[mou] Urban Minneapolis birding this week

[Jonathan Ferguson]

On Monday, I had a fine walk home on a warm, spring evening, from downtown
Minneapolis, through Loring Park, to Uptown.

Birds encountered:
* Red Wing Blackbirds --  Heard a few, saw one (always a wonderful sound
(especially downtown) no matter how ubiquitous it is in the summer).
* Grackles (first of the year for me)
* Robin
* Crows
* Mallards
* Canada Geese
* Nighthawk (first of the year for me)
* Great Blue Heron: flew close overhead, silent and spectral, probably on
its way to Lake of the Isles.
* Cardinals: heard, didn't see.
* Probably some house sparrows, starlings, and "rock doves", too.

All of these become very common, but Spring sure makes me twitterpated for
their return!  It's also nice to be enjoying birds and not freezing my long
johns off!

Also this week, Warren Woessner pointed out a peregrine falcon, perched on a
building, plucking and eviscerating another bird.  Nothing like birding from
your office!

Jonathan Ferguson
Minneapolis