Re: [mou-net] MOU-NET Digest - 22 Dec 2021 to 23 Dec 2021 (#2021-231)

Just a fyi, that your "guests" northern Minnesota cousins are spinning and being ejected also. Let me add one more possible explanation for the repeated attempts: * Most gray squirrels are in love with the sport of paragliding, and have a secret desire to soar effortlessly through the air like the

[mou-net] Bohemian Waxwings: McQuade Harbor - Duluth

Huge flock of Bohemian Waxwings (225+) at McQuade Harbor (just north of Duluth on Lake Superior) right now (noon on Thursday the 17th). Big crab apple tree next to Cape Superior Inn parking lot. Friend who works at Cape Superior saw the Bohemians yesterday ... thus second day in a row at this

[mou-net] Northern Shrike (Scenic 61 / Duluth)

I saw a Northern Shrike while driving home from church this morning, and then relocated the bird in the exact same stretch of Scenic 61 north of the Lakewood Pumping Station at 4 pm. Good chance the bird will be there Monday morning. Photos and directions on my blog at http://www.365DaysOfBir

[mou-net] Read Birding & Photography Mags Free Offline such as Audubon, BirdWatching & Outdoor Photographer!

Just published a blog post on using Zinio and your local Minnesota public library documenting with extensive screenshots on how one may download and read hundreds of magazines offline. Learn more at: http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2015/12/21/getting-a-free-magazine-fix-for-birding- photography-z

[mou-net] Now on iTunes: Minnesota Birding News App

As of this evening the free Minnesota Birding News App which has no advertising and keeps you informed about birding in Minnesota is now also available for Apple mobile devices (iPhone & iPad) on iTunes and the Apple App Store in addition to Google Play for Android. The app gives you news fro

[mou-net] Minnesota Birding News App Live on Google Play!

The Minnesota Birding News App for Android is now available for free and w/o advertising via Google Play! A version for IOS via the Apple App Store is in progress. Hope to go live with the Apple version by Christmas. Search for "Minnesota Birding News" via Google Play, or learn more including

[mou-net] Pagami Creek Wildfire Region Birding Report

It was magic on Tomahawk Road near Ely at sunrise this morning. Full trip report, videos and photos are on my blog with mileage points explaining where various birds are located, but in short I saw well over 30 spruce grouse, and many black-backed woodpeckers. Given the recent warm weather, T

[mou-net] Old Vermilion Trail Bird & Ski! (Duluth area)

I've decided to groom a cross-country ski trail right next to the Old Vermilion Trail public bird feeders I maintain. Thus, if you are in the Duluth area why not bird and ski at the same time?! Just posted my Garmin data for the trail section I am grooming to date. I've had five delightful da

[mou-net] Minnesota Bird News App

The initial testing of my new Minnesota Bird News App has gone well. The app contains automatic updates from Minnesota bird blogs and organizations. In addition, the blog links mou-net bird sightings, selective national / international birding blogs and much much more! (sounds like a holiday

[mou-net] Minnesota Bird News Reading App

Been geeking out since 5 am this Thanksgiving morning. Built a free Minnesota Bird News Reading app which works on both the Apple and Android smartphones & tablets. Interested in helping me beta test the app? More info via my blog at http://www.365DaysOfBirds.com/ Join or Leave mou-net:

[mou-net] Photography / Birding Seminars in the Twin Cities

I will presenting two outdoor photography / birding seminars in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area during the next seven days. The title of each seminar is: Outdoor Photography on a Budget. Both events are free, open to the public, and do not require any advance registration! The first seminar

[mou-net] 1,500+ Snow Buntings & Horned Larks

If you are birding the North Shore near Grand Marais, specifically Good Harbor Bay for loons and ducks, make certain you stop at the Cut Face Creek highway wayside. This wayside received a facelift this summer and fall. A carpet of grass seed embedded in straw was recently laid down, and boy

[mou-net] Winter Bird Feeders: Old Vermilion Trail (rural Duluth)

Put up and filled my "winter feeders" along Old Vermilion Trail (a dirt road, not a hiking trail) just outside of Duluth this morning. More information on my blog including a map ... http://www.365daysofbirds.com/old-vermilion-trail-forest-winter-birding-map/ Join or Leave mou-net: http:/

[mou-net] Snow Geese: Blue & White Morphs in Two Harbors

Found a small flock of six Snow Geese, including both blue and white morphs on the Two Harbors golf course this morning! Photos on my blog at http://www.365DaysOfBirds.com/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net

[mou-net] Sanderlings (Park Point)

There is a flock of about 20 immature Sanderlings out on Park Point. I saw them twice today ... 7:30 am and 3:00 pm ... Sky Harbor parking area, Lake Superior beach ... not harbor. Images on my web site at http://www.365DaysOfBirds.com/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/

