From RHoyme@msn.com Sun Feb 1 01:21:29 2004 From: RHoyme@msn.com (Richard Hoyme) Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 19:21:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] Buntings, Longspurs, Larks in Southern Counties References: <002001c3e852$ecac4120$f6c31941@MainComputer> Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0759_01C3E82F.6DE113C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Another interesting thing we saw was along Highway 169 this side of St. = Peter. There were 69 Wild Turkeys roosting in some trees. They were = quite high up. This is the most I've seen at one place. We also ran = across about 30 Pheasants in a field in Blue Earth Co.=20 Rick Hoyme Hennepin Co. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Bob Dunlap=20 To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net ; mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 5:35 PM Subject: [mou] Buntings, Longspurs, Larks in Southern Counties Today Rick Hoyme and I birded through Waseca, Steele, Dodge, Goodhue, = Rice, and Le Seuer Counties in hopes of finding Snow Buntings, Lapland = Longspurs, and Horned Larks in each. Here are the results by county: Waseca: flock of longspurs and buntings along CR 3 just south of = Janesville. Steele: flock of longspurs, larks, and buntings along CR 18 just south = of Hwy. 14. We also found a flock of Purple Finches at the feeders in = Rice Lake SP and a few Common Redpolls at a nearby feeder. Dodge: flock of around 1,000 Snow Buntings! with a few longspurs mixed = in along CR 20 a few miles west of Hwy 56. Goodhue: flock of buntings and longspurs near the intersection of CR = 11 and CR 13. Rice: small flock of longspurs and larks along CR 19 just east of its = junction with CR 80. Le Seuer: flock of longspurs along CR 136 just south of Hwy. 99. We = also found a single Horned Lark north of here along CR 121. -Bob Dunlap, Carver County ------=_NextPart_000_0759_01C3E82F.6DE113C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Another interesting thing we saw was along Highway 169 this side of = St.=20 Peter. There were 69 Wild Turkeys roosting in some trees. They were = quite high=20 up. This is the most I've seen at one place. We also ran across about 30 = Pheasants in a field in Blue Earth Co.
 
Rick Hoyme
Hennepin Co.
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Dunlap
To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net ; = mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Sent: Saturday, January 31, = 2004 5:35=20 PM
Subject: [mou] Buntings, = Longspurs, Larks=20 in Southern Counties

Today Rick Hoyme and I birded through = Waseca,=20 Steele, Dodge, Goodhue, Rice, and Le Seuer Counties in hopes of = finding Snow=20 Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, and Horned Larks in each.  Here are = the=20 results by county:
 
Waseca: flock of longspurs and = buntings along CR=20 3  just south of = Janesville.
 
Steele: flock of longspurs, larks, = and buntings=20 along CR 18 just south of Hwy. 14.  We also found a flock of = Purple=20 Finches at the feeders in Rice Lake SP and a few Common Redpolls at a = nearby=20 feeder.
 
Dodge: flock of around 1,000 Snow = Buntings! with=20 a few longspurs mixed in along CR 20 a few miles west of Hwy=20 56.
 
Goodhue: flock of buntings and = longspurs near the=20 intersection of CR 11 and CR 13.
 
Rice: small flock of longspurs and = larks along CR=20 19 just east of its junction with CR 80.
 
Le Seuer: flock of longspurs along CR = 136 just=20 south of Hwy. 99.  We also found a single Horned Lark north of = here along=20 CR 121.
 
-Bob Dunlap, Carver=20 County
------=_NextPart_000_0759_01C3E82F.6DE113C0-- From t_auer@lycos.com Sun Feb 1 02:31:13 2004 From: t_auer@lycos.com (M. Thomas Auer) Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:31:13 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Hawk Owl Still In WI? Message-ID: Hello All, I'm thinking about going down to look for the Northern Hawk Owl outside Spooner, WI tomorrow and was just checking to see if anyone had reported it lately? Thanks! Tom Auer --- M. Thomas Auer Cell: 906-370-SKUA Cell Email: 19063707582@mobile.celloneusa.com ____________________________________________________________ Get advanced SPAM filtering on Webmail or POP Mail ... Get Lycos Mail! http://login.mail.lycos.com/r/referral?aid=27005 From chetmeyers@visi.com Sun Feb 1 18:15:43 2004 From: chetmeyers@visi.com (Chet Meyers) Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 12:15:43 -0600 Subject: [mou] Hermit Thrush Hen.Cty. Message-ID: <20040201181543.896837A926@taranis.mc.mpls.visi.com> If anyone is interested the hermit thrush apparently likes our yard. It feeds on grapes off the ivy on the side of our house and then sits in the river birch close by. Sometimes it flies to tree just behid our garage. Address: 2000 West 21st St. at north end of Lake of the Isles near Lake of Isles Lutheran Church. Chet Meyers, Hennepin Cty. From blanich@emily.net Sun Feb 1 20:58:08 2004 From: blanich@emily.net (Steve & Jo Blanich) Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 14:58:08 -0600 Subject: [mou] Bohemian Waxwings Message-ID: <004e01c3e906$1905ec40$ec4d5a40@hppav> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C3E8D3.CDF5FE20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Approximately 50 Bohemian Waxwings were seen afternoon of Feb. 1st on = Hwy 210 east of Crosby near the cabinet shop ------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C3E8D3.CDF5FE20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Approximately 50 Bohemian Waxwings were = seen=20 afternoon of Feb. 1st on Hwy 210 east of Crosby near the cabinet=20 shop
------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C3E8D3.CDF5FE20-- From t_auer@lycos.com Sun Feb 1 23:16:41 2004 From: t_auer@lycos.com (M. Thomas Auer) Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 17:16:41 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Hawk Owl Still Present In WI Message-ID: Went and saw the Northern Hawk Owl that has been stationed in Wisconsin for quite some time still. It was sitting out nicely on a white pine, just south of the intersection with Hwy B. Great Bird! It was ABA lifer #440 and for me...and one that I've been trying to see for many years. What a success! Tom Auer Duluth, MN ____________________________________________________________ Get advanced SPAM filtering on Webmail or POP Mail ... Get Lycos Mail! http://login.mail.lycos.com/r/referral?aid=27005 From brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net Mon Feb 2 00:05:55 2004 From: brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net (Brian Smith) Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 18:05:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] Brown County Message-ID: <006401c3e920$54e317a0$228a2c42@S0026080567> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0061_01C3E8EE.094E6920 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: Spent a few hours birding around the Sleepy Eye area this afternoon. As = others have recently posted, there have been a lot of Snow Buntings, = Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs up along the roadsides since the snow = has returned. Today the predominant birds were Horned Larks (they were = very common) with just a few Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs mixed = in. The largest flock I spotted was sixty five Horned Larks. Saw two coveys of Gray Partridge which totaled twenty birds. Also seen = were two Rough-legged Hawks, which were perched on telephone poles only = a hundred yards apart from each other. Today I spoke with Ron Wels, the property owner that discovered the = Tufted Titmouse near New Ulm last October. I hadn't spoken with them = for over a month and he told me that the Titmouse is still coming to = their feeders regularly. I was glad to hear it made it through the = terrible cold spell. =20 Brian Smith ------=_NextPart_000_0061_01C3E8EE.094E6920 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
Spent a few hours birding around the = Sleepy Eye=20 area this afternoon.  As others have recently posted, there have = been a lot=20 of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs up along the = roadsides=20 since the snow has returned.  Today the predominant birds were = Horned Larks=20 (they were very common) with just a few Snow Buntings and Lapland = Longspurs=20 mixed in.  The largest flock I spotted was sixty five Horned=20 Larks.
 
Saw two coveys of Gray Partridge which = totaled=20 twenty birds.  Also seen were two Rough-legged Hawks, which were = perched on=20 telephone poles only a hundred yards apart from each other.
 
Today I spoke with Ron Wels, the = property owner=20 that discovered the Tufted Titmouse near New Ulm last = October.  I=20 hadn't spoken with them for over a month and he told me that the = Titmouse=20 is still coming to their feeders regularly.  I was glad to = hear it=20 made it through the terrible cold = spell.    
 
Brian Smith
 
------=_NextPart_000_0061_01C3E8EE.094E6920-- From dbmartin@skypoint.com Mon Feb 2 02:32:29 2004 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 20:32:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] Bohemian Waxwings-Lake County Message-ID: <002f01c3e934$cec209a0$d72e56c7@oemcomputer> Early this AM there were 17 west (across the river) from Emilys in Knife River. Also two Hoary Redpolls in Two Harbors. One at a feeder just east of 12th Avenue and 9th Street (must have been 300 redpolls and siskins here) and the second a few miles out of town to the northwest on Cty Rd 124 where there were 100-150 redpolls and maybe 40 Evenings Grosbeaks. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Mon Feb 2 14:27:51 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 08:27:51 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birds everywhere Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F917B@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> The cold and now the snow has created a great variety of birds at my feeders this past week. I have had sporadic visits from Common Redpolls, a flock of 6; I have over wintering Mourning Doves, A White-throated Sparrow, and a Fox Sparrow, as well as the usual suspects of Chickadees, Goldfinches, House Finches, Cardinals, and Juncos.=20 Mark Alt Manager of Project Management Best Buy Co., Inc. Logistics Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com (w) 612-291-6717 (Cell) 612.803.9085 From alongtin@att.net Mon Feb 2 15:00:45 2004 From: alongtin@att.net (alongtin@att.net) Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 15:00:45 +0000 Subject: [mou] Birds everywhere Message-ID: <020220041500.22821.677c@att.net> I had 80 Common Redpolls this weekend for PFW, as acurate as I could get that is they kept flying up and down from the birch tree.. Check the bottom of this thumbnail page for the picture of the Hoary from last weekends PFW count.. http://home.att.net/~alongtin2/BP2/thumbnails_BP_4.htm I had all my WPs two this weekend, pair of Red-bellied, 2 pair of Downys, pair of Hairys, pair of Pileated.. Andrew -- Andrew Longtin Corcoran (Hennepin Co.) Minnesota Minnesota Ornithologists Union Member http://biosci.cbs.umn.edu/~mou/ Cornell Lab Member (PFW) http://birds.cornell.edu/pfw/ Hardness Zone 4 (climate zone) ALongtin *at worldnet *dot att *dot net See my WEB pages at http://home.att.net/~alongtin/Index .htm NO SPAM NEEDED HERE!!!! > The cold and now the snow has created a great variety of birds at my > feeders this past week. I have had sporadic visits from Common Redpolls, > a flock of 6; I have over wintering Mourning Doves, A White-throated > Sparrow, and a Fox Sparrow, as well as the usual suspects of Chickadees, > Goldfinches, House Finches, Cardinals, and Juncos. > > > Mark Alt > Manager of Project Management > Best Buy Co., Inc. Logistics > Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com > (w) 612-291-6717 > (Cell) 612.803.9085 > > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From Mahan-mail@att.net Mon Feb 2 17:51:27 2004 From: Mahan-mail@att.net (Mahan-mail@att.net) Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 17:51:27 +0000 Subject: [mou] Mpls area IBAs Message-ID: <020220041751.18699.674a@att.net> The Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis is seeking information about/assistance with/recommendation for Important Bird Area designation in the Minneapolis/Hennepin County area. We hope to be a part of the nationwide effort by the National Audubon Society to designate these areas. Any help is extremely welcomed! Please respond directly to my address. Thanks. Tom Mahan From odunamis@yahoo.com Mon Feb 2 21:03:12 2004 From: odunamis@yahoo.com (Chad Heins) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 13:03:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] A different finch Message-ID: <20040202210312.60257.qmail@web10503.mail.yahoo.com> Hey Birders! This morning I had my first Pine Siskin for my feeding station. Mankato has had relatively scarce reports of redpolls in the area, but this is the first siskin I have heard about since last fall. Now I'll have to wait for the redpolls! Happy birding! Chad Heins Mankato, MN __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ From BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM Tue Feb 3 02:14:48 2004 From: BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM (Williams, Bob) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 20:14:48 -0600 Subject: [mou] Super Owl Monday Message-ID: <954398EF1F830749868583446DBCE7EB129016A8@min-nrt-exch1.min.nrtinc.nrt> Drove up to a friends place north of Grand Rapids yesterday to watch the Super Bowl. Birded my way home today with the following results: Aitkin County Great Gray Owls One about .5 miles west of Pietz's Rd. on Co. Rd. 18 near a driveway and mailbox marked 32504 Great looks at one right at Hebron Cemetery(east of Pietz's Rd. On Co. Rd. 18) Short-eared Owl One .8 miles west of Co. Rd. 5 on the north side of Co. Rd. 18 working the marsh. Perched twice for me. St. Louis County(Sax-Zim Area) White-winged Crossbills A flock of about 10, mostly males, just south of Co. Rd. 52 on=20 Owl Ave. chomping on pinecones Black-backed Woodpecker Great looks at a male 2.5 miles north of Co. Rd. 28(Sax Rd.) on McDavitt Rd. right by a recent logging road cut into the Woods. Lots of tapping in the area. Gray Jays there too. Burnett County, Wisconsin Northern Hawk Owl Made it there at dusk and saw the bird perched on a utility pole At the SE corner of Co. Rd. H and Co. Rd. B(the southerly of the=20 2 intersections). Bob Williams, Bloomington, MN=20 From smithville4@charter.net Tue Feb 3 20:45:20 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 14:45:20 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Winter Field Trip filled up Message-ID: <001801c3ea96$a4c14770$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3EA64.5910D390 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: I sent a similar posting a month or so ago and I am still getting = requests to participate in the MOU Winter Field Trip coming this Feb. = 14-15. I have no fewer than 43 people coming on this field trip and I have 10 = people on the waiting list!! I have 3 co leaders and myself. We are = broken into two teams and each will have 2 leaders on a team. We will be = birding the same places but at different times. We are all car pool up = thru email and each car has a radio. NEXT year I will organize two winter field trips for 2005 as I had no = idea that northeastern Minnesota weather doesn't bother anyone! I have = one guy coming in from Hawaii and have at least 4 other parties from = other states coming along.=20 I am truelly sorry for having to do this but there is no way I could = organize a group of 50-60 birders. If I could I would have a winter = birding festival here in Duluth. Hmmmm nice idea. Check out the Minnesota Ornithologist Union web site for all the up and = coming field trips for 2004. I would try to make arrangements and reply = to me and tell me what trip or trips you would like to attend (other = than this winter trip) before they fill up. Because of the large size in this field trip coming up doesn't take away = fro seeing winter birds as many of them are at feeders or they busily = feeding and take no notice of us while we view them. Plus all my leaders = have experience handling large groups of birders and will make sure = everyone sees there target species. Thanks again Mike Hendrickson MOU Field Trip Chairguy ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3EA64.5910D390 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
I sent a similar posting a month or so = ago and I am=20 still getting requests to participate in the MOU Winter Field Trip = coming this=20 Feb. 14-15.
 
I have no fewer than 43 people coming = on this field=20 trip and I have 10 people on the waiting list!! I have 3 co leaders and = myself.=20 We are broken into two teams and each will have 2 leaders on a team. We = will be=20 birding the same places but at different times. We are all car pool up = thru=20 email and each car has a radio.
 
NEXT year I will organize two winter = field trips=20 for 2005 as I had no idea that northeastern Minnesota weather = doesn't=20 bother anyone! I have one guy coming in from Hawaii and have at least 4 = other=20 parties from other states coming along.
 
I am truelly sorry for having to do = this but there=20 is no way I could organize a group of 50-60 birders. If I could I would = have a=20 winter birding festival here in Duluth. Hmmmm nice idea.
 
Check out the Minnesota Ornithologist = Union web=20 site for all the up and coming field trips for 2004. I would try to make = arrangements and reply to me and tell me what trip or trips you would = like to=20 attend (other than this winter trip) before they fill up.
 
Because of the large size in this field = trip coming=20 up doesn't take away fro seeing winter birds as many of them are at = feeders or=20 they busily feeding and take no notice of us while we view them. Plus = all my=20 leaders have experience handling large groups of birders and will make = sure=20 everyone sees there target species.
 
Thanks again
 
Mike Hendrickson
MOU Field Trip = Chairguy
------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3EA64.5910D390-- From Hagsela@aol.com Wed Feb 4 08:00:19 2004 From: Hagsela@aol.com (Hagsela@aol.com) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 03:00:19 EST Subject: [mou] Aitkin Co. Message-ID: <53.46435f3.2d520093@aol.com> I also saw a Great Gray Owl February 1. It was 1.6 miles west of Pietz's Rd. on Cty. 18. It hopped from tree to tree, but gave me nice scoped looks from 8:15-8:45. On February 3 I saw two small flocks of Snow Buntings and one flock of about 60 on Cty. 1, north out of Aitkin. I tried for the Varied Thrush both the 1st and 3rd with no luck. The homeowner told me she hadn't seen the bird for a week. She was out of town until Wednesday and has not seen the bird at all since she's been back. Has anyone seen the VT within the last week? Hooray for all the snow birds! Linda Sparling Hennepin Cty. From drbenson@cpinternet.com Wed Feb 4 14:56:33 2004 From: drbenson@cpinternet.com (David Benson) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 08:56:33 -0600 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 2/4/04 Message-ID: <52E36D88-5722-11D8-B678-000A95AC3AF2@cpinternet.com> This is the Duluth Birding Report for Wednesday, February 4, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GYRFALCON was reported again at the Peavey Elevator in Superior, Wisconsin on the 31st. The PEREGRINE FALCON was also seen that day on the Duluth side of the harbor. The Spotted Towhee in Duluth was not refound this week. The VARIED THRUSH in Palisade in Aitkin Cty was seen on the 30th by John and Chris Hockema, but it was not seen at the house it was frequenting last week. John reported that it was on 4th Street, a half mile south of the gas station. Look for a white house with green shutters. To further confuse the directions I posted last week, there are apparently a number of houses in Palisade that have fake human figures on the porch! GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers along Cty Rd 18 within a half mile either direction from the jct. with Pietz's Rd in Aitkin Cty. Bob Williams found a SHORT-EARED OWL on Cty Rd 18, 0.8 mile west of the jct. with Cty Rd 5 on the north side of the road. Linda Sparling reported SNOW BUNTINGS on Cty Rd 1 north of Aitkin on the 3rd. The ICELAND GULL was seen again this week in Two Harbors, but the harbor ice now extends well out into the lake, so even if the ducks are still present, it may not be possible to view them. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have become slightly easier to find again. There were several reports this week, with the most consistent flock in Knife River across the highway from Emily's Restaurant. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS are still abundant this winter. There were three reports of HOARY REDPOLLS: from Cindy Butler in Aitkin Cty north of Tamarack, frrom Mike Hendrickson in Smithville in West Duluth, and from Frank and Kate Nicoletti north of Duluth. Gordy Martinson saw a COOPER'S HAWK near his home in Lakewood Township. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 12th. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org. From smithville4@charter.net Wed Feb 4 21:03:06 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 15:03:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] Bohemian Waxwings Message-ID: <000c01c3eb62$49926880$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3EB2F.FEA6F250 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable While doing some snow removing from my nanny's roof I saw a flock about = 60 waxwings flying around the corner of Anderson Rd and Haines Rd. The = flock than flew east down the Anderson Rd.. I have no idea where they might be now but there was a flock seen in mid = January in the Duluth Heights area and this might be same group that is = wandering around this huge area of the Duluth Heights and the Miller = Hill Mall area. Mike Hendrickson Duluth ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3EB2F.FEA6F250 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
While doing some snow removing from my = nanny's roof=20 I saw a flock about 60 waxwings flying around the corner of Anderson Rd = and=20 Haines Rd. The flock than flew east down the Anderson Rd..
 
I have no idea where they might be now = but there=20 was a flock seen in mid January in the Duluth Heights area and this = might be=20 same group that is wandering around this huge area of the Duluth Heights = and the=20 Miller Hill Mall area.
 
 
Mike Hendrickson
Duluth
------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3EB2F.FEA6F250-- From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Wed Feb 4 21:24:29 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 15:24:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] Redpolls in Richfield Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F917C@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> A flock of about 40 Common redpolls just bounded up into view of my work window and whirled about 3 times before moving off. I got to see them very well from about 10 feet away as they bounded up at eye level. They seemed to settle in to a home on Newton Avenue just north of 76th Ave in Richfield, Hennepin County. Mark Alt Manager of Project Management Best Buy Co., Inc. Logistics Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com (w) 612-291-6717 (Cell) 612.803.9085 From brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net Thu Feb 5 00:23:14 2004 From: brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net (Brian Smith) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 18:23:14 -0600 Subject: [mou] Common Redpolls/Brown County Message-ID: <008201c3eb7e$3f8c45b0$228a2c42@S0026080567> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C3EB4B.F3EB8940 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: I was very pleased to discover a flock of seven Common Redpolls at the = New Ulm City Cemetery this afternoon. These were the first that I've = ever found in Brown county. There have been so many other reports from = around the state that I was beginning to wonder if they were ever going = to make their way here. Now if I could just find some Crossbills.=20 Brian Smith ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C3EB4B.F3EB8940 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
I was very pleased to discover a flock = of seven=20 Common Redpolls at the New Ulm City Cemetery this afternoon.  These = were=20 the first that I've ever found in Brown county. There have = been so=20 many other reports from around the state that I was beginning to = wonder if=20 they were ever going to make their way here.  Now if I could = just find=20 some Crossbills. 
 
