou-net] Be on the lookout

[Jason Frank]

In the past 2 days, in the areas around Big Stone NWR (near Odessa), the
Minnesota River Headwaters, Lakeside Park, the southern tip of Big Stone
Lake in Ortonville, and along Dike Road between Ortonville and Big Stone
City SD, the following waterfowl are currently present:



Several thousand Greater White-fronted Geese

Mallard (many stay the winter)

Gadwall

Redhead

Common Goldeneye

Ring-necked Duck

Ruddy Duck

Bufflehead



One of the best viewing areas is along Dike Road, from the bridge, where
the Whetstone River enters Big Stone Lake. (The Whetstone was diverted to
flow into the lake after the 1930s drought). The water is wide open and is
a popular feeding area for waterfowl, especially divers. You can either
view from the bridge, or from the shoreline in the city-run campground.



If you use eBird, look for reports by Brandon Semel and Douglas Pierzina.
They will be filing reports nearly every day through Migration Season, and
they are two of the area’s best birders.



I’ll be posting regular updates on migratory and nesting species, road and
habitat conditions, and noteworthy numbers or concentrations of birds here
on MOU-net.





Jason Frank

Ortonville

On Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 4:47 PM Jim Williams  wrote:

> From a birder who lives in SE SD, sent today:
> "There is an open pond by my nieces in southern sanborn country. Last
> night and today I saw redhead, lesser scaup, green-winged teal, mallard,
> wigeon, ring necked, Goldeneye. Along with Canada, cackling, white-fronted
> goose.
>
> Jim Williams
> Birding columnist
> Minneapolis StarTribune
> startribune.com/variety/homeandgarden
>
> 
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>


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area ADA Accessible Sites

[Jason Frank]

For any birders who are curious of ADA accessible sites in the Salt Lake
birding area:



Though there is a platform at Salt Lake, it isn’t rated as ADA accessible.
There is an unpaved path at a gradual downward slope, and it would be
tricky for a wheelchair.



Your best bet for accessible viewing platforms would be Big Stone National
Wildlife Refuge.



It has several areas with paved, level trails connected to parking areas.
This includes a few viewing platforms, some with gazebo-style shelters, and
others open to the elements. One of the viewing platforms on the Auto Tour
is wheelchair accessible and overlooks a shallow wetland popular with
shorebirds. It has some of those old-fashioned, metal-cased permanent
outdoor binoculars, including a new unit that has a special filtered lens
that corrects for birders with congenital red-green color blindness.



Here’s a link to a page that describes the different paved viewing areas.



LIST OF TRAILS:



https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big-stone/visit-us/trails



The trails that are listed as “paved” are generally pretty level. The only
slight rises and dips in elevation are on the paved sections of the Outcrop
Trail.



Unpaved trails tend to be narrow, and wind between trees and outcrops. Tree
roots, loose rocks, divots in the soil, and branches will all be found
underfoot. Some of the trails are moderately maintained with very fine
gravel. Others cross large swaths of exposed granite bedrock and can be
slippery if it’s recently rained.



LARGE INTERACTIVE REFUGE MAP:



https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big-stone/map



Hope this helps,



Jason Frank

Ortonville


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Birding Weekend, April 27, 2024

[Jason Frank]

The 46th Salt Lake Birding Weekend will take place in Lac qui Parle County
over the last weekend in April, with the main count day being Saturday,
April 27, 2024.



Last year’s highlights included 67 White-faced Ibises in one location,
Black-necked Stilt, Cattle Egret, American Goshawk, Short-eared Owl, and
the Grand Slam of Grebes (five species together) on one wetland.



On the evening of Friday, April 26, beginning at 5:30 PM, birders are
invited to stop by Madison Mercantile for a potluck dinner and live music.
It is a coffee shop/art gallery with a wine and beer selection.



Birders will meet at the American Legion in Marietta at 7:00 AM, Saturday,
April 27, with breakfast and coffee, available for a modest fee. They will
assemble with guides into caravans for the day. While most of the birding
is centered around Lac qui Parle County, they also make their way to sites
in Big Stone and/or Yellow Medicine counties.



Maps and checklists will be provided. After returning to the Legion at Noon
to buy lunch, birders will share their finds and then embark on the
afternoon leg of the journey. At 7:00 PM they will meet at the Sons of
Norway Lodge in Madison for supper and the final tally. Supper is roasted
chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and pie for $15. Reservations are
necessary for dinner with prepayment preferred; please contact: Bernice
Oelien or Camey Maland, Sons of Norway Lodge, at oel...@farmerstel.net,
(507) 829-0676, or (320) 752-4757.  Gluten-free and vegetarian options are
available upon request via RSVP.  Payment at the door without a reservation
will be $20 per dinner (limited meal availability).



The Salt Lake Birding Weekend is free and open to all, though advance
registration is appreciated, to help us with the planning.



To register, visit
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A9AC2FA5FFCE9-47207084-salt#/



Event venues, lodging options, and birding spots are provided on the linked
map on MOU’s Salt Lake Page, accessible from the homepage header bar, or
here:



https://moumn.org/saltlake/



(The map is best viewed in a web browser; the KML file can be downloaded to
view offline).



Any questions can be sent to Jason Frank, event coordinator, at
jmfran...@gmail.com.



NEW INFORMATION FOR 2024:



-Please note that we are starting the Saturday evening supper half an hour
earlier, at 7:00 PM instead of 7:30 PM.



-For those interested in dining venues for breakfast or lunch on the way
home Sunday morning: there are limited options in the area. Many
restaurants and cafes are not open on Sundays.



Here are the options I’m aware of:



The Sticks Bar and Grill, Madison

Opens at Noon



DeToy’s Restaurant, Madison

Opens at 8:00 AM



Ally Cat Bowling, Ortonville

Opens at 8:00 AM



Berkner Pizza, Ortonville

Opens at 11:00 AM



Peg’s Place Café, Appleton

Opens at 7:00 AM



The Rivers Family Restaurant, Montevideo

Opens at 6:00 AM


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[mou-net] Long-eared Owl, Big Stone NWR (hiking trail)

[Jason Frank]

There are at least 2 Long-eared Owls wintering in Big Stone National
Wildlife Refuge right now. I spotted them this morning, from what's called
the Granite Outcrop hiking trail.

Drive in on the auto tour, around the big rock with the face, and park by
the outhouses. Then hike east, following the Minnesota River. They are in
the woods on the south bank of the river, below the outcrops. That puts
them in Lac qui Parle County, if you're into listing.

This is the 5th winter in a row when I've either seen them in these
bottomlands or spoken with someone else who has. I'm going to try for a
picture. Unfortunately, I was shooting lichens this morning and only had a
wide angle lens.

Usually, the Auto Tour is inaccessible this time of year. It isn't plowed
for the winter, so our first significant snowfall usually means the end of
access till Spring. So this is a great opportunity to get in there and see
them, if anyone is in need of a LQP Long-ear.

The long-term forecast doesn't show much chance of accumulating snow any
time in the next 10 days.

Otherwise, there is nothing too unusual from the area to report.
We did have a fun CBC on December 16, logging nearly 10,000 Canada Geese
and around 3,000 Mallards wintering in the Ortonville/Odessa area right
now. They are keeping the ice off of certain lakes with their body heat.
Our count is probably a conservative one, as our CBC day was very, very
foggy and lots of birds were grounded.

Until something more interesting flies through,

Jason Frank
Ortonville


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[mou-net] Ortonville CBC, Saturday Dec 16

[Jason Frank]

The Ortonville area Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December
16.

Our circle includes Big Stone County, parts of Lac qui Parle County, and
Grant County, SD.

At the northern edge is the Meadowbrook unit of Big Stone Lake State Park,
and at the southern edge is the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge auto
tour. In between them, you'll find Rough-Legged Hawks, Snow Buntings,
Northern Shrikes, resident Pileated Woodpeckers, and lots of Bald Eagles.

There are public water access points on both sides of Big Stone Lake, and
we also have the Big Stone City power plant and it's reservoirs (which will
be open). There could be as many as 2,000 waterfowl overwintering here. And
it's not just Mallards and Canada Geese... last year, there were Goldeneyes
and Redheads that spent most of the winter in the area.

There are American Goshawks that regularly spend the winter in the
immediate vicinity of the power plant.

There are two areas within our circle that consistently yield good views of
Short Eared Owls during winter. One is along the southern edge of the
Refuge, and the other (which I suspect is a winter roost, as there are
often several birds at a time) along Hwy 109 near Bailey's Bay on the SD
side of the lake.

We've had at least one Long-Eared Owl that spends the winter in the woods
along the river on the Refuge Auto Tour.

Finally, the situation with El Nino seems to be heating up to record
levels, so there is a higher likelihood of mild temps and less snow for the
area as we head into winter.

Counters plan on meeting at 1:00 at Lingonberry's Cafe in downtown
Ortonville to discuss morning findings.

I will be willing to guide any interested birders to one of our Short-Eared
Owl sites to see what appears around sunset.

If you're interested in participating, contact either myself or co-leader
of the count, Brandon Semel, at either of the addresses below:

jmfran...@gmail.com
brandon_se...@fws.gov

We will divide the circle before the count and keep in touch with
interested parties via email.

Happy Holidays and Good Birding,

Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN


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[mou-net] 45th Salt Lake Birding Weekend - 139 Species!

[Jason Frank]

We had a great time out here for the 45th Salt Lake Birding Weekend, with
around 85 participants logging a total of 139 species on Friday, Saturday,
and Sunday.



Slightly more than half of our birders were either attending the count or
exploring the Lac qui Parle area for the first time, with many gaining
multiple life-birds during the course of the count.



Conditions were pleasant for the first half of Saturday, but even as the
wind picked up and blew relentlessly into Sunday, I still received some
nice reports from attendees birding on their way home, and was able to add
a few more species to the list.



Highlights included a reliable flock of White-faced Ibis numbering 60+
birds feeding and roosting at 151st St and County Hwy 40, three miles east
of Marietta; a Northern Goshawk dive-bombing a smaller group of Ibis at
Salt Lake; a Short-eared owl at Salt Lake; an American Pipit across the
road from the Prairie Marsh Farm driveway; a Black-crowned Night Heron
along LQP CR 12 between Sweetwater and Florida Creek; great concentrations
of migrant sparrows; 5 Grebe species on one slough (Sweetwater/Farrell)
along LQP CR 12; an easily viewable pair of Western Grebes along the Big
Stone NWR Auto Tour (they nested there with 3 chicks last year), and a
Black-necked Stilt found and photographed Sunday at the Lac qui Parle Dam
(see list below).



I’d like to thank the MOU and everyone who attended for spreading the word
and raising awareness about this little corner of the state. Shorebird
migration has just begun to pick up steam, so I’d expect the area to remain
productive in the days to come.



-Jason Frank,

Ortonville MN



*SALT LAKE BIRDING WEEKEND, APRIL 28-30, 2023, Total 139*



Snow Goose

Ross’s Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

Wood Duck

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Canvasback

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck

Greater Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Ruddy Duck

Ring-necked Pheasant

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Wild Turkey

Pied-billed Grebe

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Eared Grebe

Western Grebe

Rock Pigeon

Eurasian Collared Dove

Mourning Dove

Chimney Swift

Sora

American Coot

Sandhill Crane

American Avocet

American Golden Plover

Killdeer

Upland Sandpiper (reported by Brandon Semel, on LQP CR 51, just north of
Marsh Lake)

Hudsonian Godwit (Marsh Lake)

Marbled Godwit (Marsh Lake)

Dunlin

Baird’s Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

Long-Billed Dowitcher

Wilson’s Snipe

Solitary Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Willet

Greater Yellowlegs

Wilson’s Phalarope

Bonaparte’s Gull

Franklin’s Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Forster’s Tern

Double-Crested Cormorant

American White Pelican

American Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Black-crowned Night Heron

White-faced Ibis

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Northern Goshawk

Bald Eagle

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Short-eared Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Kestrel

Eastern Phoebe

Loggerhead Shrike

Blue Jay

American Crow

Horned Lark

Bank Swallow

Tree Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

House Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

Brown Thrasher

European Starling

House Sparrow

American Pipit

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Lark Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Clay-colored Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

American Tree Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

White-crowned Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Eastern Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Common Grackle

Black-and-white Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Northern Cardinal

Black-necked Stilt (reported and photographed by Shelley Bowman feeding in
the floodwaters near the ROAD CLOSED sign at the south end of the Lac qui
Parle dam, CR 33 just past the turn to 48)


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[mou-net] The Great Lac qui Parle Ibis Irruption of 2023

[Jason Frank]

Some eBird users may be seeing a huge murmuration of White-Faced Ibis
reports in Lac qui Parle County right now.

While these birds are present in what we all agree are record numbers
across the area, they are (as of today) especially concentrated in one
particular place.

The site is 3 miles due east of Marietta, along State Hwy 40. There is a
wet area with some mid-sized trees around it on the north side of the road,
and a smaller flooded patch to the south. It's next to the intersection
with 151st St.

(Avocet, Long-Billed Dowitcher, Willet, Pectoral and Least Sandpiper,
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and Dunlin have also showed up here, with
all but Least and Pectoral appearing in relatively low numbers)

The Ibises are favoring the northern part, and appear to be roosting there
overnight. The highest individual count from this site so far appears to be
66 birds. When my caravan stopped there yesterday morning around 9:00 AM,
there were only 4, though at 7:00 AM there were an estimated 50.

When I returned to check this morning at 6:30 AM, I counted 37. They seem
to quickly fan out across the area to feed shortly after sunrise, and
return at random times throughout the day in inconsistent numbers, both to
feed and to rest at this site. It is possible, with a telephoto lens, to
photograph the full group at sunrise or sunset. Today and Monday are
forecast to be awfully windy, though.

Regardless of how many there actually are, this is the most I've ever seen
in one place, and has proved to be one of our highlights for the Salt Lake
count this year.

I'll post more observations and a final tally on Monday.

Jason Frank


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Update #2

[Jason Frank]

Shorebirds are finally moving into the area in decent numbers. In the past
week, White-Faced Ibises have been seen frequently; in recent days, flocks
of various Peeps have arrived, and there appears to be a high number of
Grebes in the area.

Ken Larson had not a trifecta, nor a quadfecta, but a proper "pentafecta"
of species (Western, Red-Necked, Horned, Eared, and Pied-Billed) at the
Sweetwater/Bolson Slough area along CR 12 in Lac qui Parle County last
weekend. Other sites where I've seen large numbers of Grebes include Salt
Lake, Perry WMA, Big Stone Lake, and Caerulean WMA.

