[mou] New season sightings
Jeff Stephenson
stephensonjeff@charter.net
Fri, 28 Mar 2003 09:54:00 -0600
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It was pouring down rain yesterday so when I read about Denny and Barb =
Martin's Pierce Lake sighting of over 74 Ross's geese I couldn't resist. =
So I called Chuck Krulas and off we went to the Martin's county. When we =
got there we did find at least 1 of the 74 Ross's (they were all bunched =
up) and in addition we found 4 American White Pelicans and a Swamp =
Sparrow. All were new year birds for us.=20
Our record for the earliest date to see 200 species in Minnesota is =
April 29. Chuck and I both started the day yesterday with 128 species. =
It's going to be hard to beat the April 29th record because we have =
missed 5 northern species that we had in 2001 when the record was set. =
Those species we missed this year are: Snowy Owl, both Redpolls, =
Northern Hawk Owl, and Boreal Owl.
After seeing the Pelicans we decided to look to see if the Great Tailed =
Grackles had returned to Jackson County. So we started to drive the =
backroads over to Jackson. On the way we saw lots of migrating black =
birds. Since we needed Brewer's Black Bird for the season we had to stop =
for every flock. Sure enough we did find Brewer's, along with Rusty, =
Common Grackle, and Brown Headed Cowbirds. After stopping for one flock =
as I was getting back into the car I heard the rattle of the Longspur. =
So out we jumped to see if we could catch a view of them so we could add =
them to our Martin County list. There was a flock of about 40 birds =
milling around over the plowed field. I scanned the birds trying to see =
if I could pick a Smith's out of the mostly Lapland flock. Sure enough =
although most had white bellies I could see at least one had the yellow =
belly. So we grabbed our scopes and trudged (it was still raining) =
through the black mud to get a better look. Finally we both got to see =
Smith's Longspur. I suspect that this is a pretty early date for them =
but what can I say.=20
We then looked at all the usual spots for the Great Tailed Grackle =
without success. While driving back home on Interstate 90 Chuck spotted =
a Great Egret (season first for us) flying over. So even with rain we =
were able to get 6 new species for the year. It was a great day.
Jeff Stephenson
Home phone: 507 289 7635
Cell phone: 507 254 8194
email: stephensonjeff@charter.net
web page: www.geocities.com/jjeffstephenson
Rochester Mn, 55902, Olmsted County
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It was pouring down rain yesterday so =
when I read=20
about Denny and Barb Martin's Pierce Lake sighting of over 74 Ross's =
geese I=20
couldn't resist. So I called Chuck Krulas and off we went to the =
Martin's=20
county. When we got there we did find at least 1 of the 74 Ross's (they =
were all=20
bunched up) and in addition we found 4 American White Pelicans and a =
Swamp=20
Sparrow. All were new year birds for us. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Our record for the earliest date =
to see 200=20
species in Minnesota is April 29. Chuck and I both started the day =
yesterday=20
with 128 species. It's going to be hard to beat the April 29th record =
because we=20
have missed 5 northern species that we had in 2001 when the record was =
set.=20
Those species we missed this year are: Snowy Owl, both Redpolls, =
Northern Hawk=20
Owl, and Boreal Owl.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>After seeing the Pelicans we decided to =
look to see=20
if the Great Tailed Grackles had returned to Jackson County. So we =
started to=20
drive the backroads over to Jackson. On the way we saw lots of migrating =
black=20
birds. Since we needed Brewer's Black Bird for the season we had to stop =
for=20
every flock. Sure enough we did find Brewer's, along with Rusty, Common =
Grackle,=20
and Brown Headed Cowbirds. After stopping for one flock as I was getting =
back=20
into the car I heard the rattle of the Longspur. So out we jumped to see =
if we=20
could catch a view of them so we could add them to our Martin County =
list. There=20
was a flock of about 40 birds milling around over the plowed field. I =
scanned=20
the birds trying to see if I could pick a Smith's out of the mostly =
Lapland=20
flock. Sure enough although most had white bellies I could see at least =
one had=20
the yellow belly. So we grabbed our scopes and trudged (it was still =
raining)=20
through the black mud to get a better look. Finally we both got to see =
Smith's=20
Longspur. I suspect that this is a pretty early date for them but what =
can I=20
say. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We then looked at all the usual spots =
for the Great=20
Tailed Grackle without success. While driving back home on Interstate 90 =
Chuck=20
spotted a Great Egret (season first for us) flying over. So even with =
rain we=20
were able to get 6 new species for the year. It was a great =
day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jeff Stephenson<BR>Home phone: 507 289 =
7635<BR>Cell=20
phone: 507 254 8194<BR>email: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:stephensonjeff@charter.net">stephensonjeff@charter.net</A>=
<BR>web=20
page: <A=20
href=3D"http://www.geocities.com/jjeffstephenson">www.geocities.com/jjeff=
stephenson</A><BR>Rochester=20
Mn, 55902, Olmsted County</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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