[mou] Minnesota Point Short-eared Owl!

[Erik Bruhnke]

I know it's over in Minnesota, but thought I'd post my sightings from this
morning while birding at Minnesota Point. The Superior and Duluth area s are
close to each other (location-wise), and wanted to pass on the sightings to
both Wisconsin and Minnesota birders.

By far the most exciting sighting this morning was a SHORT-EARED OWL flying
over the lake. Within a minute of viewing this beautiful owl, a Ring-billed
Gull flew near it, and suddenly went 'jaeger' on it. The gull was diving at
it, and from what I could tell, it looked like the gull was trying to force
the Owl in the water! It would dive at the owl, and pressure it downward.
Pretty crazy!

Other sightings throughout the length of Minnesota Point from this morning
include:
Horned Grebe (1)
Horned Lark (flock of roughly 30 birds)
Bonaparte's Gulls (about 2 dozen)
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk (2 flew over the lake, flying low)


Highlights from Hawk Ridge today include a banded dark morph Rough-legged
Hawk, and a high-flying partial albino Red-tailed Hawk.

I'll let you know what I see tomorrow too! Good birding,
Erik Bruhnke

Duluth, MN
birdfedr at gmail.com
www.pbase.com/birdfedr
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