Ken also reported approximately 200 Pectoral Sandpipers, various Peeps, and
some Hudsonian Godwits in the flooded fields at the Hwy 75/212
intersection. That particular area is drying out fast, but there are plenty
of soggy grain fields, pastures, and hay meadows in the area where we can
expect to find more shorebirds. Areas east of Nassau along CRs 24 and 28
just east of Nassua, and the Gollnick/Northeast Four Corners WMA areas
along CR 14 (220th) between Marietta and Madison still show good potential.

>From Brandon Semel of Big Stone NWR, I have an early report of a Red-Headed
Woodpecker. The auto tour probably won't be open, as that area is still
flooded. Sapsuckers have arrived, along with a wave of migrant sparrows
(White-Crowned, White-Throated, Fox, Lincoln's, Harris's). Ducks are still
largely holding tight in the area, but the big flocks of Snow Geese and
White-Fronted Geese have largely moved on.

Gravel roads are greatly improved, with most of them having been graded at
this point. The Minnesota River at Montevideo is expected to remain in
moderate flood stage through the weekend, but running waters elsewhere in
our count area have dropped down to typical levels. Marsh Lake remains
high, but is drawing in lots of waterfowl.

Friday is expected to be cool, cloudy and windy, while Saturday is forecast
to stay cool (high of 50) with partly sunny conditions and light to
moderate winds for most of the day.



Jason Frank


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions

[Jason Frank]

Water levels on Marsh Lake, Lac qui Parle, and Big Stone Lake are very high
(up to the roadsides in some instances). Many public water access points
are underwater at the moment. The Louisburg Grade, which cuts through the
NW corner of Marsh Lake (part of the Scenic Byway), is closed. Big Stone
NWR Auto Tour is not yet open, but they are hoping to have it open by the
count weekend.



Salt Lake is also high, with no mudflats this year. There is a slight
washout in a low area of the road on the SD side in the NW corner of the
lake. It’ll still be worth visiting for waterfowl, our best sites for
shorebirds will be areas with standing water in fields, of which there will
be plenty. Scattered groups of Yellowlegs and White-Faced Ibises have been
seen in recent days. We have east-southeast winds forecast here till
Thursday; then it favors northerly winds till the middle of next week. So
shorebird movement is unlikely to peak before the count weekend.



Three miles east of Nassau along CR 24 (280th St) and Quilitz WMA, there
are wide swathes of standing water in flat, easy-viewing fields. Similar
conditions are found along CR 14 (220th St) around Northeast Four Corners
and Gollnick WMAs. These areas stand a great chance of attracting lots of
shorebirds.



Many low-lying gravel roads along rivers are still temporarily closed.
Roads haven’t been graded yet, but I expect that to happen soon. Gravel
roads away from water have dried out nicely. Some of heavier flooded areas
in our birding area are around Florida Creek and the Lac qui Parle River;
most WMA/WPA sites in those areas are still accessible, though you may have
to take a 1 or 2 mile detour around high water or washed out low-lying
roads.



The Minnesota River at Montevideo is in major flood stage and is expected
to at least be in moderate flood stage by Friday, April 28. Plan on detours
if you’re driving through Montevideo at that time; the riverside park and
camping areas will be closed.



Here is the latest condition report from staff at Lac qui Parle State Park:



“The spillway on the west side of Lac qui Parle dam is now underwater. This
is the access around the foot of the lake to get to the west side of the
park. Voldin's pit boat landing access is also underwater. The hiking trail
is now partially underwater.

“Waterfowl and spring bird migration is in full swing. Please bring your
own water if staying overnight in April. The shower building will not be up
and running until we have steady warm temperatures. Water can be refilled
in the office when it is open.”

REMINDER:



There will be a potluck dinner with music at Madison Mercantile, beginning
5:30 Friday evening. The address is: 601 1st St, Madison MN 56256.



Breakfast and lunch at the Marietta American Legion begins at 7:00 AM and
Noon on Saturday. No RSVP required. The address is: 11 3rd Ave, Marietta,
MN 56257.



Dinner Reservations for Saturday Night must be made by contacting Bernice
Oellien at Sons of Norway Lodge in Madison, via oel...@farmerstel.net. The
lodge is located in central Madison along Hwy 75. Dinner is $15 per person
and you can send her a check at:



Bernice Oellien

2570 280th St

Madison, MN 56256



Meal cost at the door without prepayment is $20.



I will post another update early next week.





-Jason Frank


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[mou-net] RV/Camping Options for Salt Lake Weekend

[Jason Frank]

I’ve had a few inquiries about RV/camping options for Salt Lake Birding
Weekend, so I’ve decided to compile a list of area campgrounds.





J.F. Jacobson Campground, along Hwy 75 in the center of Madison MN.
Operated by the city. They have 10 RV sites. Call the city office at
320-598-7337 for reservations/info.



In Appleton, there is Prairie West RV Park, 1 block south of Shooter’s Bar
and Grill, off Hwy 7. Contact Jason (not me) at 320-289-1202 or
320-760-7710 (after hours) for reservations/info. Fees are $30/night. I
don’t know how many individual sites there are.



In Canby, there is Stone Hill Park on Del Clarke Lake. There is a large RV
camping area, $30/night for electric and water, $20/night for electric
only. 64 individual sites. For directions, reservation, and further info,
visit http://www.lqpybwatershed.org/stone-hill---del-clark.html



In Gary SD, there is Buffalo Ridge Resort and Business Center, which has a
large RV camping area. $20/night for electric only, $27 for electric and
water, and $30 a night for electric, water, and sewer connection. 14
short-stay sites (the rest are rented on a seasonal basis). Reserve/inquire
online at
https://www.buffaloridgeresort.com/lodging/talking-waters-campground/



In Dawson, there are two campgrounds: Gnome Park (10 individual sites) and
Veterans Park (6 sites), both of which can accommodate RVs. $30/night
during “peak season” and $10/night during non-peak (which may yet include
April). Looks like water isn’t available till May, though. For inquiries
and reservations, contact Dawson city office at 320-769-2154 or visit
https://www.dawsonmn.com/campground



Near Watson, there is Lac qui Parle State Park’s Upper Campground. This is
on high ground with a view of the lake valley below. Inquire via the MN
DNR’s website.



https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00197#homepage



PLEASE NOTE:



The Upper Minnesota River Valley has a substantial snowpack right now.
Below are listed camping options that could be subject to delayed openings
or outright closures:



Lac qui Parle State Park has a Lower Campground along the river bottoms.
Seven miles north of Ortonville along Hwy 7, Big Stone Lake State Park has
a campground in its Meadowbrook area. Both of these sites are low-lying and
near water. If you’re interested in either park, keep an eye on their
respective web pages through the month of April for updates on conditions.



In Montevideo, there are 8 RV sites available at Lagoon Park along the
Chippewa River, available on a first-come/first-served basis (no
reservations). There is a dropbox for fees. $20/night.



Riverside Park in Ortonville has first-come/first-served camping with a
dropbox for payment. Along the Whetstone River at the foot of Big Stone
Lake.





Happy birding,



Jason Frank

Ortonville


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[mou-net] 45th Salt Lake Birding Weekend, April 28-29

[Jason Frank]

We are pleased to announce that, after a three-year hiatus, the Salt Lake
Birding Weekend is once again an annual event! Join us in Lac qui Parle
County to ring in our 45th spring while shorebird and waterfowl migration
peaks in the Upper Minnesota River Valley.



This is a great place to find rare and interesting migrants like Hudsonian
Godwit, American Avocet, Prairie Falcon, Western Grebe, Black-necked Stilt,
Glossy Ibis, and Northern Goshawk. Sharp-tailed Grouse have been seen
lekking in recent years. Also, water levels are down right now, suggesting
a good chance of finding productive mudflat habitat. We typically coincide
with the very start of warbler migration.



On the evening of Friday, April 28, beginning at 5:30, birders are invited
to stop by Madison Mercantile for a potluck dinner and live music. It is a
coffee shop/art gallery, and they will be featuring bird-themed works from
regional artists for the month of April. They also serve adult beverages.



Birders will meet at the American Legion in Marietta at 7:00 AM, Saturday,
April 29, for breakfast and coffee, available for a modest fee. There you
will meet your guides and assemble into caravans for the day. While most of
the count is centered around Lac qui Parle County, we generally also make
our way to sites in Big Stone and Yellow Medicine counties. In addition to
Salt Lake, birders can expect to visit numerous state and federal wetlands,
Big Stone NWR, Lac qui Parle State Park, Marsh Lake, and the many potholes
that dot southern Big Stone County.



Maps and checklists will be provided. Our guides will communicate via group
text, so any extraordinary sightings will be quickly known to all. The
final tally will be total species observed, but birders may still keep
track of individual numbers if they wish. After returning to the Legion at
noon for lunch, we will huddle to share intel and then embark on the
afternoon leg of the journey.



At 7:30 PM Saturday evening, birders will re-group at the Sons of Norway
Lodge in Madison for supper and the final tally. Dinner is fried chicken,
stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and pie for $15. Reservations are
necessary for dinner with prepayment preferred; please contact: Bernice
Oelien, Sons of Norway, at oel...@farmerstel.net, (507) 829-0676, or (320)
752-4757.  Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available upon request
via RSVP.  Payment at the door will be $20 per dinner (limited meal
availability).



Some of your guides will still be around birding on Sunday, so feel free to
make inquiries on Saturday night if you plan on lingering in the area.



The Salt Lake Birding Weekend is free and open to all, though advance
registration is appreciated, to help us with the planning.



To register, visit

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f48a9ac2fa5ffce9-salt#/   Any questions
can be sent to Jason Frank, event coordinator, at jmfran...@gmail.com.  Lodging
information, an area map, and the latest event details can be found online
( www.MOUMN.org/saltlake/ <http://www.moumn.org/saltlake/> ).


***IMPORTANT CORRECTION***

***PLEASE NOTE!!!***


My email address was misprinted in the MOU and Trumpeter Newsletters. My
apologies if you've tried to get ahold of me using that address... please
use jmfran...@gmail.com.


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[mou-net] Ortonville Area CBC, Sat. Dec. 17

[Jason Frank]

Hello All,



I am pleased to announce that we now have a reinvigorated CBC circle for
the Ortonville area, with myself and Brandon Semel (USFWS biologist at Big
Stone NWR) as the compilers.



Our count will take place on Saturday, December 17.



Here is a link to our MOU/Audubon page, to give you a sense of the area
we’ll be covering:



https://moumn.org/CBC/locations.php?cid=358



We’ve got good stretches of both sides of Big Stone Lake, the Meadowbrook
portion of Big Stone Lake State Park, the Big Stone power plant and its
adjacent wetlands, nice areas along the Whetstone River outside Big Stone
City, the Refuge Auto Tour, stretches of the Minnesota River, and some good
WMA/WPA land in the northeast corner of the circle.



Our plan is to meet at the Refuge headquarters in Odessa at 7:30 AM on the
17th. If you have any snacks or potluck dishes to share, please bring them.
Otherwise, it’s fine if you just pack your own breakfast and lunch. We will
meet there again at 2:00 PM for a lunch/snacks, and to share intel, before
heading out again for the last few hours of afternoon light.



(Refuge headquarters address: 44843 County Rd 19. Odessa, MN. 56276)



We will assemble ourselves into caravans and fan out to different sections
of our circle, preferably with (hopefully) at least one guide per group who
is familiar with the territory.



We have a great concentration of overwintering waterfowl in this circle,
especially around the power plant, where a pair of Goshawks usually spend
the winter. Northern Shrikes and Rough-Legged Hawks have already arrived.
There are places on the South Dakota shores of Big Stone Lake where
Short-Eared Owls show up for winter communal roosts. Northern Cardinals,
Barred Owls, Cedar Waxwings, and Pileated Woodpeckers are active in town in
Ortonville right now, and I’ve had a few Purple Finches at my feeders in
the past few weeks.



If you’re interested in participating, or if you know anyone who is, please
forward this to them, and/or let us know! You can email either myself or
Brandon:



Jason Frank



jmfran...@gmail.com



Brandon Semel



brandon_se...@fws.gov



Hope to see you there! And if not, have a happy holiday season!


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Re: [mou-net] Red-bellied Woodpecker with rodent, Hennepin County

[Jason Frank]

Interesting question about the drought, Linda...

It made me think about a Flicker I saw back in a bad drought year who
pecked a small garter snake to death, and then flew off with it into a
grove. Later that same winter I saw Downy Woodpeckers and Chickadees
picking scraps from the ribs of a frozen deer carcass. This would've been
10-12 years ago.

On Sat, Nov 26, 2022 at 2:54 PM linda whyte <
004e7b0e779a-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:

> Interesting observation/documentation, Brian.
> Caching behavior is not surprising, but the particular content seems a bit
> so, especially given that it's not breeding season. It opens a whole host
> of speculative questions.
> Might recent drought and lower insect population make such birds more
> interested in larger prey?
> Would cached carcasses in frozen state be a form of food insurance?
> Do the Red-bellieds present food trophies to prospective partners?
> If this species is increasing in number, does such behavior represent a
> learned adaptation that gives them some advantage?
> It all makes the Red-bellieds even more interesting to watch! Thanks for
> posting.
> Linda Whyte
>
> On Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 12:45 PM MOU  wrote:
>
> > (Posted by Brian Tennessen  via moumn.org)
> >
> > This morning at Old Cedar Bridge, actually beyond the bridge, over where
> > the trail from the bridge T's at the river, I observed a behavior I've
> not
> > seen before--A Red-bellied Woodpecker with a small rodent, maybe a vole
> or
> > shrew, maybe a mouse for that matter.
> >
> > The bird carrried this around for some time, then put it into a tree
> hole,
> > seeming to cache it.  It then flew off.  I would imagine this is an
> > opportunistic find that this Woodpecker came upon, maybe a cached kill
> of a
> > Shrike for example. After caching, the woodpecker still had a small piece
> > of innards that I presume it then ate, I have a photo of this as well.
> If
> > anyone has seen this behavior before or thoughts on this, please comment.
> > Quite an interesting behavior..
> >
> > I talked with Dale Carlson and Steve Carlson about this after this
> > occurred, as they were both down at the bridge as well, and showed them
> the
> > photos on my camera.  Neither of them had observed this behavior before.
> >
> > Please comment with any thoughts, similar observations you may have had
> in
> > the past etc.
> >
> > https://flic.kr/p/2o2jjxc
> >
> > https://flic.kr/p/2o2gvbR
> >
> > Brian T.
> > St. Paul MN
> >
> > 
> > General information and guidelines for posting:
> > https://moumn.org/listservice.html
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> >
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> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >
>
> 
> General information and guidelines for posting:
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>
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> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota

"Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Thomas Paine."


