Yesterday (Sunday) I again observed a large (200+) flock of Bohemian = Waxwings in south Brainerd. This flock has been observed by a number of = people at various locations in south Brainerd for the past couple weeks. = The current flock is larger than the last time that I saw it (about 2 = weeks ago) when it numbered about 100 birds or so. =20
The flock was nervous and would start to alight in a tree and then take = off again, splitting and reforming. I watched from a parking lot between = the high school and the south campus. The flock would try to land in some = crab apple trees and then spook, at times heading north and then circling = to the south, and then coming back to the trees by the south campus = building. Finally the flock went west, over the trees and headed towards = the Mississippi River. =20 I'm not sure why the flock was so skittish because there was no obvious = disturbance and little to no human activity around. However, there have = been reports of a hawk at the south campus courtyard and another taking = pigeons by the Mississippi River Bridge by people who couldn't identify = the hawks. I'll need to do some looking in those areas.... --Pam Perry, Brainerd