Brian Smith
------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C3EB4B.F3EB8940-- From Christine Petersen Thu Feb 5 03:11:27 2004 From: Christine Petersen (Christine Petersen) Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 21:11:27 -0600 (GMT-06:00) Subject: [mou] Re: [mnbird] Redpolls in Richfield Message-ID: <26958507.1075950688430.JavaMail.root@bigbird.psp.pas.earthlink.net> We had at least three common redpolls hanging out on our thistle feeder and sheltering in the arbor vitae on Sunday. First time I've seen them on our property. Christine on the shores of Glen Lake, Minnetonka, Hennepin Co. "Our correspondences have wings -- paper birds that fly from my house to yours -- flocks of ideas crisscrossing the country. Once opened, a connection is made. We are not alone in the world." Terry Tempest Williams, from Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place From jlind@nrri.umn.edu Thu Feb 5 14:19:52 2004 From: jlind@nrri.umn.edu (Jim Lind) Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 08:19:52 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Hawk-Owl in Cook Co. Message-ID: <4021FCA8.1025.2A23E5@localhost> Dave Grosshuesch found a Northern Hawk-Owl in northern Cook County on Wednesday. The bird was seen at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Rd (FR 313), which is about 2 miles west of Greenwood Lake, as a Hawk-Owl flies. I don't have exact mileage, but to reach this spot from Grand Marais, go about 15-17 miles up the Gunflint Trail (Hwy 12) and turn right (east) onto the Greenwood Lake Road (FR 309). At about 4-5 miles, turn left (north) on the Shoe Lake Rd. (FR 313). Kindle Creek is about 3 miles up the road, and it runs through a spruce bog. All of these roads are snow-covered, but plowed. Note that the Minnesota Gazetteer incorrectly labels the southern portion of FR 313 as FR 1386. Jim Lind Two Harbors From tdhoughton@stcloudstate.edu Thu Feb 5 15:40:57 2004 From: tdhoughton@stcloudstate.edu (Houghton, Timothy D. ) Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 09:40:57 -0600 Subject: [mou] hawk owl question Message-ID: <22ECDF671FCD564398087D64CFCF46BDD5BBC1@EXCHANGE.campus.stcloudstate.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EBFE.726D159A Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable If anyone knows how long it takes to get from the interesection of hwy = 23 and I 35 to the WI hawk owl, I'd appreciate a word on that. Thanks, Tim Houghton ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EBFE.726D159A Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable hawk owl question

If anyone knows how long it takes to get from the = interesection of hwy 23 and I 35 to the WI hawk owl, I'd appreciate a = word on that.

Thanks,

Tim Houghton

------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EBFE.726D159A-- From rfield@ridgewater.edu Thu Feb 5 17:22:11 2004 From: rfield@ridgewater.edu (Roger Field) Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 11:22:11 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl McLeod Cty Message-ID: --=__PartA283CDD3.0__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Travis Rogers saw a snowy owl was seen Wednesday afternoon. The owl was still present Thursday morning north of Hutchinson, MN. The owl was last seen at the intersection of 210th street and State Highway 15. (2 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 7 & 15) Roger Field --=__PartA283CDD3.0__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Travis Rogers saw a snowy owl was seen Wednesday afternoon.  The owl was still present Thursday morning north of Hutchinson, MN.  The owl was last seen at the intersection of 210th street and State Highway 15.  (2 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 7 & 15)
 
Roger Field
--=__PartA283CDD3.0__=-- From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Feb 6 02:08:40 2004 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony X. Hertzel) Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 20:08:40 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 5 February 2004 Message-ID: --============_-1136089170==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 5th. Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in northern Cook County on the 4th. It seen at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Road, also designated Forest Road 313, which is about two miles west of Greenwood Lake. From Grand Marais, go perhaps 16 miles up the Gunflint Trail and turn right onto the Greenwood Lake Road, also called Forest Road 309. After about 4 miles, turn left on the Shoe Lake Road, or Forest Road 313. Kindle Creek is about three miles up the road. Travis Rogers found a SNOWY OWL on the 4th north of Hutchinson in McLeod County. This was at the intersection of 210th street and State Highway 15. A few GREAT GRAY OWLS are still being seen on Aitkin County Road 18. On the 1st, one was a mile and a half west of Pietz's Road, and on the 2nd another was just a half mile west of this junction. And still another is still at the Hebron cemetery east of Pietz's Road. On the 3rd, a flock of 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was seen in the south parking lot of Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Crow Wing County. Another flock of as many as 60 was near the corner of Anderson Road and Haines Road in Duluth on the 4th. A HOARY REDPOLL was seen in Two Harbors, Lake County on the 1st. It was at a feeder just east of 12th Avenue and 9th Street. Another was at Mike Hendrickson's feeder in Duluth on January 30th, and Cindy Butler reported one at her feeder in Tamarack, Aitkin County on the same day. And finally, Chet Meyers has an over-wintering HERMIT THRUSH at his feeder along the 2000 block West 21st Street of Minneapolis. This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at . MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com. In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700. The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 12th. -- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com --============_-1136089170==_ma============ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" MOU RBA 5 February 2004
This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 5th.

Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in northern Cook County on the 4th. It seen at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Road, also designated Forest Road 313, which is about two miles west of Greenwood Lake. From Grand Marais, go perhaps 16 miles up the Gunflint Trail and turn right onto the Greenwood Lake Road, also called Forest Road 309. After about 4 miles, turn left on the Shoe Lake Road, or Forest Road 313. Kindle Creek is about three miles up the road.

Travis Rogers found a SNOWY OWL on the 4th north of Hutchinson in McLeod County. This was at the intersection of 210th street and State Highway 15.

A few GREAT GRAY OWLS are still being seen on Aitkin County Road 18. On the 1st, one was a mile and a half west of Pietz's Road, and on the 2nd another was just a half mile west of this junction. And still another is still at the Hebron cemetery east of Pietz's Road.

On the 3rd, a flock of 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was seen in the south parking lot of Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Crow Wing County. Another flock of as many as 60 was near the corner of Anderson Road and Haines Road in Duluth on the 4th.

A HOARY REDPOLL was seen in Two Harbors, Lake County on the 1st. It was at a feeder just east of 12th Avenue and 9th Street. Another was at Mike Hendrickson's feeder in Duluth on January 30th, and Cindy Butler reported one at her feeder in Tamarack, Aitkin County on the same day.

And finally, Chet Meyers has an over-wintering HERMIT THRUSH at his feeder along the 2000 block West 21st Street of Minneapolis.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at <david@cahlander.com>.

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 12th.

-- 
Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com
--============_-1136089170==_ma============-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Feb 6 02:11:17 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 20:11:17 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, February 6, 2004 Message-ID: <000201c3ec56$84eccd40$a6d5aec6@main> This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 6, 2004 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. For the first time in several years northwest Minnesota is having a more typical winter, with cold temperatures and snow. There seems to be increasing activity at bird feeders as a result. In Becker County, Marlene Wiley had a NORTHERN SHRIKE visit her feeder on Lake Sallie on January 30th. Terry Tollefson in Polk County reported that a lone CANADA GOOSE appeared at his bird feeder on January 30th. A covey of GRAY PARTRIDGE was seen four miles east of Crookston along County Road 11. Heidi Hughes saw six SHORT-EARED OWLS at the Pancratz Prairie near Crookston on January 31st. To get there take Highway 2 east from Crookston about 10 miles to CR 46 then go 1.5 miles south on CR 46. Also there were a number of GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS. At the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in the northern part of the county, Mike and Lori Becker reported that a NORTHERN GOSHAWK has been cruising through the sanctuary yard for the past few days. Randy Chaffee in Climax had a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER visit his feeder on February 5th. On January 31st, about 25 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were discovered in the Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston. Many SNOW BUNTINGS were also in evidence in the county on that day. In Red Lake County on January 31st, a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE and several large flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS were seen. Mike Hendrickson reported that a number of SHARP-TAILED GROUSE are being seen regularly in southern Pennington County a few miles northwest of Oklee. More SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were reported by Cliff Steinhauer in Marshall County near the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge. With them was one GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN. Beth Siverhus in Roseau County, observed an AMERICAN ROBIN in Warroad in late January. A report was received that three GREAT GRAY OWLS are being seen regularly near Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County. Thanks to Mike Hendrickson, Marlene Wiley, Terry Tollefson, Heidi Hughes, Lori and Mike Becker, Randy Chaffee, Cliff Steinhauer, and Beth Siverhus for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, February 13, 2004. From smithville4@charter.net Fri Feb 6 03:31:02 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 21:31:02 -0600 Subject: [mou] ABA Birding article Message-ID: <004301c3ec61$a5b066d0$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C3EC2F.5ACE3F70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today I received my latest issue of the ABA's Birding. I looked inside = and saw that a article was written by Julie Muehlberg from Minnesota = whom I never met and another article written by Burton S. Guttman who = grew up in Minnesota and birded in Minnesota. I read the article written by Julie Muehlberg called " Saving the St. = Louis River Estuary" An ABA-sponsored Habit Restoration Project. After = reading it I saw some things in the article of some interest. The Yellow-throated Vireo is not a common migrant in the St. Louis River = estuary. The article mentioned it was. Having lived and birded all my = life in Duluth. I know for a fact the Yellow-throated Vireo is a bird = that is casually found in the Spring and Fall season. When some one = spots and reports this vireo its hotline material. Whimbrels is not a shorebird one would expect to find in the St. Louis = River estuary either in the Spring or Fall season. The Whimbrel is a = good find but a not a rare find in the spring season. I bird a lot in = the spring either at Interstate Island or Park Point and you don't go = out and expect to find Whimbrels everyday like Spotted Sandpipers. = Whimbrels are sporadic and you never know when you'll see one.=20 Also shorebirds as a whole are very hard to find in the Duluth area. = 40th Ave West use to be a great spot but the landscape has changed and = now 40th Ave West is over grown with tansy, grasses and bushes. There is = some water on the west side but its a more of a deep pool with little = mud flats and the dike doesn't hold large concentration of shorebirds. = The Morgan Park area is only good when the water in the river is low. = Park Point is good in the Fall season for Sanderlings and a smattering = of other species. Park Point is ok in the spring at Herding Island sand = bars or the edges of Interstate Island but generally the St. Louis River = doesn't hold a lot of shorebirds. Its pretty tough just go on the St. = Louis Birdathon and you'll see for yourself. In the same article I read this interesting paragraph about Piping = Plovers "Modifications made in the vegetation at Wisconsin Point have = already improved habitat for Piping Plovers". Lynelle Hanson said. " Its = our hope that the young Piping Plovers WE"VE SEEN will seek out new = territory here for nesting in the coming years." WOW! Ok does young birds they seen mean young immature birds in Fall = migration or does that mean (which I think it does) young birds as in = birds hatch at WI Pt. I haven't heard of Piping Plovers nesting anywhere = near Duluth or Superior, WI since the early 80's when they nested in = Port Terminal. That is good news. =20 When I think of the Piping Plovers and what was mentioned about them in = this article at Wi Pt. I have to wonder if Kirtland Warblers are nesting = in NW Wisconsin? HMMMM I would probably say they do nest and the people = on the scene are keeping mighty tight lips about locations. I know last = summer while checking web sites and listserves that a Kirtland's Warbler = was seen in the Houghton Hancock area last summer in a jack pine stand. = Makes ya wonder with all the jack pine stands in NW WI there is probably = a nesting pair or two in some secret unknown jack pine stand. Other than that it was nice article to read. This latest ABA Birding issue is loaded with articles talking about = LISTING. Yes Listing the thing that keeps listserves hopping! There are = some good articles in it that answers everyone opinions about keeping = lists or pursuing birds for listing.=20 Mike H. ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C3EC2F.5ACE3F70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Today I received my latest issue of the = ABA's=20 Birding.  I looked inside and saw that a article was written by = Julie=20 Muehlberg from Minnesota whom I never met and another article written by = Burton=20 S. Guttman who grew up in Minnesota and birded in = Minnesota.
 
I read the article written by = Julie=20 Muehlberg called " Saving the St. Louis River Estuary"=20 An ABA-sponsored Habit Restoration Project.  After = reading it I=20 saw some things in the article of some interest.
 
The Yellow-throated Vireo is not a = common migrant=20 in the St. Louis River estuary. The article mentioned it was. = Having lived=20 and birded all my life in Duluth. I know for a fact the Yellow-throated = Vireo is=20 a bird that is casually found in the Spring and Fall = season. When some=20 one spots and reports this vireo its hotline material.
 
Whimbrels is not a shorebird one would = expect to=20 find in the St. Louis River estuary either in the Spring or Fall = season.=20 The Whimbrel is a good find but a not a rare find in the spring = season. I=20 bird a lot in the spring either at Interstate Island or Park Point = and you=20 don't go out and expect to find Whimbrels everyday like Spotted = Sandpipers.=20 Whimbrels are sporadic and you never know when you'll see one. =
 
Also shorebirds as a whole are very = hard to find in=20 the Duluth area. 40th Ave West use to be a great spot but the landscape = has=20 changed and now 40th Ave West is over grown with tansy, = grasses and=20 bushes. There is some water on the west side but its a more of = a deep=20 pool with little mud flats and the dike doesn't hold large = concentration of=20 shorebirds. The Morgan Park area is only good when the water in the = river is=20 low. Park Point is good in the Fall season for Sanderlings and=20 a smattering of other species. Park Point is ok in the spring = at=20 Herding Island sand bars or the edges of Interstate Island but generally = the St.=20 Louis River doesn't hold a lot of shorebirds. Its pretty tough just go = on the=20 St. Louis Birdathon and you'll see for yourself.
 
In the same article I read this = interesting=20 paragraph about Piping Plovers "Modifications made in the vegetation at=20 Wisconsin Point have already improved habitat for Piping Plovers". = Lynelle=20 Hanson said. " Its our hope that the young Piping Plovers WE"VE SEEN = will seek=20 out new territory here for nesting in the coming years."
 
WOW! Ok does young birds they seen mean = young=20 immature birds in Fall migration or does that mean (which I think it = does) young=20 birds as in birds hatch at WI Pt. I haven't heard of Piping Plovers = nesting=20 anywhere near Duluth or Superior, WI since the early 80's when they = nested in=20 Port Terminal. That is good news. 
 
When I think of the Piping Plovers and = what was=20 mentioned about them in this article at Wi Pt. I have to wonder if = Kirtland=20 Warblers are nesting in NW Wisconsin? HMMMM I would probably say they do = nest=20 and the people on the scene are keeping mighty tight lips about = locations. I=20 know last summer while checking web sites and listserves that a = Kirtland's=20 Warbler was seen in the Houghton Hancock area last summer in a jack pine = stand.=20 Makes ya wonder with all the jack pine stands in NW WI there is = probably a=20 nesting pair or two in some secret unknown jack pine stand.
 
Other than that it was nice article to=20 read.
 
This latest ABA Birding issue is loaded = with=20 articles talking about LISTING. Yes Listing the thing that keeps = listserves=20 hopping! There are some good articles in it that answers everyone = opinions about=20 keeping lists or pursuing birds for listing.
 
Mike = H. 
------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C3EC2F.5ACE3F70-- From jslind@frontiernet.net Fri Feb 6 04:20:36 2004 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 22:20:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Iceland Gull and Harlequin Duck - Two Harbors Message-ID: <4022C1B4.32516.20315744@localhost> The Harlequin Duck and Iceland Gull were both seen near the breakwall at dusk at Agate Bay in Two Harbors today. The harbor is completely frozen, and the lake has large sheets of ice that are moving around in the wind. The forecast is for north winds, so there should be open water around this weekend. The Harlequin was with a group of about 20 Common Goldeneyes. The Long-tailed Duck that had been associating with the Harlequin was not seen. As I was leaving, the first-winter Iceland Gull flew in and landed on the lake. Jim Lind Two Harbors From Madeleine Linck" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0035_01C3EC8A.C14D3390 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This morning, there were (3) Brown Creepers following each other up and = around the tree in my yard where I hang suet. I have had one Creeper = all winter coming in to feed at the base of the tree where the suet is = hanging. This was the first time I saw 3 together and they appeared to = be staying together as a group. They look especially small when the = Pileated comes flying in! Madeleine Linck Medina, Hennepin County ------=_NextPart_000_0035_01C3EC8A.C14D3390 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
This morning, there were (3) Brown = Creepers=20 following each other up and around the tree in my yard where I hang = suet.  I have had one Creeper all winter coming in to feed at the = base of=20 the tree where the suet is hanging.  This was the first time I saw = 3=20 together and they appeared to be staying together as a group.  They = look=20 especially small when the Pileated comes flying in!
 
Madeleine Linck
Medina, Hennepin = County
------=_NextPart_000_0035_01C3EC8A.C14D3390-- From shconrad@2z.net Fri Feb 6 22:37:07 2004 From: shconrad@2z.net (shconrad@2z.net) Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2004 16:37:07 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Shrikes Message-ID: <1076107027.40241713175e9@webmail.2z.net> Birded CR 18 in Aitkin county as well as 5 and Pietz's. I had to do most of my birding from my vehicle because I had my young son with, so consequently I didn't see much--no owls. I did see 3 Northern Shrikes next to the road between Hwy 169 and Pietz's, so the day wasn't a total skunk. ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent from Znet Telecom webmail Znet Telecom http://www.2z.net From SnoEowl@aol.com Sat Feb 7 14:48:51 2004 From: SnoEowl@aol.com (SnoEowl@aol.com) Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 09:48:51 EST Subject: [mou] Varied Thrush in Steele County Message-ID: <158.2d12ebf5.2d5654d3@aol.com> -------------------------------1076165331 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There is a Varied Thrush coming to a feeder on a farm near Blooming Prairie. Al Batt -------------------------------1076165331 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
There is a Varied Thrush coming to a feeder on a f= arm near Blooming Prairie.
 
Al Batt
-------------------------------1076165331-- From ksussman@lcp2.net Sat Feb 7 18:49:58 2004 From: ksussman@lcp2.net (Karen Sussman) Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 12:49:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Hoary Redpoll Message-ID: <6D7B5FF9-599E-11D8-8DA3-000A95D84DEC@lcp2.net> --Apple-Mail-4--911649368 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed There is a Hoary Redpoll amongst the many common Redpolls at my feeder this morning in Britt. (NE St Louis County) Karen Sussman ksussman@lcp2.net --Apple-Mail-4--911649368 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=US-ASCII Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProThere is a Hoary Redpoll amongst the many common Redpolls at my feeder this morning in Britt. (NE St Louis County) Times New RomanKaren Sussman ksussman@lcp2.net --Apple-Mail-4--911649368-- From dbmartin@skypoint.com Sun Feb 8 02:25:39 2004 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 20:25:39 -0600 Subject: [mou] McLeod County-Snowy Owl Message-ID: <001b01c3edea$d8860da0$7d2e56c7@oemcomputer> The Snowy Owl just north of Hutchinson has apparently moved 1 mile east to County Rd 61 and about what would be the equivalent of 210th Street if it occured there. The bird was present yesterday AM at 7:30 and today at 4:30PM. Today it was not present at 4:05PM so we do not know where it hides during the day. Only where it appears to be hunting. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com From bice0004@umn.edu Sun Feb 8 04:52:33 2004 From: bice0004@umn.edu (Andrew D. Bicek) Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 22:52:33 -0600 Subject: [mou] Greater White-fronted/Canada Goose hybrid Message-ID: I was birding with Bob Holtz in Wright county today, and we found what appears to be a hybrid greater white-fronted x canada goose on the mississippi river at the montisippi park, 2 miles north of Monticello. It has the white "front" at the base of the bill, orangish legs, and its general coloration is that of a greater white fronted goose, but it has a faint remnant white chin strap, and its bill is dark gray/black like a canada goose. This is not the domesticated goose that others have reported near monticello, as we found a domesticated bird farther down the river at the swan viewing park on mississippi drive in monticello. Also the bill's shape on this bird is like a canada or greater white fronted and not knobby like a domesticated goose. This very well could be the Greater White-fronted goose that was reported a couple weeks ago from monticello, as on first glance it looks like a greater white-fronted but with a dark bill. Upon closer inspection with a scope you can make out the faint remnant chin strap behind the eye. Andy Bicek From watsup@boreal.org Sun Feb 8 22:43:07 2004 From: watsup@boreal.org (Steve and Sherry Watson) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 14:43:07 -0800 Subject: [mou] Hawk Owl Message-ID: <000301c3ee94$ee3f4440$680f46d8@m7z0w8> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C3EE51.E01C0440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Yesterday, the 7th my dad and I went up the gunflint in search of the hawk owl Dave Grosshuesch found on Wednesday. Even though searching the area it was found and looking else where up the gunflint we did not succeed. We did, however find a couple bohemian waxwings in Grand Marais and we saw a northern shrike up the gunflint off the greenwood lake road. Hordes of common redpolls and pine grosbeaks continue to visit my feeders and the Hoary Redpoll is still coming as well. Happy birding Josh Watson Grand Marais --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.576 / Virus Database: 365 - Release Date: 1/30/04 ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C3EE51.E01C0440 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello, =

Yesterday, the 7th my = dad and I went up the gunflint in search of the hawk owl Dave Grosshuesch found = on Wednesday.  Even though searching the area = it was found and looking else where up the gunflint we did not succeed.  We did, however find a couple = bohemian waxwings in Grand Marais and we saw a northern shrike up the gunflint = off the greenwood lake road.  = Hordes of common redpolls and pine grosbeaks continue to visit my feeders and the = Hoary Redpoll is still coming as well.  =

 

=

Happy = birding

Josh = Watson

Grand Marais   


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------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C3EE51.E01C0440-- From birdnird@yahoo.com Sun Feb 8 22:18:02 2004 From: birdnird@yahoo.com (Terence Brashear) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 14:18:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Tufted Titmouse Dakota County Still Present In-Reply-To: <004301c3ec61$a5b066d0$a7a87044@family> Message-ID: <20040208221802.21748.qmail@web13806.mail.yahoo.com> I was at the Mt. Olivet Retreat Center in Dakota County for a few hours both Saturday and Sunday. The Tufted Titmouse reported in December is still frequenting the feeders. I saw and photographed it at the large hopper feeder by the front entrance both days. Regards, Terry Brashear birdnird@yahoo.com Hennepin County, MN __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online. http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html From RHoyme@msn.com Sun Feb 8 23:53:56 2004 From: RHoyme@msn.com (Richard Hoyme) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 17:53:56 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl Still present Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0763_01C3EE6C.85A38270 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I refound the Snowy Owl at 4:05 PM, very near the location described by = Denny & Barb Martin. It was hunting on a power pole at a farm house = along CR 61. It was about 100 yards south of 215th on the third pole in. = The red fire number of the house is 21312. It was cloudy today so it may = have started hunting a little earlier.=20 Rick Hoyme Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_000_0763_01C3EE6C.85A38270 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I refound the Snowy Owl at 4:05 PM, very near the location = described=20 by Denny & Barb Martin. It was hunting on a power pole at a farm = house along=20 CR 61. It was about 100 yards south of 215th on the third pole in. The = red fire=20 number of the house is 21312. It was cloudy today so it may have started = hunting=20 a little earlier.
 
