Re: [mou-net] Whitethroats have arrived!
Yes...Same goes for us in Arden Hills (Ramsey County)...And I saw a lone WTSP while walking around Lake Phalen 3+ weeks ago! A great sight to see at that time... Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine Ramsey County On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 9:20 AM GLENN CIEGLER wrote: > Interesting as we’ve had a flock of them for a week now up North of > Stillwater. > Glenn > > Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > > From: Minnesota Birds on behalf of Kathryn Rudd < > katda...@hotmail.com> > Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2020 8:47:42 AM > To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU > Subject: [mou-net] Whitethroats have arrived! > > The first White-throated Sparrows have arrived in our backyard area! :D My > favorites. > I have been hearing the sing this morning, and last night James saw a male > foraging near our feeders. > Kathryn Rudd > Eagan, MN > > Sent from my iPad > > 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.
[mou-net] Recent Sightings
Upon an early return from Mexico on March 20, my husband and I were quarantined for 2 weeks with our daughter (who picked us up at MSP) at her house on the Greater East Side of St Paul (Ramsey County). We were able to get out and walk or drive to neighborhood parks and enjoy the lovely spring weather, while doing the social distancing dance. Last Wednesday 4/1 we were delighted to see a juvenile bald eagle on the slushy ice of Beaver Lake holding and eating what we assumed to be part of a fish (no binocs!). Then on Friday 4/3 I saw a FOY white-throated sparrow while on the 4-mile Lake Phalen loop (and a fluffy, clear-eyed opossum staring at me from 5 feet away at the base of a large tree!). We finally got to move back to our house in Arden Hills (still Ramsey County) on Monday 4/6. So happy to be in the living room looking at the bird feeders again. Yesterday 4/7 I was thrilled to see 2 fox sparrows for the first time in a couple of years (along with the regulars). Here's to an interesting spring migration (in so many ways!)... Kathy Confer Finally at home near Lake Josephine Arden Hills, in Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Fwd: [mou-net] About the Metro
This morning at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley (Anoka County), we had an abbreviated bird banding session due to the number of birds being netted/trapped and the cool, rainy weather. The total was 119 birds and 28 species, including 11 warbler species (Canada, Tennessee, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Golden-winged, Magnolia, Black and White, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush). Also worth mentioning: a Blue-headed Vireo and a Yellow-throated Vireo, plus a couple of Brown Thrashers and Common Grackles. Birds are definitely on the move! Kathy Confer Springbrook Nature Center Bird Banding Volunteer -- Forwarded message - From: Susan anderson <027be96b2ba4-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> Date: Sun, Sep 8, 2019 at 10:51 PM Subject: Re: [mou-net] About the Metro To: I have been seeing a number of American Redstarts on Tower Hill in Mpls. Susan A. > On Sep 8, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Brian Tennessen wrote: > > I saw Nashville Warblers at both the Bloomington bass ponds and at Crosby > Farm park Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. I also saw what I believe > was a Palm Warbler Sat morning. > > I saw a lot of Blue Jay activity at Crosby Farm Sat. Morning, they were > noticeably active and flying here and there in groups. > > Brian T. > > On Sun, Sep 8, 2019 at 9:42 PM Bernard P. Friel wrote: > >> I can report that a loose flock of 50-100 robins passed through the woods >> at my home in Mendota Heights last evening, and have had a few hummers >> visiting the last few flowers on our trumpet vine. >> >> Bernard P. Friel >> Motivational Program: >> A Change of Heart-Taking Charge of Your Health >> Member: >> The Explorers Club >>North American Nature Photography Association >>Grand Canyon River Guides >>International Society of Aviation Photography >> Web Pages-http://www.wampy.com >> >> >> On 9/8/19, 21:12, "Minnesota Birds on behalf of Steve Weston" < >> MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU on behalf of swesto...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>Beginning to see early signs of migration about the yard. Today we had >> a >>Swainson's Thrush feeding on dogwood berries. We also had an immature >>Chestnut-sided Warbler fatally hit the window, which, for some reason, >> is a >>rare occurrence here. I posted photos of it on eBird. >>We have had daily visits from a male Pileated that likes our suet. >> Today, I >>flushed a Coopers Hawk from a lake-side perch and yesterday I heard our >>local Red-shouldered Hawk calling. Interestingly, the Blue Jays here >>imitate the Red-shouldered rather that the Red-tailed calls. >> Hummingbirds >>rarely visit our feeder, apparently too busy with the spotted jewelweed >>flourishing in the yard. >> >>Large moths have been visiting the kitchen windows, probably Locust >>Underwings, although I am seeing them from the wrong side for an ID. >>Leopard frogs and toads are thick in the yard. Probably the most >>interesting non-avian observation was the road killed skunk at I-494 >> and >>Penn Avenue, definitely not a rural local. >> >>Steve Weston >>On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN >>swest...