[mou-net] Least Bittern, Wabasha County

One heard calling on 5/9/2012 at the SW corner of the most easterly pool (Dorer Pools) at Whitewater State Wildlife Area for an apparent FOY in state record. Yellow-headed Blackbirds and 8+ Sandhill Cranes also present. ** Bob

[mou-net] new whooper release site

The Wisconsin reintroduction program has a new release site this year, White River Marsh State Wildlife Area SW of Berlin in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. I've been griping for years that it would be nice if my agency reinintroduced a bird into the heart of its range, not into the fringes.

[mou-net] Whooping Crane national update

Here's the latest update on the Whooping Crane popualtion from the Recovery team. Special thanks to Tom Stehn, national recovery team coordinator, Aransas NWR, who has been a tireless advocate for this species and who will be retiring in the fall. The population has made an amazing surge from

[mou-net] Lac Qui Parle County Bell's Vireo

Andy Forbes and I had a singing Bell's Vireo just west of Big Stone NWR on Saturday evening. Go south from HQ on route 15 a couple of miles to the base of the big hill, then turn right at the crossroad on to route 15, and go 1.1 miles past the Yellow Bank River bridge to where the road overlooks

[mou-net] Smith's Longspur, Lac Qui Parle County

On Friday afternoon USFWS biologists Mike Green, Stephanie Jones, Bill Howe, Tom Will, and Eric Kerschner found a single alternate-plumaged Smith's Longspur in the NW quadrat of the Yellow Bank Hills State Natural Area, a 78-acre hilly site on the east side of Pegg Lake. Observers also found and

[mou-net] banded shorebirds (request for assistance)

Please Report Color-flagged Hudsonian Godwits and Whimbrels Since 2007, we have attached uniquely numbered/lettered, red color-flags to 790 Godwits and 355 Whimbrels on Chiloé Island, Chile. Godwits or Whimbrels have also been flagged in Alaska, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Manitoba, and

[mou-net] Big week for whoopers

In addition to the good news on the Aransas--Wood Buffalo (Alberta) population, 5 of the 10 young cranes following the ultralite airplanes made it to their winter home at St. Mark's NWR (FL panhandle) this morning. The other 5 birds will be led to their wintering home on the west coast of

[mou-net] Sprague's Pipit Conservation Plan

Check out this website for the just published Sprague's Pipit conservation plan. The Sprague's Pipit was once a common breeder in northwestern Minnesota. http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/spraguespipit/SpraguesJS2010r4.pdf

[mou-net] Sprague's Pipit listing denied

Region 6 (Northern Great Plains) of the US Fish and Wildlife Service published a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Sprague's pipit under the Endangered Species Act yesterday. The finding was that listing is warranted, but precluded by other higher priority actions right now. This means,

[mou-net] Common loon movements now online!

Sent by Kevin Kenow, USGS, LaCrosse Common loon movements now onlinethe 'loon migration studies' site was developed by our media specialist Bob Kratt. Bob will be updating the site once or twice a week during fall migration. Movements of five common loons that were radiomarked in Minnesota

[mou-net] Jackson/Cottonwood County Bird Atlas Foray

THis weekend! Come on down, see lots of grassland birds, search for rarities, add to your county lists and most importantly, help us bust some priority atlas blocks in these 2 little birded counties. Make your birding and twitching and county listing serve a strong conservation purpose to help

[mou-net] Shorebird news (long)

I recently attended the national shorebird council meeting and Waterbird Society meeting at Cape May, New Jersey. Canadian and American shorebird biologists and land managers attended the meeting. Joe Canada's son-in-law Canada Dry also graced us with his presence. Some findings applicable to

[mou-net] Cave Swallow behavior in cold weather

Tip for Duluth birders trying to confirm Cave/Cliff Swallows. Last week I was in Cape May, New Jersey and found that Cave Swallows would forage in early-to mid afternoon low over sand dunes and over marshes and ponds in the morning, no doubt due to the availability of insect life. Good luck! Bob

[mou-net] Atlasing in northern Morrison County

Spend Sunday and Monday Minnesota Bird atlasing in the Shamineau Lake area (NE priority block and NW non-priority block) and had some intersting finds. 5 Caspian Terns (migrants no doubt) on Shamineau and 3 on Crookneck Lake. Raven family of 5 well-fledged and coming in to investigate my

[mou-net] Tundra Swan movement (Hennepin County)

I estimated 620 Tundra Swans in a very impressive movement over Ft. Snelling at 8.30 a.m. this morning--all headed WNW. Fortunately MSP was very quiet at the time as I'm sure these flocks showed up on radar. Bob Russell Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net

[mou-net] Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas headsup (owls)

As preparations for the first Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas move ahead with online data entry capability with Cornell's website scheduled for early March, it behooves us not to overlook any existing opportunities for documenting breeding birds. Safe dates (those dates that encompass the period

[mou-net] continental spruce grouse conservation plan

The Spruce Grouse Continental Conservation Plan (Plan) has been developed under the auspices of the Resident Game Bird Working Group of the Association of Fish Wildlife Agencies, the Wildlife Management Institute and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The development of the Plan is part