Rick Hoyme
Hennepin Co.
------=_NextPart_000_0763_01C3EE6C.85A38270-- From smithville4@charter.net Mon Feb 9 01:50:03 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 19:50:03 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI Message-ID: <000a01c3eeaf$09326150$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EE7C.BE57B400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On the Wisconsin State listserve a birder reported seeing the Gyrfalcon = is the Superior Harbor on Saturday in the afternoon but the exact time = was not given. I thought I give this a heads up for those that might be = heading this way. The Hawk Owl is still being seen in Spooner WI and the Snowy Owl at the = Superior Airport. Unfortunately the Owl is marked with dye with a green = tag wing tag.=20 I guess if you want to see a unmarked bird go to Hutchinson, Mn. =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EE7C.BE57B400 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
On the Wisconsin State listserve a = birder reported=20 seeing the Gyrfalcon is the Superior Harbor on Saturday in the afternoon = but the=20 exact time was not given.  I thought I give this a heads up for = those that=20 might be heading this way.
 
The Hawk Owl is still being seen in = Spooner WI and=20 the Snowy Owl at the Superior Airport. Unfortunately the Owl is marked = with=20 dye with a green tag wing tag.
 
I guess if you want to see a unmarked = bird go to=20 Hutchinson, Mn. 
 
 
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EE7C.BE57B400-- From a_molson@unidial.com Mon Feb 9 02:26:58 2004 From: a_molson@unidial.com (Ann and Manley Olson) Date: Sun, 08 Feb 2004 20:26:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI References: <000a01c3eeaf$09326150$a7a87044@family> Message-ID: <4026EFF2.7090002@unidial.com> What is unfortuneate about seeing a marked bird?Many of the Perigrines we see in Minnesota are banded.When you are leading an MOU field trip do you discount banded birds if you happen to see the band? I suspect for most of us a free-flying Snowy Owl is welcome on our lists and the joy of seeing it is not diminished by the fact that it is part of someones research study. Manley Olson Michael Hendrickson wrote: > On the Wisconsin State listserve a birder reported seeing the > Gyrfalcon is the Superior Harbor on Saturday in the afternoon but the > exact time was not given. I thought I give this a heads up for those > that might be heading this way. > > The Hawk Owl is still being seen in Spooner WI and the Snowy Owl at > the Superior Airport. Unfortunately the Owl is marked with dye with > a green tag wing tag. > > I guess if you want to see a unmarked bird go to Hutchinson, Mn. > > From JELLISBIRD@aol.com Mon Feb 9 02:41:20 2004 From: JELLISBIRD@aol.com (JELLISBIRD@aol.com) Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 21:41:20 EST Subject: [mou] Greater Prairie Chickens, Short-eared Owl, at Rothsay/Others Message-ID: <1ed.18905a1c.2d584d50@aol.com> There were 71 Greater Prairie Chickens on the traditional lek at Rothsay on Saturday AM. Birds were gathering at 7:15 when I arrived (even tho' it was -17) and I counted 71 at about 7:45. Seven or 8 others were sunning in trees and shrubs nearby. I drove north on the field road which runs to the east of the lek and saw a Short-eared Owl hunting from a No Hunting sign further east of the lek. I also saw 18 GPChickens sunning in a tree at TNC Town Hall Prairie site further south in Wilkin. Also seen were Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings in good numbers in Wilkin, Stearns, Grant and Douglas counties on Saturday, and in Stearns, Kandiohi and Meeker on Sunday. Biggest flock was 300 Snow Buntings, give or take, feeding near a grain hopper at a turkey farm in N. Kandiohi County. Eleven Horned Larks were in Stearns and three sightings of four and fewer in Kandiohi. Only one adult Bald Eagle (Douglas) and two Red-tailed Hawks for the whole trip for raptors (besides the SEOwl.) John Ellis (St. Paul) From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Mon Feb 9 13:52:45 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 07:52:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] "flock" of Brown Creepers, Medina, Hennepin Co. Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A3899CE3@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF13.FEA4C244 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I have a Brown Creeper coming to my hanging peanut feeder. I have never seen this before, but it brings the little bugger out into the open and gives great looks. It is a mesh-sided feeder that I hang from my white pine.=20 =20 =20 Mark Alt Brooklyn Center, MN mark.alt@bestbuy.com "Birds and their songs are important to me, they add to my enjoyment of life"=20 -----Original Message----- From: Madeleine Linck [mailto:mlinck@threeriversparkdistrict.org]=20 Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 8:25 AM To: MOU Birdnet Subject: [mou] "flock" of Brown Creepers, Medina, Hennepin Co. =09 =09 This morning, there were (3) Brown Creepers following each other up and around the tree in my yard where I hang suet. I have had one Creeper all winter coming in to feed at the base of the tree where the suet is hanging. This was the first time I saw 3 together and they appeared to be staying together as a group. They look especially small when the Pileated comes flying in! =20 Madeleine Linck Medina, Hennepin County ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF13.FEA4C244 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
I have=20 a Brown Creeper coming to my hanging peanut feeder.  I have never = seen this=20 before, but it brings the little bugger out into the open and gives = great=20 looks. It is a mesh-sided feeder that I hang from my white pine.=20
 
 

Mark Alt
Brooklyn Center,=20 MN
mark.alt@bestbuy.com

"Birds and their songs are important = to me,=20 they add to my enjoyment of life"

-----Original Message-----
From: = Madeleine Linck=20 [mailto:mlinck@threeriversparkdistrict.org]
Sent: Friday, = February=20 06, 2004 8:25 AM
To: MOU Birdnet
Subject: [mou] = "flock" of=20 Brown Creepers, Medina, Hennepin Co.

This morning, there were (3) Brown = Creepers=20 following each other up and around the tree in my yard where I = hang=20 suet.  I have had one Creeper all winter coming in to feed at the = base of=20 the tree where the suet is hanging.  This was the first time I = saw 3=20 together and they appeared to be staying together as a group.  = They look=20 especially small when the Pileated comes flying in!
 
Madeleine Linck
Medina, Hennepin=20 County
=00 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF13.FEA4C244-- From Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com Mon Feb 9 16:12:09 2004 From: Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com (Chris Fagyal) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 10:12:09 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI Message-ID: What diminishes it is when the Snowy Owl has a big bright patch of dye on the top of its head and a huge wing tag. Im sorry, banding for the sake of science is one thing, and doing it discretely with small metal bands around the leg is fine. Painting a birds head and then putting a massive tag on its wing is completely another and it disgusts me. Somehow seeing a snowy owl that is painted green just doesn't do it for me. Leave the birds alone. That isn't research. Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer United Defense, L.P. Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 chris.fagyal@udlp.com >>> Ann and Manley Olson 02/08/2004 20:26:58 PM >>> What is unfortuneate about seeing a marked bird?Many of the Perigrines we see in Minnesota are banded.When you are leading an MOU field trip do you discount banded birds if you happen to see the band? I suspect for most of us a free-flying Snowy Owl is welcome on our lists and the joy of seeing it is not diminished by the fact that it is part of someones research study. Manley Olson Michael Hendrickson wrote: > On the Wisconsin State listserve a birder reported seeing the > Gyrfalcon is the Superior Harbor on Saturday in the afternoon but the > exact time was not given. I thought I give this a heads up for those > that might be heading this way. > > The Hawk Owl is still being seen in Spooner WI and the Snowy Owl at > the Superior Airport. Unfortunately the Owl is marked with dye with > a green tag wing tag. > > I guess if you want to see a unmarked bird go to Hutchinson, Mn. > > _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From MMARTELL@audubon.org Mon Feb 9 16:41:34 2004 From: MMARTELL@audubon.org (MARTELL, Mark) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 11:41:34 -0500 Subject: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI Message-ID: Chris, Sorry, but that is research. While I agree that seeing a bird with = colored wing tags, bands, etc definitely reduces the esthetic experience = of finding and observing it, I also have to argue that the knowledge = gained is important to the continued well being of birds in general. = Furthermore, much of what we take for granted as general knowledge of = bird behavior, migratory movements, distribution and taxonomy is a = result of field research, some of which is intrusive. Having banded, = wing-tagged, and yes painted, many birds myself I can only say that I = and everyone I have ever worked with feels a deep responsibility to the = bird being handled, the population we are studying, and to the people = who might happen upon that bird. What would interest me is finding out what is being learned on this = study. Mark Martell Director of Bird Conservation Audubon Minnesota 2357 Ventura Drive #106 St. Paul, MN 55125 651-739-9332 651-731-1330 (FAX) -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On Behalf Of Chris Fagyal Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 10:12 AM To: smithville4@charter.net; a_molson@unidial.com Cc: MOU-net@cbs.umn.edu Subject: Re: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI What diminishes it is when the Snowy Owl has a big bright patch of dye on the top of its head and a huge wing tag. Im sorry, banding for the sake of science is one thing, and doing it discretely with small metal bands around the leg is fine. Painting a birds head and then putting a massive tag on its wing is completely another and it disgusts me.=20 Somehow seeing a snowy owl that is painted green just doesn't do it for me. Leave the birds alone. That isn't research. =20 Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer United Defense, L.P. Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 chris.fagyal@udlp.com >>> Ann and Manley Olson 02/08/2004 20:26:58 PM >>> What is unfortuneate about seeing a marked bird?Many of the Perigrines we see in Minnesota are banded.When you are leading an MOU field trip do=20 you discount banded birds if you happen to see the band? I suspect for most of us a free-flying Snowy Owl is welcome on our lists and the joy of seeing it is not diminished by the fact that it is part of someones research study. Manley Olson Michael Hendrickson wrote: > On the Wisconsin State listserve a birder reported seeing the=20 > Gyrfalcon is the Superior Harbor on Saturday in the afternoon but the > exact time was not given. I thought I give this a heads up for those > that might be heading this way. > =20 > The Hawk Owl is still being seen in Spooner WI and the Snowy Owl at=20 > the Superior Airport. Unfortunately the Owl is marked with dye with=20 > a green tag wing tag. > =20 > I guess if you want to see a unmarked bird go to Hutchinson, Mn.=20 > =20 > =20 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From sharonks@mn.rr.com Mon Feb 9 17:14:22 2004 From: sharonks@mn.rr.com (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 11:14:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gyr Sat. in WI In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Snowys have feathers that go down their legs and feet, a leg band would be covered and few observers would be able to tell if it was banded let alone what the band reads. A discreet marker isn't going to cut it. I'm much more excited to see a banded bird. Since this bird has been reported, I've been searching the internet to see if I can find where the bird has originated from. It adds a new level to birding, a person can help track where it has been and help participate in the research. There is so much that we don't know about seasonal movement of birds (even birds we can take for granted like cedar waxwings) there much more to learn. Personally, I'm excited that someone out there is working to conserve a bird species I really enjoy. I don't mind the dyed feathers, there's not a naturally colored hair on my head either. -- Sharon Stiteler Uptown, Minneapolis "Can I eat without cooking? Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin is thoroughly cooked during the canning process so it is perfectly safe and acceptable to enjoy straight from the can." From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Mon Feb 9 19:17:50 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 13:17:50 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birds in unusual places Message-ID: <01db01c3ef41$69069e60$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01D8_01C3EF0F.1DF2B8A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable While preparing for a future church service, noted a Ring-necked = Pheasant on the snowy roof of a trailer across the street (more dragging = himself through the snow than walking, we've had quite a bit of the = white stuff in central MN recently). Must admit this was a personal = first in 10 years of birding. This also brought back memories of a Whip-poor-will sleeping on an urban = roof in Madison, WI (also mid-day but in summer) a number of years ago. Thought this might be an interesting thread - what unusual locations = have you observed/heard birds in over the years? Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------=_NextPart_000_01D8_01C3EF0F.1DF2B8A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
While preparing for a future church = service, noted=20 a Ring-necked Pheasant on the snowy roof of a trailer across the street = (more=20 dragging himself through the snow than walking, we've had quite a bit of = the=20 white stuff in central MN recently).  Must admit this was a = personal first=20 in 10 years of birding.
 
This also brought back memories of = a=20 Whip-poor-will sleeping on an urban roof in Madison, WI (also mid-day = but in=20 summer) a number of years ago.
 
Thought this might be an interesting = thread - what=20 unusual locations have you observed/heard birds in over the = years?
 
Good birding to all!
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
 
 
 
------=_NextPart_000_01D8_01C3EF0F.1DF2B8A0-- From dnoble@pioneerpress.com Mon Feb 9 20:07:01 2004 From: dnoble@pioneerpress.com (Noble, David) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 14:07:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birds in unusual places Message-ID: <69920B7EA654D611B30C00B0D078871233C4FC@EXCH2> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF48.4798A258 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" And also .... as I walked across the Robert Street bridge this morning to my office in downtown St. Paul, noticed an adult Bald Eagle standing on the ice in the Mississippi River. I often see this Eagle soaring and circling in the sky, usually east of the bridge. But it was striking to see this majestic raptor, look rather duck-like, standing along the edge of the ice sheet in the middle of the river! Dave Noble St. Paul Pioneer Press St. Paul, MN -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On Behalf Of Pastor Al Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 1:18 PM To: BIRDCHAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU; MOU-net@cbs.umn.edu; wisbirdn@lawrence.edu Subject: [mou] Birds in unusual places While preparing for a future church service, noted a Ring-necked Pheasant on the snowy roof of a trailer across the street (more dragging himself through the snow than walking, we've had quite a bit of the white stuff in central MN recently). Must admit this was a personal first in 10 years of birding. This also brought back memories of a Whip-poor-will sleeping on an urban roof in Madison, WI (also mid-day but in summer) a number of years ago. Thought this might be an interesting thread - what unusual locations have you observed/heard birds in over the years? Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF48.4798A258 Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1"
And also .... as I walked across the Robert Street bridge this morning to my office in downtown St. Paul, noticed an adult Bald Eagle standing on the ice in the Mississippi River.   I often see this Eagle soaring and circling in the sky, usually east of the bridge.  But it was striking to see this majestic raptor, look rather duck-like, standing along the edge of the ice sheet in the middle of the river!
 
Dave Noble
St. Paul Pioneer Press
St. Paul, MN

 
 
 -----Original Message-----
From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On Behalf Of Pastor Al
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 1:18 PM
To: BIRDCHAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU; MOU-net@cbs.umn.edu; wisbirdn@lawrence.edu
Subject: [mou] Birds in unusual places

While preparing for a future church service, noted a Ring-necked Pheasant on the snowy roof of a trailer across the street (more dragging himself through the snow than walking, we've had quite a bit of the white stuff in central MN recently).  Must admit this was a personal first in 10 years of birding.
 
This also brought back memories of a Whip-poor-will sleeping on an urban roof in Madison, WI (also mid-day but in summer) a number of years ago.
 
Thought this might be an interesting thread - what unusual locations have you observed/heard birds in over the years?
 
Good birding to all!
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
 
 
 
------_=_NextPart_001_01C3EF48.4798A258-- From white067@tc.umn.edu Mon Feb 9 20:26:46 2004 From: white067@tc.umn.edu (Bruce M. White) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 14:26:46 -0600 Subject: [mou] Update on Pilot Knob Message-ID: <4027ED06.6090703@tc.umn.edu> On January 29, 2004, Minnstar Builders and the landowners Allen and Buttenhoff sued the city of Mendota Heights seeking approval of the Pilot Knob project to build 157 townhomes in the area directly north and east of Acacia Cemetery in Mendota Heights. They argue that Minnesota's 60-day rule for decisions about building permits, etc., is not stayed by the environmental review process, so that the time ran out late last winter or early spring and they should be granted approval of their proposal. Acacia Cemetery, the other landowner, is not part of this lawsuit. There is a hearing in Dakota County District Court in Hastings on March 16 at 9 AM to deal with the plaintiffs' "alternative writ of mandamus." After an outpouring of over 200 letters against the proposed development during the EAW comment period--including many nice letters and e-mails from people on MnBird and MOU-net--the city of Mendota Height ordered an EIS in November. We were waiting for the developer to decide whether or not to pay for it (as state law specifies). This appears to be the developer's response. As many of you may know better than me, environmental review in Minnesota would simply not be possible if it had to be done during the 60-day period, even with an additional 60-day extension. Minnesota law seems clear in making an exception to the 60-day rule for reviews such as this. It does not seem possible that a judge could rule that environmental review had to occur during such a small period of time, but... The Pilot Knob Preservation Association will be putting updates about the lawsuit and other information on its new website: www.pilotknobpreservation.org . From white067@tc.umn.edu Mon Feb 9 20:31:52 2004 From: white067@tc.umn.edu (Bruce M. White) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 14:31:52 -0600 Subject: [mou] Request for pictures of birds on Pilot Knob Message-ID: <4027EE38.8070005@tc.umn.edu> The Pilot Knob Preservation Association is putting together pictures for an exhibit on the history and natural features of the Pilot Knob/ Acacia Cemetery Area, to open in the spring. We are looking for any photographs or other images of birds done in the area that we could use for this exhibit. If you have any and are willing to have them put on display, please let me know. We can work from original prints or digital files in the 150-300 dpi range. Bruce White Pilot Knob Preservation Association 651-310-0601 From smithville4@charter.net Mon Feb 9 22:13:22 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 16:13:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Marked Snowy Owls Message-ID: <000a01c3ef59$ee986b40$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EF27.A3B7CA80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I guess I had no idea my little sentence would stir some debate or = dialog on marked Snowy Owls in the Twin Ports. So I'll put my two cents in on this subject, but first I'll clarify my = intent in the original post was, yes seeing marked Snowy Owls with black = dye on its head giving it a "beanie" and a green wing tag is tiring to = see year after year in the Duluth Twin Ports. Yes I know its a project = that has been on going, I would guess since the 70's. So its about a = 25-30 year study.=20 I know the reason for the wing tag and the beanie is so research guy can = keep track of its movement and know that this owl has been banded, = weighed, sex and aged. So the guy doesn't have to recapture the owl to = see if its banded and etc.. Putting a green tag with large numbers on it = gives the owl or owls a name like # 2 or # 10 and ect..So research guy = can follow its movements with binos. I would think after 25-30 years most questions would be answered by now = regarding the Snowy Owls in the harbor but as long as the Fish & = Wildlife is funding this project or other agencies are ( I am guessing = here) who knows how ongoing this project is going to last. I know there = are a 1-3 articles in the Loon but those articles are about 10+ years = ago. Maybe there is some unknown journal where the data is put in a = article, I have no idea. Maybe Mark Martell can tell me if there has = been anything written in the last 10 or 12 years about the Snowy Owl = project in the Twin Ports? I have lived all my life in Duluth and nearly 90% of all the Snowy Owls = I ever saw were marked and tagged. The only Snowy Owls I saw that were = not marked were in Two Harbors, Aitkin Co and in Sax Zim bog. All these = Snowy Owls were all involve in invasion years that coincided with Great = Grey Owl invasions. Anyway, I am all for banding owls, hawks and all birds as long as it = belongs to a funded research project and we can read the data or results = of that project in the Loon or some ornithological journal.=20 I am just not into roaming banding guy that wanders around the state = looking for raptors to band because the winters are long and there is = nothing else to do. These guys have no project in mind nor hired or = funded by any project. They are out to just go out and band owls for the = fun of it.YES they do exist. They lure the owl in, touch and feel the = owl, put a band on it, take nice pics of it in the hand and release owl. = Than go look for another owl and do it again. That to me is LAME!=20 I guess they feel the same thing about me finding a owl, looking at the = owl, writing directions where the owl is, adding the owl to my winter = report and go look for another owl. Maybe that is lame as well. Who = knows..=20 Anyway, the Snowy Owl project is a interesting project but it would be = nice to see unmark Snowy Owls in the Harbor area but that day will have = to wait.=20 Mike ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EF27.A3B7CA80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I guess I had no idea my little = sentence would stir=20 some debate or dialog on marked Snowy Owls in the Twin = Ports.
 