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Re: [mou-net] Raptors, metro area.

[Jason Frank]

I'll chime in here, from The Edge of the Realm (Ortonville)

-Eagle numbers around here seem pretty average to me. There is a nest in
Big Stone NWR, easily visible on the exit route of the auto tour through
the woods by the river, where there's a strong/healthy-looking juvenile
branching now and ready to fly. I'm still seeing multiple adults per day
soaring around.

-Accipiter numbers appear typical. Cooper's and Sharp-Shins are a common
site in town and in the woods along Big Stone Lake. Kestrel numbers seem
typical (for the past 10 years, which is to say: fewer than there were 20
years ago). Red-Tails are still around but seem to be roughly 1/3 less than
what I was seeing last year at this time.

-Turkey Vultures are showing the most notable decline here. Last year,
there would be at least 40 adults who would congregate in Ortonville to
roost every evening. By late summer, they'd typically expand to around 60
individuals. They'd usually start drifting into town around 6:00 PM. That's
about how many showed up in April, and since early May I haven't seen more
than 15 coming in to roost and/or taking off in the mornings. They were
eating a lot of roadkilled turkeys and pheasants this spring.

On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 3:52 PM Tom Gilde <
2247eb7407f6-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:

> Subjectively, I am not seeing the familiar eagles and osprey in SW St.
> Paul and Lilydale.  I’m wondering whether anyone has, or can point me to,
> objective data about the impact of avian flu on our local raptors.  I miss
> them.
>
> Tom Gilde
> 
> General information and guidelines for posting:
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>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Cattle Egrets in Ortonville, Big Stone Co.

[Jason Frank]

6 Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage just showed up at the foot of Big Stone
Lake in Ortonville. They are feeding in the grass beside the lake along
Dike Road (just west of the grocery store parking lot, where the river
comes out of the lake). They were somewhat tolerant of traffic and
photography, but big loud trucks made them a little jumpy.

Link to a pic here:

https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/Flora-Fauna/i-DGWp7nf/A

It's been a long time since I've spotted Cattle Egrets out here, and can't
recall ever seeing this many in one place before.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Upland Sandpiper, Orioles, Accipiters, etc. Big Stone/LQP

[Jason Frank]

The Baltimore Orioles showed up in town in Ortonville this afternoon.
Hummingbirds have been around since last Friday. Also had my
first-of-the-year Upland Sandpiper at Plover Prairie this afternoon; it
crossed the road in front of me and I watched it bob up and down through
the ditch before it jumped up and landed in some heavier cover (we had some
of that capital-W WIND today). Lots of Yellow Warblers also showed up in
the Central Park Ravine, mid-town Ortonville, and Yellow-Rumps are
plentiful. Hermit and Swainson's Thrushes present as well. Still no
goslings or ducklings. Chipping Sparrows are singing loudly; the Juncos
have finally left (not that I'm complaining).

Most Tundra-bound shorebirds are absent from the area and seem to have just
blown right on through 2 weeks ago... there are still some random flooded
fields where a few Leasts, Spotteds, and Yellowlegs are present.

A breeding pair of both Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned Hawks are flying all
over Ortonville town-proper right now; both species have been present every
summer since I moved here in 2018.

Last Wednesday I was in Northeast Minneapolis and the Herons and Egrets at
the Marshall Terrace Rookery were regurgitating into their nests. There are
excellent photo-ops there from the rivertop platforms; catkins were
dropping at the time, so they should be obscured soon. Get em while you can
get em.

While driving east to the Cities last week, I was *heartily astounded* by
the number of Trumpeter Swan pairs I briefly glimpsed nesting/incubating on
random roadside ponds (usually on top of a beaver/muskrat lodge) along HWY
12 between Litchfield and Delano. Thanks again, Mr. Henderson!

Not seeing any evidence whatsoever of bird flu mortality among songbirds or
raptors in this corner of the state; I'll be sure to report if I do.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] Ruff (Pine Co.)

[Jason Frank]

I just received word from Ken Larson that it left this morning; he and
friends stuck around for awhile but it didn't return.

On Tue, May 3, 2022 at 10:43 AM Steve Weston  wrote:

> Any reports today?
>
> Steve Weston
> On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN
> swesto...@gmail.com
>
>
> <
> http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail
> >
> Virus-free.
> www.avg.com
> <
> http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail
> >
> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
>
> On Mon, May 2, 2022 at 5:10 PM Alyssa DeRubeis 
> wrote:
>
> > The bird is still present. About a dozen birders are on site.
> >
> > Alyssa DeRubeis
> > Golden Valley, Hennepin Co.
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On May 2, 2022, at 3:07 PM, Doug Kieser  wrote:
> > >
> > > Take the Highway 70 (Rock Creek) exit from I-35.  Go west, the first
> > > crossroads is Falcon Avenue.   Turn south on Falcon, the Ruff is with
> > > Yellowlegs in the flooded area on the west side a quarter mile or so
> > south
> > > of 70.
> > >
> > > Douglas Kieser
> > > Hennepin County
> > >
> > >> On Mon, May 2, 2022, 2:55 PM Warren Woessner 
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Can you give us directions to a viewing site that doesn't use
> > coordinates
> > >> Thanks
> > >> Warren
> > >>
> > >> Warren D. Woessner
> > >> Partner
> > >> Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner
> > >> 121 South 8th St., Suite 1600, Minneapolis, MN 55402
> > >> Office: 612-373-6900 x 6903
> > >> Fax: 612-339-3061
> > >> wwoess...@slwip.com
> > >> http://www.slwip.com
> > >>
> > >> This electronic transmission from Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.
> > >> contains information which is confidential and/or privileged. The
> > >> information is intended for use only by the individual or entity named
> > >> above. If you are not the intended recipient (or the employee or agent
> > >> responsible for delivering this information to the intended
> recipient),
> > you
> > >> are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution, or
> > copying
> > >> of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this
> > information
> > >> in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at: Austin
> > >> 512-628-9320; Minneapolis 612-373-6900; San Jose 408-278-4040 or by
> > >> electronic mail and delete all copies of the transmission. Thank you.
> > >>
> > >> -Original Message-
> > >> From: Minnesota Birds  On Behalf Of Susan
> Barnes
> > >> Elliott
> > >> Sent: Monday, May 2, 2022 1:23 PM
> > >> To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU
> > >> Subject: Re: [mou-net] Ruff (Pine Co.)
> > >>
> > >> Hello All - It’s back (again)!
> > >>
> > >> Sent from my iPhone
> > >>
> > >>> On May 2, 2022, at 12:56 PM, Alyssa DeRubeis 
> > >> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> Kris Moulton found a male Ruff at these coordinates this morning:
> > >>>
> > >>> (45.7644305, -93.0024262)
> > >>>
> > >>> It has been seen by several other birders on and off so far today,
> with
> > >> a pesky Northern Harrier flushing the bird and associating yellowlegs
> > on a
> > >> regular basis.
> > >>>
> > >>> Good luck—
> > >>>
> > >>> Alyssa DeRubeis
> > >>> visiting Golden Valley, Hennepin Co.
> > >>> 
> > >>> General information and guidelines for posting:
> > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> > >>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
> > >>>
> > >>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> > >> social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> > >>
> > >> 
> > >> General information and guidelines for posting:
> > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
> > >>
> > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> > social
> > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> 
> > >> General information and guidelines for posting:
> > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
> > >>
> > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> > social
> > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> > >>
> > >
> > > 
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> > >
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> >
> > 
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Re: [mou-net] First Chipping Sparrow while still Redpolls!

[Jason Frank]

I'm sitting here with Chipping Sparrows, Juncos, both Shrikes, ticks, and
frogs, and the Pasque flowers don't know what to do.

The multiverse has been breached by an interdimensional herniation in the
spacetime continuum.

On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 9:52 AM Laura Erickson 
wrote:

> I often see my first Chipping Sparrow while a few American Tree Sparrows
> and juncos are lingering, but this morning is the first time in all my 41
> years in Duluth, I think, when my first chippie arrived while more than 50
> redpolls were still hanging around in my yard.
>
> On Thursday, I made a pretty nice 5-minute recording of a singing tree
> sparrow with Fox, Song, and White-throated Sparrows, juncos, robins, and
> redpolls in the background. <
> https://www.lauraerickson.com/sound-recording/13342/> I'm stuck here
> quarantining with Covid (and we are fully vaxxed and boosted, wear masks
> everywhere indoors, and have been EXTREMELY careful!). I wasn't very sick,
> but I am glad my backyard birds have been good company to make up for
> my missing a Piping Plover on Park Point.
>
> Stay healthy.
>
> --
> Laura Erickson
> Duluth, MN
> she/her/hers
>
> For the love, understanding, and protection of birds
> www.lauraerickson.com
> www.patreon.com/lauraerickson
>
> You were made and set here to give voice to this, your own astonishment.
>—Annie Dillard
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
>
> 
> General information and guidelines for posting:
> https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


General information and guidelines for posting: 
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distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

Re: [mou-net] Common Redpolls Eating Suet

[Jason Frank]

During especially cold and snowy winters (Jan-Feb 2017 and Jan-Feb 2011)
out here, I've had large flocks of Redpolls clear out a dozen suet cages in
two days. This was a mixture of plain beef suet from a local butcher shop
and "High Energy" suet cakes which have some seeds and cracked corn but are
mostly fat. Both of these periods involved extended periods of subzero
weather with snow cover in excess of 2 feet.

During spring fallout caused by abrupt cold/mass insect deaths, I've seen
the Yellow-Rumps gorge themselves on suet. The most memorable was Spring
'07, when we had that big flash-freeze. Also saw Eastern Bluebirds and
Red-Winged Blackbirds doing the same thing... I remember that was the first
year I got a digital camera, and I was standing inches from the feeders
getting shots of them and several of them landed on my hat. I was still in
Isanti Co. when that happened.



On Sat, Apr 16, 2022 at 12:15 PM Steve Wilson 
wrote:

> In early February I noticed my first observation of common redpolls eating
> suet that did not contain seeds of any type. At first it seemed to be a
> single bird, then a few, and has gained in popularity to where they are
> mobbing the suet ball today. Others in NE MN are reporting the same. It
> should be noted that reports of hundreds of redpolls at a single seed
> feeder
> are not unusual in the last week or so. I've not found anywhere, including
> in the authoritative Birds of the World species' account, that mentions
> suet
> as a food item. I'd like to document the extent of this behavior. To that
> end, I would appreciate receiving any reports on common redpolls eating
> non-seed-containing suet this winter, or in past winters, for that matter.
> If you noted any dates, please include them. Even approximations of when
> the
> behavior was first noted, numbers, and how the behavior progressed - or
> didn't - as time went on would be much appreciated. And of course the
> location. Replying to me individually is fine.
>
>
>
> Footnote: I just had two feeding on peanuts, which I've also not seen
> before, but peanuts are not so far afield from their supposed winter diet
> limited to vegetable matter.
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>
> Steve Wilson
>
> Tower, MN
>
>
> 
> General information and guidelines for posting:
> https://moumn.org/listservice.html
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>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Lodging FYI

[Jason Frank]

Since there are inquiries coming in, here are some tips:

Madison:

Madison's Hometown Lodge (Formerly Lou's Lodge)


Dawson:

Picket Fence Motel


Ortonville:

Econo Lodge

Idle Spurs Inn

Lingonberry Lodge
https://lingonberrys-pastry-and-coffee-shop.business.site/
(attached to Lingonberrys Pastry and Coffee Shop on Main Street, not
widely publicized but very nice; I can vouch for them... look them up on
Facebook if you use it)

The Lincoln House via Airbnb
(Very nice, with rates matching the local motels; I can vouch for them)
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14820725?source_impression_id=p3_1649538951_2F9y9SG%2BWahO9BC9


Appleton:

Prairie Waters Inn


Gary, SD (approx. 20 minutes south of Salt Lake)
http://www.gatecitylodge.com/
(Cool old building; quiet neighborhood, reasonable rates; can vouch for
them)


Milbank, SD (10 minute drive from Ortonville)

Manor Motel

Lantern Inn

Super 8

Big Stone Lake State Park and Lac qui Parle State Park are two options for
tenters and/or RVers.


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Pelicans, plus Recent Spring Observations, Big Stone/Lac qui Parle

[Jason Frank]

Small flocks of Pelicans have returned to Big Stone Lake-- on Friday
morning there were 3 soaring over the south end of the lake in Ortonville,
and on Saturday afternoon there were 6 soaring over Big Stone NWR near Hwy
7. The south end of the lake is open, but elsewhere there is still quite a
bit of ice, though its visibly thin and ready to go. The Refuge Auto Tour
route is open and there's an excellent new Bald Eagle nest viewing/photo
opportunity along the MN River in the woods on the one-way exit route from
the main loop; looks like they're still incubating as of Saturday afternoon.

Also on Saturday, I heard my first winnowing Snipe at Long Tom Lake, a few
miles east of Ortonville. I so far have only one Greater Yellowlegs for the
southern Big Stone/northern Lac qui Parle area, which was seen on Friday;
shorebirds seem to be staying put south of the Upper MN River Valley, and
this is one of the laggiest springs I've ever seen. Even Killdeers are few
and far between at the moment.

Other news: one week ago, I heard an Eastern Screech Owl trilling in the
Central Park ravine, in Ortonville. There are a pair of Barred Owls nesting
down there again, and they're vocal at all hours of day and night; I held
off on reporting the Screech because I wanted to see if it would
(presumably) survive the night; I think it likely only exists in
pellet-form now, because I haven't heard it since, and have been listening
with windows open after sunset. This is the THIRD spring in a row when a
Screech Owl has showed up in the ravine to vocalize for one night only, so
in the very least there is some site nearby where they are reproducing and
attempting to spread out.

Friday and Saturday, some new waves of ducks moved in, including large
flocks of Pintail, Canvasback, Scaup, and Wigeon. First small groups of
Wood Ducks were seen on the MN River around the Refuge on Saturday
afternoon.

Last Tuesday, a lone Turkey Vulture was soaring over town, but hasn't been
seen since. Must've been sent north on a scouting mission.

Rough-Legged Hawks are still around, but are being replaced by more and
more Red-Tails with each passing day.