@comcast.net >> >>< >> http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email_source=link_campaign=sig-email_content=webmail >>> >>Virus-free. >>www.avg.com >>< >> http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email_source=link_campaign=sig-email_content=webmail >>> >><#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >> >> >>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 >> > > > 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 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] Ramsey County (Arden Hills) Western Tanager
I had the good fortune of seeing an adult male Western Tanager in breeding plumage in my yard yesterday afternoon. He was mostly foraging on the ground and flying to low branches in our two hemlock trees. Stayed around for about 5-7 minutes. The shocker for me was to actually see him in the yard again today, flying to a mixed seed feeder where a Northern Cardinal was chowing down. I never expected the first sighting, let alone a repeat! Alas, I have to work tomorrow... Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine Arden Hills Ramsey 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
Re: [mou-net] White-throated Sparrow
...and we had a number of them show up at Springbrook Nature Center Bird Banding this morning, too. That's in Fridley, Anoka County... Kathy Confer On Sun, Sep 24, 2017 at 6:59 AM, Radimecky, Linda C (DNR) < linda.radime...@state.mn.us> wrote: > At Afton State Park as well. > > Linda Radimecky > Area Interpretive Naturalist |Division of Parks and Trails > Afton State Park > 6959 Peller Ave S > Hastings, MN 55033 > Phone: 651-231-6968 > Email: linda.radime...@state.mn.us > mndnr.gov > > > > -Original Message- > From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Bob > Holtz > Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2017 2:25 PM > To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU > Subject: [mou-net] White-throated Sparrow > > The first of the fall just showed up in my yard. > > > > Bob Holtz > > > > 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 > 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] 6/25 Bird Banding in Fridley/Anoka County (Springbrook Nature Center)
We had a great time on Sunday morning at the Springbrook Nature Center (Fridley/Anoka County) bird banding session with Ron Refsnider! Even though we only had a total of 48 birds, we had 17 species, including: * A Broad-Winged Hawk! (Thanks to Amber Burnett for her bird handling skills and great educational session!) * A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (intended prey of the hawk!) * Cedar Waxwings * Northern Rough-Winged Swallow * American Goldfinch * House Finch * 2 banded Yellow Warblers * 3 Great-Crested Flycatchers * Black-Capped Chickadees * Down Woodpeckers * Hairy Woodpeckers (inc. a banded one that's at least 9 years old and has been caught 38 times!) * American Redstart * Song Sparrows * Chipping Sparrow * House Wren * Gray Catbird * A beautiful Golden-Shafted Northern Flicker Next session is on Sunday morning, July 23. Kathy Confer Springbrook Nature Center Bird Banding Volunteer (from Arden Hills/Ramsey County) Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Springbrook Nature Ctr, Fridley, Anoka County
We had a really fun Sunday morning of bird banding with (Master) Ron Refsnider at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Anoka County! I would second John Cyrus's message about fall migrating warblers being on the move. Here's the mix of 83 new and recaptured birds (15 species) that we entered in the log books: * Warblers: Blackburnian, Chestnut-Sided (both hatch-year males); Mourning (hatch-year female); Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart * Woodpeckers: Downy and Hairy * Eastern Wood Peewee * American Goldfinch * American Robin * White-Breasted Nuthatch * Black-Capped Chickadee * Gray Catbird (lots of fluffy crissums ;-) * Song Sparrow * House Wren The next bird banding session is scheduled for SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 (Labor Day weekend). We love having people of all ages and "birding abilities" drop in, so come and check out the NEW Springbrook Nature Center building (environmental design including a partial green roof, geo-thermal wells, LED lighting, and bird-safe glass-plus great exhibits), and then see some birds! The Center is open to the public every day at 9:00am. Kathy Confer (and I don't even live in Anoka County!) Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Springbrook Nature Center (Fridley/Anoka Co) 8/19 Bird Banding
