I just returned from spending 3 days in NW Minn. looking for Sprague's pipit. I found no pipits but still had a very worthwhile trip. I spent about two hours at the rock wren location, hoping to find evidence of nesting. I only saw one wren and it only sang from the top of the rock pile about two minutes before disappearing. I never saw it again on the rock pile. About 1.5 hours later, I saw a single rock wren on the s. side of the gravel driveway. It was foraging and moving south. The weather was overcast, with light intermittent rain, and cool (47 degrees).
I then called someone who had just returned from the MBW in that area, and was informed that several people had seen a furruginous hawk about 4 miles south of my current location. When the weather finally broke, and the sun poked out, I thought it might be a good time to look for raptors as the thermals formed. As fate would have it, I was overlooking a grazed pastor (while briefly visiting with several Heterite type men who spoke with heavy german accents), when the bird lifted from a lone tree toward the middle of the pasture. I watched it for about two minutes as it caught a thermal, rose and departed to the east, away from me. I spent the next 4 hours unsuccessfully trying to relocate it. I did see one very white (even the head) young redtail, and numerous other redtails and harriers. I am hoping the people who originally found the FUHA will post it and take credit. The fact they have not done so possibly suggests another agenda, and I do not want to infringe on them. I saw the FUHA about 1/2 mi. west of Clay co. #86, between 57th Ave. N and 43rd Ave. N. When the bird flew, it went over Co. #86 to the east and circled there a while. That entire section (between 170 St. N. and 180 St. N.) looks like good habitat, but all I saw there were redtails and harriers. *** Brad and his wife have experienced a few RECENT problems with birders trespassing on foot, disturbing livestock (with young), and blocking the driveway. Please, please, realize using this birding goldmine is entirely a goodwill gesture on the part of the Bjerkens. If we abuse it, we could lose it.