[mou-net] Kestrel nest live
Here is a live video feed showing the interior of a Kestrel nest box near Rochester. A female American Kestrel has been laying and incubating eggs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEA9szY8z7c Kirk Payne, formerly of Quarry Hill Nature Center, set up the camera and YouTube feed. In 2018, for the Year of the Bird, I worked with Kirk and others to get a dozen more boxes built and put up around the Rochester area. Each year we have had 2-4 successful nestings. Joel Dunnette “The purpose of argument should not be victory, but progress” 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.
[mou-net] Chickadees on marijuana
In a park under development in Rochester, I watched several chickadees feeding avidly on seeds of marijuana plants. I was able to sit in the open less than 10 feet from them, and they kept coming back for more. Has anyone else noticed this sort of thing? -- Joel Dunnette “The purpose of argument should not be victory, but progress” 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.
Re: [mou-net] MOU-NET Digest - 15 Jun 2019 to 18 Jun 2019 (#2019-147)
This list of very accessible sites for birding seems like a good resource. Thanks for putting it together and sharing it. what would be nice if someone could make it into a map, with clickable information about each site... that is beyond what I can do at this point. Any volunteers? Joel Dunnette On Wed, Jun 19, 2019 at 12:01 AM MOU-NET automatic digest system < lists...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > There are 9 messages totaling 483 lines in this issue. > > Topics of the day: > > 1. Loggerhead Shrike Crow Wing County > 2. car-accessible birding sites (6) > 3. "When Whales Walked" PBS/Smithsonian Weds eve June 19 - includes > Bird > origins > 4. Breeding Bird Survey Route Available—southern Carlton County > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Tue, 18 Jun 2019 10:04:11 -0500 > From:Ken & Pam Perry > Subject: Loggerhead Shrike Crow Wing County > > I found a Loggerhead Shrike this morning south of the rice paddies on > Corner Trail, just past the first house, heading west from St. Mathias Rd. > --Pam Perry, Brainerd > > Sent from Mail for Windows 10 > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:20:09 + > From:MOU > Subject: car-accessible birding sites > > (Posted by Tom Gilde via moumn.org) > > I'm recovering from a joint replacement - meanwhile, I'd like to get out > for > some viewing, perhaps some photography as well - and would welcome > suggestions for places to visit permitting some decent viewing from the car > and/or some short strolls. Afton SP, and the 140th and 180th St marshes > seem like some good possibilities - anything else? I would be driving from > St. Paul - many thanks, Tom Gild > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:52:01 + > From:Gordon Andersson > Subject: "When Whales Walked" PBS/Smithsonian Weds eve June 19 - > includes Bird origins > > MOU readers > > This Weds evening on PBS a show on evolution of whales, birds, elephants, > and crocodiles will be broadcast--- I think nationwide. It is produced by > TwinCities PBS (TPT) and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. The > broadcast is from 8:00 to 10:00. BUT the 30 min section on birds will be > the second segment approx 8:30 to 9:00 pm. I have seen some of this show > including the evolution of birds. It is based on the latest fossils from > China where many dinosaur-bird transition species have been found. They > demonstrate the loss of teeth and segmented tail and the development of > feathers, sternum, and flight. ... and a radiation to 10,000 species > today. When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time. Check your local > listings > > Here is a link to more information about the film and a preview: > https://www.tpt.org/post/dive-whales-walked-journeys-deep-time/. > > GAndersson > St Paul > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Tue, 18 Jun 2019 14:23:33 -0500 > From:Missy Bowen > Subject: Re: car-accessible birding sites > > We had great luck last year driving the 7 mile Prairie's Edge loop at the > Sherburne NWR. It's a little bit far away but a great birding day. > > Closer to home, Big Marine Lake could be a good car-birding trip, maybe in > conjunction with another stop. The stretch of road between Manning and the > park entrance is often surprisingly productive. In the summer it's better > in the morning before the swim beach gets busy, imho. > > I'm eager to see what others suggest. > > On Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:20 PM MOU wrote: > > > (Posted by Tom Gilde via moumn.org) > > > > I'm recovering from a joint replacement - meanwhile, I'd like to get out > > for > > some viewing, perhaps some photography as well - and would welcome > > suggestions for places to visit permitting some decent viewing from the > car > > and/or some short strolls. Afton SP, and the 140th and 180th St marshes > > seem like some good possibilities - anything else? I would be driving > from > > St. Paul - many thanks, Tom Gild > > > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Tue, 18 Jun 2019 14:31:58 -0500 > From:Frank Berdan > Subject: Re: car-accessible birding sites >
Re: [mou-net] MOU-NET Digest - 1 Jun 2018 to 2 Jun 2018 (#2018-138)