We had an eventful morning of bird banding with Ron Refsnider, Siah St. Clair, and all of the volunteers and visitors on Sunday morning, Aug 19. There was a steady stream of birds from behind the nature center all morning, whereas the field nets and traps started out slow and then definitely picked up as the morning went on. We ended up with almost 90 birds representing 18 species (inc. a ruby-throated hummingbird that was released from a net). Almost half of the birds were black-capped chickadees (banded and unbanded), with the next largest group being 17 grey catbirds! We also had Northern cardinals, House finch, Red-winged blackbird, American robin, White-breasted nuthatch, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, American goldfinch, and Trails flycatchers. And a few warblers and others were hanging out, too: Canada, Chestnut-sided, and Magnolia; Northern waterthrush, Ovenbird, and a Red-eyed vireo. The next Springbrook bird banding will take place on Sunday, September 9; stop by any time between 7:00am and noon! Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine in Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Springbrook Nature Center Sunday Birdbanding (Fridley/Anoka Co)
Spent the Urban Birding Festival on Sunday morning at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley (Anoka Co) birdbanding with Director Siah St. Clair, Ron Refsnider, the volunteer crew, and many family visitors. We had 42 birds comprising 14 species, with the most represented as downy woodpeckers (8, inc. many young males) and grey catbirds (6!). The rest of the glory consisted of: American Robin, Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, American Goldfinch, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, an Eastern Wood Pewee, Black-capped Chicadee, Song Sparrow, House Wren, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Cedar Waxwing! Thanks to all for another wonderfl day! Kathy Confer near Lake Josephine Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Springbrook Nature Center (Fridley/Anoka Co) 5/20 Birdbanding Session
The misty rain and cool temps on Sunday morning at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley (Anoka Co) kept the overall numbers low-at 47 birds-but we did get 22 species in the 4 hours of banding. As was the case two weeks ago, the largest number of birds trapped was rose-breasted grosbeaks, this time at 6. In addition to the grosbeaks, we had: Common yellowthroat, American redstart, and Mourning, Canada, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, and Wilson's warblers American goldfinch Black-capped chickadee Northern cardinal Brown-headed cowbird Gray catbird Blue jay Trails and least flycatcher White-breasted nuthatch Downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers Veery House wren Thanks, again, to Siah St. Clair, Ron Refsnider, and all the volunteers and visitors for a fun morning.Good birding to all! Kathy Confer Arden Hills/Ramsey Co 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] Springbrook Nature Ctr, Fridley, Anoka Co
Despite the dreary weather, we had a great birdbanding session with Siah St. Clair, Ron Refsnider, and the volunteer crew at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Anoka County, on Sunday morning -- a total of 80 birds representing 29 species: American Redstart Common Yellowthroat Nashville, Orange-Crowned, Tennessee, and Yellow Warblers Northern Waterthrush Ovenbird House Wren Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers Blue Jay Gray Catbird Veery American Robin Black-Capped Chickadee White-Breasted Nuthatch House Finch American Goldfinch Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (13, the largest group of the morning!) Red-Winged Blackbird Brown-Headed Cowbird Least Flycatcher Great-Crested Flycatcher Lincoln's, Song, Swamp, White-Crowned, and White-Throated Sparrows Thanks to all for a great day! Kathy Confer Arden Hills/Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] 4/10 Springbrook Nature Center Bird Banding
Volunteered at yesterday's bird banding session at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley and was surprised at the low number of birds caught in nets and cages (narrowly based on the new flurry of activity in my yard the past few days). Wasn't sure if it had to do with the storms/fronts, the windy conditions blowing the nets into neighboring branches, or a combination of this and other factors. However, we did get a chance to band a few birds that were special (beyond the usual BC chickadees, downy and hairy woodpeckers, etc.): *brown creeper *fox sparrow *swamp sparrow *hermit thrush Hoping for bunches of warblers at the next Springbrook banding gig on May 1. Good birding and banding! Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine in Arden Hills 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] Turkeys Trumpeters!