So I'll put my two cents in on this = subject, but=20 first I'll clarify my intent in the original post was, yes seeing marked = Snowy=20 Owls with black dye on its head giving it a "beanie" and a green wing = tag is=20 tiring to see year after year in the Duluth Twin Ports. Yes I know its a = project=20 that has been on going, I would guess since the 70's. So its about a = 25-30 year=20 study.
 
I know the reason for the wing tag and = the beanie=20 is so research guy can keep track of its movement and know that this owl = has=20 been banded, weighed, sex and aged. So the guy doesn't have to recapture = the owl=20 to see if its banded and etc.. Putting a green tag with large numbers on = it=20 gives the owl or owls a name like # 2 or # 10 and ect..So research guy = can=20 follow its movements with binos.
 
I would think after 25-30 years most = questions=20 would be answered by now regarding the Snowy Owls in the harbor =  but as=20 long as the Fish & Wildlife is funding this project or other = agencies=20 are ( I am guessing here) who knows how ongoing this project is = going to=20 last. I know there are a 1-3 articles in the Loon but those articles are = about=20 10+ years ago. Maybe there is some unknown journal where the data is put = in a=20 article, I have no idea. Maybe Mark Martell can tell me if there has = been=20 anything written in the last 10 or 12 years about the Snowy Owl project = in the=20 Twin Ports?
 
I have lived all my life in Duluth and = nearly 90%=20 of all the Snowy Owls I ever saw were marked and tagged.  The only = Snowy=20 Owls I saw that were not marked were in Two Harbors, Aitkin Co and in = Sax Zim=20 bog.  All these Snowy Owls were all involve in invasion years that=20 coincided with Great Grey Owl invasions.
 
Anyway, I am all for banding owls, = hawks and all=20 birds as long as it belongs to a funded research project and we can read = the=20 data or results of that project in the Loon or some ornithological=20 journal. 
 
 I am just not into roaming = banding guy that=20 wanders around the state looking for raptors to band because the winters = are=20 long and there is nothing else to do. These guys have no project in mind = nor=20 hired or funded by any project. They are out to just go out and band = owls for=20 the fun of it.YES they do exist. They lure the owl in, touch and = feel the=20 owl, put a band on it, take nice pics of it in the hand and release owl. = Than go=20 look for another owl and do it again. That to me is LAME!
 
I guess they feel the same thing about = me finding a=20 owl, looking at the owl, writing directions where the owl is, adding the = owl to=20 my winter report and go look for another owl. Maybe that is lame as = well. Who=20 knows..
 
 Anyway, the=20 Snowy Owl project is a interesting project but it would be nice to see = unmark=20 Snowy Owls in the Harbor area but that day will have to wait. =
 
Mike
 
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3EF27.A3B7CA80-- From lauraerickson@abac.com Mon Feb 9 22:42:03 2004 From: lauraerickson@abac.com (Laura Erickson) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 16:42:03 -0600 Subject: [mou] Marked Snowy Owls In-Reply-To: <000a01c3ef59$ee986b40$a7a87044@family> Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20040209162635.02103488@mail1.abac.com> Mark is right that marking banded birds under continued observation can be very important for research. But I wonder how much of this Twin Ports research is published--I know of no recent publications at all about this project. I also wonder how much research has been done on the tundra to see if marked Snowy Owls have any difficulties attracting mates. As you undoubtedly realize, Snowy Owl males, as they mature, develop more and more white feathers. These help to age Snowies in the same way as, statistically, the red tips on waxwing secondary feathers help distinguish older birds from younger ones. Waxwings mate assortatively--meaning ones with more red tips prefer mates with more red tips, too. (Older birds tend to be more successful at raising families than younger, less experienced ones.) I suspect that Snowies marked on their heads, particularly males, may appear less desirable as mates than unmarked ones, and they don't molt, replacing the dyed feathers, until mid-July. If I were researching Snowy Owls, barring definite evidence that they are selected as mates as readily with as without dyes on their head feathers, I would use color markings only on the wings or tail. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson From tuneful4@usfamily.net Mon Feb 9 23:12:54 2004 From: tuneful4@usfamily.net (Mike Nelson) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 17:12:54 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birds in unusual places References: <01db01c3ef41$69069e60$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> Message-ID: <004601c3ef62$407b1ef0$58dc6843@D937M211> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0043_01C3EF2F.F4871260 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable In October '01 we were in St. Louis checking out St. Louis University = with our son. It's a very interesting campus with lifelike bronze = sculptures everywhere. As our parent group approached the library we = walked along a nicely tended courtyard with hedges and shrubbery. As I = eyed the scuplture of a young boy pushing along his bicycle with an = extended arm and finger in the air, a Townsend's Solitaire emerged from = cover and landed on the finger; it was almost close enough to grab. The = guide was going on about things so I was working hard to suppress = myself. I thought I had heard this guy singing in the trees earlier and = now it was confirmed. After we returned home I reported the sighting to the St. Louis Audubon = Society figuring it was routine. I got a very appreciative reply asking = if I was totally sure because it would be an early winter record by at = least a month. I knew I had him because I'd seen the one at Acacia = Cemetery in February '01. The Acacia bird had not been shy at all = either. Which brings me to Pilot Knob birds. The day I saw the Solitaire several = others were there; one had a monster setup and snapped the guy from just = a few feet. THe one name I got was Mitch Paul who let me use his better = binos. Don't remember if it was his camera as well. But someone on that = Sunday afternoon got a spectacular shot of a Solitaire, and perhaps I've = jogged someone's memory. Hope to have been of help Mike Nelson Cottage Grove, Wash. Co. tuneful4@usfamily.net ps perhaps not unusual but male House Finches have discovered the = awesome amplification afforded by singing under the column tops at the = front of Northrop Auditorium, UMN. It carries the entire length of the = mall...! ------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------ ------=_NextPart_000_0043_01C3EF2F.F4871260 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
In October '01 we were in St. Louis = checking out=20 St. Louis University with our son. It's a very interesting campus with = lifelike=20 bronze sculptures everywhere. As our parent group approached the library = we=20 walked along a nicely tended courtyard with hedges and shrubbery. As I = eyed the=20 scuplture of a young boy pushing along his bicycle with an extended arm = and=20 finger in the air, a Townsend's Solitaire emerged from cover and landed = on the=20 finger; it was almost close enough to grab. The guide was going on about = things=20 so I was working hard to suppress myself. I thought I had heard this guy = singing=20 in the trees earlier and now it was confirmed.
 
After we returned home I reported the = sighting to=20 the St. Louis Audubon Society figuring it was routine. I got a very = appreciative=20 reply asking if I was totally sure because it would be an early winter = record by=20 at least a month. I knew I had him because I'd seen the one at Acacia = Cemetery=20 in February '01. The Acacia bird had not been shy at all = either.
 
Which brings me to Pilot Knob birds. = The day I saw=20 the Solitaire several others were there; one had a monster setup and = snapped the=20 guy from just a few feet. THe one name I got was Mitch Paul who let me = use his=20 better binos. Don't remember if it was his camera as well. But someone = on that=20 Sunday afternoon got a spectacular shot of a Solitaire, and perhaps I've = jogged=20 someone's memory.
 
Hope to have been of help
Mike Nelson
Cottage Grove, Wash. Co.
tuneful4@usfamily.net
 
ps perhaps not unusual but male House = Finches have=20 discovered the awesome amplification afforded by singing under the = column tops=20 at the front of Northrop Auditorium, UMN. It carries the entire length = of the=20 mall...!
 
 
 


------ USFamily.Net - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------

------=_NextPart_000_0043_01C3EF2F.F4871260-- From chadaakre@hotmail.com Tue Feb 10 01:15:39 2004 From: chadaakre@hotmail.com (Chad Aakre) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 19:15:39 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gray Partridge - Winona County Message-ID: I drove some gravel roads on my way home from my Rochester to Winona commute and had 7 Gray Partridge eating the corn sticking up above the snow. This was the intersection of County Road 37 and CR 22 due south of Whitewater State Park. Quite a beautiful bird. Chad Aakre Winona County _________________________________________________________________ Let the advanced features & services of MSN Internet Software maximize your online time. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200363ave/direct/01/ From christine37o@yahoo.com Tue Feb 10 02:54:25 2004 From: christine37o@yahoo.com (Christine Olson) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 18:54:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Marked Snowy Owls In-Reply-To: <000a01c3ef59$ee986b40$a7a87044@family> Message-ID: <20040210025425.80543.qmail@web60506.mail.yahoo.com> --0-391798281-1076381665=:79869 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello, all! I have never seen a snowy owl. If the first one I see has a painted black spot on its head and a big green tag on its wing, will I still be thrilled to see it? Sure. Will I add it to my life list? Of course. Will I be just a wee bit disappointed that it wasn't an unmarked snowy owl? Yes, I will! Although I understand the value of marking, tagging, and banding, I would still like to see an unmarked owl. Call me shallow and superficial. Good birding to everyone! Christine Olson - Chisholm Peace --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online --0-391798281-1076381665=:79869 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Hello, all!
 
I have never seen a snowy owl.  If the first one I see has a painted black spot on its head and a big green tag on its wing, will I still be thrilled to see it?  Sure.  Will I add it to my life list?  Of course.  Will I be just a wee bit disappointed that it wasn't an unmarked snowy owl?  Yes, I will!  Although I understand the value of marking, tagging, and banding, I would still like to see an unmarked owl.  Call me shallow and superficial.
 
Good birding to everyone!
 
Christine Olson - Chisholm   


Peace


Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online --0-391798281-1076381665=:79869-- From wenelson@mlecmn.net Tue Feb 10 03:09:58 2004 From: wenelson@mlecmn.net (Warren Nelson) Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 21:09:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Update from Aitkin County Message-ID: <40284B86.7F57D46B@mlecmn.net> On Saturday morning, Bill Stauffer and I found 2 GREAT GRAY OWLS on Pietz's Road about 3/10th mile north of C.R. 18 at 9:00. We checked back later in the day and on Sunday too but didn't see them either time. Although we didn't personally see the VARIED THRUSH , there were several who did see the bird at a feeder about a block south of the Citgo station. Also seen this past weekend: a flock of about 50 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on third street n.w. in Aitkin, 2 flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS on C.R. 1 north of Aitkin, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK eating a sparrow at my feeder, 3 NORTHERN SHRIKES, PINE GROSBEAKS, redpolls. Warren Nelson From david@cahlander.com Tue Feb 10 04:56:15 2004 From: david@cahlander.com (David A. Cahlander) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 22:56:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Tufted Titmouse on MOU page Message-ID: <000b01c3ef92$3f006500$0200000a@pancho> http://biosci.umn.edu/~mou/recent.html Terrence Brashear has provided a picture of the Tufted Titmouse that is beeing seen at the Mt. Olivet Retreat Center in Dakota County. --- David Cahlander david@cahlander.com Burnsville, MN 952-894-5910 From hughe112@mail.crk.umn.edu Tue Feb 10 23:55:44 2004 From: hughe112@mail.crk.umn.edu (Hughes, Heidi) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 17:55:44 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Gray Owls in northern Minnesota; short-eared owls in Crookston Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F031.65A139E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I was up in northern MN and Manitoba for three days and spotted several Great Gray Owls... very close to the road. =20 Jenny Moorman (Lake of the Woods Nature Tours) took us to Beltrami Island State Forest (Sunday afternoon) where we spotted our first GGOW a couple of miles east of Norris Camp. =20 =20 Monday afternoon we drove up to Northwest Angle after we got word that fishermen (on their way up to the Angle) had spotted ~10 GGOWs on the utility lines between Sprague (Manitoba) and Angle Inlet (on highway 308). We stopped in Sprague to talk with the Manitoba Wildlife agent who said he'd been seeing them close to town and getting reports about the owls along 308. He said February is the time to see a good number of GGOWs on highway 308. We spotted 3 - one right outside of Sprague, one about 8 miles north of Sprague and one by Moose Lake - between 1pm and 5pm. =20 Tuesday morning we spotted another GGOW in Roseau behind the Marvin Windows plant. =20 =20 We also saw several large flocks of snow buntings, redpolls and pine grosbeaks.=20 =20 I've also been watching the short-eared owls at dawn and dusk at Pankratz prairie, just east of Crookston. No fewer than 6 within a two mile stretch between the railroad tracks and main sign. Very close to the road... just hunting, so far. =20 =20 Heidi Hughes Crookston =20 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F031.65A139E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I was up in northern MN and Manitoba for three days and spotted several Great Gray Owls… very close to the = road.

 

Jenny Moorman (Lake of the Woods Nature Tours) took us to Beltrami Island State Forest (Sunday afternoon) where we spotted our first GGOW a couple of miles east of = Norris Camp

 

Monday afternoon we drove up to Northwest Angle after = we got word that fishermen (on their way up to the Angle) had spotted ~10 GGOWs = on the utility lines between Sprague = (Manitoba) and Angle Inlet (on highway 308).  We stopped in Sprague to talk with the Manitoba Wildlife agent who said he’d been seeing them = close to town and getting reports about the owls along 308.  He said = February is the time to see a good number of GGOWs on highway 308.  We spotted 3 =  – one right outside of Sprague, one = about 8 miles north of Sprague and one by = Moose Lake – between 1pm and 5pm.

 

Tuesday morning we spotted another GGOW in = Roseau behind the = Marvin Windows plant.   

 

We also saw several large flocks of snow buntings, = redpolls and pine grosbeaks.

 

I’ve also been watching the short-eared owls at = dawn and dusk at Pankratz prairie, just east of Crookston.  No fewer = than 6 within a two mile stretch between the railroad tracks and main = sign.  Very close to the road… just hunting, so far.  =  

 

Heidi Hughes

Crookston

 

=00 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F031.65A139E0-- From wcoc@wiktel.com Tue Feb 10 15:32:48 2004 From: wcoc@wiktel.com (Jane Roadfeldt) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 09:32:48 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Gray Owls - Roseau and Lake of the Woods Counties Message-ID: <000901c3efeb$271a64a0$e4d5aec6@DGKH7221> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3EFB8.DC7FF4A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sunday evening over a dozen owls were spotted on Hwy 308 from Sprague Manitoba to Northwest Angle Minnesota driving from Hwy 313 in Warroad. Heidi Hughes reported 3 last night. This morning on County Road 74 (Taylor Road) behind Marvin Windows, Hughes spotted a Great Gray being harassed by songbirds and a pair of Ravens. Hughes spotted a Great Gray Owl on the faunce- butterfield forest road just east of Norris Camp on Sunday Road conditions are good, weather and light is good. The Manitoba Wildlife Agent in Sprague said: this is the time to see Great Gray Owls along the US-Canadian border! It's a no-miss situation at dawn and dusk. Jane Roadfelt Warroad Chamber of Commerce ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3EFB8.DC7FF4A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
Sunday evening = over a=20 dozen owls were spotted on Hwy 308 from Sprague Manitoba to Northwest = Angle=20 Minnesota driving from Hwy 313 in Warroad.  Heidi Hughes reported 3 = last=20 night.
 
This morning on = County Road 74=20 (Taylor Road) behind Marvin Windows, Hughes spotted a Great Gray = being=20 harassed by songbirds and a pair of Ravens.
 
Hughes spotted a = Great Gray Owl=20 on the faunce-=20 butterfield forest road just east of Norris Camp on=20 Sunday
 
Road conditions are = good,=20 weather and light is good.
 
The Manitoba = Wildlife Agent in=20 Sprague said:  this is the time to see Great Gray Owls along the=20 US-Canadian border!    It's a no-miss situation at dawn = and=20 dusk.
 
Jane=20 Roadfelt
Warroad Chamber of=20 Commerce

------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3EFB8.DC7FF4A0-- From davis@Macalester.edu Tue Feb 10 19:43:44 2004 From: davis@Macalester.edu (Mark Davis) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 13:43:44 -0600 Subject: [mou] redpolls in Highland Park Message-ID: <40293470.8020101@macalester.edu> I just to wanted to report that a flock of about 15-18 common redpolls have been hanging around the Macalester campus for the past 2 days (Feb 9-10). They have been feeding on the catkins of the birch tree on the south side of Grand Avenue between Snelling Ave. and Macalester street, between the sidewalk and the campus chapel (the large glass building). The birch tree is adjacent to a group of spruces. The birds have been clearly visible from the sidewalk. The flock was there late Monday afternoon and early Tuesday morning. The flock was first spotted by Ben Freeman, one of my students. I didn't know if redpolls were being commonly seen this winter around the Twin Cities, so I thought I would pass this sighting on just in case.--Mark Davis -- Mark A. Davis Ph.D. 651-696-6102 Department of Biology fax: 651-696-6443 Macalester College e-mail: davis@macalester.edu Saint Paul, MN 55105 USA webpage: http://www.macalester.edu/~davis/ From Timmerman@southwestmsu.edu Wed Feb 11 17:24:49 2004 From: Timmerman@southwestmsu.edu (Timmerman, Janet) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 11:24:49 -0600 Subject: [mou] feeder birds and hawks in Murray County Message-ID: <2E1A9B1AEF64D01198510000F82173A3040B600E@mail.southwestsmsu.edu> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F0C3.F3B065FE Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -----Original Message----- From: Timmerman, Janet Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 11:37 AM To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Subject: feeder birds and hawks in Murray County Redpolls were being seen in Murray County last week-end. A friend had four or five of them at his feeders. He also has 10 tree sparrows that come regularly to his ground feeder. On Monday near Current Lake in the north part of the county, there was a Rough Legged Hawk in a cottonwood there. He was patient enough for me to scramble out of my car and dive into the back to find my binoculars. Janet Timmerman Information Officer/Community Educator Center for Rural and Regional Studies, ST 201A Southwest Minnesota State University 1501 State Street Marshall, MN 56258 507-537-6288 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F0C3.F3B065FE Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Timmerman, Janet
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 11:37 AM
To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: feeder birds and hawks in Murray County

Redpolls were being seen in Murray County last week-end. A friend had four or five of them at his feeders. He also has 10 tree sparrows that come regularly to his ground feeder. 
On Monday near Current Lake in the north part of the county, there was a Rough Legged Hawk in a cottonwood there. He was patient enough for me to scramble out of my car and dive into the back to find my binoculars.

