[mou] Snowy Owl: Wabasha CBC

[Steve Weston]

Yesterday's Wabasha CBC produced many good birds and with 58 species, 
probably a record number of species.  Birding was slow away from the feeders 
and the river with its waterfowl and eagles.  Interesting birds seen:

Snowy Owl: A very white individual was seen on the river ice on the 
Mississippi north of the dam at the Wisconsin town of Alma.  Directions: Go 
south on US 61 to CR24 (or CR30 map is unclear) just about a mile north of 
Kellogg.  Cross the railroad and follow the road north to the first 
intersection and take CR24 east.  When the road turns north take the first 
right at the sign to the campground (Pioneer?).  Follow the road a couple of 
blocks to the frontage road along the river and head south perhaps a couple 
of blocks to the public water access parking lot.  Follow the path on the 
dike for at least three quarters of a mile to just before the dam.  Look 
through your scope to the north.  The trip acorss the  dike will probably be 
cold and windy and the the walk down from the parking lot is not for the 
unseady of foot (it looks like a toboggan run).  And, of course the owl may 
not be visible when you get there.  Looking north from the dam from the Alma 
side requires little to no hiking, but I have no idea if the line of sight 
is clear.  We did try to see by hiking across a backwater from about a mile 
to the north.  Be cautious, the ice on the river is not safe.  And while the 
owl might have been quite a bit closer, it was not visible.  Perhaps it had 
left.

Redhead: on the river amoung thousands of ducks.
Ring-neck Duck: best viewing south of dam at Alma.  May be on either side of 
border in mid channel.
Scaup: (Lesser?) female with Ring-neck Duck.
Tufted Titmouse: at a feeder on Riverview Drive off of CR24.
Pine Siskins: one large flock behind the high school at Wabasha.  Pairs seen 
elsewhere.

Record numbers:
C. Mergansers (~800)
C. Goldeneye (~700)
Red-breasted Nuthatch: we found 9 and others found a few, but I do not know 
if the total beats the record of 13.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2 at comcast.net