[mou-net] Shorebirds (McLeod and Wright Counties)

Craig Mandel and I visited the two previously-described shorebird hotspots this morning. (Unfortunately I cannot find directions for the McLeod County site at the moment...all I remember is that it was along MN Hwy 7.) The McLeod County shorebird spot had poor diversity (5 species) of 100-ish

[mou-net] Buff-breasted Sandpipers-Stearns

Seen three Buff-breasted Sandpipers in southern Stearns fairly early this morning, along with the RBGulls, Franklin's Gulls, and Killdeeron a harvested ag field that sort of looks like sod removal patch. 101st Ave--south bound gravel road off the SW corner of Pearl Lake (Marty, MN).

[mou-net] Crossbills.

I planted a lot of sunflowers this year and they grew up to 12 feet high. While sitting on a swing and watching the Goldfinches tear into them I noticed a few other birds ripping them up. I looked through my binoculars and noticed they were Crossbills. I went to the book and figured out they

[mou-net] Hawk Ridge brief raptor movement

Yesterday my good friend Ted Keyel and I hawkwatched from Hawk Ridge. Over the course of ~3 hours, we tallied two Merlin, a juvenile Northern Harrier, an American Kestrel and a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk. Very distant American Kestrel catching dragonflies http://www.pbase.com/image/145260548