Janet Timmerman
Information Officer/Community Educator
Center for Rural and Regional Studies, ST 201A
Southwest Minnesota State University
1501 State Street
Marshall, MN 56258
507-537-6288

 
------_=_NextPart_001_01C3F0C3.F3B065FE-- From amccutch@cannon.net Wed Feb 11 16:34:35 2004 From: amccutch@cannon.net (Alden McCutchan) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 11:34:35 -0500 Subject: [mou] Mourning Doves - Goodhue County Message-ID: On the ground beneath our thistle seed feeder now are five MOURNING DOVES - the first we have seen this season. We are on a farm between Cannon Falls and Kenyon. We also have PILEATED, RED BELLIED, HAIRY, AND DOWNY WOODPECKERS, A NORTHERN FLICKER, WHITE BREASTED & RED BREASTED NUTHATCHES, FIVE PAIRS OF CARDINALS, HOUSE FINCHES, an occasional PURPLE FINCH and COMMON REDPOLL plus the usual but interesting CHICADEES, DARK EYED JUNCOS, AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, BLUE JAYS, AND HOUSE SPARROWS. At Christmas we looked out at our flowering crabapple tree to see a male RING-NECKED PHEASANT awkwardly perched in the tree eating the tiny frozen apples - probably as close as we'll ever come to a partridge-in-a- pear tree! Alden & Margaret McCutchan From amccutch@cannon.net Wed Feb 11 15:33:13 2004 From: amccutch@cannon.net (Alden McCutchan) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 10:33:13 -0500 Subject: [mou] Counting Birds Message-ID: When mou net contributors get caught up in what and how to count in approve= d ways, I am reminded of Mary Oliver's lovely poem: Snowy Night =A0 Last night, an owl in the blue dark tossed an indeterminate number =A0 of carefully shaped sounds into the world, in which, a quarter of a mile away, I happened to be standing. =A0 I couldn=B9t tell which one it was =AD the barred or the great-horned ship of the air =AD =A0 it was that distant.=A0 But, anyway, aren=B9t there moments that are better than knowing something, and sweeter?=A0 Snow was falling, =A0 so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more =A0 than prettiness.=A0 I suppose if this were someone else=B9s story they would have insisted on=A0 knowing whatever is knowable =AD would have hurried =A0 over the fields to name it =AD the owl, I mean. But it=B9s mine, this poem of the night, and I just stood there, listening and holding out =A0 my hands to the soft glitter falling through the air.=A0=A0 I love this world, but not for its answers. And I wish good luck to the owl, =A0 whatever its name =AD and I wish great welcome to the snow, whatever its severe and comfortless and beautiful meaning. =A0 ~ Mary Oliver ~ =A0 =A0 From connyb@mycidco.com Wed Feb 11 13:34:07 2004 From: connyb@mycidco.com (Conny Brunell) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 13:34:07 Subject: [mou] Red-shouldered Hawk, Hennepin Co. Message-ID: Today a little after noon at the Bass Ponds in Bloomington, Hennepin County there was an Adult Red-shouldered Hawk perched in the trees overlooking the open water filled with Mallards near the beaver lodge. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Cty connyb@mycidco.com From WWoessner@aol.com Thu Feb 12 01:46:17 2004 From: WWoessner@aol.com (WWoessner@aol.com) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 20:46:17 EST Subject: [mou] Counting Birds Message-ID: <127.3abcaf3d.2d5c34e9@aol.com> --part1_127.3abcaf3d.2d5c34e9_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Birders Who Read Poetry-- Mary Oliver's poem is charming, but she is showing off. Note that she is telling the reader that she KNOWS the difference between the call of a Great Horned Owl and a Barred Owl--she just doesn't choose to get close enough to know for sure. I think alot of birders who aren't so sure of the difference would want to make the effort to get closer to hear clearly, or even to try to see if the owl had ear tufts or not, but Oliver is content to meditate on the snow. Her (artistic) choice. Here is one of my poems which, though perhaps a lesser effort, is meant to be a fun poem about listing, or at least KNOWING what you are seeing: CAPE MAY POINT Snapshots of sun silhouette scoters close to shore. We pick off an eider with the scope. Farther out, gannets wheel and dive, show fish how to fly. We watch the sea-spears at 30 power, wind, bird, waves, blowing straight in our eyes. Good birding (listing even) Warren Woessner --part1_127.3abcaf3d.2d5c34e9_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Birders Who Read= Poetry--

Mary Oliver's poem is charming, but she is showing off. Note that she is tel= ling the reader that she KNOWS the difference between the call of a Great Ho= rned Owl and a Barred Owl--she just doesn't choose to get close enough to kn= ow for sure.
I think alot of birders who aren't so sure of the difference would want to m= ake the effort to get closer to hear clearly, or even to try to see if the o= wl had ear tufts or not, but Oliver is content to meditate on the snow. = ; Her (artistic) choice.
Here is one of my poems which, though perhaps a lesser effort, is meant to b= e a fun poem about listing, or at least KNOWING what you are seeing:

CAPE MAY POINT

Snapshots of sun
silhouette scoters
close to shore.
We pick off an eider
with the scope.
Farther out, gannets
wheel and dive,
show fish how to fly.
We watch the sea-spears
at 30 power, wind,
bird, waves, blowing
straight in our eyes.

Good birding (listing even)
Warren Woessner
--part1_127.3abcaf3d.2d5c34e9_boundary-- From shconrad@2z.net Thu Feb 12 03:00:24 2004 From: shconrad@2z.net (shconrad@2z.net) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:00:24 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birding at birdfeeders--a solution? Message-ID: <1076554824.402aec48afaa7@webmail.2z.net> Many times when I'm out birding, I see a frenzy of birds at someone's feeder and I would love to take a look, but I don't want to upset anyone by staring at their yard through binoculars. So I had a thought--what if there was some way to know that the owner of the feeder was OK with you checking out their birds? Does anyone out there think it would be practical to put some kind of sign on or near their feeders that says "Birders welcome" or some kind of symbol? I think if birding organizations came up with something standardized and got their members to display them, eventually it would catch on with some of the non-birding public. Maybe some organization somewhere is already doing something like this... Just one of my harebrained ideas =) Shawn Conrad Itasca County ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent from Znet Telecom webmail Znet Telecom http://www.2z.net From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Thu Feb 12 15:08:22 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 09:08:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Good start on yard birds Message-ID: <001801c3f17a$0f1a93d0$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3F147.C3F85630 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Finally moved into our new home yesterday afternoon after many false = starts. Frankly was a little discouraged about location from a yard = birding perspective (half mile+ from the nearest tree fragment), but two = of the three first yard birds were Common Redpolls (flock of 50 in our = front weeds) and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk. May that trend = continue! Good birding to all. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN (formerly Madison, WI ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3F147.C3F85630 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Finally moved into our new home = yesterday afternoon=20 after many false starts.  Frankly was a little discouraged about = location=20 from a yard birding perspective (half mile+ from the nearest tree=20 fragment), but two of the three first yard birds were Common Redpolls = (flock of=20 50 in our front weeds) and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk.  May = that trend=20 continue!
 
Good birding to all.
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
(formerly Madison, = WI
------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C3F147.C3F85630-- From drbenson@cpinternet.com Thu Feb 12 15:37:49 2004 From: drbenson@cpinternet.com (David Benson) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 09:37:49 -0600 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 2/12/04 Message-ID: <69E0E299-5D71-11D8-AA05-000A95AC3AF2@cpinternet.com> --Apple-Mail-8--491178115 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 12, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GYRFALCON was seen again on February 8 at the Peavey Elevators at the north end of Superior, Wisconsin. At least two SNOWY OWLS are also being seen in Superior, most often at the Bong Airport. There are GLAUCOUS GULLS and at least one THAYER'S GULL at the Superior landfill. Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Cook Cty on the 4th. The bird was seen at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Rd (Forest Rd 313). The Shoe Lake Rd can be reached from the Greenwood Lake Rd, which meets the Gunflint Trail just west of the South Brule River. This is only the second report of this species in Northeastern Minnesota this winter. In Aitkin Cty, Warren Nelson reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS on Pietz's Rd, 0.3 mile north of Cty Rd 18 on the 9th. He wrote that others had seen the VARIED THRUSH in Palisade about a block south of the Citgo station. He also saw a flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the town of Aitkin, and SNOW BUNTINGS along Cty Rd 1 north of Aitkin. Jan Hansen reported a large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was still in Deerwood on the 5th. Jim LInd saw the HARLEQUIN DUCK and ICELAND GULL at Agate Bay in Two Harbors on the 5th. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 19. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org. --Apple-Mail-8--491178115 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=US-ASCII This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 12, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GYRFALCON was seen again on February 8 at the Peavey Elevators at the north end of Superior, Wisconsin. At least two SNOWY OWLS are also being seen in Superior, most often at the Bong Airport. There are GLAUCOUS GULLS and at least one THAYER'S GULL at the Superior landfill. Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Cook Cty on the 4th. The bird was seen at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Rd (Forest Rd 313). The Shoe Lake Rd can be reached from the Greenwood Lake Rd, which meets the Gunflint Trail just west of the South Brule River. This is only the second report of this species in Northeastern Minnesota this winter. In Aitkin Cty, Warren Nelson reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS on Pietz's Rd, 0.3 mile north of Cty Rd 18 on the 9th. He wrote that others had seen the VARIED THRUSH in Palisade about a block south of the Citgo station. He also saw a flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the town of Aitkin, and SNOW BUNTINGS along Cty Rd 1 north of Aitkin. Jan Hansen reported a large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was still in Deerwood on the 5th. Jim LInd saw the HARLEQUIN DUCK and ICELAND GULL at Agate Bay in Two Harbors on the 5th. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 19. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org. --Apple-Mail-8--491178115-- From emperorjohniv@yahoo.com Thu Feb 12 21:08:49 2004 From: emperorjohniv@yahoo.com (John Quinn IV) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 13:08:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Duluth Birding In-Reply-To: <69E0E299-5D71-11D8-AA05-000A95AC3AF2@cpinternet.com> Message-ID: <20040212210849.18287.qmail@web40204.mail.yahoo.com> --0-1455352056-1076620129=:16150 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi all I am going to Duluth this weekend and was wondering the best way to get to sax zim? In particular owl ave. Are there any other good winter birding locals in the area. Thanks John Quinn 11248163264128256512 --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online --0-1455352056-1076620129=:16150 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Hi all
 
I am going to Duluth this weekend and was wondering the best way to get to sax zim?  In particular owl ave.  Are there any other good winter birding locals in the area.
 
Thanks
 
John Quinn


11248163264128256512


Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online --0-1455352056-1076620129=:16150-- From mahan-mail@att.net Fri Feb 13 00:28:41 2004 From: mahan-mail@att.net (Tom & Phyllis Mahan) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 18:28:41 -0600 Subject: [mou] MN Birding Newsletter Message-ID: <006101c3f1c8$58a94f70$a685490c@MAHAN> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C3F196.0E0EDF70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable We still need some volunteers to help assemble the next issue of MN = Birding on: =20 Wednesday, February 18, 2004 6:30 p.m. =20 Shady Oak Room, second floor Minnetonka Community Center 14600 Minnetonka Blvd (1 mile west of Minnetonka Blvd/I-494 intersection) =20 Any help is greatly appreciated by all members of MOU! We have four = inserts this time. =20 If you can help out please respond directly to my email or call me. Please provide a daytime phone number in case I have to contact you at = the last minute. 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VEhFTkVYVElTU1VFT0ZNTkJJUkRJTkdPTjpXRURORVNEQVksRkVCUlVBUlkxOCwyMDA0NjozMFBN U0hBRAAAAABxfA== ------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C3F196.0E0EDF70-- From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Feb 13 00:55:15 2004 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony X. Hertzel) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 18:55:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 12 February 2004 Message-ID: --============_-1135488776==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 12th. Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Cook County on the 4th. It was found at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Road (Forest Road 313). The Shoe Lake Road can be reached from the Greenwood Lake Road, which meets the Gunflint Trail just west of the South Brule River. In Aitkin County, Warren Nelson reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS on Pietz's Road a quarter of a mile north of County Road 18 on the 9th. On the 10th, a Great Gray Owl was reported about two miles east of Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County. On the same day another was in the town of Roseau in Roseau County behind the Marvin Windows plant. As many as six SHORT-EARED OWLS are being reported along the two mile stretch of road between the railroad tracks and main sign east of Crookston in Polk County. And on the 8th, the SNOWY OWL was still north of Hutchinson in McLeod County, near the intersection of 210th street and county road 61. The VARIED THRUSH is still being seen in Palisade, Aitkin County, about a block south of the Citgo station. The HARLEQUIN DUCK and ICELAND GULL are still being reported from Agate Bay in Two Harbors, Lake County. Karen Sussman has a HOARY REDPOLL at her feeder in Britt, St. Louis County. It was last reported there on the 7th. This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at . MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com. In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700. The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 19th. -- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com --============_-1135488776==_ma============ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" MOU RBA 12 February 2004
This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 12th.

Dave Grosshuesch found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Cook County on the 4th. It was found at Kindle Creek along the Shoe Lake Road (Forest Road 313). The Shoe Lake Road can be reached from the Greenwood Lake Road, which meets the Gunflint Trail just west of the South Brule River.

In Aitkin County, Warren Nelson reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS on Pietz's Road a quarter of a mile north of County Road 18 on the 9th. On the 10th, a Great Gray Owl was reported about two miles east of Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County. On the same day another was in the town of Roseau in Roseau County behind the Marvin Windows plant.

As many as six SHORT-EARED OWLS are being reported along the two mile stretch of road between the railroad tracks and main sign east of Crookston in Polk County. 

And on the 8th, the SNOWY OWL was still north of Hutchinson in McLeod County, near the intersection of 210th street and county road 61.

The VARIED THRUSH is still being seen in Palisade, Aitkin County, about a block south of the Citgo station.

The HARLEQUIN DUCK and ICELAND GULL are still being reported from Agate Bay in Two Harbors, Lake County.

Karen Sussman has a HOARY REDPOLL at her feeder in Britt, St. Louis County. It was last reported there on the 7th.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at <david@cahlander.com>.

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 19th.

-- 
Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com
--============_-1135488776==_ma============-- From coonhaven@ll.net Fri Feb 13 01:02:49 2004 From: coonhaven@ll.net (Roger Field) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 19:02:49 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl, McLeod Cty Message-ID: The Snowy Owl is still present in Mcleod Cty=2E It was seen today, Feb 12, = 1/2 mile west of Highway 15 on 210th Street=2E It was on the gravel road wi= th a flock of Snow Buntings=2E Roger Field From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Feb 13 02:19:27 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 20:19:27 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, February 13, 2004 Message-ID: <000b01c3f1d7$d2703ee0$76d5aec6@main> This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 13, 2004 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. This week we have sightings of owls to report. It seems that the snowy weather is bringing them south and out in the open this year. >From Angle Inlet in Lake of the Woods County, Celeste Colson reported that fishermen coming to the Northwest Angle were asking about 9-12 large owls along Highway 313 north of Warroad and Highway 308 from Sprague, Manitoba to the Northwest Angle. Heidi Hughes observed at least three of these GREAT GRAY OWLS on February 9th. At Brush Island, a SAW-WHET OWL was seen just outside the cabin of Michelle Friend. Other bird species being seen at the Angle this winter include GRAY JAYS, large numbers of PINE GROSBEAKS, COMMON REDPOLLS, PINE SISKINS, and EVENING GROSBEAKS. Also in Lake of the Woods County, Heidi Hughes spotted a GREAT GRAY OWL on the Faunce- Butterfield Road just east of Norris Camp on Sunday, February 8th. In Roseau County, Heidi Hughes found another GREAT GRAY OWL in Roseau behind the Marvin Windows plant along County Road 74 on February 10th. At the Wetland, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary, Polk County, Lori and Mike Becker reported a sad event. A BOREAL OWL was found dead outside the residence window on Saturday morning; it had crashed into the window during the night. While this is not a sighting of a live bird, it is of interest as we don't get many sightings of this species in the northwestern part of the state. Maybe there is another out there somewhere, so we will be on the lookout. Elsewhere in Polk County, the story is SHORT-EARED OWLS - at least six have been reported near Pancratz Prairie and Pembina WMA southeast of Crookston. To get there take Highway 2 east from Crookston, then go south along County Road 46 or 44 to County Road 45. Owls have been seen along all of the above hunting at dawn and dusk. Both GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, and SHARP-TAILED GROUSE can be seen in the same areas, and they are gathering in increasing numbers as we near the breeding season. Rebecca Eckstein reported from Rydell NWR that RUFFED GROUSE, an AMERICAN ROBIN, and PINE GROSBEAKS are being seen at the refuge. Randy Chaffee in Climax included a PURPLE FINCH among the birds seen at his feeder this week. Warren Goltz in Ada, Norman County, has had up to 196 COMMON REDPOLLS coming to his feeder throughout the winter, and two HOARY REDPOLLS are among the crowd. Susan Wiste, Douglas County, saw two RED-TAILED HAWKS at the north end of Mill Lake along County Road 27 eight miles west of Alexandria on February 8th. She too reported a large flock of COMMON REDPOLLS coming to the feeder. Thanks to Jane Roadfelt, Lori and Mike Becker, Rebecca Eckstein, Celeste Colson, Susan Wiste, Warren Goltz, and Randy Chaffee for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, February 20, 2004. From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Fri Feb 13 17:20:41 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 11:20:41 -0600 Subject: [mou] Princeton MN area Message-ID: <007701c3f255$b5353190$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C3F223.6A5A5D30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Had 175+ redpolls while commuting this morning - 75 along Mille Lacs = County Highway 12 (6-7 miles north of Princeton), just west of Highway = 169, in the yards/fields on the north (past the wooded fragment, third & = fourth houses) - 100+ at the intersection of 110th Street and 160th = Avenue (primarily in eastern fields on 160), near Foreston. Also had = 40-50 Snow Buntings in three flocks (farther west on 12) and a single = light morph Rough-legged Hawk. =20 Good birding to all. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C3F223.6A5A5D30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Had 175+ redpolls while commuting this = morning - 75=20 along Mille Lacs County Highway 12 (6-7 miles north of Princeton), just = west of=20 Highway 169, in the yards/fields on the north (past the wooded = fragment,=20 third & fourth houses) - 100+ at the intersection of 110th = Street and=20 160th Avenue (primarily in eastern fields on 160), near Foreston.  = Also had=20 40-50 Snow Buntings in three flocks (farther west on 12) and a single = light=20 morph Rough-legged Hawk. 
 
Good birding to all.
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, = MN
------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C3F223.6A5A5D30-- From connyb@mycidco.com Fri Feb 13 19:02:47 2004 From: connyb@mycidco.com (Conny Brunell) Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 19:02:47 Subject: [mou] 3 Short-eared Owls + Golden Eagle, Wilkin Co. Message-ID: Friday the 13th proved to be a terrific day of birding for Leslie Marcus, Susan Schumacher and I in the Rothsay area in Wilkin Co. From Rothsay we took CR 26 West (210th St.) to 300th Ave and took a Right. Just before 200th St we saw 20 Greater Prairie Chickens off to the right in a field. We watched them in the scope when all of a sudden something flushed another 25 birds or so into the air from behind where we looking, and they all got up and perched high up in the trees. Then when we came around the corner of 300th Ave (at the traditional lek) to our surprise and amazement there were "3" Short-eared Owls hunting out over the lek. We could hardly believe our good fortune to be watching these magnificent birds hunt in the fields so close by in the morning sunshine! They would criss cross low over the road, and we watched one perch on a low fence post and devour the fruits of its labor in the scope. We decided to walk down the field road out from the brown wma sign, and when we had went a short distance at least another 50 Greater Prairie Chickens flushed up out of the corn stalks, what a sound! One of the Short-eared Owls was hot in pursuit, and flew right over our heads, what a look! We then birded many county roads and saw the usual winter birds, and at 12:20 decided to make one more pass along CR 176 (190th St) East of its junction from CR 15. Within .5 miles we saw a Golden Eagle perched in a huge tree on the right side of the road. We watched it in our scopes for 10 minutes before it got up and flew over the road towards us and perched in another tree closer to CR 15, and sat. What a pleasure it was to be birding up in Rothsay today on a calm, warm day and have so many close, good looks at these great birds all before lunch. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Cty connyb@mycidco.com From nceag@ecenet.com Thu Feb 12 22:17:29 2004 From: nceag@ecenet.com (Norman H Ceaglske) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 16:17:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] greenland finch Message-ID: <402BFB79.6040803@ecenet.com> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------090300090700060301060207 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------020802010908050406020804" --------------020802010908050406020804 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Could this possibly be a Greenland finch? Seen about 4:00 PM February 12, 2004 at Rush Point MN. Norman Ceaglske --------------020802010908050406020804 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Could this possibly be a  Greenland finch?  Seen about 4:00 PM February  12, 2004 at Rush Point MN.

Norman Ceaglske
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cDigZIVHlg0ARsAR0oAqOm1sA0yWCoCcdKAGsuGx2oHYUACgQ4CkAPwvFMCmzHNUiRBQMXPF MB6/lSESDgZpDFBxyKBi9s0AKDgcUAAoAdikA4YxQAnagBR0oAQUAL0oAWgBp60AOwMUAAOT igZJ0oA//9k= --------------090300090700060301060207-- From connyb@mycidco.com Sat Feb 14 15:12:02 2004 From: connyb@mycidco.com (Conny Brunell) Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 15:12:02 Subject: [mou] SNOWY OWL, Dodge Co. Message-ID: While birding in Dodge Co today Susan Schumacher, Leslie Marcus, and I found a Snowy Owl at noon hunting low above the ground in a farm field. We were driving along 690th St between 150th Ave and 140th Ave about 1 mile West of CR 5. The Snowy Owl was on the south side of the road behind the Red Barn and Silver Silo with the fire number 14037 on the corner of 140th. It was actively hunting flying a couple feet off the ground back and forth. You could see it really well in binos, but when it dropped to the snow covered ground we got really good looks in the scope. What a wonderful surprise for Valentine's Day! Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Cty connyb@mycidco.com From cakrulas@charter.net Sun Feb 15 01:35:23 2004 From: cakrulas@charter.net (Chuck) Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 19:35:23 -0600 Subject: [mou] Dodge Cty Snowy Owl not relocated Message-ID: <000d01c3f363$fb65a3c0$1ccfc518@charlesgd6ixa7> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3F331.B0754B90 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I spent more than 2 hours looking for the owl without locating it. 690th = st is south of hwy 14. I searched 3 mile on each side of the 140th Ave = and 690 st. Jeff and I will try again Sunday around 8 Am.=20 Chuck Krulas Rochester, MN Olmsted Cty 507-289-8675 ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3F331.B0754B90 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I spent more than 2 hours looking for = the owl=20 without locating it. 690th st is south of hwy 14. I searched 3 mile on = each side=20 of the 140th Ave and 690 st.
 