The regularly repeated bird counts by John Cyrus are quite valuable for understanding how bird populations are doing. My thanks to him for doing these! Joel Dunnette On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 12:00 AM, MOU-NET automatic digest system < lists...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > There are 2 messages totaling 216 lines in this issue. > > Topics of the day: > > 1. Carver County spring 2018 summary > 2. Hooded Warbler: Sherburne NWR > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > -- > > Date:Sat, 2 Jun 2018 17:54:38 + > From:John Cyrus > Subject: Carver County spring 2018 summary > > After two warm springs in 2016 and 2017 and a mix of normal and warm > springs in the several years prior to that, we were due for a cold and > snowy spring in 2018. With around 65 inches of snow from January 22 thru > April 15 in eastern Carver County, I was able to salvage March and early > April with satisfying birding.By no means were birds numerous during > that time. For the most part duck numbers were poor. By the time the > shallow Rapids Lake finally cleared completely of ice on April 27, most > ducks had bypassed the area for the spring.Considering the lack of open > water for much of the spring, I actually thought I did pretty well for > waterfowl.It was back to a year with poor Snow and Greater > White-fronted Geese for me, but this area does better with those species > during warmer springs. Tundra Swan numbers were good, though. Despite > the cold spring, a brief early warmup the first few days of March did lead > to the earlier than normal arrival of some species including Northern > Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Fox Sparrow, and Song > Sparrow. For March and most of April I kept looking at the forecast for > the upcoming week with disappointment, as it was obvious that birds were > going to be delayed. The only promising thing I took from the weather > early this spring is that the weather south of the Ohio River was more > favorable for migration in March and April, and birds were on the move. > They just weren't getting terribly far to the north. Following the large > mid-April snowstorm in the area, temperatures finally returned closer to > normal by the final 1/3 of the month, and most snow(except piles) was > melted by April 22. The first larger surge of passerine migrants arrived > the 2nd week of April, but the main thrust of passerine migration didn't > begin until the final week of April, moreso the final 2 days. Even > Field Sparrow, which normally arrive in full numbers by the end of the 2nd > week of April, didn't arrive in full numbers until April 30.Once the > weather turned at the end April the gates really opened, and migration > began in earnest. Warbler species variety and numbers were much better > the first 1/3 of May this year than either of the warm springs of 2016 or > 2017.This is likely because most of the nights, beginning in late > April through mid-May, had moderate to strong winds from the south aiding > in migration. There were also a few well-timed early morning rains that > likely led to birds landing here that otherwise may have overflown the > area. Generally, totals for most warbler species this spring were very > good.Including all warbler species my total this spring is up 21.5% > compared to last year. Excluding counts of the common Yellow, Redstart, > and Yellowthroat, the total is up 17% compared to last year. Compared to > the mediocre to poor springs of 2015 and 2016, the 2018 totals are 3-4 > times higher than those years. There were outstanding numbers of many > warbler species, but there were a few declines this year compared to last > year.Following the great fall last year for Winter Wren, this spring > was good for the species as well. While Golden-crowned Kinglet numbers > were very good, Ruby-crowned numbers were closer to average. Blue-headed > Vireo numbers were very good, but Philadelphia Vireo numbers were not. > Swainson's Thrush numbers were great, and other thrush species were > average.Migrant sparrow numbers were a bit more promising this spring. > White-throated Sparrow and Lincoln's Sparrow numbers were very good, and > White-crowned Sparrow numbers were not dismal. Fox and Harris's Sparrow > numbers were poor once again, though. With the earlier onset to migration > in May than last year, migration came to an end slightly earlier as well. >The most unusual birds this spring were Swainson's Hawk and Louisiana > Waterthrush at Rapids Lake, White-eyed Vireo and Louisiana Waterthrush at > Carver Park Reserve, and American Bittern at the Minnesota Landscape > Arboretum. With the river trail at Rapids Lake flooded from late April > through most of May, this is the first year I did not
Re: [mou-net] [Mnbird] MRVAC Field Trip on Sunday
Steve, You set a wonderful example for birders, with your informative reports and leading of field trips! Thanks for all you do. Joel Dunnette On Wed, Jun 10, 2015 at 12:55 AM, Steve Weston via Mnbird mnb...@lists.mnbird.net wrote: I will be leading a MRVAC field trip this Sunday (June 12th) outside of Red Wing in the Canon River Bottoms area. This is a rich river bottom forest that we will explore along a little known state forest trail on a level railroad bed. Target birds include Acadian Flycatcher, Cerulean Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, and Ovenbird. Meet at 7:00 am. Bring insect repellent and a lunch, if you want to join us as we explore a second area. The trip is free and open to all. No reservations are needed. Directions: From Hwy 52, take the Red Wing exit (Hwy 50). Continue on Hwy 61 towards Red Wing. Head down the long hill, past the Treasure Island Casino turn, and turn left onto CR 46. Take the right fork onto Collischan Road. Continue for about two and a half miles and take the left fork just after two houses. This will bring you to the trail head. Steve Weston On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN swest...@comcast.net ___ Mnbird mailing list mnb...@lists.mnbird.net http://lists.mnbird.net/mailman/listinfo/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net -- Joel Dunnette Byron / Rochester MN 507-269-7064 Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Changing technology
In the past hundred years, birders went from using shotguns to binoculars. Now cameras are becoming more popular. And some people are talking about smartphone apps that would identify bird calls. Birders used to communicate by written letter, then by phone, then e-mail and cell phone. Technology has and will change. I hope we still take time to simply appreciate the living birds. Sometimes 'the list' gets in the way of that, and I have to remind myself. Happy migration to all! Joel Dunnette Byron / Rochester MN 507-269-7064 Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
Re: [mou-net] Eastern Phoebes impacted by snowy April
On 5/11 we found a dead E. Phoebe on nest at the TNC buildings at Weaver Dunes. Just a single observation, but maybe others can add to it. -- Joel Dunnette Byron / Rochester MN 507-269-7064 Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