We had about "average" snowfall this winter, but it's been enough to raise
the water levels on many wetlands that had ample shoreline last
August/September; Salt Lake, for instance, seems to have lost around a foot
of shoreline since ice-up last winter.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Peregrine Falcons, NE MPLS

[Jason Frank]

Visiting Minneapolis this weekend, I took a walk over to Marshall Terrace
Park, along Marshall St NE and next to the NSP power plant, to check out
the heron rookery on the island there. The herons are back and perching on
their nests, but I also got to see the pair of Peregrines who nest on the
power plant perching atop a group of old rusty power poles directly across
the street from the plant; I could hear them cackling to each other from
half a block away, and noticed a stream of downy pigeon feathers drifting
down to earth. As soon as I got under the poles, one flew back to the plant
with the pigeon while the other remained perching for awhile.

For those who aren't that familiar with this part of the city, the falcons
are usually pretty easy to find either in Marshall Terrace Park or along St
Anthony Parkway/Columbia Golf Course just a few blocks north. They
especially seem to like to perch and hunt pigeons from the parkway bridge
above the switchyard.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] First Flocks of Common Goldeneyes, Upper MN River Valley

[Jason Frank]

This morning there were small northbound flocks of Common Goldeneyes,
between 6 and 14 individuals, at the following Upper Minnesota River Valley
locations:

-Minnesota River Headwaters Dam, Ortonville (Big Stone Co)
-Whetstone River, south end of Big Stone Lake, MN/SD border (Big Stone Co)
-Lac qui Parle State Park dam west of Watson/near Old LQP Mission (LQP Co)
-Minnesota River at SW end of Montevideo (LQP Co)

This is as early as I've ever spotted them in this area in the 13 years
I've been here.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
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[mou-net] Snowy Owls + Rough Legged Hawks in Big Stone/LQP Counties

[Jason Frank]

I found one Snowy Owl this morning in southwestern Big Stone County and
another near the Minnesota River in northern Lac qui Parle County. One was
on a fencepost along the roadside and the other was further out in a field
on a big round hay bale. I've heard from 2 other people in the Ortonville
area who have seen others in different locations over the past few days/
Humanity and Facebook being what they are, I'm not giving any more explicit
location details for northern owls in a public forum.

Also of note, which seem to be occurring alongside this recent influx of
owls, are good numbers of Rough-Legged Hawks and Northern Shrikes in the
Big Stone/Lac qui Parle region. Anywhere around Big Stone NWR, Marsh Lake,
and LQP State Park/Refuge should produce multiple sightings.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


General information and guidelines for posting: 
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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

Re: [mou-net] Gryfalcon at Two Fishhouse bay?

[Jason Frank]

I've got relatives who live near the bay and they haven't seen/heard of it.

Please note:

The Two Fish House Bay/Red Rock Beach site on the Grand Portage
Reservation is owned by the tribe and NOT open to the general public.
There is a barricade there with signage stating "Local Residents
Only." It used to be un-posted and was frequented by tourists, but too
much vandalism and littering (among other issues) led to it being
closed. As with the Witch Tree site, the only way to legally access it
is with an accompanying community member who's willing to guide you;
that beach is a sacred site to the tribe and a bunch of birders
showing up to look around is going to attract a lot of attention.
Anyone who goes up there looking for this bird will be representing
the MN birding community; please respect private property and tribal
sovereignty.

On 8/11/21, Nina Hale  wrote:
> A friend in Grand Portage says a Gryfalcon has been hanging around there
> all summer. Does anyone live around there who can confirm this?
>
> N
>
> Nina Hale
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Semipalmated Plover - Salt Lake

[Jason Frank]

Sorry- it's been brought to my attention that I mentioned
"Semipalmated Sandpiper" twice in my Salt Lake report.

The second mention of the bird was meant to be "Semipalmated "PLOVER."

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Salt Lake has Mudflats! Also, Rough-Legged Hawk in Meeker Co.

[Jason Frank]

The drought has brought the mudflats back to Salt Lake in Lac qui
Parle County, with some extending about 30 feet out. Viewing (and
photography opportunities) on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning
were excellent along the west shore road and around the
peninsula/inlet, with big flocks of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs,
Pectoral, Baird, some Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Killdeer, a
few Phalaropes, plus a lone Dunlin, lone Marbled Godwit, and a
Semipalmated Sandpiper. In addition there were several thousand Tree
and Barn Swallows staging on the power lines.

Also:

As I was driving to the Cities Friday afternoon, I spotted a lone
Buteo hovering over the ditch on the south side of Hwy 7, halfway
between Cosmos and Corvuso. I've seen a few Red-Tails hover, briefly,
during windy conditions, but there was no wind yesterday and the
sustained hovering piqued my interest. I wasn't able to pull over,
being sandwiched between two semi trucks, but slowed down as best I
could and as I passed the bird, I saw the telltale markings of a
"classic" Roughie with white underwings and dark patches, plus the
dark belly and light tail, and the dainty beak compared to a Red Tail
was apparent as well. A mile or so further, I was able to turn around
and tried to get back for a picture, but the bird had flown off with
whatever rodent it'd caught and so I only had a view through
binoculars. Total viewing time hovering was 10-15 seconds.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Loons with Fledgling on Big Stone Lake - Ortonville

[Jason Frank]

A week ago, a friend who lives on Big Stone Lake near the area called
Lagoona Beach about 7 miles north of Ortonville off Big Stone Co Hwy 7
told me that a pair of Common Loons with 1 chick had been spending a
lot of time in front of their dock.

I tried a few times to canvass the area when I was off work and didn't
get a look at them until yesterday (through the scope, very far out).
After doing a little digging, I was able to talk with 3 other people
who live on the shore in that area who have also seen/heard them, and
1 of them told me that this is the fourth year they've been nesting
and fledging chicks on the lake.

The area where they're most often seen is between the 2 largest
islands at the south end of the lake (Big Stone Island and Manhattan,
which have smaller islands called Pancake and Frying Pan, along with
several rock reefs, in between them). These islands are technically
across the "border" and are part of South Dakota. No one I've talked
to has seen the nest or knows exactly where it is, but it's assumed to
be on one of the islands. Any given day, they're just as likely to be
cruising the MN side as they are the SD side.

Most of Big Stone Lake is surrounded by private property, but the 2
public boat landings NW of Ortonville shown on the map below would
both be worth scoping out if anyone is interested in a Big Stone
County Loon.

https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/water_access/counties/bigstone_traverse.pdf

Algae blooms are quickly overtaking the southern end of the lake, so
boat traffic now is minimal.

Not being a boater, I was surprised to learn of these birds because
Big Stone only has a max. depth of 15 feet and gets pretty murky in
the summer. It's worth noting though that Google maps shows a spot
listed as "Northern Pike Spawning Area" nearby and the DNR has a
fish-rearing pond at Meadowbrook, plus everything I hear from
fishermen points to a robust perch population, so it's good to know
they're finding enough food to make a home here.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] Duluth Lighthouse could belong to MOU?

[Jason Frank]

Agreed that this would be brilliant, we could easily bird-proof the
glass, and also I would volunteer to be the keeper.

Jason Frank

On 5/20/21, Sue Keator  wrote:
> I never saw any response to this but I also think it could be a great
> opportunity for MOU, depending on costs to maintain vs money that could be
> brought in.
> Sue Keator
> Melody Lake, Edina
>
> On Sat, May 15, 2021 at 10:05 AM Mory Jahangir 
> wrote:
>
>> Here’s an idea for MOU. The organization as a non profit could own this
>> historic Lighthouse to use as the ultimate place to watch Gulls and other
>> birds, and perhaps for other activities.
>>
>>
>> https://www.startribune.com/duluth-lighthouse-free-to-right-caretaker/600057298/
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> Mory Jahangir
>> La Crosse, Wisconsin.
>>
>> --
>> Mory Jahangir
>> mory.jahan...@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
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>>
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

Re: [mou-net] Bluebird Winter Mortality

[Jason Frank]

For what it's worth, I had a lone male Eastern Bluebird on the auto
tour route of Big Stone NWR last Saturday morning. That was the first
and only one I've seen this year.

On 5/2/21, Tami Vogel  wrote:
> 
> They don't cite any references but saw this a couple days ago:
>
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3850149461728368&id=305503869526296
>
>
> I've only seen a couple around Afton, none in my yard yet.
>
> A friend had a pair lay four eggs last week and then sadly abandon the
> nest.
>
>
>
>  - Tami in Afton
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Minnesota Birds  on behalf of Jeanie Joppru
> 
> Sent: Sunday, May 2, 2021 7:25:25 PM
> To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU 
> Subject: Re: [mou-net] FOY Rose-breasted Grosbeak, south Cass
>
> I live in Thief River Falls, Pennington County, and have yet to see a
> bluebird this spring. Usually I see several in March or early April, then by
> May , the main migration shows up.I think they must have run into some of
> the snowstorms further south causing them to turn south again. I expect they
> will eventually arrive, but no time for two broods this summer.
> Jeanie
>
> Jeanie Joppru
> Pennington County, MN
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
>
>> On May 2, 2021, at 5:57 PM, m...@moumn.org wrote:
>>
>> (Posted by Mike North
>> 
>> via
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__moumn.org&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=K25HuXK1lOJNBi2eWh0TF-Ik9RLAdM7wtRgeiFMaLGg&e=)
>>
>> Had my first rose-breasted grosbeak (a male) this morning, ONE day after
>> my first eastern
>> bluebird.  What's wrong with this picture?  I haven't heard from any of my
>> northern
>> birdwatcher friends who have seen a bluebird yet, but they must be nesting
>> in some places in
>> MN already.  Just curious where.
>> 
>> Join or Leave mou-net:
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.umn.edu_cgi-2Dbin_wa-3FSUBED1-3Dmou-2Dnet&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=etDQzoUpPNRnDHnoWE3HGinZHlmDDAXflpdN57LesbQ&e=
>> Archives:
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.umn.edu_archives_mou-2Dnet.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=7hR9boqdIf1Y0TTnQl8AxoEYkz-yorlZOitCrLSqsww&e=
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net:
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.umn.edu_cgi-2Dbin_wa-3FSUBED1-3Dmou-2Dnet&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=etDQzoUpPNRnDHnoWE3HGinZHlmDDAXflpdN57LesbQ&e=
> Archives:
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.umn.edu_archives_mou-2Dnet.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=7hR9boqdIf1Y0TTnQl8AxoEYkz-yorlZOitCrLSqsww&e=
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
> Tami Vogel
> Communications Director
> Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota
> www.wrcmn.org
> www.facebook/WRCMN
> Twitter/IG @WRCMN
> 
> From: Minnesota Birds  on behalf of Jeanie Joppru
> 
> Sent: Sunday, May 2, 2021 7:25:25 PM
> To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU 
> Subject: Re: [mou-net] FOY Rose-breasted Grosbeak, south Cass
>
> I live in Thief River Falls, Pennington County, and have yet to see a
> bluebird this spring. Usually I see several in March or early April, then by
> May , the main migration shows up.I think they must have run into some of
> the snowstorms further south causing them to turn south again. I expect they
> will eventually arrive, but no time for two broods this summer.
> Jeanie
>
> Jeanie Joppru
> Pennington County, MN
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
>
>> On May 2, 2021, at 5:57 PM, m...@moumn.org wrote:
>>
>> (Posted by Mike North
>> 
>> via
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__moumn.org&d=DwIFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5gIOkmnQ1nLB2gWkMnpF7Q&m=uz8wI4XS_wspkq0nO7gP1ACOpnkkViK0Lzpgs5q1BCE&s=K25HuXK1

Re: [mou-net] How do birds care for their feet especially during these cold winter months?

[Jason Frank]

This is very interesting; just this morning I was having a
conversation with someone who's had a tail-featherless Blue Jay
regularly visiting his feeders this winter. He was surprised that it
could still fly relatively well, but it piqued his interest and he
started doing some research and told me that birds also lack
nerve-endings in their rear ends. Does anyone know if this is true for
all birds, or just certain genera? I've seen a few de-tailed pheasants
over the years, but had always sort of figured that the sensation of
losing plumage would be equivalent to the loss of a finger nail.

On 2/5/21, Laura Erickson  wrote:
> Also, because bird feet are not vulnerable to frostbite (except, in the
> case of feeder birds, for doves and pigeons, which pig out, filling up
> their crops and then spending the next several hours roosting, hunkered
> down with their bellies against their feet), they have virtually no nerve
> endings to register pain, so they don't feel hardly any warmth or cold via
> their feet.
>
> Best,
> Laura Erickson
> Duluth, MN
>
> On Fri, Feb 5, 2021 at 10:59 AM Michael Koutnik 
> wrote:
>
>> How timely.  Thanks for sharing!
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 5, 2021 at 10:48 AM Jeff Ranta  wrote:
>>
>> > I remember a student asking the same question in a High School Gen Bio
>> > class I taught for years at Stillwater Area High School.  I dug out one
>> of
>> > my old ornithology text from college and found a fascinating answer.
>> >
>> > I found a similar answer on The Cornell Lab  All About Birds website
>> > copied below:
>> >
>> > Birds such as gulls and ducks endure long periods of standing on ice
>> > via
>> > regional heterothermy, or maintaining a core body temperature while
>> > allow­ing the temperature of extremities to deviate from the core
>> > temperature.
>> >
>> > Keeping an entire foot warm re­quires a tremendous energy cost.
>> > In­stead,
>> > these birds allow the foot to approach freezing temperatures. Blood is
>> > still supplied to the foot, however, so the birds use a countercurrent
>> heat
>> > exchange system—cool blood com­ing back from the foot travels through
>> veins
>> > grouped around arteries that are sending warm blood from the body to
>> > the
>> > foot. Heat is transferred from the warm arteries to the cool veins.
>> >
>> > This countercurrent heat exchange system is very efficient at
>> > maintaining
>> > heat in the core. Periodic increases in blood flow allow a little heat
>> > to
>> > reach the foot and prevent it from freezing.
>> >
>> > Bird feet can also withstand low temperatures without damage because
>> there
>> > are mostly tendons and bones with little muscle or nerve tissue. Since
>> this
>> > is not the case for human feet, our own countercurrent exchange systems
>> do
>> > not prevent frostbite.
>> >
>> > Great topic!
>> >
>> > Jeff Ranta
>> > Stillwater, MN
>> >
>> >
>> > > On Feb 5, 2021, at 10:21 AM, Judith Clayton 
>> > wrote:
>> > >
>> > > I have a heated birdbath that is about 25 degrees off level.
>> > Frequently, part of the heated pan is without water.  I have found it
>> > curious that with a warm dry surface, birds are not heating their cold
>> feet
>> > there.  And so, how do birds care for this necessary part of their
>> anatomy?
>> > >   Thanks!
>> > >   Judy  Alexandria (Douglas County), Mn
>> > >
>> > > It is in the shelter of each other that people live.
>> > >
>> > >   Irish Proverb
>> > >
>> > > 
>> > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>> > >
>> > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
>> > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>> >
>> >
>> > 
>> > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>> >
>> > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
>> > social
>> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mike Koutnik
>> Mobile: 612-963-5551
>> makout...@gmail.com
>> LinkedIn: mkoutnik
>>
>> 
>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>>
>
>
> --
> Laura Erickson
> Duluth, MN
> she/her/hers
>
> For the love, understanding, and protection of birds
> www.lauraerickson.com
> www.patreon.com/lauraerickson
>
> You were made and set here to give voice to this, your own astonishment.
>—Annie Dillard
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank

[mou-net] Carolina Wren, Oregon Junco in Ortonville, Big Stone Co

[Jason Frank]

Yesterday morning while working in the yard, I spotted a Carolina Wren
in the brush along my fence line, which runs along the "Ortonville
Ravine," which is technically part of Central Park. This is along 5th
St SW in the middle of Ortonville, half a block north of St John's
Catholic Church and the town school. See link below for precise
coordinates.