Jeff and I will try again Sunday around = 8=20 Am. 
 
 
Chuck Krulas
Rochester, MN Olmsted=20 Cty
507-289-8675
------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C3F331.B0754B90-- From cakrulas@charter.net Sun Feb 15 04:37:27 2004 From: cakrulas@charter.net (Chuck) Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 22:37:27 -0600 Subject: [mou] Dodge snowy owl seen again Message-ID: <000a01c3f37d$6a601850$1ccfc518@charlesgd6ixa7> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F34B.1F664A40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I just received a call to report the snowy owl appeared at dark (just = after I drove away. It was seen at the same location. Chuck Krulas Rochester, MN Olmsted Cty 507-289-8675 ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F34B.1F664A40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I just received a call to report the = snowy owl=20 appeared at dark (just after I drove away. It was seen at the same=20 location.
Chuck Krulas
Rochester, MN Olmsted=20 Cty
507-289-8675
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F34B.1F664A40-- From Hagsela@aol.com Mon Feb 16 02:52:04 2004 From: Hagsela@aol.com (Hagsela@aol.com) Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 21:52:04 EST Subject: [mou] SE Owls still in Wilkin Cty Message-ID: <19d.20840b28.2d618a54@aol.com> I relocated the Short-eared Owls reported by Connie and Cr=FC. As I came=20 around the corner to the road that runs by the lek I saw light-colored,=20 unbelievably long wings flapping to the north of the road, about directly op= posite the=20 open-sided hay shed. Sure enough, I saw the dark wrist patches on the wings= . =20 Another owl was perched on one of the low fence posts running into that fiel= d. =20 It cooperated to give me good scoped looks at the dark eye triangles. I had= =20 to catch the head in just the right position to see the yellow eyes. After=20= he=20 flew north, I scanned the lek for Prairie Chickens. Can you believe those=20 guys were so rude, they were nowhere to be found to greet their short eared=20 guests. Hmmm. Two more Shore-eared Owls came flying over the lek from the=20= south.=20 One looked like he was centering on my scope as he flew straight into my=20 view. Nice! I did see Greater Prairie Chickens, but at a distance or in fl= ight.=20 One group of five was located in a field off Cty. 15, north of Cty. 26. Th= e=20 other 2 groups I saw in flight were near the lek. I also saw Snow Buntings,= =20 Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks. I finished the day by checking in on the Trumpeter Swans overwintering by=20 Rush Lake on the Otter Tail River (Otter Tail County just west of Hwys 78 &=20= 108=20 at the sign for Rush Lake). Linda Sparling Hennepin County From smithville4@charter.net Mon Feb 16 04:27:58 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 22:27:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Trip Summary Message-ID: <001401c3f445$41e39320$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F412.F6DFB2F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I wanted to give more details about the trip and add some humor but this = listserve can only handle so many words and I was forced to shorten it = down to 1-2 paragraphs! My co-leaders were Kim Risen and John Hockema. I thank them so much for = everything w/o them this trip would of failed! Thank You!! 45 people attended the trip and I had another 15 or so on the waiting = list! We will have two winter trips next year!! We broke into 2 teams = and most everyone saw lifers or just plain had a good time! We laughed a = lot and snacked a lot. We saw 41 species of birds and here are the highlights: 1. Long-tail Ducks =3D 11 2 at Agate Bay and 9 out front of the = lighthouse in Two Harbors. 2. Northern Goshawk =3D flew over us in Lake Co. 3. Merlin =3D flew by us in Two Harbors 4. Gyrfalcon =3D Peavy Elevators in Superior, WI 5. Spruce Grouse =3D 4 seen 1 mile north of the Sand River in Lake Co. 6. Sharp-tail Grouse =3D 9 seen dancing on a lek on Co. Rd 29 in Sax Zim 7. Snowy Owl =3D seen at the Bong Airport in Superior, WI 8. Great Gray Owl =3D One along highway 61 express way between Berquist = Rd and Homestead Rd. Another seen in Sax Zim 4 miles south of Stone Lake = Rd. on Hwy 7. 9. Black-backed Woodpecker =3D One male seen along Co. Rd. 213 in Sax = Zim and one heard in Lake Co. at the intersection of Lake Co. Rd 2 and = Hwy. 1 10. Boreal Chickadees =3D Lake Co and Sax Zim 11. Bohemian Waxwings =3D Palisade 12. Snow Buntings =3D Along Co. Rd 29 in Sax Zim 13. White-wing Crossbills =3D Sax Zim, Lake Co. and 54th Ave East and = Superior St. 14. Red Crossbills =3D Lake Co. along Hwy. 1 at mile post 300. Seen many of the regulars such as Evening Grosbeaks, Rough Grouse, Pine = Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls and Northern Shrike at a few places. We ate at a banquet room Saturday night at the Duluth Athletic Club = where I had buffet set up for the birders. We took a lot of pictures and = will show them soon at the MOU web site. Nice pics of birds and people = including Spruce Grouse pics! Mike Hendrickson MOU Field Trip guy Duluth ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F412.F6DFB2F0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I wanted to give more details about the = trip and=20 add some humor but this listserve can only handle so many words and I = was forced=20 to shorten it down to 1-2 paragraphs!
 
My co-leaders were Kim Risen and John = Hockema. I=20 thank them so much for everything w/o them this trip would of failed! = Thank=20 You!!
 
45 people attended the trip and I had = another 15 or=20 so on the waiting list! We will have two winter trips next year!! We = broke into=20 2 teams and most everyone saw lifers or just plain had a good time! We = laughed a=20 lot and snacked a lot.
 
We saw 41 species of birds and here are = the=20 highlights:
 
1. Long-tail Ducks =3D 11 2 at Agate = Bay and 9 out=20 front of the lighthouse in Two Harbors.
2. Northern Goshawk =3D flew over us in = Lake=20 Co.
3. Merlin =3D flew by us in Two = Harbors
4. Gyrfalcon =3D Peavy Elevators in = Superior,=20 WI
5. Spruce Grouse =3D 4 seen 1 mile = north of the Sand=20 River in Lake Co.
6. Sharp-tail Grouse =3D 9 seen dancing = on a lek on=20 Co. Rd 29 in Sax Zim
7. Snowy Owl =3D seen at the Bong = Airport in=20 Superior, WI
8. Great Gray Owl =3D One along highway = 61 express=20 way between Berquist Rd and Homestead Rd. Another seen in Sax Zim 4 = miles south=20 of Stone Lake Rd. on Hwy 7.
9. Black-backed Woodpecker =3D One male = seen along=20 Co. Rd. 213 in Sax Zim and one heard in Lake Co. at the intersection of = Lake Co.=20 Rd 2 and Hwy. 1
10. Boreal Chickadees =3D Lake Co and = Sax=20 Zim
11. Bohemian Waxwings =3D = Palisade
12. Snow Buntings =3D Along Co. Rd 29 = in Sax=20 Zim
13. White-wing Crossbills =3D Sax Zim, = Lake Co. and=20 54th Ave East and Superior St.
14. Red Crossbills =3D Lake Co. along = Hwy. 1 at mile=20 post 300.
 
Seen many of the regulars such as = Evening=20 Grosbeaks, Rough Grouse, Pine Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls and = Northern=20 Shrike at a few places.
 
We ate at a banquet room Saturday = night at the=20 Duluth Athletic Club where I had buffet set up for the = birders. We=20 took a lot of pictures and will show them soon at the MOU web site. Nice = pics of=20 birds and people including Spruce Grouse pics!
 
Mike Hendrickson
MOU Field Trip guy
Duluth
------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F412.F6DFB2F0-- From smithville4@charter.net Mon Feb 16 02:51:53 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 20:51:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Winter Trip Summary Message-ID: <001401c3f437$d5af4d00$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F405.8ABDBC50 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable When I put together the 2004 MOU field trip schedule, I had no idea that = the winter field trip would fill up to 45 birders in one month and a = waiting list around 20-25 birders! I had birders from Hawaii, = California, New Mexico and Kentucky that wanted to attend the MOU Winter = Field Trip! I laughed and made comments to my wife, Monica that I have = as many people on the roster and the waiting list equal to a birding = festival!! When I emailed the 45 birders telling them about the lodging places in = Duluth, what to wear, what to bring and what to expect to see and not to = see I looked at the calendar and GULPED FEBRUARY 14th! Monica is going = to kill me! I made a bird trip on Valentine's Day! How am I going to = explain this to her as she looks forward to a romantic dinner and movie = and etc.. Well it all worked out!=20 I reserved a banquet room at the Duluth Athletic Club & Bar and = organized a dinner menue with the banquet manager, Phil. Well I was = rushing things and I just said "hmmm sounds good Phil, lets do it" = Everyone loved the dinner and the banquet room. The menu was chicken = breast cooked in a white mushroom sauce, rice pilaf, baby mashed red = potatoes, bread and Caesar salad. Well if you looked at the menu and if = you were on the Aitkin's Diet you would be stuck with the salad. Starch = Starch and more starch! Next year I'll be a little more careful around = Phil and make sure the menu is a little more mixed. Well enough of the pre MOU Trip chit chat stuff. The 2004 MOU winter = trip was a roller coaster of emotions for all of us leaders and birders. = Saturday was windy and icy cold. We met at 7:00am at the 40th Ave West = Perkins and I already thru email had all the car pooling done, radios = all figured, and the birders broken into two teams. Team A was led by me = and Team B was led by Kim Risen and John Hockema. We both took two = different approaches to Sax Zim to loo for Great Grey Owls. We missed on = GGO's, we than leap frog over each other and tried for Sharp-tail Grouse = and we miss on them! UGH! We than took turns looking for Boreal = Chickadees and Black-backed Woodpeckers and we miss on them. We soon = left Sax Zim and headed for lunch in Duluth. If birding is like golf we = tripled bogey for the day and like John Daly I was ready to toss my = binoculars in the woods and yell "I Quit"! In Sax Zim we had to settle for Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, = Common Redpolls, Northern Shrike and Snow Buntings. After Lunch we headed down to the Duluth/Superior harbors and look for = the Gyr and of course we missed again! So we decided to go to Two = Harbors and things got back on track in relocating the Long-tail Ducks = in Agate Bay and from there we decided to head back to the hotels and = get ready to for dinner. As we were heading just about to leave Two = Harbors, Chris Benson and his Zumbro Valley Group cell phones me and = tells me about a Great Gray Owl on the 61 express way between the = Homestead Rd and the Berguist Rd. So we raced down there and than Chris = calls again " Aww Mike the GGO flew into the woods" my heart fell but we = kept racing down the 61 and we see Chris's truck up ahead with the = flashers on and there on the right was the Great Gray Owl! The bird was = near our van and there is FIVE cars behind me and only our car can see = the GGO and as if the GGO knew about my golf score I was tallying for = the day with birding, the owl lifted off his perch and glided very = slowly past my passenger window down the ditch, the owl kept flying past = each car window high very slowly past every car behind and landed on a = perch so the last car was able to study and watch the owl. I got out and = everyone was smiling and in aww as they got to see a Great Gray Owl fly = ever so slowly past thier vehicle!! Well on Saturday we gave everyone a option to do two things. One they = could go with me and John to Lake Co (Chris Hockema and Dedrick Benz = found Spruce Grouse and Red Crossbills up there Sat. am) , Two Harbors = and end it in Duluth or go with Kim Risen to Sax Zim earlier and end it = in Aitkin Co. The group were all organized and off we went. Could we = put away yesterday blues and really put on a show for these birders? YOU = BET WE DID!! Team Sax Zim/Aitkin Co found the following birds on their trip on Sunday = 2/15 Great Gray Owl on Hwy 7 4 miles south of the Stone Lake Rd. They saw it = twice!! Sharp-tail Grouse DANCING on thier lek on Co. Rd 29 Black-billed Magpie Black-backed Woodpecker (male) on Co. Rd. 213. About 150 yards into the = bog coming from the south. Boreal Chickadees in several places White-wing Crossbills Bohemian Waxwings in Palisade. Team Lake Co found the following birds on thier trip on Sunday 2/15 Spruce Grouse (3 males 1 female) 1 mile north of the Sand River Red Crossbills on Highway 1 at mile marker 300 Boreal Chickadees Spruce Rd/snowmobile trail=20 Northern Goshawk fly over on Lake Co. Rd. 2 Merlin fly over on 3rd Ave and 4th street in Two Harbors Black-backed Woodpecker intersection of Lake Co. Rd 2 and Hwy 1 11 Long-tail Ducks in Agate Bay and off the lighthouse on Lake Superior. Gyrfalcon at Peavy Elevator, Wi Snowy Owl in Superior, Wi We ended in a BANG! I felt great for all of the birders and felt great = for my co-leaders Kim Risen and John Hockema. I would like to thank = John and Kim for all there hard work and having the patients and love = for showing lifers and birds to 45 birders. Thank you and thanks for all = those attended and giving us a great time as well! We ran into other birders and here are some reports I got from them. Chris Hockema and Dedrick Benz found on 2/14 in Lake Co. 12 spruce = Grouse 2.1 miles north of the Sand River and one grouse on Hwy 1 at mile = post 305. They also found Red Crossbills at the intersection of Lake Co. = Rd. 2 and Hwy 1. They also found a Hoary Redpoll at a feeder in Two = Harbors 10th and 8 th street and Boreal Chickadees at the Spruce Rd and = Endless Waters Way. Some birders from England saw Sharp-tail Grouse at the Lek on Co. Rd 29 = in Sax Zim 2/14 and Great Gray Owl on the Stone Lake Rd. .6 tenths of = mile off Hwy 7 in Sax Zim. We had a report of a Great Gray Owl along Co. = Rd 52/Arkola Rd and this second report sounds like it was east of Hwy 7. = I have no other details on this report. Highlights: Feeding Grey Jays on the Spruce Rd and yes we have pics of MOU members = with Grey Jays on thier hands. Watching everyone dance and and do the twist in the middle of the Lake = Co. Rd. 2 after seeing Spruce Grouse in -24 degree temps! Watching Forest Strnad give his bird student, John Hockema a huge hug = after seeing his Gyrfalcon! Having my wife, Monica actually attending a birding function (dinner = event) and mingle on her own chatting with them! Wow is there hope! lol Slamming cars on a blind turn watching Red Crossbills and hoping no one = gets run over! All the radios WORKED!! Everyone was organized and ready to go every = morning! Signing up 5 new members to the MOU! Birders making making perfect U-EES on dirt roads and no one ran into = the ditch! We saw 41 species for the 2 days and I took lots of pics and so did some = others and we going to put them on the MOU web site soon. We have = outstanding pics of Spruce Grouse, Grey Jays and people. Even a odd pic = of John trying to kiss my cheek! NOOOOooooo! Thanks everyone and the next MOU Trip will be announced soon or check = the MOU web site and read about the trips planned for 2004. Mike Hendrickson MOU Field Trip Guy Duluth, Mn ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F405.8ABDBC50 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
When I put together the 2004 MOU field = trip=20 schedule, I had no idea that the winter field trip would fill up to 45 = birders=20 in one month and a waiting list around 20-25 birders! I had birders from = Hawaii,=20 California, New Mexico and Kentucky that wanted to attend the MOU Winter = Field=20 Trip!  I laughed and made comments to my wife, Monica that I have = as many=20 people on the roster and the waiting list equal to a birding=20 festival!!
 
When I emailed the 45 birders telling = them about=20 the lodging places in Duluth, what to wear, what to bring and what to = expect to=20 see and not to see I looked at the calendar and GULPED FEBRUARY = 14th! =20 Monica is going to kill me! I made a bird trip on Valentine's Day! How = am I=20 going to explain this to her as she looks forward to a romantic dinner = and movie=20 and etc.. Well it all worked out!
 
I reserved a banquet room at the Duluth = Athletic=20 Club & Bar and organized a dinner menue with the banquet manager,=20 Phil.  Well I was rushing things and I just said "hmmm sounds good = Phil,=20 lets do it" Everyone loved the dinner and the banquet room. The menu was = chicken=20 breast cooked in a white mushroom sauce, rice pilaf, baby mashed red = potatoes,=20 bread and Caesar salad. Well if you looked at the menu and if you were = on the=20 Aitkin's Diet you would be stuck with the salad. Starch Starch and more = starch!=20 Next year I'll be a little more careful around Phil and make sure the = menu is a=20 little more mixed.
 
Well enough of the pre MOU Trip chit = chat stuff.=20 The 2004 MOU winter trip was a roller coaster of emotions for all of us = leaders=20 and birders.  Saturday was windy and icy cold. We met at 7:00am at = the 40th=20 Ave West Perkins and I already thru email had all the car pooling done, = radios=20 all figured, and the birders broken into two teams. Team A was led by me = and=20 Team B was led by Kim Risen and John Hockema.  We both took two = different=20 approaches to Sax Zim to loo for Great Grey Owls. We missed on GGO's, we = than=20 leap frog over each other and tried for Sharp-tail Grouse and we miss on = them!=20 UGH! We than took turns looking for Boreal Chickadees and=20 Black-backed Woodpeckers and we miss on them. We soon left Sax Zim = and=20 headed for lunch in Duluth. If birding is like golf we tripled bogey for = the day=20 and like John Daly I was ready to toss my binoculars in the woods and = yell "I=20 Quit"!
 
In Sax Zim we had to settle for Pine = Grosbeaks,=20 Evening Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls, Northern Shrike and Snow=20 Buntings.
 
After Lunch we headed down to the = Duluth/Superior=20 harbors and look for the Gyr and of course we missed again! So we = decided to go=20 to Two Harbors and things got back on track in relocating the Long-tail = Ducks in=20 Agate Bay and from there we decided to head back to the hotels and get = ready to=20 for dinner. As we were heading just about to leave Two Harbors, Chris = Benson and=20 his Zumbro Valley Group cell phones me and tells me about a Great Gray = Owl on=20 the 61 express way between the Homestead Rd and the Berguist Rd. So we = raced=20 down there and than Chris calls again " Aww Mike the GGO flew into the = woods" my=20 heart fell but we kept racing down the 61 and we see Chris's truck up = ahead with=20 the flashers on and there on the right was the Great Gray Owl! The bird = was near=20 our van and there is FIVE cars behind me and only our car can see the = GGO and as=20 if the GGO knew about my golf score I was tallying for the day with = birding, the=20 owl lifted off his perch and glided very slowly past my passenger window = down=20 the ditch, the owl kept flying past each car window high very slowly = past every=20 car behind and landed on a perch so the last car was able to study and = watch the=20 owl. I got out and everyone was smiling and in aww as they got to see a = Great=20 Gray Owl fly ever so slowly past thier vehicle!!
 
Well on Saturday we gave everyone a = option to do=20 two things. One they could go with me and John to Lake Co (Chris Hockema = and=20 Dedrick Benz found Spruce Grouse and Red Crossbills up there Sat. am) , = Two=20 Harbors and end it in Duluth or go with Kim Risen to Sax Zim earlier and = end it=20 in Aitkin Co.  The group were all organized and off we went. Could = we put=20 away yesterday blues and really put on a show for these birders? YOU BET = WE=20 DID!!
 
Team Sax Zim/Aitkin Co found the = following birds on=20 their trip on Sunday 2/15
Great Gray Owl on Hwy 7 4 miles south = of the Stone=20 Lake Rd. They saw it twice!!
Sharp-tail Grouse DANCING on thier lek = on Co. Rd=20 29
Black-billed Magpie
Black-backed Woodpecker (male) on Co. = Rd. 213.=20 About 150 yards into the bog coming from the south.
Boreal Chickadees in several = places
White-wing Crossbills
Bohemian Waxwings in = Palisade.
 
Team Lake Co found the following birds = on thier=20 trip on Sunday 2/15
Spruce Grouse (3 males 1 female) 1 mile = north of=20 the Sand River
Red Crossbills on Highway 1 at mile = marker=20 300
Boreal Chickadees Spruce  = Rd/snowmobile trail=20
Northern Goshawk  fly over on Lake = Co. Rd.=20 2
Merlin  fly over on 3rd Ave and = 4th street in=20 Two Harbors
Black-backed Woodpecker  = intersection of Lake=20 Co. Rd 2 and Hwy 1
11 Long-tail Ducks in Agate Bay and off = the=20 lighthouse on Lake Superior.
Gyrfalcon at Peavy Elevator, = Wi
Snowy Owl in Superior, Wi
 
We ended in a BANG! I felt great for = all of the=20 birders and felt great for my co-leaders Kim Risen and John = Hockema.  I=20 would like to thank John and Kim for all there hard work and having the = patients=20 and love for showing lifers and birds to 45 birders. Thank you and = thanks for=20 all those attended and giving us a great time as well!
 