[mou-net] American Golden Plovers

Spent a delightful morning inland from Lake Superior and northeast of Finland on Cty #7. While driving home via Lax Lake Rd and Lake County Rd #4 found a small flock of American Golden Plovers at the Beaver Bay Sewage Treatment Ponds. Thanks to Clinton Nienhaus with the ID help. Images on my

[mou-net] Sandhill Cranes (Duluth Township)

Although I've seen Sandhill Cranes up in the Bog, this was a new sight for me today in the Duluth area. The crane family is in fields west of Ryan Rd. (just north of Lizmore Rd). Images on my blog at http://www.365DaysOfBirds.com/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUB

[mou-net] Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Video

The stars aligned for me at sunset yesterday evening. I had reason to be down in Minneapolis from Duluth, and Laura Segala was so kind as to let me bird in her back yard. Saw the Heron from only 10 yards away and took a video which is now posted on my blog. http://www.365DaysOfBirds.com/

Re: [mou-net] Willets, St. Louis Co.

Checked around 4 pm. Huge number of Willets now ... still just one golden plover, but also lots of lesser yellowlegs. Blowing in on the NE wind. The playing fields are one big puddle, and feeding spot. Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://

[mou-net] Lester River Birding Report (Duluth Area)

The Lester River from the mouth of Lake Superior up to Superior Street is full of birds this morning. Newly fledged Kingfishers are learning how to fish. A huge flock of cedar waxwings are gorging themselves on the berries in the trees, and a brood of newly hatched common merganser chicks are

[mou-net] Comstock Lake Road (explored route to Sax-Zim Bog from Duluth)

I have a full report including a map on Comstock Lake Road. I believe this road is an excellent way to drive up to Sax-Zim Bog from the Duluth area ... birding the entire way. http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2015/07/16/in-search-of-color-on-a-gloomy-day/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.

[mou-net] Sax-Zim Bog Birding Report

Only visit Sax-Zim Bog in the Winter? Wrong move! Shortly after sunrise this morning I saw courting turkeys, sandhill cranes, lots of bobolinks and magpies. Via my blog post you'll find videos of the courting turkeys, the singing boblink and a map which shows (and annotates the viewing locatio

Re: [mou-net] Park Point Shore Birds (Duluth)

My thanks to Tanya Beyer and her post from yesterday about all the shorebirds near Sky Harbor Airport. I was down at Park Point shortly after 6 am, and I named my birding excursion "Invasion of the Arctic Shore Birds". Although I did not see or hear a Piping Plover, from the vantage point of

[mou-net] Spring North Bicycle Tour

Ever wonder what is would be like to bike and bird north with the Spring? My wife and I have now completed over 1,200 miles (self-supported) as we follow the spring north. We first bicycled from near Fort Worth south to the Texas Hill Country. After that region we swung east and north through

Re: [mou-net] Bruce Beehler: "North with the Spring" (by bicycle ... Rich Hoeg)

Maybe my wife and I will see Bruce on the road! We are starting the "Spring North Tour" by bicycle this coming Monday in Texas. Over the course of 4 to 6 weeks while working our way back to Minnesota, we will do a self supported 1,500 to 2,000 mile bike tour which starts in Texas, works its w

[mou-net] Hybrid Hooded Merganser / Goldeneye (rural Duluth)

Found a hybrid Hooded Merganser / Goldeneye at the Rice Lake Dam shortly after sunrise this morning. Photos on my blog at http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2015/03/24/hybrid- goldeneye-hooded-merganser-yr-2-day-62/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:

[mou-net] Old Vermilion Trails Bird Feeders (Duluth area)

Shutting down the public bird feeders I maintain on Old Vermilion Trail for the winter. I filled them for the last time this morning (March 18th). Still worth birding the trail / road as the migration starts up in force ... nice wetlands and forest. Over the course of the winter this was a nea

Re: [mou-net] Northern Hawk Owl (Duluth Riley Rd)

I relocated the Northern Hawk Owl first reported yesterday by Don Kienholz. It was on the tops of one of the pine trees right next to the road by the entrance to the road maintenance garages (Riley Rd ... just off Jean Duluth Rd ... north side of road). For those of you who viewed the Riley R

[mou-net] Star Tribune Article on Birding & Photography

The STRIB published an interview today about my 365 day bird photography project! Article: http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/292729401.html My Blog: http://www.365DaysOfBirds.Com/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/

Re: [mou-net] Birding Trail Duluth

There was a request for information on the birding trail maintained in the rural Duluth area. I am the person who maintains some feeders on public land north of Duluth on Old Vermilion Trail. The trail is actually a well maintained and plowed dirt road. In addition, the feeders are only a fe

[mou-net] Duluth Area Snow Buntings

Snow Buntings continue to be seen at the Superior Middle School. I found them at 8:25 this morning behind the school feeding on the grass next to the bus loading area. Weekends are best because when school is session they spook so easily. During the week while classes are in session one shoul

[mou-net] 365 Days Complete!