I first noticed the bird on the ground, and got a good, close look at
it when it perched for about 10 seconds on my fence. Larger than a
House Wren, the white eye stripes stood out immediately; upper body
was rusty and breast/belly a creamier tan color; white throat but no
white extending to belly as on a Marsh Wren. I ran back into the house
and spent some time sitting and slowly moving along the ravine trying
to get a picture, but no luck as of yet.

Just a few minutes ago, I was down there again looking for it with my
camera and binocs, and spotted a male Oregon Junco foraging in and out
of some brush from a distance of roughly 10 yards. Still trying to get
a decent pic... distinct white belly, rusty body, and black head
really stood out.

Here are the coordinates: 45.309639, -96.444648

https://www.google.com/maps/place/45%C2%B018'34.7%22N+96%C2%B026'40.7%22W/@45.3096258,-96.4446748,33m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x52cb7c89bffa7717:0x5229079775ab6968!2sOrtonville,+MN+56278!3b1!8m2!3d45.3047822!4d-96.4450624!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d45.3096393!4d-96.4446479

This area, and the rest of the park itself, which features a spring
and lots of dense brushy habitat, is a great place to forage for
passerines any time of the year. There are Pileated Woodpeckers that
nest in there; 2 adults and 1 of this year's fledglings visit my
feeders every morning. You can park along 5th St and just hike right
in where you see the riprap rock and the culvert. Creepers, Kinglets,
Waxwings, and lots of Red-Breasted Nuthatches around as well.

I'm home most days till 2:00 PM, but work afternoons/evenings.



-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Greenwood Lake Location: COOK COUNTY

[Jason Frank]

Sorry, I forgot to mention Greenwood Lake, site of Smith's Longspurs,
is in far northern Cook County, at the south border of the BWCA.

The helibase overlooking its north shore is off a narrow, rough forest
road which will be marked as 313, but nobody up there goes by road
numbers.

Helibase coordinates are here: 48.019662, -90.172017

This is rugged country and can be tricky to navigate if you don't have
a compass in your vehicle. No cell service. The road up the hill to
the base is very rough, with lots of eroded gravel and large, sharp
rocks to drive over. For what it's worth: this is considered one of
the best areas to reliably see moose nowadays.

More info here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/slice/greenwood-lake.html

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

Re: [mou-net] SMLO at Park Point.

[Jason Frank]

For what it's worth, there was a flock of around 20 Smith's Longspurs
(for what it's also worth, it only took 1.8 seconds to type the full
name "SMITH'S LONGSPURS," and I'm doing this on the klickity-klackity
brickety-brackety keyboard of a stationary interior-dwelling computer
machine) at the Helibase overlooking the north shore of Greenwood
Lake, on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 6. There were many more
Lapland Longspurs (2.2 seconds) there as well.

On Wednesday, October 7, 75 Sandhill Cranes were reported heading
southwest along the shore above Mt Josephine by Travis Novitsky, and
120+ were seen passing over Silver Bay from Mount Trudee, by Marsha
Moreen and Ken Larson.

On 10/9/20, linda whyte <004e7b0e779a-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:
> They're "bird-bander speak" for Smith's Longspur and Lapland Longspur.
> Linda Whyte
>
> On Fri, Oct 9, 2020, 10:24 AM Law, Carolyn  wrote:
>
>> Where is Park Place? What is a SMLO? WHAT IS A LALOM
>>
>>
>>
>> Blessings of Peace and All Good!
>>
>> Carolyn Law osf
>>
>> www.carolynlaw.com
>> 320.260.1030
>> www.fslf.org
>>
>>
>>
>>  Original message 
>> From: Lon Baumgardt 
>> Date: 10/9/20 10:07 AM (GMT-06:00)
>> To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU
>> Subject: [mou-net] SMLO at Park Point.
>>
>> A single bird among 20-25 LALOs. Observed at about 20 yards with sun at
>> my
>> back. Could clearly see tannish-beige color extending through belly to
>> the
>> vent area.
>>
>> 
>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>>
>> 
>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>>
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social 
distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

Re: [mou-net] Siskin Irruption Maps

[Jason Frank]

I noticed around 20 Pine Siskins in my yard in Ortonville on the
morning of Sept 28. By October 1 they were joined by Juncos, Kinglets,
and a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, all of which are historically early for
me.

On 9/29/20, Tami Vogel  wrote:
> Pretty interesting:
>
> https://finchnetwork.org/irruption-alert-pine-siskin
>
>
>
>  - Tami in Afton
>
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
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[mou-net] Mississippi Kite - Over Ortonville/BIg Stone Lake

[Jason Frank]

At 9:00 this morning I was sitting on the deck when an adult
Mississippi Kite passed overhead, just above the treetops. Sleek,
pewter-gray color, darker primaries/secondaries, could see the black
around the eyes, short dark hooked bill only visible through
binoculars; the dark triangular tail really caught my eye. Total
sighting lasted about 30 seconds.

I live pretty much in the center of Ortonville, and it was heading
west towards Big Stone Lake. No hawking behavior observed, just a
leisurely, zig-zagging (Harrier-like) flight towards the water.

I drove down to Lakeside Park and spent the next hour and a half
cruising both shores within a mile of Ortonville and Big Stone City,
but haven't been able to re-find it.

Lakeside Park is right in town, below the grocery store at the south
end of the lake.

Will update ASAP if re-found.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Buff-Breasted Sandpiper - Marsh Lake - Lac qui Parle Co

[Jason Frank]

At Marsh Lake this morning with Kathy Mattsson, I spotted a single
Buff-Breasted Sandpaper on the Marsh Lake mudflats, between Louisburg
and Correll.

This was along the Minnesota River Scenic Byway route. The road has 3
names: if you're north of the lake, it'll either be listed as T-156 or
615th Ave; if you're south of the lake, it's 225th. Copy/paste the
coordinates below into a search engine to get an idea of the exact
spot. It was on the drier, southerly portion of the flats, where the
emergent reeds are thickest.

45.213317, -96.197363

We were scoping a huge mixed flock of Dunlins and Pectoral Sandpipers
(several hundred birds, adults and juveniles) when I noticed the
Buff-Breasted walking by itself on the outskirts of the flock. It
didn't associate with any of the other birds. Erect posture, short
black bill, little black eyes, dark/light "diamondback" pattern on
wings, back, tail and crown distinct from the Pectorals; breast a
clean "buffy" ochre, belly paler, with yellow legs.

It was too far out for photos; someone would've needed at least a
600mm lens to get a decent doc shot.


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Chimney Swifts - In Western MN Towns

[Jason Frank]

In the past few years, I've noticed a lot of chatter about the abrupt
decline of Chimney Swifts in the Metro, and in Metro-adjacent towns.

I know that a lot of Metro-area birders regularly flock to the Lac qui
Parle/Big Stone, Yellow Medicine County region, so I'm just throwing
this out there for anyone who's interested.

I live in Ortonville, and Chimney Swifts are doing well here.

By my reckoning, there are several family groups around town which are
actively flying around, hunting at sunrise and sunset, and also at
roughly 3-4 hour intervals throughout the day, depending on the
weather. There seems to be at least 3 different clusters of them doing
this, regularly. Ortonville still has a lot of old chimneys, silos,
and grain elevators to house them.

Ditto for Madison, Marietta, Canby, Boyd, and Dawson. And also the
border town of Gary, SD (dare I say, it's a Swift Hotspot). I don't
regularly visit Montevideo or Granite Falls during twilight hours, but
I'd guess that, based on the state of their municipal architecture,
they should still be housing decent numbers of Swifts.

So, if anyone is out doing a birding run out here and also wants to
see some swiftly-vanishing Swifts, be sure to check the Main Streets
of small towns (especially near-border towns) here along the western
frontier.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] No mockingbird???

[Jason Frank]

The Mockingbird is currently still on the MOU homepage, in the pic
column, far right.

It seems that a lot of the birds featured there recently haven't been
accompanied by email reports.

I can't stand the eBird interface and have no intention of carrying a
smartphone, but I do check the MOU homepage several times a day
because the latest eBird reports are right there to browse.

If you sign up for an eBird, even if you don't use it for reporting,
you can still sign up for rare bird alerts (via email) by county.

One partial solution to this may be asking the MOU admins to require a
listserv report with photo submissions.



On 5/8/20, Kyle TePoel <0583427559cc-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:
> Just a general question, spurred by the mockingbird email (but not about
> the mockingbird specifically)--how many bird "things" (report sources) are
> people signed up for?  For example, the first email titled 'No
> Mockingbird???' implied knowledge among the general MOU-net recipients
> about a mockingbird in the first place (I didn't get an email about one
> previously, anyway). There's no location mentioned in that or the follow-up
> email, either--is it assumed this is common knowledge? I'm guessing it's a
> bird reported on ebird (for which I don't yet have an account, so that
> could be my problem), but I have multiple email listserv acounts and am on
> multiple Minnesota bird-related Facbook groups.
>
> I'm not really a chaser, so it's not affecting me much but I am just
> generally curious. That said, if something interesting were to be found
> next door I could theoretically not know about it if I'm not getting all
> the right reports.  My question is not MOU-net specific; even if I was on
> ebird, I'd miss things that are only posted here, or on Facebook, etc.  And
> it happens on the Facebook pages it happens too, where a report comes
> through, often suggesting a unique bird has been somewhere for days, and
> that everyone knows about it, but I can't be the only one who finds
> themselves the last to know, am I?  For those of you who think you have a
> handle on pretty much all the birding reports locally, feel free to write
> back with the list of sources you're receiving.  I realize that ebird is
> "THE" source for a lot of birders, yet I'm curious about the average number
> of bird-related sources people are subscribing/contributing to.  I consider
> myself a serious (whatever that means) birder, and probably haven't heard
> of them all.   :)
>
> Kyle Te Poel
> Stillwater Township, MN
>
> On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 3:54 PM Julie Zempel 
> wrote:
>
>> Andy Nyhus got it this morning sometime around or before 8:30 am.  I
>> havent
>> heard of any other reports, but I don't know if any others have tried for
>> it.
>>
>> Julie Zempel
>>
>> On Fri, May 8, 2020, 3:14 PM MOU  wrote:
>>
>> > (Posted by Chet A. Meyers  via moumn.org)
>> >
>> > No Mockingbird today?
>> > Chet Meyers
>> >
>> > 
>> > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>> >
>> > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
>> > social
>> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>> >
>>
>> 
>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
>>
>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>>
>
> 
> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
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>
> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Went Looking for Mtn Bluebird, Piping Plover - No Luck

[Jason Frank]

For what it's worth-

Today I went searching for the Mountain Bluebird near Echo and the
Piping Plover at Green Valley WMA, and I struck out at both locations
(arrived at Green Valley circa Noon).

Lots of Least Sandpipers at Green Valley, though.

I spent around 40 minutes at the Mountain Bluebird site, cruising
between the cemetery and Wood Lake Battlefield, but didn't see
anything out of the ordinary.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Big Stone/Lac qui Parle FOS Arrivals

[Jason Frank]

This past weekend around Big Stone, Marsh, and Lac qui Parle Lakes, I
noted my first FOS arrivals:

Trumpeter Swans
Snow Geese
Greater White-Fronted Geese
Common Mergansers
Mallards
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye (courting and mating like there's no tomorrow)
Redheads
Pintails
Ruddy Ducks
Buffleheads
Ring-Billed Gulls
Killdeer
Western Meadowlarks
Great Blue Heron

Juncos have been gone from the yard for a week now and a late Northern
Shrike was still hanging around near Plover Prairie. Bald Eagles are
very active and it's amazing to see so many new nests pop up year
after year. There is a low nest about 50 yards from the 119 bridge
across Marsh Lake south of Appleton, but I don't know if it's active
(I didn't see a bird sitting on it, but there were 4 Eagles of various
ages perching nearby).

Reminder: the Milan bridge over Lac qui Parle is still closed and Hwy
75 will close for resurfacing this year between Madison and the 75/7
intersection at the SE corner of Big Stone NWR. Big Stone NWR Wildlife
Tour was not open as of Sunday afternoon.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] Junco in Edina

[Jason Frank]

Just had my FOS yard flock in Ortonville this morning.

On 10/10/19, ericaforman79  wrote:
> I know they've been spotted already, but I have one at my office feeder
> right now in western Edina.Erica Forman Hopkins, MNSent from my T-Mobile 4G
> LTE Device
>
> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] New Trumpeter Swan Nest - Lac qui Parle Co

[Jason Frank]

Just found a Trumpeter Swan nesting in Lac qui Parle County, 2.5 miles
south of Bellingham, in a marsh on the west side of Hwy 75. Just south of
the CR 28 crossroads, where the highway curves between Bellingham and
Madison.

I spotted a pair of Trumpeters 4 miles west of this site on April 20, along
CR 28 between Bellingham and Nassau.


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Scarlet Ibis - Initial GPS Coordinates

[Jason Frank]

I see that the initial coordinates for the Big Stone Co Scarlet Ibis
have yet to be posted here.

They were:

45.556687, -9320851

Again, the bird flew N/NWish... the site is: from Graceville, drive 4
miles east on 28, turn south on 71, take the first dirt road east
(240th) and it was in the ditch at the first farm on the right, about
3/4 of a mile east of 71, and a quarter-mile west of CR 21.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] Scarlet Ibis Report

[Jason Frank]

This evening, I met Robert Freeman and Dan Orr near the original site
and arrived 7 minutes too late to get a look before it flew off.