I was on a business retreat yesterday (Thurs) in the conference cottage at St Croix River Bluffs Regional Park (Washington Co). As I drove from Rte 10 onto St Croix Trail and proceeded up the hill to the left curve in the road, I saw at least 40 wild turkeys feeding in the yard of the house on the right side of the road (they have a lot of feeders up and I suspect that they also provide sustenance for the gobblers, as well). A few of the turkeys were displaying...Then, further up St Croix Trail, about 1/2 mile before the St Croix Bluffs park entrance, I had a beautiful low flyover of 6 trumpeters swans. They continued flying over the farm fields to the northeast... During the retreat, as we sat in the cottage with a wall of windows overlooking the St Croix River, I couldn't help noticing eagle activity: an adult pair landed on the ice at the base of the tree-covered hill below the cottage, a couple of adults flew individually up the river, and late in the day an immature gave us good looks heading south on the MN side of the river at eye level. What a way to do business! Glad I stumbled on this retreat location while out birding in the Prescott area earlier this winter ;-) Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine in Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Bird Banding Record (not MN)
For the past year or so, I've been volunteering at a Twin Cities nature center monthly bird banding session-mostly to try and learn about birds from people who are in in the know and like educating neophytes like me. When my husband saw this article online about a banded bird record, he sent me the link. If you haven't seen it yet, enjoy! http://cs.birdwatchingdaily.com/BRDCS/blogs/field_of_view/archive/2011/03/08 /oldest-known-wild-bird-returns-to-midway-atoll-to-raise-chick.aspx Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine in Ramsey County Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] O'Brien SP Last Sunday
Sorry about the late post...Last Sunday I hiked a number of the inland trails at William O'Brien State Park just north of Marine-on-St. Croix. Saw a Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Bluebirds in/near many of the nest boxes, a Northern Harrier hunting low, and heard then saw a lively flock of about 8 Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers. A really beautiful day, despite the ticks and lack of wildflowers ;-) Kathy Confer Near Lake Josephine in Arden Hills, MN Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Northern Shrike
Had what I believe to be a First Winter Northern Shrike land in my yard today (Monday) around 9:30 a.m. This is my first shrike and, needless to say, seeing it about 10 feet away from our living room window was quite a wonderful surprise! It flew in from a high tree branch in a neighbor's yard to a low one (about 4 feet off the ground) near our thistle feeder. It hung out on the branch for about 20 seconds and then flew off to the north. We live in southern Arden Hills, a block away from Lake Josephine, near Co Rd D. The bird looked just like the First Winter Northern Shrike pictured on the Cornell Lab's site at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shrike/id Good birding in your own backyard! Kathy Confer kcon...@hcinteractive.com Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou] Thurs Night on Goose Lake
Goose Lake on the west side of Hwy 61 just south of White Bear Lake did not disappoint this evening! The previous posts lured me there, and this is what I experienced from 7:00-7:30 p.m.: - About 30 loons - Some American coots - A pied-billed grebe - A bunch of ring-necked ducks - Mallards - Two pairs of ruddy ducks - A couple lesser scaups - A pair of buffleheads The icing on the cake: We noticed a few snowy egrets in a tree at the south end of the lake shortly after we arrived. In the time that we were there looking at the ducks and loons, the egrets just kept flying in from the north in small groups until there were more than 50 roosting in the south shore trees when we left. What a beautiful sight! Cheers! Kathy Confer
[mou] STOP THE PRESSES!!!
STOP THE PRESSES! Call it a birder's Freudian slip...or a feathered faux pas...or even wishful thinking--but all in all, you can call it a MISTAKE! My brain was saying Great Egret and my fingers typed Snowy!!! Of course, the birds roosting at the south end of Goose Lake last evening were Great Egrets...still a beautiful sight! Mea culpa for the error, and a special thanks to Steve Weston for back-channeling. Kathy Confer
[mou] Miscellany
Good afternoonI work on the Minneapolis/East Bank campus of the University of Minnesota. This morning around 11:45 a.m., while walking from Walter Library to Rapson Hall via the mall sidewalk near Northrop Auditorium, I saw 13 American robins, 5 tree sparrows, 2 pigeons, and a male Northern cardinal. The location, more specifically: robins mostly in small crabapple (?) tree (and surrounding larger trees) on eastern edge of Northrop Plaza wall; some robins and sparrows in small birch next to Morrill Hall south side door; and the cardinal in a large tree on the Church St corner of Morrill Hall. Robins were also seen in trees outside of Rapson Hall connection to the Mechanical Engineering Bldg. The robins have been around for a couple of weeks, but I had never seen this many before in these two blocks...Here's to good birding at your place of employment! Kathy Confer PS: A week ago, I had an adult red-tailed hawk come crashing into the branches of a small grove of trees right next to my house--trying to land about 15 feet above the ground. I think it was after a red squirrel that was frozen mid-trunk below where the hawk landed. The hawk couldn't get its wings folded up to perch on the limb so it took off as quickly and clumsily as it had tried to land...Suburban Wild Kingdom near Lake Josephine, off of Lexington Avenue, where Arden Hills, Shoreview and Roseville meet.