There's freezing drizzle outside in northern Minnesota this morning. What fool would want to photograph birds in these conditions?! Not me! http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2015/01/23/day-365-one-year-of-bird-photos-complete/ Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-n

[mou-net] Duluth Airport Snowy!

Just before sunset on this cloudy, gloomy day I drove out to the airport. I located a snowy owl on the Wick Hangar about 4:20 pm. I suspect the owl may spend its days on the hangar roof. At 4:35, the Snowy stretched and shortly it flew off to go hunt. I refound the owl around 4:45 on a teleph

[mou-net] Birding Report (Duluth to Sand River, north of Two Harbors)

Had an excellent time this morning. The Spruce Grouse were out on hwy #2 between Greenwood Lake and Sand River (distance of about 7 miles). In addition, along this stretch I saw lots of redpolls, and a good number of pine grosbeaks and grey jays. I did not find the last 4+ miles from just pas

[mou-net] Old Vermilion Trail Birding Update (rural Duluth)

The public feeders I maintain on Old Vermilion Trail are starting to attract some more winter visitors. In addition to the normal birds, redpolls are now regularly using the feeder. In addition, I found and photographed two Grey Jays / Canada Jays about one mile in on the trail about 8:30 thi

[mou-net] Northern Hawk Owl (rural Duluth)

Saw and photographed a Northern Hawk Owl towards the end of Jean Duluth Road around 11:15 this morning. It was perched in the tallest pine which is right in the middle of Kelly J's driveway, on the dead branches that extend skyward. Here are my photos of its morning preen ... in the sun! Quite

[mou-net] Duluth Area Raptors / Birding Report

Christmas Eve Morning was a fun time to be out and about. First, it was SUNNY! Thus, I went over to the Superior Middle School, and watched three different snowy owls hunt for breakfast. In addition, there are a some snow buntings hanging out in the Middle School area. After the snowies dec

[mou-net] Birding Camera Review

Given the camera I use for bird photography is not an expensive DSLR camera with a long reach lens, I thought folks might be interested in a review of the Canon SX60 (my camera). While I recognize that a DSLR and high quality long reach lens provides the best photos possible, that option is a

[mou-net] Stony River Forest Road / Sand River Area Birding Report

Went birding with Pastor Greg Garmer up along Stony River Forest Road, and the Sand River area this morning. Given logging operations, Stony River Road and Whyte Road are plowed deep into the forest. We turned around over 14 miles in. Along the forest roads we did not see much, but once we co

[mou-net] Minnesota Birding Custom Google Search Engine Updated

The search engine now includes image search (use image tab on search results page). In addition, I have added a search tips section. For example, enclosing the phrase "great gray owl" yields different search results than the same keywords which are not enclosed in quotes. This results differ

[mou-net] Minnesota Birding Google Search Engine

Custom Built Minnesota Birding Google Search Engine! As a service to the Minnesota Birding Community, I have built a Google custom search engine which only indexes known Minnesota birding web content. The user may then search that content using Google search. Results do "not" include other con

[mou-net] Harlequin Duck (Canal Park, Duluth)

Like any good Duluthian, I was attracted to Canal Park by a Laker leaving the harbor shortly after sunrise. Before leaving I decided to check the flock of mallards that often congregates right next to shore, just outside the North Pier. I was surprised to find a Harlequin Duck making like a m

[mou-net] Update: Duluth / Superior Snowy Owl

The snowy owl appears to have established a territory which encompasses Superior Middle School and Richard Bong Airport (properties border one another). Drive over the bridge and keep going straight to the end of Hammond Avenue. Enter the parking lot and check out the light poles and ballfiel

[mou-net] Snowy Owl (Duluth / Superior)

I know this service is for "Minnesota", but I suspect folks might be willing to drive over to Superior for cool birds! A snowy owl has taken up residence at the Richard Bong Airport and has been seen each of the last three evenings at the Superior Middle School. Focus upon the light poles in

[mou-net] Rough Legged Hawk (establishing territory in rural Duluth?)

For the third day in a row I have been privileged to get very close and watch a rough-legged hawk hunting near the Amish Furniture House on Old Superior Street near McQuade Harbor. Think it might be the same bird each day! I think this bird likes this particular area because, unlike a few mor

[mou-net] Northern Shrikes (rural Duluth)

Saw two Northern Shrikes about 12:30 p.m. on "old" Superior Street on the Duluth side of the Amish Furniture Store out near McQuade Harbor. The two birds were on both sides of the road, but eventually went below the railroad track into the woods. I could hear them calling back and forth. ---

[mou-net] Great Gray Owl (Old Vermilion Trail just north of Duluth)

Saw a great gray owl hunting for breakfast around 8 am this morning about 400 yards from the beginning of Old Vermilion Trail just north of Duluth. Photo of the owl may be seen via my blog ... http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2014/11/26/days-306-307-birds-of-the-northern-pine- forest/ As a fyi, I