The Ibis flew high, north/northwestish, after a noisy vehicle passed.
Did some criss-crossing through flooded fields and marshes around
Graceville on the way home, but no luck.

I'll check the area again Wednesday afternoon.

It was feeding in a flooded ditch around 6:00PM this evening. Half the
ditches in the immediate area are flooded; so too with fields, so it
could be a challenging find come tomorrow.

On 5/28/19, Michael Hendrickson  wrote:
> I saw on Facebook just now a person name Joey Fragodt shared a photo ( not
> a crisp photo and dark ) of a Scarlet Ibis near Johnson, Minnesota.
>
> There is no other info as to exactly where and if the photo was taken today
> or not.
>
> There are no established nesting populations of this species in the US but
> it’s still worth pursuing to get more info.
>
> The report and photo is on Facebook group page “ Minnesota Birding “
>
>
> --
> Mike Hendrickson
> Duluth, Minnesota
>
> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Warblers, Orioles Taking Suet - Big Stone Co

[Jason Frank]

In the past 24 hours, the feeders have been overrun by hungry birds.
Anywhere from 10-20 Orioles at a time (Baltimore outnumbering Orchard
roughly 3-1), RB Grosbeaks (3 pairs), Catbirds, Cardinals, Grackles,
House Finches, Goldfinches, 2 late Siskins, Both Nuthatches, Chipping
Sparrows, Woodpeckers D, H, and RB, Warblers Yellow, Yellow-Rumped,
Nashville, Palm, and B&W.*

*These are only the ones I bothered to ID

I have lots of orange slices and grape jelly set out; it got down to
34 here last night, so bugs must be scarce: Warblers and Orioles are
also taking crumbled bits of suet from the platforms.

Yellow Warblers in particular are coming directly to the deck to take
meal worms from the railing. This morning, they were landing on the
window screens looking for bugs.

It appears that some Warblers don't recognize/understand suet feeders.
I've only ever seen Yellow-Rumps on them. But if the suet is crumbled
and scattered, on platforms, stumps, logs, railings, or smeared onto
tree trunks, they find it right away. Since the Orioles and Grosbeaks
have come to dominate the platforms, I've spread the feeding sites out
around the yard. The Warblers seem to like it at least 10 yards from
the bigger birds.

I haven't seen so much savor for suet since the Spring '08 fallout,
when I was living in Isanti Co.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] FOS Bobolinks - Big Stone Co

[Jason Frank]

A few have showed up in Big Stone NWR as of Tuesday evening.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] FOY Upland Sandpiper - Perry WMA, LqP Co

[Jason Frank]

At 6:00 this evening, I found an Upland Sandpiper in a wet ditch on
the west side of LqP CR 13 (also marked 171st St), about 100 yards
south of its intersection with CR 28, aka 300th Ave. That's a
quarter-mile south of Perry WMA, 2 miles SW of Bellingham.

Spotted 5 FOS Canada Goose goslings on Florida Creek, half a mile
south of Hwy 212 (same road). Looks like they just hatched this
morning.

Eastern Kingbirds were present in the same area.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] correction... ROSE-BREASTED Grosbeaks... Ortonville

[Jason Frank]

E-Gad!... Grosbeaks, evening sighting reports... I meant Rose-Breasted!

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Do You Have Hair? Do You Brush It? Donate It To The Birds!

[Jason Frank]

My Mother has this thing that she does: she saves the head-hair which
she (gradually) loses as she brushes it, and hangs it out on limbs
around the feeders for nesting birds to glean.

Last year, she had a Chipping Sparrow construct a nest entirely out of
her own hair.

Today, she hung a clump of it on the Oriole Feeder, and the FOY male
Northern Oriole grabbed it and disappeared into the ravine.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone among the haired-birder community
might see the same results.

ALSO:

FOY Chimney Swifts over Ortonville this evening. 2 White-Throated
Sparrows beneath the feeders. 3 male Evening Grosbeaks on the platform
together this morning. FOY Black and White Warbler in Ortonville.
Also, I saw a late Red-Breasted Nuthatch at the feeders this evening,
after a noteworthy absence since late last January.

I'm seeing Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, and RB Grosbeaks nibbling
suet. Looks like the recent overnight cold-snaps might've laid low
some of their preferred proteins.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Thick Billed (CA Fox Sparrow), Olive-Sided Flycatcher

[Jason Frank]

On Thursday morning while walking the ravine in Central Park
(Ortonville) I got a good look through binoculars of an Olive-Sided
Flycatcher. Later in the afternoon, it made an appearance in my yard
but I haven't seen it since.

On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I noticed a large, mostly
grayish, big-billed sparrow thrashing around in the leaf litter of the
ravine. After 2 confounding days of waiting for a long, decent look at
it, it was a dead-ringer for the thick-billed, California type of Fox
Sparrow. Yesterday while talking to Fred Eckhardt of Boyd, MN, he
mentioned that the same variant had been scratching around his feeders
last week. That's a new one for both of us.

Also of note, Snipes are winnowing in Big Stone County WMAs as of
Wednesday evening, though I haven't seen any plovers or sandpipers in
the flooded fields yet. They seem to have held south of the Minnesota
River this week, but I'd expect them to start showing up in Big
Stone/LqP today or tomorrow.

Water levels at Salt Lake are about as high as they get; hundreds of
Gadwalls and Ruddy Ducks were present yesterday, along with decent
rafts of Canvasback and Scaup. I found a pair of Trumpeter Swans in a
flooded field between Nassau and Bellingham, and in the same area,
drove past a Red-Tailed Hawk feeding on a Coot while standing in a few
inches of water (another first).

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Yellow-Headed Blackbirds Visiting Feeders

[Jason Frank]

This morning a flock of around 100 blackbirds (mostly Grackles)
descended on the feeders, clearing the platforms of sunflower seeds
and emptying the suet cages.

Among them were 2 pairs of Yellow-Headed Blackbirds, marking the first
time I've ever seen that species come to a feeding station.

I had tulips popping up on Tuesday, and now there's 18 inches of snow.
Looks like a fast melt ahead of us in the area. There's a high
likelihood that Big Stone NWR won't be open for Salt Lake Weekend as
the flooding had not yet abated and there is damage to the roads and
facilities. All bets are off for proper shoreline mudflats, but there
will be plenty of flooded fields for shorebirds to occupy.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions, New Arrivals

[Jason Frank]

Flooding is set to peak in Big Stone, Lac qui Parle, and Chippewa
Counties. Most of Big Stone Lake still has up to 12 inches of ice, so
there will be more melting to come.

Hwy 12 is covered with water at the CR 21 intersection 6 miles east of
Ortonville.

Travel will be highly restricted in central Lac qui Parle County for
the next week, maybe two.

Montevideo is nearing record flood stage; the dam area at the south
end of Lac qui Parle SP is currently inaccessible.

I just spoke with Scott Simmons at Big Stone NWR, and the gates to the
auto tour will remain locked for awhile. 75% of the auto tour is
currently under water. You can hike in if you wish. You can also
legally canoe it, as the auto tour is now part of the Minnesota River.
He was hopeful that it would be open by April 27, but that will depend
on the extent of structural/roadway damage, which is currently
unknown.

In the past two days large flocks of Snow Geese have been passing
overhead in the mornings. Lots of Goldeneyes around this year. This
morning's firsts for Big Stone Lake were Ruddy Ducks and Hooded
Mergansers. Lots of Common Mergansers as well. A flock of Tundra Swans
landed in the refuge yesterday. Plenty of Greater White-Fronted Geese
are passing over, but I haven't seen any groups on the ground yet. No
Shorebirds in flooded fields. Eastern and Western Meadlowlarks, Song
Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Red-Winged and Yellow-Headed Blackbirds also
present. There are a few Pelicans showing up as well.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Screech Owl

[Jason Frank]

This morning just before dawn I awoke to the sound of an Eastern
Screech Owl trilling in a locust tree just 20 feet from my window. I
haven't heard one calling in the spring since 2009. It's a bold move,
as there is also a pair of Barred Owls nesting in Ortonville's Central
Park, barely 200 yards away, one of whom was calling just an hour
earlier.

We have 3-4 feet of snow on the ground here now, with a 10-day stretch
of temps in the 40s and 2 inches of rain forecast for Wednesday.
Low-lying areas around Big Stone Lake and the Refuge are expected to
flood.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Red Headed Woodpeckers Still Around, Lac qui Parle Co

[Jason Frank]

Ortonville is getting the worst of it right now, and I'm looking at a
pair of Flickers eating hackberries in the front yard. Around 20
Purple Finches are holding tight around the feeders this afternoon. I
still have a male Sharp-Shinned Hawk who takes a few Juncos in the
yard every day. Both Barred and Great Horned Owls have been hooting in
the city park this past week.

Last Saturday 12/22 and again this past Monday 12/24, there was a
Red-Headed Woodpecker near Prairie Marsh Farm in Garfield Twp, Lac qui
Parle County, just a little ways west of the Garfield Substation at
170th St and 151st Ave. I was seeing a pair there all through last
summer; they appear to have nested in the abandoned farm grove with
the little yellow house. There was also a pair frequenting the Florida
Creek WMA complex just to the east, and another around Garfield
Lutheran Church (one of whom I observed flying into a grove with a
beakful of bugs). It's worth noting that there are only a handful of
small bur oaks within several square miles of these sites.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Waubay NWR CDC - Dec 18

[Jason Frank]

I'll be doing the CBC at Waubay National Wildlife Refuge in Waubay,
SD, on Tuesday, December 18, morning meetup 7:45 at the Refuge
Headquarters. This is about 45 miles west of Ortonville. I've never
done the Christmas Count there before, but I have birded the area
during the summer and it's a beautiful place, lots of good lakes and
woods and prairie highlands to explore.

If any of our western-tier birders would be interested in coming
along, I'm open to meeting that morning in Ortonville and carpooling.
I may have another companion (still tentative) so I'll say I'd have
room for at least 2 in my car. If anyone would be interested, please
let me know by Friday, December 14. Or, if anyone is interested in
attending but doesn't necessarily want to carpool, you can contact
Laura Hubers, count coordinator, at: laura_hub...@fws.gov

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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Re: [mou-net] Northern Raven/Number Winter Robins

[Jason Frank]

It would be interesting to compare the data of outstate CBCs as well.
I haven't lived in Minneapolis during winter since 1997, and it seemed
noteworthy to me to see large numbers of robins in the winter. A few
years ago I visited Minnehaha Falls around Christmas and couldn't
believe how many there were, though I just figured they were local
birds who stayed for the open water along the creek and had reliable
food sources nearby.  Those numbers from Val show a pretty stark
increase, which to my eyes fits the trend of climate change.

But... having lived in the Lac qui Parle area since 09, I can't say
I've seen many impressive winter flocks except during the mildest
winters of the last decade, and those birds were usually seen in town
or at parks, and not out in the countryside for the most part.

Since the Twin Cities urban heat island effect means the temperature
averages there would be trending warmer than elsewhere in the state, I
wonder if outstate robins have gotten into the habit of migrating into
cities and towns, rather than further south? Collating banding data
with rural CBCs might shed some more light on the case.

On 12/6/18, GREG ELIZABETH CLOSMORE  wrote:
> Buckthorn!
>
>> On Dec 6, 2018, at 4:32 PM, Val Landwehr
>> <012f44857088-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote:
>>
>> I was intrigued by the discussion of whether in recent years
>> more robins are being seen during winter in the Twin Cities(Charles Neil,
>> Mary White and J. Baumann). I think that I
>> have seen more robins, particularly in large flocks, in
>> recent years. To put this hypothesis to the test I looked at the
>> results from four Christmas Bird Counts over the years that are
>> online at the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union website. The
>> Christmas Bird Counts I checked were Bloomington CBC, St. Paul
>> (North) CBC, Excelsior CBC and the Minneapolis (North) CBC.
>> I found a distinct trend of more robins being counted during
>> the counts since the winter of 1996 than were in prior years.
>> The numbers vary widely each year, but there is a distinct
>> inflection point around 1996 for a larger number of robinssince that date
>> than prior to it. Since 1996, the number ofrobins counted varies greatly
>> from year to year, but I don't
>> see any clear evidence that the numbers are continuing to
>> increase.
>> Average number of robins counted at Twin Cities CBCs:
>>Bloomington  St. Paul (North)  Minneapolis (North)  Excelsior
>> Pre 21.2   17.1  2.5
>>   5.3
>> 1996
>> 1996-367.4420.5   114.6
>> 181.2
>> 2017
>>
>> Median number of robins counted at Twin Cities CBCs:
>>Bloomington  St. Paul (North)  Minneapolis (North)  Excelsior
>> Pre   5  6 0
>> 1
>> 1996
>> 1996- 27825526
>>   132
>> 2017
>> I considered that the increased number of robins might reflect
>> more birders participating in these Christmas counts as well
>> as an increase in birding skills. If there are more skillful
>> birders involved in these counts I would expect a similar
>> increase in the counts of other species. So I looked at the
>> counts reported by the Bloomington CBC for the black-capped
>> chickadee, blue jay and dark-eyed junco. I didn't find any
>> trends or long term changes in the number of these species.
>> Therefore, I'm convinced that the increased number of winter
>> robins is real.
>> I didn't attempt to see if there is a link between the increasein the
>> number of robins counted and weather/climate.
>> That leaves a question in my mind. Are the larger counts just
>> a reflection that the Twin Cities population of robins has
>> increased but the same proportion of that population is
>> overwintering as in the past or have the overwintering habits
>> of the robins changed?
>> The CBC data speaks only to the presence of robins in December.
>> Maybe the only change is when the robins migrate to warmer
>> regions. Maybe if we had many years of counts for January and
>> early February we would find that the number of robins in
>> those months hasn't changed much over the years. As Manley
>> Olson pointed out, once the robins exhaust the availability of
>> crab apples, perhaps they head south and are now just as
>> uncommon in January and February as they were back in the
>> 1950s through 1980s.
>> Val Landwehr
>> Minneapolis
>>
>> 
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> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Ortonville Public Library
Founder & Vice President
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
Big Stone County, Minnesota


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[mou-net] Seeking Info on Vole Cycle, Winter Owl Potential

[Jason Frank]

Does anyone know of any information or data pertaining to the present
state of the Arctic vole cycle, and/or any info/predictions of whether
there might be a significant southward movement of northern owl
species (Snowies in particular) this winter?

I know it's incredibly balmy up there now, with a Nino winter ahead of
us, so it seems reasonable to expect they might take their time
getting here. I'm curious because it might be fun to do a western
MN/borderland winter owl field trip.