[mou] Red-breasted Nuthatches/Ramsey County
I, too, have been enjoying my first yard visits by red-breasted nuthatches over the past few weeks. Usually, it's a lone bird that comes in to our side yard feeder, but yesterday (Sunday) I saw 3 distinct birds fly in within a 5-minute period. It's easier to follow their quick forays between feeder and trees now that the leaves are gone--thus, the assurance that it was 3 different birdsI am definitely an amateur, don't bird daily, or have any lists going--but I have not knowingly seen a yard red-breasted nuthatch in my 21 years in Minnesota. Needless to say, I am full of joy!...Kathy Confer (Arden Hills, near the eastern shore of Lake Josephine)
[mou] Roseville Osprey Nest
I have been monitoring the osprey platform nest in Roseville for the past 3 weeks or so, hoping that the pair from last year would return. They have! For the last 10-14 days, they have been building, mating, and eating atop the platform. I sent my observations to Vanessa Greene at The Twin Cities Osprey Project and she has since gone to the nesting platform and replied with the following: I did get the bands read on the ospreys at the cty rd C2 nest and it is the same male as last year...PE and the same unbanded female. He is now 5 years old and is from the Rice Lake nest in Anoka County. In an earlier message, she had also indicated that the pair had raised 2 chicks last year, and that the most important info she needs from observers is when the ospreys start laying eggs ( I drive by the platform on my way to and from work and frequently detect both birds on the platform--almost always there is at least one, though I'm not sure if eggs are present. Vanessa would like to be informed when the osprey starts laying eggs (one of the birds will always be sitting low in the nest, breast down on the eggs, rather than standing up). The platform/nest is located on the Ramsey County Open Space Site at the intersection of Lexington Ave North and County Road C2 (across from Lake Josephine). The best viewing is from Co Rd C2. There's a grassy hill down to the platform; you can sit at the top of the hill, but should not venture closer than that. There's a sign posted about not disturbing the nesting ospreys. Way to go, TC Osprey Project!!! Kathy Confer
[mou] New Research Center at the U of MN
!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC -//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN html head meta content=text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1 http-equiv=Content-Type /head body bgcolor=#ff text=#00 I saw the following on the U's home page this afternoon and thought it might be of interest to some members:br pbfont color=blackU receives $22.5 million to study avian flu/font/bbr A new center at the U will receive $22.5 million over seven years to focus on disease and virologic surveillance of avian influenza viruses.br The full news release is at:nbsp; br a class=moz-txt-link-freetext href=http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/U_receives_2422.5_million_to_study_avian_flu.html;http://www.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/U_receives_2422.5_million_to_study_avian_flu.html/abr /p pKathy Conferbr U of MN/Office of Information Technologybr /p /body /html
[mou] Kathy Confer sent you an article from startribune.com
table border=0 width=550 cellpadding=6tr bgcolor=#CCtd font face=arial,helvetica size=2 This article from a href=http://www.startribune.com;StarTribune.com/a has been sent to you by Kathy Confer.br b*Please note, the sender's identity has not been verified./bbrbr The full article, with any associated images and links can be viewed a href=http://www.startribune.com/531/story/764349.html; target=_newhere/a.brKathy Confer wrote these comments: ...an interesting and sobering article from today's StarTribune Web site...Kathy Confer, U of MNbrbr/td/trtrtdfont face=arial,helvetica size=2bBotulism is killing migratory birds in Lake Michigan/bbra href='mailto:meers...