We ran into other birders and here are = some reports=20 I got from them.
 
Chris Hockema and Dedrick Benz found on = 2/14 in=20 Lake Co. 12 spruce Grouse 2.1 miles north of the Sand River and one = grouse on=20 Hwy 1 at mile post 305. They also found Red Crossbills at the = intersection of=20 Lake Co. Rd. 2 and Hwy 1. They also found a Hoary Redpoll at a feeder in = Two=20 Harbors 10th and 8 th street and Boreal Chickadees at the Spruce Rd and = Endless=20 Waters Way.
 
Some birders from England saw = Sharp-tail Grouse at=20 the Lek on Co. Rd 29 in Sax Zim 2/14 and Great Gray Owl on the = Stone Lake Rd. .6 tenths of mile off Hwy 7 in Sax Zim. We had a = report of a=20 Great Gray Owl along Co. Rd 52/Arkola Rd and this second report sounds = like it=20 was east of Hwy 7. I have no other details on this report.
 
Highlights:
 
Feeding Grey Jays on the Spruce Rd and = yes we have=20 pics of MOU members with Grey Jays on thier hands.
Watching everyone dance and and do the = twist in the=20 middle of the Lake Co. Rd. 2 after seeing Spruce Grouse in -24 degree=20 temps!
Watching Forest Strnad give his bird = student, John=20 Hockema a huge hug after seeing his Gyrfalcon!
Having my wife, Monica actually = attending a birding=20 function (dinner event) and mingle on her own chatting with them! = Wow is=20 there hope! lol
Slamming cars on a blind turn watching = Red=20 Crossbills and hoping no one gets run over!
All the radios WORKED!! Everyone was = organized and=20 ready to go every morning!
Signing up 5 new members to the = MOU!
Birders making making perfect U-EES on = dirt roads=20 and no one ran into the ditch!
 
 
We saw 41 species for the 2 days and I = took lots of=20 pics and so did some others and we going to put them on the MOU web site = soon.=20 We have outstanding pics of Spruce Grouse, Grey Jays and people. Even a = odd pic=20 of John trying to kiss my cheek! NOOOOooooo!
 
Thanks everyone and the next MOU Trip = will be=20 announced soon or check the MOU web site and read about the trips = planned for=20 2004.
 
Mike Hendrickson
MOU Field Trip Guy
Duluth, Mn
 
------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3F405.8ABDBC50-- From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Mon Feb 16 06:26:45 2004 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 06:26:45 +0000 Subject: [mou] Up North Weekend... Message-ID: ...or, How I Learned to Love the Lesser Hock. You see, John and Chris Hockema are brothers, and many have attributed the title of 'Greater Hock' to John, and 'Lesser Hock' to Chris. Indeed in size and age, John is the greater of the two Hocksters, but I argue in some respects (like common sense) Chris is the Greater (sandals in February, John??). And so, I think, they should be lumped into one species - "Awesome Hock." I made my first trip with just Chris and had a blast. It started with Chris's decision to abandon the 300,000 cars signed up for organized field trips Saturday to Sax-Zim, and instead head to Lake County 2 & 1 and the Spruce Road. We were rewarded there with: SPRUCE GROUSE - No fewer than 12 (at least 3 males) 2.2 miles N of Sand River on 2 AND 1 Male right at mile marker 305 along 1. RED CROSSBILL - flock of 13 at intersection of 2 & 1; another heterosexual pair along Spruce Road. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL - Intersection of Spruce Road and Endless Waters Road. BOREAL CHICKADEE - 4 or 5 at intersection of Spruce Road and Endless Waters Road. With Black-capped Chickadees. Several sightings of PINE GROSBEAK, and GRAY JAY put the veritable icing on the avian cake. Oh yeah, a half-sighting of Northern Goshawk (I counted it, Chris hedged). MAMMALS: 3 Moose (3 different spots along northern half of 2, 2 male, 1 female), 2 Red Fox (at southernmost RR Xing). TWO HARBORS: LONG-TAILED DUCK - thanks to Jim Lind we were able to find the 2 birds hanging out at the edge of the ice in Agate Bay. NORTHERN GOSHAWK - adult male in hot 30-second pursuit of Mourning Dove, just east of town, 300 yds. up County Road 10. Bona fide sighting (Dedrick and Chris give unhedged thumbs-up and high-five). HOARY REDPOLL - often a controversial subject. Very happy with a bird at 805 12th Ave. in Two Harbors. Actually, we feel we may have had more than one, but try to be conservative. Many respectable birders have reported multiple birds at feeders, and I would love to hear people's thought's on the Common to Hoary ratio being better than 100:1 this winter. Chris's 100th year bird! DULUTH HARBOR Zilch (Sorry, Rock Pigeon and Red-tailed Hawk lovers) WISCONSIN POINT I hadn't seen any reports from here, so I decided to check it out... Miles of ice...now I understand. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday... SAX-ZIM BOG BOREAL CHICKADEES - 4 or 5 along N. half of Admiral Road. Again, with Black-cappeds. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS - N. half of Admiral Road. NORTHERN GOSHWAK - Our 2 1/2 sighting of the weekend! Also along the N. Half of Admiral Road. EVENING GROSBEAK - Feeder station located on 7, 1 mile north of 52 (where 7 bends left) - tons of activity - Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, etc. AITKIN COUNTY Dipped on Black-billed Magpie and Sharp-tailed Grouse at TWP Rd. 380. Town of Palisade - no sign of Varied Thrush, but did have: BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS - Eastern (?) end of 5th Street. Our only flock of the weekend. PINE GROSBEAK - just one at Varied Thrush feeder. Pietz's Road GREAT GRAY OWL - one (others report 2?) bird about one mile down Pietz's Road. So, if you have no one to buy those chocolates and roses for next Valentine's Day Weekend, I highly reccommend birding with EITHER of the Hockema brothers. All the best, Dedrick Benz Winona, MN _________________________________________________________________ Let the advanced features & services of MSN Internet Software maximize your online time. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200363ave/direct/01/ From brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net Mon Feb 16 22:03:35 2004 From: brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net (Brian Smith) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 16:03:35 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl/McLeod Co. Message-ID: <00e701c3f4d8$baa47840$228a2c42@S0026080567> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00E4_01C3F4A6.6EADFAB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: I struck out finding the Snowy Owl in McLeod county last Friday while on = my way to Duluth for the MOU weekend trip. Tried again this morning and = with some searching found the Snowy Owl on a telephone pole about a half = mile west of Hwy 15 on 220th st. Just started looking at it through the = scope when a truck drove by and it flew out into the farm field just to = the north about a hundred yards. Fortunately, it landed on top of a = hill and gave me pretty good looks at it for about ten minutes before it = took off and flew across 220th to the south. I cut over to 210th and = relocated it in the field north of 210th, again about a half mile from = the highway. Once again it had landed on top of a slight hill in the = field and was still there when I left. If you try to look for this bird = in this area, I'd recommend looking for it on any of the high spots in = the fields north or south of 210th and 220th, up to one half mile west = of Hwy. 15. =20 On another matter, just like to thank Mike Hendrickson, Kim Risen and = John Hockema for an excellent MOU birding weekend. I know there were a = lot of us, but as the saying goes, "the more the merrier" and we had a = lot of fun. I'll always remember watching the Sharp-tailed Grouse = dancing on the lek, the Black-backed Woodpecker drumming and calling at = Sax-Zim bog, the Great Grey Owl on the telephone line and lots of other = birding moments. The birding weekends are a great benefit of being a = member of the MOU. Brian Smith Sleepy Eye ------=_NextPart_000_00E4_01C3F4A6.6EADFAB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
I struck out finding the Snowy Owl in = McLeod county=20 last Friday while on my way to Duluth for the MOU weekend trip.  = Tried=20 again this morning and with some searching found the Snowy Owl on a = telephone=20 pole about a half mile west of Hwy 15 on 220th = st.  Just=20 started looking at it through the scope when a truck drove by = and it=20 flew out into the farm field just to the north about a hundred = yards. =20 Fortunately, it landed on top of a hill and gave me pretty = good looks=20 at it for about ten minutes before it took off and flew across 220th to = the=20 south.  I cut over to 210th and relocated it in the field north of = 210th,=20 again about a half mile from the highway.  Once again it had landed = on=20 top of a slight hill in the field and was still there when I=20 left.  If you try to look for this bird in this area, I'd=20 recommend looking for it on any of the high spots in the = fields north=20 or south of 210th and 220th, up to one half mile west of Hwy. 15. =20
 
On another matter, just like to thank = Mike=20 Hendrickson, Kim Risen and John Hockema for an excellent MOU birding=20 weekend.  I know there were a lot of us, but as the saying goes, = "the more=20 the merrier" and we had a lot of fun.  I'll always remember = watching the=20 Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on the lek, the Black-backed Woodpecker = drumming and=20 calling at Sax-Zim bog, the Great Grey Owl on the telephone line and = lots of=20 other birding moments.  The birding weekends are a great benefit of = being a=20 member of the MOU.
 
Brian Smith
Sleepy Eye
------=_NextPart_000_00E4_01C3F4A6.6EADFAB0-- From smithville4@charter.net Mon Feb 16 23:37:38 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:37:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] Reliable B. Waxwings (?) Message-ID: <000a01c3f4e5$dd33bf30$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F4B3.9263C040 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable About a week ago I posted a message mentioning I observed some Bohemian = Waxwings that were flying around the intersection of Haines and Anderson = Rd in Duluth.=20 Well today I was buying some flowers and other gifts for my stupidness = of forgetting about Valentine's Day at Engwals Florist in Duluth. = Engwals is located on the Hermantown Rd and only a 1/2 mile from the = above intersection. As I was getting out of the store I heard the B. = Waxwings and thought to myself where in hell where you guys last = weekend! The waxwings were perched in a aspen tree and I looked around and = noticed all these little crab apple trees with fruit on them and I feel = fairly certain that they are feeding on them. There a few of these trees = around on the Engwals property and they should stick around this area = till food is all gone. To get there from I-35, take the 40th Ave West exit and drive all the = way up 40th to the top of the hill. Than 40th ave West will change its = name to the Haines Rd. Stay on the Haines Rd to the second stop sign and = take a left here on the Hermantown Rd. and Engwals is up ahead. Also = drive around the neighborhood if they are not here as they might have = other places they visit. Mike Hendrickson Duluth ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F4B3.9263C040 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
About a week ago I posted a message = mentioning I=20 observed  some Bohemian Waxwings that were flying around the = intersection=20 of Haines and Anderson Rd in Duluth.
 
Well today I was buying some flowers = and other=20 gifts for my stupidness of forgetting about Valentine's Day at Engwals = Florist=20 in Duluth.  Engwals is located on the Hermantown Rd and only a 1/2 = mile=20 from the above intersection. As I was getting out of the store I heard = the B.=20 Waxwings and thought to myself where in hell where you guys last=20 weekend!
 
The waxwings were perched in a aspen = tree and I=20 looked around and noticed all these little crab apple trees with fruit = on them=20 and I feel fairly certain that they are feeding on them. There a few of = these=20 trees around on the Engwals property and they should stick around this = area till=20 food is all gone.
 
To get there from I-35, take the 40th = Ave West exit=20 and drive all the way up 40th to the top of the hill. Than 40th ave West = will=20 change its name to the Haines Rd. Stay on the Haines Rd to the second = stop sign=20 and take a left here on the Hermantown Rd. and Engwals is up = ahead.=20 Also drive around the neighborhood if they are not here as they might = have other=20 places they visit.
 
Mike Hendrickson
Duluth
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F4B3.9263C040-- From sharonks@mn.rr.com Tue Feb 17 01:04:55 2004 From: sharonks@mn.rr.com (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 19:04:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birding Monticello Message-ID: Headed out with Val Cunningham and Lori Lundeen today for some birding in Monticello. We saw trumpeter swans, oodles of goldeneye, gadwall, common mergansers, a lone snow goose, wood duck, and oak trees dripping with common redpolls. -- Sharon Stiteler Uptown, Minneapolis "Can I eat without cooking? Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin is thoroughly cooked during the canning process so it is perfectly safe and acceptable to enjoy straight from the can." From wenelson@mlecmn.net Tue Feb 17 01:35:47 2004 From: wenelson@mlecmn.net (Warren Nelson) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 19:35:47 -0600 Subject: [mou] Weekend report for Aitkin County Message-ID: <40316FF3.7151D379@mlecmn.net> There were quite a few good birds seen this last weekend in the county. There were 2 GREAT GRAY OWLS seen both on Saturday night and Sunday night. On Saturday night they were on C.R.18 a couple hundred yards on either side of Pietz's Road and on Sunday there were about a mile north on Pietz's Road. Also seen: 3 HOARY REDPOLLS in Palisade, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, several BOREAL CHICKADEES at the tree farm at Rabey on Hwy. 200 (milepost 186), PINE GROSBEAKS, EVENING GROSBEAKS, NORTHERN SHRIKES, RUFFED GROUSE, SNOW BUNTINGS everywhere. On Sunday there was a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK sitting on a telephone pole three miles west of Aitkin on highway 210. Warren Nelson From Sck12b@aol.com Mon Feb 16 22:42:50 2004 From: Sck12b@aol.com (Sck12b@aol.com) Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:42:50 EST Subject: [mou] Golden Eagle Message-ID: <30.50316cfd.2d62a16a@aol.com> --part1_30.50316cfd.2d62a16a_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A 1st year Golden Eagle was observed soaring over the bluffs near Appleby Pool in the Whitewater WMA in Winona County this afternoon (Feb. 16) shortly after 3:00 p.m. Steven Houdek --part1_30.50316cfd.2d62a16a_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable A 1st year Go= lden Eagle was observed soaring over the bluffs near Appleby Pool in the Whi= tewater WMA in Winona County this afternoon (Feb. 16) shortly after 3:00 p.m= .

Steven Houdek
--part1_30.50316cfd.2d62a16a_boundary-- From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Wed Feb 18 03:31:33 2004 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 03:31:33 +0000 Subject: [mou] Status of MN Birds Message-ID: I was excited to get the MOU checklist in the mail today. I know people posted, wondering when they would find out the changes in status of MN birds, and I was surprised that no one responded to these posts, even just to say, "Hey, you'll get it in the mail in a few weeks." Anyway, since I had nothing better to do tonight, I noted the changes in status. I know, a sick source of pleasure. In case you don't enjoy this kind of dirty work, here's a little chart. UPGRADES: Accidental ---> Casual Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Pomarine Jaeger Black-headed Gull Arctic Tern Band-tailed Pigeon Sage Thrasher Black-throated Sparrow Painted Bunting Accidental ---> Regular (The express route!) Eurasian Collared-Dove Great-tailed Grackle Casual ---> Regular NONE!!! This surprised me; I thought BL Kittiwake, White-faced Ibis, ST Flycatcher might go. DOWNGRADES: Regular ---> Casual Cinnamon Teal Gyrfalcon Worm-eating Warbler Casual ---> Accidental King Rail Baird's Sparrow Regular ---> Extirpated Northern Bobwhite - I'm curious how this affects the listing game. Does everybody take it off their list? Dedrick Benz Winona, MN _________________________________________________________________ Find and compare great deals on Broadband access at the MSN High-Speed Marketplace. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200360ave/direct/01/ From Wildchough@aol.com Wed Feb 18 04:08:34 2004 From: Wildchough@aol.com (Wildchough@aol.com) Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 23:08:34 EST Subject: [mou] accidental? You've got to be kidding (long) Message-ID: <1d3.19f7de73.2d643f42@aol.com> --part1_1d3.19f7de73.2d643f42_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I think this Minnesota rarities committee has been locked up in a Koochiching cabin way too long this winter. Let the suns shine in men and women!! To call a King Rail "accidental" is to treat records of this species like some of the truly accidental records that dot the annals of the birding world, great records like a Slender-billed Curlew in New York or a Skua in North Dakota or a Manx Shearwater on a lawn in Michigan. Accidental means not likely to occur again, an "accident" of nature. The great Ontario birder Alan Wormington says there is no such thing as "accidental." History will repeat itself eventually. A record of King Rail in Minnesota which breeds in Wisconsin, breeds in Iowa, may breed in South Dakota and definitely breeds in Nebraska is hardly an "accident." For crying outloud like a nocturnal petrel, this is a rail folks! Rails can populate the most remote islands in the far reaches of the world's oceans so for a King Rail to appear again in Minnesota is hardly accidental. How does a bird go from breeding in the state within the past 2 or 3 decades to accidental? Did it suddenly change its nature? So it's gotten rarer but the continued possibilities of future records is relatively high. And then there's the detectability issue. How many birders in this state ever get out of their SUVs and walk more than 200 yards from the car? How many boat, canoe, kayak records have birders turned in recently? Almost none. Does anyone go out and walk through marshes, as any thorough check of the big Mississippi marsh south of LaCrescent been made by boat recently? Have the marshes of Lac qui Parle been checked other than a brief drive down the roads that lead through the refuge. Have tapes been played regularly in the early morning and evening? Is the aged BBS birding population even capable of hearing a distant "bup, bup?" And there's the gyr demoted to casual. Let's see 20 records in Illinois in the past 35 years. Did all these birds just fly around Minnesota. How many folks sit at Grand Portage for 2 months doing a real hawklookout, who birds Koochiching and Kittson and Lake of the Woods on a regular basis? Who checks the chicken flocks regularly in western MN? South Dakota gets multiple gyrs every year and most of these records are 200 miles south of Minnesota's Canadian border. Certainly there are gyrs in Minnesota every year. What good does it do the list to periodically downgrade a species every decade or so and then put it back on the regular list when a series of records demands it? Why not calm down, admit that species like Red-throated Loons, jaegers, gyrs, and many other boreal/arctic species are cyclic and go with the flow rather than trying to pigeonhole these birds which still are "regular" over a period of, say 50-60 years or more. Not every invasion occurs every 2 years or even every 10 years in boreal ecosystems. We have much to learn of northern invasions and it makes no sense to change their status just to make work for the records committee although it does keep this records committee out of the woods and out of our hair for extended periods and I guess that's good. I feel better now. We'll make Bobwhite comments later! Bob Russell, Dakota County, proud home to at least 2 records committee members. --part1_1d3.19f7de73.2d643f42_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I think this Minnesota rarities com= mittee has been locked up in a Koochiching cabin way too long this winter.&n= bsp; Let the suns shine in men and women!! To call a King Rail "accidental"=20= is to treat records of this species like some of the truly accidental record= s that dot the annals of the birding world, great records like a Slender-bil= led Curlew in New York or a Skua in North Dakota or a Manx Shearwater on a l= awn in Michigan.  Accidental means not likely to occur again, an "accid= ent" of nature.  The great Ontario birder Alan Wormington says there is= no such thing as "accidental."  History will repeat itself eventually.=   A record of King Rail in Minnesota which breeds in Wisconsin, breeds=20= in Iowa, may breed in South Dakota and definitely breeds in Nebraska is hard= ly an "accident."  For crying outloud like a nocturnal petrel, this is=20= a rail folks!  Rails can populate the most remote islands in the far re= aches of the world's oceans so for a King Rail to appear again in Minnesota=20= is hardly accidental.  How does a bird go from breeding in the state wi= thin the past 2 or 3 decades to accidental?  Did it suddenly change its= nature?  So it's gotten rarer but the continued possibilities of futur= e records is relatively high.  And then there's the detectability issue= .  How many birders in this state ever get out of their SUVs and walk m= ore than 200 yards from the car?  How many boat, canoe, kayak records h= ave birders turned in recently? Almost none.  Does anyone go out and wa= lk through marshes, as any thorough check of the big Mississippi marsh south= of LaCrescent been made by boat recently?  Have the marshes of Lac qui= Parle been checked other than a brief drive down the roads that lead throug= h the refuge.  Have tapes been played regularly in the early morning an= d evening?  Is the aged BBS birding population even capable of hearing=20= a distant "bup, bup?"  And there's the gyr demoted to casual.  Let= 's see 20 records in Illinois in the past 35 years.  Did all these bird= s just fly around Minnesota.  How many folks sit at Grand Portage for 2= months doing a real hawklookout, who birds Koochiching and Kittson and Lake= of the Woods on a regular basis?  Who checks the chicken flocks regula= rly in western MN?  South Dakota gets multiple gyrs every year and most= of these records are 200 miles south of Minnesota's Canadian border. =20= Certainly there are gyrs in Minnesota every year.  What good does it do= the list to periodically downgrade a species every decade or so and then pu= t it back on the regular list when a series of records demands it?  Why= not calm down, admit that species like Red-throated Loons, jaegers, gyrs, a= nd many other boreal/arctic species are cyclic and go with the flow rather t= han trying to pigeonhole these birds which still are "regular" over a period= of, say 50-60 years or more.  Not every invasion occurs every 2 years=20= or even every 10 years in boreal ecosystems.  We have much to learn of=20= northern invasions and it makes no sense to change their status just to make= work for the records committee although it does keep this records committee= out of the woods and out of our hair for extended periods and I guess that'= s good.  I feel better now.  We'll make Bobwhite comments later!&n= bsp; Bob Russell, Dakota County, proud home to at least 2 records committee=20= members. --part1_1d3.19f7de73.2d643f42_boundary-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Wed Feb 18 14:56:25 2004 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 06:56:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Response to Bob Russell's Query: "Anyone check the Miss. R. marsh south of Lacrescent?" Message-ID: <20040218145625.87704.qmail@web13425.mail.yahoo.com> To all: Yes I have and no there have been no King Rails since the 70's. But I am one of those aging (former) BBSurveyers who can't hear the "bup-bup" of a King Rail over a tractor trailer and a train at 5000 feet and suspects anyone who can! I also participated in shorebird surveys further south of the LaCrescent marsh in Pool 8 in the summers of 2001 & 2002. While these were not rail surveys we were in possible rail habitat but recorded no rails. Population nomenclature ("Accidental", "Rare", etc) needs to be discussed by birders and MORC. A MORC panel discussion at the winter meeting would be a possible forum, and a relief from a succession of speakers and slides in a darkened auditorium. Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wis. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Wed Feb 18 16:09:01 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 10:09:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] Redpolls & Snow Buntings, Questions Message-ID: <002201c3f639$863ed7a0$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C3F607.3B640340 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Not having much time to bird currently (intense ministry time & moving = into new home), but have noted a significant number of buntings & = redpolls while driving my daughter to school. This morning's drive = included a flock of ~50 Snow Buntings and 75 Common Redpolls (son's = scoping of the flock yielded no Hoaries), have had as many as 175 of the = latter along the 10 mile rural route. Two resultant questions: 1) Is this typical for rural central Minnesota? Being from Madison, WI = am not used to seeing Redpolls at all (although they have irrupted that = far south this year) and Snow Buntings were certainly fewer. 2) When I have seen Snow Buntings in south central WI (primarily Goose = Pond, for those who know the area), they're often mixed in with Lapland = Longspurs and Horned Larks. The flocks I'm seeing between Milaca & = Princeton (Mille Lacs and Sherburne Counties) seem to be solely = buntings. Do longspurs and larks remain in central MN? Should I be = checking to see if the flocks are mixed? Would also appreciate any sharing of unusual or significant sightings in = Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Isanti or Benton Counties. Can't always run up = to Aitkin and Sax-Zim! Good birding to all. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C3F607.3B640340 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Not having much time to bird currently = (intense=20 ministry time & moving into new home), but have noted a significant = number=20 of buntings & redpolls while driving my daughter to school.  = This=20 morning's drive included a flock of ~50 Snow Buntings and 75 Common = Redpolls=20 (son's scoping of the flock yielded no Hoaries), have had as many as 175 = of the=20 latter along the 10 mile rural route.
 