Thanks,

-- 
Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN


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[mou-net] Surf Scoter, Big Stone Lake

[Jason Frank]

There's at least one Surf Scoter in an impressive raft of divers, at
the very southernmost end of Big Stone Lake, in Ortonville. Several
hundred Ruddies and Redheads are there, with a few Canvasbacks and
Greater Scaup. You can spot it from the fishing piers, but the best
viewing (especially after noon) would be from the playground/beach in
Big Stone City, just across the lake on the SoDak side.

-- 
Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN


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[mou-net] Klages WMA Drawdown - Species List 10/10

[Jason Frank]

Thanks to Curt for the heads-up.

Arriving around 2:45 this afternoon, there were a pair of Pelicans,
lots of Greater Yellowlegs, a lesser degree of Lessers, quite a few
easy-to-spot Least & Pectoral Sandpipers, Ring-Billed, Franklin's, and
Bonaparte's Gulls, at least 3 Dunlins, 2 Long-Billed Dowitchers,
several specimens of either Baird's or Semipalmated Sandpipers at the
far (southern) end, but too hard to call on account of the horizontal
sleet, fog, and lighting. Duck species were: Green Wing and Blue
Winged Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, and Shoveler.

No Ibises today.

Had an Eagle fly by, with a good 3 feet of intestine dangling from its
talons. That spooked the shorebirds. Then it started to snow.

Will check again tomorrow afternoon, and post if there's a noteworthy update.

-- 
Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN


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[mou-net] FOS Juncos, Big Stone/Lac qui Parle

[Jason Frank]

The Juncos showed up in Big Stone and Lac qui Parle Counties this
morning. In the past 3 days I've had FOS White-Crowned and Harris's
Sparrows at the feeders. There were big flocks of Ruby and Golden
Crowned Kinglets in the woods this evening.

As of yesterday evening, there were 3 Spotted Sandpipers lingering in
Big Stone NWR, along the river in the NW corner of the refuge, seen
from the bridge at the end of the trail that starts in the parking lot
where hunting is allowed. Also had 3 Wilson's Snipe, a pair of Great
Egrets, an Osprey, and a Kingfisher back there.


-- 
Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN


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[mou-net] Big Stone Co. Merlin, Pileated WP, Barred Owl, & More

[Jason Frank]

Having recently moved to Ortonville, Minnesota, I'd like to share some
sightings from the past week that may be considered noteworthy as far
as county records are concerned. (I will RQD them shortly).

This evening around sunset we had a great half-hour view of a Merlin
hunting from a leafless branch at the top of a tree between the
southern side of the high school and St John's Catholic Church. Every
few minutes, it would launch off to make a strike (we're guessing it
was after some large dragonflies) before returning to the perch. It
flew off to a different roost once the sun went down. It was an adult
male Taiga specimen.

All week long, a Pileated Woodpecker has been coming to my feeders.
There are at least two of them active in Central Park, in the middle
of town.

I've also had Red-Breasted Nuthatches and a single immature male
Northern Cardinal showing up. As of this evening, Hummingbirds are
still present.

Last Monday night, a Barred Owl was calling in Central Park, which is
also the evening roost site of approximately 50 Turkey Vultures. Other
raptors taking advantage of the thermals this week include:
Broad-Winged Hawks (60+ last Tuesday in 3 separate kettles), Cooper's,
Sharp-Shinned, Red-Tailed, and Swainson's.

The oak savanna at the Bonanza Beach section of Big Stone Lake State
Park (the northern part) is overflowing with acorns, and I counted 6
Red-Headed Woodpeckers there last weekend.

A few days ago, Ron Erpelding had a Snowy Egret in the backwater on
the west side of the Milan Bridge, Hwy 40, in Lac qui Parle County.

-- 
Jason Frank
Ortonville, MN.
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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[mou-net] Sept 1 Western MN Field Trip Results

[Jason Frank]

Here are the results from our September 1 Western Minnesota MOU Field
Trip, focusing primarily on Lone Tree Lake just outside of Cottonwood,
and Swedes Forest SNA near the Yellow Medicine/Redwood County lines.
High water and lack of shoreline in Lac qui Parle and Big Stone
Counties forced me to restructure the trip. It was muggy as hell, but
we found some good birds and explored some excellent habitat!

With all the rain we've been getting, Lone Tree Lake likely has the
best shorebird habitat in the western part of the state right now.
Over a thousand shorebirds were present.

Our group of 37 recorded 78 species in total:

Red-Winged Blackbird
European Starling
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Rock Dove
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
American Crow
American Robin
Northern Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Blue Jay
Black-Capped Chickadee
White Breasted Nuthatch
Red Breasted Nuthatch
Red Headed Woodpecker
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Belted Kingfisher
Red Tailed Hawk
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Swainson's Hawk (Dark Phase)*
Osprey
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Double-Crested Cormorant
Pied Billed Grebe
Green Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Forster's Tern
(All 3 terns together at Lone Tree)
Franklin's Gull
Ring-Billed Gull
Wilson's Snipe
Baird's Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Killdeer
Wilson's Phalarope
American Golden Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Short-Billed Dowitcher
Hudsonian Godwit
American White Pelican
Ring-Necked Pheasant
Marsh Wren
House Wren
House Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Canada Goose
Mallard
Gadwall
Green-Winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Blue-Winged Teal
Cedar Waxwing
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Red-Eyed Vireo
Yellow-Thoated Vireo
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Connecticut Warbler**

*Spotted by Ken Larson, Marsh Moreen, and Donn and Kathy Mattson,
along Hwy 212 between Montevideo and Dawson, on the way back to
Prairie Marsh Farm Saturday evening.

**Found and photographed by Ken and Avis Reed the evening of August
31, in the Montevideo city campground. We were unable to relocate it
there 24 hours later.

A big Thank You to all who participated!

-- 
Jason "U Turn" Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] MOU Field Trip - Lac qui Parle & Big Stone - Sat. Sept 1

[Jason Frank]

Greetings Friends,

On Saturday, September 1, I'll be leading a free MOU Field Trip in Lac
qui Parle, Big Stone, and Chippewa Counties. This will be our first
organized shorebird excursion covering the Salt Lake route during the
fall season.

Right now, I'm planning to meet and assemble into a caravan at 8:00 AM
in Montevideo, in the McDonald's parking lot, south side of Highway 7
at the east end of town.

I'm willing to change the meeting time to 9:00 AM if that would be
easier for anyone coming from the other side of the state.

The itinerary isn't set in stone, but here is the basic game plan:

We'll head north to Lac qui Parle State Park and Refuge. The
bottomland woods and river eddies should be good for warblers,
woodpeckers, and waterfowl. From there, we'll head northwest to Marsh
Lake and hit the WMAs between Louisburg and Odessa, through Lac qui
Parle WMA and Big Stone NWR, with potential visits to Artichoke Lake
and/or Big Stone Lake State Park. From there, we can make our way
south to Plover Prairie, with the latter half of the trip focusing on
Salt Lake and the excellent WMAs of central Lac qui Parle.

We also have the option of swinging by Mound Spring Prairie SNA/WMA
(western Yellow Med Co) in the evening; the juvenile Sharp-Tailed
Grouse that were hatched there have dispersed, and tend to favor the
northern section for their evening roost. They generally show up half
an hour before sunset.

This will be a great time and location for:

-Southbound shorebirds like Dowitchers, Phalaropes, Sandpipers and
Plovers, and maybe some Avocets.

-First year hawks dispersing and prepping for southward migration; we
stand a good chance of finding Swainson's and Ferruginous this time of
year.

-Blue Grosbeaks (quite a few gravel pits in the territory)

-Red-Headed Woodpeckers, which have done remarkably well this year;
there are five sites where I've witnessed repeated breeding activity
this summer.

Drop me a line if you're interested. We'll be in the field all day, so
please pack lunches and water. We'll break for lunch at Big Stone NWR.

Thanks and happy birding,

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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[mou-net] Blue Grosbeaks - Big Stone

[Jason Frank]

Blue Grosbeaks have returned to Big Stone NWR. Look/listen for them in
the parking lot near the train tracks/entry to the auto tour, and the
rocky field where they're grazing the goats.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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[mou-net] Mound Spring SNA Sharp Tailed Grouse Update

[Jason Frank]

I'm happy to report that at least one of the Sharp-Tailed Grouse that
bred and nested at Mound Spring SNA is Yellow Medicine County has
successfully hatched a brood. They crossed the road as I was driving
by at 11:30 this morning.

There are also quite a few Hungarian Partridges there this year,
though I haven't seen any chicks yet.

A few days ago, I crossed paths with an Upland Sandpiper brood on
150th Ave about a mile west of CR 7 in Lac qui Parle County.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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[mou-net] Yellow Medicine Northern Mockingbird

[Jason Frank]

The Northern Mockingbird reported by Gregory Jahner III via eBird is
still present, and was singing this afternoon around 3:00, along 250th
Ave (aka 33) which is one of the gravel roads that cuts through the
Mound Spring SNA/WMA complex.

Map/Coordinates here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/44%C2%B045'42.7%22N+96%C2%B025'42.0%22W/@44.761873,-96.428321,108m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d44.761873!4d-96.428321

It's worth noting: this is precisely the same spot where I found the
Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher last year, the first week of June. And Kim
Eckert found a Vermillion Flycatcher at the west end of this road last
October. This stretch of land is something special. I've seen
Jackrabbits here as well. Steve Weston and I have both (separately)
spotted Grey Foxes along this road as well.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Cinnamon Teal, RH WPs in Lac qui Parle County

[Jason Frank]

There's a male Cinnamon Teal in a flooded field right now just east of
Sweetwater WMA (north side of the road) along County Road 12 in Lac
qui Parle County.

There was a lone Common Loon on Sweetwater yesterday.

The Red-Headed Woodpeckers have returned to their nest sites around
Florida Creek WMA, just to the northwest of Sweetwater, near the
intersection of 161 Ave and 170 St.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Unbelievable: Bobolinks and Redpolls at the Same Time

[Jason Frank]

So, the Bobolinks just showed up around Mound Spring SNA/WMA.

Birds have a fascinating historical association with auguries and
omens, and I imagine a lot of you may have been thinking lately that
"Reality" seems a bit... um, well... broken, what with Trump being
president, kids eating laundry detergent, and the Pentagon saying:
"Yeah, there's UFOs all over the place." Now, though, we can
officially claim the existence of quantum compression points in the
space-time continuum as a scientific fact, because there's still a
Common Redpoll at my feeder AND there was a flock of around a dozen of
them eating grit along the road when the Bobolinks came rattling by
this morning.

I also got Sedge Wrens.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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[mou-net] Upland Sandpiper, Kingbirds, Purple Martins, Chimney Swifts

[Jason Frank]

Chimney Swifts have returned to Canby, as of this afternoon!

I found a lone Upland Sandpiper at Mound Spring SNA this afternoon.
There were 3 more over the border in SoDak, around the Nature
Conservancy fens between Gary and Clear Lake.

Western and Eastern Kingbirds have also returned, along with Cliff and
Bank Swallows.

Purple Martins, House Wrens, and Chipping Sparrows are busy adorning
their nests. Herons and Cormorants also have been flying back and
forth with sticks between their beaks.

There was still ONE COMMON REDPOLL at the feeders this morning.

American Toads are trilling at dusk, Painted Turtles are basking,
Willows and Box Elders are leafing out, and I spotted my first Spotted
Salamander this morning.



-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Marsh Hawk vs. Yellowlegs - First-o'-Life Observation

[Jason Frank]

3 miles south of Madison MN this afternoon, at 5:43PM, along Hwy 75
(due west of the spooky dead elm swamp) a female Marsh Hawk* crossed
the road in front of me, as fast and furious as any falcon, and
snatched a Lesser Yellowleg from the edge of a flooded field. Never
seen that before!

*It was a hawk. From a marsh. So I call it a Marsh Hawk. I will not yield.

IN other news, Peeps are here: I found scattered groups of Least,
Baird's, Pectoral, and Solitary Sandpipers, along with Dunlins, in
flooded fields between Madison and Gary, SD. Lots more Eastern
Bluebirds showing up as well. Purple Martins are back in nearby towns
(Gary SD, Burr, and Canby MN) wherever boxes are found. Saw my
Chipping Sparrow mother bringing nesting material to her favored
spruce bough this evening, beside the deck.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Salt Lake Preview - Conditions + EVENING GROSBEAK!!

[Jason Frank]

Setting out early this morning, the major lakes and sloughs are still
mostly covered in ice. Edges tend to be open, but due to the recent
snows, there are no mudflats for shorebirds. As was anticipated, the
best sites will be flooded fields. And there are plenty.

Snow is pretty much gone. Montevideo was expected to flood, but as of
this afternoon, it has not, and the water is receding.

Many low-lying township (dirt) roads in the territory are closed and
flooded, particularly those north of 212 along tributaries of the LqP
River. This includes Lac qui Parle County Park, and the Lower
Campground of Lac qui Parle State Park. Salt Lake itself is still
about 80% ice-covered, with few birds there this afternoon. We can't
access it from the north.

I would expect the ice to start breaking apart on Saturday.

There was a lot less snow in the northern territory, so roads aren't
so bad any more. 4 wheel drive should not be needed for the most part.

In the southern part of our range, Sioux Nation WMA is still iced, and
the roads leading to it from the north are flooded over.

I met Ron Erpeldging at Plover Prairie this morning to search for
Sharp-Tailed Grouse, but we found none. There were plenty of Snipe,
Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Song Sparrows, and...
best of all... several pairs of MARBLED GODWITS flying and calling
between Plover Prairie extending eastward in the wet, short pastures
towards Louisburg. We noted a conspicuous lack of Green-Winged Teals,
though otherwise, the Usual Duckspects are here in abundance. It will
be a crap-shoot to guess which flooded fields they'll be frequenting
by Saturday.

Haydenville WMA was full of waterfowl this morning, but the mud
islands are gone. It will be best viewed in the evening, as viewing it
in the morning means looking straight into a low-angled sun.

Tree Swallows and Yellow Headed Blackbirds are back. Chorus and
Leopard Frogs are calling. There was 1 Rough-Legged Hawk soaring over
Plover Prairie, one of two I saw today. Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned
Hawks are here. I spotted 5 Merlins in central Lac qui Parle County.
Great Egrets, American Bitterns, Bonaparte's Gulls, and Trumpeter
Swans are also in the area. Lots of Flickers. Bald Eagles are on nests
around the territory.