@startribune.com'Tom Meersman/a, Star Tribunebr/br/Hundreds of loons, grebes, mergansers, cormorants and other migrating birds have been killed in Lake Michigan recently, most likely from bacteria linked to non-native fish and mussels.br/br/Biologists at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore estimated this week that 2,600 dead birds have washed up on beaches during the past two months. It is the first large-scale bird die-off in Lake Michigan in decades.br/br/I've worked here for almost 30 years and I've never seen anything like it, said Steve Yancho, chief of natural resources at the park's office! in Empire, Mich. He said the cause of the deaths seems to be Type E botulism, which occurs naturally in the sediment of the lake, but rarely enters the food chain.br/br/Many wildlife biologists around the Great Lakes have noted similar mass bird deaths since 1999 in Lakes Erie, Ontario and Huron. Lake Superior seems to be the only Great Lake that has not been affected so far, said Doug Jensen, aquatic invasive species coordinator for the Minnesota Sea Grant at the University of Minnesota Duluth.br/br/He said he doesn't know whether similar problems will occur in Lake Superior, because scientists are still trying to understand how water temperature and other factors may play a role in transforming the botulism bacterium into a potent neurotoxin.br/br/What's clear from the evidence, said Jensen, is that the die-offs involve the interaction of two invasive species -- quagga mussels and a type of fish called round gobies -- which came originally from the Black and ! Caspian seas. They were carried into the Great Lakes in the ba! llast wa ter of oceangoing ships and have been spreading since their arrival in the late 1980s.br/br/Biologists believe that the birds die as the neurotoxin makes its way through the aquatic food chain.br/br/First, invasive quagga mussels move into a lake-bottom area, filter the sediment and accumulate the botulism's bacteria, which produce the toxin. Then, the round gobies eat the mussels and become contaminated. Finally, migrating birds spot the dead or dying gobies, eat them and in turn get poisoned.br/br/The toxin attacks the birds' nervous system and paralyzes their muscles, causing large numbers to drown when they can no longer flap their wings or hold up their necks.br/br/Large bird die-offs have occurred in late summer when gulls eat poisoned fish, but especially in the late fall when migrating birds are searching for food.br/br/New York biologists picked up more than 17,000 dead birds along the southern shore of Lake Erie in 2002. The toxin has also kille! d tens of thousands of other fish that consume gobies, and the gulls that feed on them.br/br/Yancho said the botulism outbreak at Sleeping Bear Dunes occurred just after the piping plover, an endangered bird species, left the area. br/br/Had they been here when this was going full speed, it could have been disastrous, he said, adding that there are only 50 pairs of piping plovers left in the Great Lakes.br/br/Helen Domske, senior extension specialist at the New York Sea Grant, is especially concerned about loons.br/br/They're wonderful birds that are such a critical part of the ecosystem, she said. You start to wonder what kind of impact so many deaths is having on the entire [loon] population.br/br/p class=contactTom Meersman 612 673-7388 a href='mailto:meers...@startribune.com'meers...@startribune.com/a/td/tr/table
[mou] Osprey Eagle 4/23 6:30 p.m.
Yes, what a beautiful Sunday evening! My mother-in-law is visiting from Raleigh, NC, so thought we'd wow her with a convertible ride to the Keller Lake eagles' nest on Hwy 36. We were heading south on Lexington Ave near Lake Josephine when we looked up and saw an adult eagle fly over, heading southeast. We turned the car around on Lexington and then headed across Co Rd C2, to try and relocate/ follow the eagle. Within 10 seconds we had it in sight again, and then my husband noticed an osprey out of the corner of his eye, also heading southeast after the eagle! When the eagle crossed Victoria St, the osprey turned around and headed back toward Lake JosephineWe talked about the encounter all the way to Keller Lake, where we observed one eagle standing in the nest; about 10 minutes later, the other adult eagle circled overhead then landed on a dead branch above and to the left of the nest (we were watching from the eagle viewing area in the park just south of 36)...I suspect that the eagle we witnessed being chased by the osprey was the eagle that landed in the tree Good birding to all... Kathy Confer
[mou] Sandhill Cranes, Sun. 3/19/06
Hi, sorry for the late posting...This is my first submission and didn't know if it was worth sending...? Heard and then saw 12 wonderful rattling sandhill cranes flying low in two Vs on Sunday, March 19, about 4:30 p.m. Location was in Anoka County--Rum River North County Park, next to St. Francis High School, off of Rum River Blvd. Kathy Confer