I did not relocate the White Faced Ibises previously reported by
Daniel Orr and Ken Larson, at 470th south of Hwy 7, at the edge of Lac
qui Parle WMA west of Correll.

I spoke to Garrett Wee this afternoon, and he said that Miedd Lake and
Cottonwood Lake have high water with no shoreline; there are no
shorebirds of note in the southern part of our range, but he did find
a Long-Eared Owl at Miedd Lake earlier this week.

The dam at the south end of Lac qui Parle Refuge/State Park was
conspicuously devoid of waterfowl at Noon today, though there were
quite a few Pelicans.

Christine Kleven at the Lac qui Parle SP Visitor Center told me this
afternoon that a female EVENING GROSBEAK is still showing up
sporadically at the feeders there; she has a habit of appearing around
9:30 AM and again around 11:30 AM. I was pleasantly surprised to learn
this, and glad I stopped in! This is one wayward Grosbeak! Christine
has a picture of it, from this week.

Common Redpolls and Juncos are still around in western Yellow Medicine
County, near the Gary SD border. The latest I've ever seen!

Eastern Bluebirds are here. Woodcocks are PEENTING tonight in western
Yellow Medicine County.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Sharp Tailed Grouse - Back on the Lek - Mound Spiring SNA

[Jason Frank]

Just a few minutes ago while driving through Mound Spring SNA along
240th Ave in Yellow Medicine County, 3 female Sharp Tailed Grouse
flushed from the ditch- at which point I noticed 2 males having a
dance-off on the lek. This is the southernmost (and hilliest) portion
of the SNA, coordinates here:

44.747094, -96.424150

The females flew and landed about 50 yards to the north in private
pasture. They didn't seem to be in a hurry, either. They flushed just
3 feet from my vehicle. The males paid me no mind and kept on dancing.
A light rain was falling.

In weeks past, the birds have been very skittish. Perhaps the warm
weather has boosted their confidence.

I'll bee checking the Plover Prairie lek tomorrow morning and will
also have a detailed assessment of road conditions for the Salt Lake
count territory.


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Semipalmated Plovers - Yellow Medicine Co

[Jason Frank]

5 Semipalmated Plovers just showed up in a flooded field along Yellow
Medicine County Road 4, between the intersection with CR 15 and the
Gary SD city limits.

There are quite a few flocks of Pelicans passing overhead as well.

Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs are also present in flooded fields, and
Belted Kingfishers are hunting over the ditches.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Salt Lake Weekend: 13 Day Forecast

[Jason Frank]

Verdict: Post-Apocalyptic Mordor Tundra Hellscape.
Recommended Gear: Snowshoes, Lifejacket, Waders, Wool.

Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties have been hit hard.
Snow-depths of 16-20 inches are being reported around the birding
zone, with higher amounts to the south. Drifts are ranging from 3 to 6
feet. It has been extremely windy, so depth varies wildly.

Higher up on the Coteau, snow depths in excess of 20 inches, and
nearing 2.5 feet, are being measured around Gary and Clear Lake, SD.
All creeks that flow into Lac qui Parle County come downhill from the
Coteau, so judging by the 2-week forecast, we should anticipate
flooding by the last weekend in April. More snow is forecast for
Wednesday and it doesn't look like it'll hit 50 till around April 23.

Expect reduced access to low-lying sites, dirt roads turning to peanut
butter, and little (if any) viable shoreline on the larger sloughs and
lakes.

Flooded fields will be our best bet for shorebirds.

There has been very little northward movement this month. Juncos,
Redpolls, and Rough-Legged Hawks are still here in great numbers.
There are plenty of ducks and geese (also pelicans and herons) above
the dam at Lac qui Parle, but none of the smaller sloughs or lakes
have thawed yet.

The day before the storm hit, the West Branch of the Lac qui Parle
River was already cresting and beginning to flood over the dirt road
to Prairie Marsh Farm, south of 212. There is also a chasm opening up
there. Those attending the potluck will likely have to access the farm
from the back way, by driving south 2 miles on Hwy 75 and turning west
on CR 12.

I'll survey the main sites in our territory on April 24 or 25th, and
report back with more specific details. But I just want to put this
out there now: 4-wheel drive is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED this year. Please
consider networking and carpooling now if that's not an option for
you.

There will likely still be snow on the ground. On the plus side, there
won't be any leaves, we're likely to get Redpolls and Juncos and
Rough-Legs, and these freak conditions will provide us with an
opportunity to gather valuable data pertaining to migration patterns
in an increasingly chaotic climate.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

jmfran...@gmail.com
>From the Lovely Land of Lac qui Parle
https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

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[mou-net] Sharp Tailed Grouse - Yellow Med Co - Mound Spring Prairie

[Jason Frank]

At 4:30 this afternoon, I spotted 5 Sharp-Tailed Grouse in a stubble
field on the west side of Yellow Medicine County Rd 15, rough estimate
of 200 yards south of 250th St, one of the east-west minimum
maintenance roads that cut through Mound Spring Prairie SNA/WMA.

The birds were on fenced-in private land between the southerly SNA
sections. When I first saw them, they were just 20 yards from the
fence line, slowly making their way southwest, foraging as they moved.
There is a gulch with some cover in that direction, fenced for
grazing. Through the scope I could clearly see pale undersides and
tails; no barring underneath whatsoever.

I didn't observe any lekking behavior, but will check again in the
morning and will update if/when I see them again.

Precise coordinates for GPS or Google Maps are:

44.759421, -96.420581

Florida Township, 2 miles SE of Gary SD as the crow flies.


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

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[mou-net] Killdeer - Yellow Medicine County

[Jason Frank]

Spotted one at Mound Spring SNA just a few minutes ago.

And a foot of snow is expected here by Saturday.

-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

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Re: [mou-net] Explosion of redpolls

[Jason Frank]

Here on the border in Gary SD, we have had anywhere from 50 to 100+
daily now since the last week in January. I'm going through 40 pounds
of seed in 3 weeks- bankrupted by Redpolls! They are still in the area
as of this morning- I see flocks of the same size in WMAs feeding on
weed and forb seeds and getting grit from the roadsides; they seem to
be especially prevalent in western Yellow Medicine County. Oddly, the
staff at Lac qui Parle State Park visitor center told me that they
haven't seen more than a few at one time all winter long.


On 3/20/18, Michael Koutnik  wrote:
> I have never seen anything like this at any home I’ve lived in. This morning
> I was approaching my bedroom and heard several taps on the window. There is
> a thistle and a sunflower seed feeder close to the window, along with a bird
> bath. I saw nearly a dozen redpolls. And at least another 2 dozen on the
> ground below the thistle feeder. Amazing!  Except for when I visit the Sax
> Zim, this is by far the most redpolls I’ve seen at once.
>
> And now just as quickly as they came,  they are gone. All that remains at my
> suburban Eagan feeders is the more typical single goldfinch and single
> white-breasted nuthatch. Oh—and a chickadee. :)
>
> Mike Koutnik
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)

https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

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Re: [mou-net] Three-toed Woodpecker Country Western Song?

[Jason Frank]

He has my sympathy.

Well, I got three-toed woodpecker sawdust in my eye.
I got yellow-bellied sapsucker sap stuck in my ear.

If ya think that's bad, well lemme tell ya somethin' on the sly:
I got double-crested cormorant fish poop in my beer.


On 3/3/18, Steve Wilson  wrote:
> Yesterday I and two friends returned to the location in the Lost Lake
> Peatland outside Tower where we'd previously found both black-backed and
> American three-toed woodpeckers (see Feb 3 post). We were fortunate enough
> to find both species again, including a pair of American three-toed
> woodpeckers that we were able to observe at length. One was especially
> cooperative, allowing Connor to approach and photograph it from perhaps ten
> feet away as it flecked bits of bark from a dead spruce just above eye level
> and slightly upwind of Connor. That wind direction mattered became apparent
> minutes later when we heard Conner mutter "I'm getting 3-toed woodpecker
> sawdust in my eye." We advised Conner, that while he might have the makings
> of a good country song title there, his complaint was unlikely to elicit
> much sympathy in the birding community.
>
> 
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>


-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
High Priest & Highly Reluctant Treasurer,
Alleged Order of the Nettle & the Toad

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

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Re: [mou-net] Evening Grosbeak in Chippewa County

[Jason Frank]

I realized this morning that I forgot to include the Evening Grosbeak
in my report on the CBCs back in December! My sincerest apologies!!!

Jason Frank

On 2/28/18, Herb Dingmann  wrote:
> Ron Erpelding just called me and confirmed that there is an Evening Grosbeak
> at the Lac Qui Parle State Park headquarters which is in Chippewa County.
> This was reported by Jason Frank on the MOU listserve this morning.
>
> Herb Dingmann
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
High Priest & Highly Reluctant Treasurer,
Alleged Order of the Nettle & the Toad

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon


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Re: [mou-net] Tufted Duck (Goodhue Co.)

[Jason Frank]

As a birder who's also been raising ducks on and off since the late
90's, I can add my two cents to this saga. The Tufted Duck would be a
specialty item, likely acquired via auction. Also, anyone who owns
such a specimen would likely clip its wings. One isn't going to
purchase a Tufted Duck without recognizing its significance.

MN poultry enthusiasts generally order their chicks from these
hatcheries: Hoover (IA), Murray's, (IA), Welp (IA), Stromberg (MN).
None of these suppliers are currently offering Tufted Ducks. I, for
one, would never clip a claw from a bird to prove it's mine. I'd
imagine pretty much every hobbyist would feel the same way. If anyone
is keeping a Tufted Duck, they're keeping it as a pet. Farmers hurt
their animals. Pet-owners do not.

I'd lay 95% odds its a wild Tufted Duck.

Jason Frank
Lac qui Parle

On 1/7/18, Alyssa DeRubeis  wrote:
> For those who aren’t on eBird or Facebook, John Zakelj photographed a Tufted
> Duck today (Jan 7) at Colvill Park in Goodhue Co.
>
> So far its origin (i.e. wild or captive) has not been determined. If it is
> from a farm—and yes, there are farms in Minnesota that have Tufted Ducks—it
> is required by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that there is some marking
> on it that identifies it as not wild. Some websites I found mentioned rear
> toe clipping as a requirement but I couldn’t find an official/government
> website with that stated specifically.
>
> Anyway, hopefully someone more knowledgeable on captive waterfowl than me
> can contribute. All I did was a quick Google search. And FYI—the two other
> Tufted Duck records for the state (1976 and 2000) were unaccepted, probably
> due to questionable origin. For those trying for it, take photos, especially
> if it is standing with its feet visible.
>
> Good birding!
>
> Alyssa DeRubeis
>
> 
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-- 
Jason M. Frank
Founder and Vice President,
Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL)
High Priest & Highly Reluctant Treasurer,
Alleged Order of the Nettle & the Toad

"The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be broken."

-Dr. Wiggs Dannyboy

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Re: [mou-net] Lack of Birds at Bird Feeders

[Jason Frank]

I've noticed it too here in southwest MN. I work in Canby, and in
early August people began mentioning to me that their feeders were
deserted. The most conspicuous absence was Robins. Other "town birds"
like Chickadees, Grackles, Catbirds, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers,
Mourning Doves, Nuthatches were scarce as well.

Most of the towns in Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties are
full of Eurasian Collared Doves, but they prefer to feed on spilled
grains at the elevators, so I don't think they're out-competing the
others. Back in May, I located a few pairs of nesting Bluebirds, but
after the heavy rain and cool weather mid-month, they either starved
or abandoned their sites. Very few pheasant and turkey nestlings
survived that period.

There weren't as many Chimney Swifts this year. Nighthawks were fine,
but all summer long, I hardly saw any bats, and a lot of other people
have mentioned this to me.

Wild grapes, berries, and nuts did very well this year.

One pattern that's apparent is that the birds we're missing are all
likely to live close to human activity.

Beginning in August, Canby began spraying twice a week for a strange
late-season mosquito infestation (there were virtually no biting bugs
in May, June, or July). The spray had no effect on the mosquitoes, but
coincided with the emptying of the feeders. Area farmers sprayed more
this year than any year I can remember (the amaranth out here is now
resistant to Roundup, so they're spraying Dicamba, which is more prone
to drift and even the fumes will poison nearby plants during
evaporation); in the last 2 weeks of July and first 2 weeks of August,
we had crop dusters in the sky EVERY day, even during extremely windy
conditions. I noticed some elderberry shrubs along field edges whose
leaves showed the telltale cup-shaped shriveling associated with
Dicamba, and the berries (which were intact) were stripped as soon as
they ripened. Considering how much wild fruit grows along fencelines
and field edges, and also knowing that it's decimated beehives around
the country, I'm wondering if this summer's slash-and-burn pesticide
offensive may have something to do with it. Circumstantially, the
timing works out: peak wild fruit time, and also about the time when
Goldfinches are nesting and eating wild thistle seeds.


Jason Frank
Lac qui Parle


On 10/9/17, Alan Stankevitz  wrote:
> Since August, our bird population at our feeders has been way down here
> in SE MN. Others in Houston County who regularly feed birds are also
> noticing the same scenario. I do see and hear a few chickadees, titmice,
> woodpeckers, blue jays and goldfinches but currently only the
> goldfinches seem to be eating regularly at the feeders.
>
> I have been on the lookout for predators such as hawks and kestrels, but
> haven't noticed any depredation as the cause.
>
> I'd be curious to know if this is only local to our area, or elsewhere
> in the state. We have had other years where things slow down during this
> time of year, but never to this extent. My speculation is that food is
> in abundance right now and that most birds are feeding naturally. Last
> year due to a late freeze we had very little (if any) tree nuts, but
> this year nuts are in abundance.
>
> Alan Stankevitz
> Mound Prairie Township
> Houston Co. MN
>
>
> 
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Re: [mou-net] Dickcissel Irruption

[Jason Frank]

It is not just in NE Minnesota.

I haven't seen this many Dickcisells in SW MN (Lac qui Parle, Yellow
Medicine Counties) since 2011.

Driving around here I am finding one male singing every half mile or
so, in Mound Spring SNA/WMA, Florida Creek WMA, Sioux Nation WMA,
Florida Creek WMA, and Prairie Marsh Farm in Lac qui Parle Co.


Jason Frank
Lac qui Parle

On 6/17/17, Steve Wilson  wrote:
> Are others seeing evidence of a major dickcissel irruption into NE MN this
> summer? I just returned from a mined area 8 miles north of Hoyt Lakes, now a
> restored grassland, and lost track of the number of singing males when I got
> to 10. They were at this site in the 2012 irruption, but not in these
> numbers.
>
> 
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