Two resultant questions:
 
1) Is this typical for rural central=20 Minnesota?  Being from Madison, WI am not used to seeing Redpolls = at all=20 (although they have irrupted that far south this year) and Snow Buntings = were=20 certainly fewer.
 
2) When I have seen Snow Buntings in = south central=20 WI (primarily Goose Pond, for those who know the area), they're often = mixed in=20 with Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks.  The flocks I'm seeing = between=20 Milaca & Princeton (Mille Lacs and Sherburne Counties) seem to be = solely=20 buntings.  Do longspurs and larks remain in central MN?  = Should I be=20 checking to see if the flocks are mixed?
 
Would also appreciate any sharing of = unusual or=20 significant sightings in Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Isanti or Benton = Counties. =20 Can't always run up to Aitkin and Sax-Zim!
 
Good birding to all.
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, = MN
------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C3F607.3B640340-- From SnoEowl@aol.com Wed Feb 18 18:30:46 2004 From: SnoEowl@aol.com (SnoEowl@aol.com) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 13:30:46 EST Subject: [mou] Dead House Sparrows Message-ID: <114.2ef98d5c.2d650956@aol.com> -------------------------------1077129046 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have been getting many calls at home and to the radio stations as well as a number of e-mails reporting large numbers of dead House Sparrows around feeders. Have any outbreaks of salmonellosis been reported? I remember a visit to Michigan years ago, where the disease was fairly widespread. I tell these good folks to clean feeders with a bleach mixture and that if their concerns are great, they might want to stop feeding for a month and allow the flocks to disperse. Thank you, Al Batt Freeborn County -------------------------------1077129046 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I have been getting many calls at home and to the=20= radio stations as well as a number of e-mails reporting large numbers o= f dead House Sparrows around feeders.
 
Have any outbreaks of salmonellosis been = ;reported?  I remember a visit to Michigan years ago, where the disease= was fairly widespread.
 
I tell these good folks to clean feeders with a bl= each mixture and that if their concerns are great, they might want to stop f= eeding for a month and allow the flocks to disperse.
 
Thank you,
 
Al Batt
Freeborn County
-------------------------------1077129046-- From t_auer@lycos.com Wed Feb 18 19:41:04 2004 From: t_auer@lycos.com (M. Thomas Auer) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 13:41:04 -0600 Subject: [mou] accidental? You've got to be kidding (long) Message-ID: Go Bob! I'm with you on this issue. I'm not completely versed on the King Rail in Minnesota, but I do believe that pushing the bird to Accidental in the state is a bit too far. The same goes for the Gyr. I think it would be much appreciated if the Records Committee issued a statement supporting their actions with evidence and reason, so that we may have some idea behind their motives. Tom Auer Duluth, MN --------- Original Message --------- DATE: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 23:08:34 From: Wildchough@aol.com To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net, mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Cc: I think this Minnesota rarities committee has been locked up in a Koochiching cabin way too long this winter. Let the suns shine in men and women!! To call a King Rail "accidental" is to treat records of this species like some of the truly accidental records that dot the annals of the birding world, great records like a Slender-billed Curlew in New York or a Skua in North Dakota or a Manx Shearwater on a lawn in Michigan. Accidental means not likely to occur again, an "accident" of nature. The great Ontario birder Alan Wormington says there is no such thing as "accidental." History will repeat itself eventually. A record of King Rail in Minnesota which breeds in Wisconsin, breeds in Iowa, may breed in South Dakota and definitely breeds in Nebraska is hardly an "accident." For crying outloud like a nocturnal petrel, this is a rail folks! Rails can populate the most remote islands in the far reaches of the world's oceans so for a King Rail to appear again in Minnesota is h ardly accidental. How does a bird go from breeding in the state within the past 2 or 3 decades to accidental? Did it suddenly change its nature? So it's gotten rarer but the continued possibilities of future records is relatively high. And then there's the detectability issue. How many birders in this state ever get out of their SUVs and walk more than 200 yards from the car? How many boat, canoe, kayak records have birders turned in recently? Almost none. Does anyone go out and walk through marshes, as any thorough check of the big Mississippi marsh south of LaCrescent been made by boat recently? Have the marshes of Lac qui Parle been checked other than a brief drive down the roads that lead through the refuge. Have tapes been played regularly in the early morning and evening? Is the aged BBS birding population even capable of hearing a distant "bup, bup?" And there's the gyr demoted to casual. Let's see 20 records in Illinois in the past 35 years. Did all these b irds just fly around Minnesota. How many folks sit at Grand Portage for 2 months doing a real hawklookout, who birds Koochiching and Kittson and Lake of the Woods on a regular basis? Who checks the chicken flocks regularly in western MN? South Dakota gets multiple gyrs every year and most of these records are 200 miles south of Minnesota's Canadian border. Certainly there are gyrs in Minnesota every year. What good does it do the list to periodically downgrade a species every decade or so and then put it back on the regular list when a series of records demands it? Why not calm down, admit that species like Red-throated Loons, jaegers, gyrs, and many other boreal/arctic species are cyclic and go with the flow rather than trying to pigeonhole these birds which still are "regular" over a period of, say 50-60 years or more. Not every invasion occurs every 2 years or even every 10 years in boreal ecosystems. We have much to learn of northern invasions and it makes no sens e to change their status just to make work for the records committee although it does keep this records committee out of the woods and out of our hair for extended periods and I guess that's good. I feel better now. We'll make Bobwhite comments later! Bob Russell, Dakota County, proud home to at least 2 records committee members. ____________________________________________________________ Find what you are looking for with the Lycos Yellow Pages http://r.lycos.com/r/yp_emailfooter/http://yellowpages.lycos.com/default.asp?SRC=lycos10 From fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us Wed Feb 18 22:02:10 2004 From: fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us (fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 16:02:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] check list changes Message-ID: I can say with absolute certainty I am thankful not to be on a review committee of any kind in the MOU. It is a lose lose situation for those committee members. Thank you to all those kind souls who take on these tasks, knowing ahead of time not all will be satisfied with your decisions. For those more knowledgeable on such issues, I would be so bold to suggest that you provide your input as part of the committee process next time - be a member. In my opinion, everyone in the MOU organization strives to do their best. For those efforts I am thankful. Randy Frederickson Willmar From lauraerickson@abac.com Wed Feb 18 21:14:05 2004 From: lauraerickson@abac.com (Laura Erickson) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 15:14:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] check list changes In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20040218151210.020efeb0@mail1.abac.com> I'm very aware of how thankless a task being on the records committee is. But I'm wondering how one goes about getting on the committee? Most organizations I've belonged to have term limits to committees, but I believe some dominant voices on MOURC have been on the committee for decades. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson From Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com Wed Feb 18 21:35:15 2004 From: Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com (Paul Budde) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 15:35:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] check list changes Message-ID: Regular MOURC members do have six year term limits, as one regular member rotates off each year. The 2004 committee has one new regular menmber, one new alternate, and a new Chair. The former Chair, Kim Eckert, solicited input for new members in a variety of places, including through an e-mail last November or December on this listservice. None of the current regular members has served in that capacity for more than six years.=20 Paul Budde Minneapolis, MN -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On Behalf Of Laura Erickson Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 3:14 PM To: fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us; mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Subject: Re: [mou] check list changes I'm very aware of how thankless a task being on the records committee=20 is. But I'm wondering how one goes about getting on the committee? Most=20 organizations I've belonged to have term limits to committees, but I=20 believe some dominant voices on MOURC have been on the committee for decades. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of=20 birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of=20 nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From smithville4@charter.net Thu Feb 19 00:03:18 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 18:03:18 -0600 Subject: [mou] Minnesota List changes Message-ID: <000c01c3f67b$c7c67bf0$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3F649.7CED7C50 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I am sure many on this list really don't care to much about the recent = changes of the Minn. List. I am also fairly confident that these same = people don't care about MOURC. A Gyrfalcon going from regular to casual was probably a long debate = among the MOURC members since most winter years there are gyr sightings = either migrating by Hawk Ridge in Nov, a sighting in the Duluth harbor = or an individual seen in NW Minn. I would guess that the comparison of = this bird to the Smith Longspur was used in the arguments as well. The = Smith stayed on the regular list and the other got demoted. =20 I am in favor of what the committee did to the King Rail. Guessing that = there are King Rails nesting in Minnesota is like guessing there are = nesting individuals of Dippers in northern Minnesota. ( some believe = they do nest in Minnesota) Till there comes a time that King Rails do = actually nest in Minnesota, I strongly feel the King Rail should be = added to the accidental group. As far as the Northern Bobwhite change to exterminated, I would agree = and support this decision the MOURC made on this. How does this effect = the listing game? Well if you saw a Bobwhite in SE Minnesota prior to = 2004 the bird will stay on your list anytime now it does not. I know, I = know some on the listserve are going to shake there heads and say = "what"? Till there is some better knowledge on thier reproductive = success, releasing numbers in SE Minnesota by organized groups and other = factors to prove them they are wild birds that can survive and keep = there numbers up than they should remain on the exterminated list. Just = my opinion. Also remember you can do WHATEVER you DARN feel like it with your list. = There are no listing police over looking your shoulder to see what is on = your list. IF IF you want them published in the MOU listing supplement = than your list will have to go by whatever listing rules are used or in = place for listers and thier lists. I know for a fact the majority of MOU members are not strong competitive = listers or active listers that follow recent lumps in species or splits = in species. So this post might be as interesting as stale noodles! What gets me is there are some good folks on the MOU Records Committee = that do a bang up job! For those that follow every MOURC move and are = very critical of what they do, I would suggest that you attend a MOURC = meeting and see first hand what they do. They are not a bunch of guys or = woman ( sorry Ann) that want to try to make your birding a terrible = experience or do things underground to ruin the fun of some! They are = trying to do what is best for Minnesota Birds, there history, trends, = and etc.. Give them a break. Also there are TERM LIMITS for everyone = except the chair ( unless that was changed?) but most every year there = is a open spot for one to be part of the committee. Is it swinging = doorway when the same people leave and same people get back on? = NOOOOOOOOO look at all the new faces in there! All the old faces decline = to re enter themselves back in because many of them wanted to see new = faces on the committee. =20 I just don't understand some of the out cry by some that slammed thier = heads against the wall and cried " WHYYYY do they do this"??? " They = need to explain themselves NOW"!! Man if I ever had to explain = everything I did with the MOU Field Trips I would just lose it and quit. = All these decisions were not done in a few seconds and from what I was = told there was a lot of debate before a decision was made on each = change. So relax. take a breath and realize things are going to be all = right. I thank MOURC for all there hard work they do! You know at one time I = was a hard critic of them and after attending there meetings and = listening to a 2 hour discussion on Eurasian collared-Doves and = Great-tail Grackles I am glad I found the MOU Field Trip position. I = would than be the one slamming my head against wall crying " WHYYYYY" if = I was a MOURC member! hahahah Peace! Mike H ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3F649.7CED7C50 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I am sure many on this list really = don't care to=20 much about the recent changes of the Minn. List. I am also fairly = confident that=20 these same people don't care about MOURC.
 
A Gyrfalcon going from regular to = casual was=20 probably a long debate among the MOURC members since most winter years = there are=20 gyr sightings either migrating by Hawk Ridge in Nov, a sighting in the = Duluth=20 harbor or an individual seen in NW Minn.  I would guess that the = comparison=20 of this bird to the Smith Longspur was used in the arguments as well. = The Smith=20 stayed on the regular list and the other got demoted.  =
 
I am in favor of what the committee did = to the King=20 Rail. Guessing that there are King Rails nesting in Minnesota is like = guessing=20 there are nesting individuals of Dippers in northern Minnesota. ( some = believe=20 they do nest in Minnesota) Till there comes a time that King Rails do = actually=20 nest in Minnesota, I strongly feel the King Rail should be added to = the=20 accidental group.
 
As far as the Northern Bobwhite change = to=20 exterminated, I would agree and support this decision the MOURC made on = this.=20 How does this effect the listing game? Well if you saw a Bobwhite in SE=20 Minnesota prior to 2004 the bird will stay on your list anytime now it = does not.=20 I know, I know some on the listserve are going to shake there heads and = say=20 "what"?  Till there is some better knowledge on thier reproductive = success,=20 releasing numbers in SE Minnesota by organized groups and other factors = to prove=20 them they are wild birds that can survive and keep there numbers up than = they=20 should remain on the exterminated list. Just my opinion.
 
Also remember you can do WHATEVER you = DARN feel=20 like it with your list. There are no listing police over looking your = shoulder=20 to see what is on your list. IF IF you want them published in the MOU = listing=20 supplement than your list will have to go by whatever listing rules are = used or=20 in place for listers and thier lists.
 
I know for a fact the majority of MOU = members are=20 not strong competitive listers or active listers that follow recent = lumps in=20 species or splits in species. So this post might be as interesting as = stale=20 noodles!
 
What gets me is there are some good = folks on the=20 MOU Records Committee that do a bang up job! For those that follow every = MOURC=20 move and are very critical of what they do, I would suggest that you = attend a=20 MOURC meeting and see first hand what they do. They are not a bunch of = guys or=20 woman ( sorry Ann) that want to try to make your birding a terrible = experience=20 or do things underground to ruin the fun of some! They are trying to do = what is=20 best for Minnesota Birds, there history, trends, and etc.. Give them a = break.=20 Also there are TERM LIMITS for everyone except the chair ( unless that = was=20 changed?) but most every year there is a open spot for one to be part of = the=20 committee. Is it  swinging doorway when the same people leave and = same=20 people get back on? NOOOOOOOOO look at all the new faces in there! All = the old=20 faces decline to re enter themselves back in because many of them wanted = to see=20 new faces on the committee. 
 
I just don't understand some of the out = cry by some=20 that slammed thier heads against the wall and cried " WHYYYY do they do = this"???=20 " They need to explain themselves NOW"!!  Man if I ever had to = explain=20 everything I did with the MOU Field Trips I would just lose it and quit. = All=20 these decisions were not done in a few seconds and from what I was told = there=20 was a lot of debate before a decision was made on each change. So relax. = take a=20 breath and realize things are going to be all right.
 
I thank MOURC for all there hard work = they=20 do!  You know at one time I was a hard critic of them and after = attending=20 there  meetings and listening to a 2 hour discussion on Eurasian=20 collared-Doves and Great-tail Grackles I am glad I found the MOU Field = Trip=20 position. I would than be the one slamming my head against wall crying " = WHYYYYY" if I was a MOURC member! hahahah
 
Peace!
 
Mike H
------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3F649.7CED7C50-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Thu Feb 19 00:45:21 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 18:45:21 -0600 Subject: [mou] Minnesota List changes In-Reply-To: <000c01c3f67b$c7c67bf0$a7a87044@family> Message-ID: <000e01c3f681$ab35cdf0$2bd5aec6@main> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C3F64F.609B5DF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Well said, Mike!=20 =20 Jeanie Joppru Pennington County =20 -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Hendrickson Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 6:03 PM To: MOU Subject: [mou] Minnesota List changes I am sure many on this list really don't care to much about the recent changes of the Minn. List. I am also fairly confident that these same people don't care about MOURC. =20 A Gyrfalcon going from regular to casual was probably a long debate among the MOURC members since most winter years there are gyr sightings either migrating by Hawk Ridge in Nov, a sighting in the Duluth harbor or an individual seen in NW Minn. I would guess that the comparison of this bird to the Smith Longspur was used in the arguments as well. The Smith stayed on the regular list and the other got demoted. =20 =20 I am in favor of what the committee did to the King Rail. Guessing that there are King Rails nesting in Minnesota is like guessing there are nesting individuals of Dippers in northern Minnesota. ( some believe they do nest in Minnesota) Till there comes a time that King Rails do actually nest in Minnesota, I strongly feel the King Rail should be added to the accidental group. =20 As far as the Northern Bobwhite change to exterminated, I would agree and support this decision the MOURC made on this. How does this effect the listing game? Well if you saw a Bobwhite in SE Minnesota prior to 2004 the bird will stay on your list anytime now it does not. I know, I know some on the listserve are going to shake there heads and say "what"? Till there is some better knowledge on thier reproductive success, releasing numbers in SE Minnesota by organized groups and other factors to prove them they are wild birds that can survive and keep there numbers up than they should remain on the exterminated list. Just my opinion. =20 Also remember you can do WHATEVER you DARN feel like it with your list. There are no listing police over looking your shoulder to see what is on your list. IF IF you want them published in the MOU listing supplement than your list will have to go by whatever listing rules are used or in place for listers and thier lists. =20 I know for a fact the majority of MOU members are not strong competitive listers or active listers that follow recent lumps in species or splits in species. So this post might be as interesting as stale noodles! =20 What gets me is there are some good folks on the MOU Records Committee that do a bang up job! For those that follow every MOURC move and are very critical of what they do, I would suggest that you attend a MOURC meeting and see first hand what they do. They are not a bunch of guys or woman ( sorry Ann) that want to try to make your birding a terrible experience or do things underground to ruin the fun of some! They are trying to do what is best for Minnesota Birds, there history, trends, and etc.. Give them a break. Also there are TERM LIMITS for everyone except the chair ( unless that was changed?) but most every year there is a open spot for one to be part of the committee. Is it swinging doorway when the same people leave and same people get back on? NOOOOOOOOO look at all the new faces in there! All the old faces decline to re enter themselves back in because many of them wanted to see new faces on the committee. =20 =20 I just don't understand some of the out cry by some that slammed thier heads against the wall and cried " WHYYYY do they do this"??? " They need to explain themselves NOW"!! Man if I ever had to explain everything I did with the MOU Field Trips I would just lose it and quit. All these decisions were not done in a few seconds and from what I was told there was a lot of debate before a decision was made on each change. So relax. take a breath and realize things are going to be all right. =20 I thank MOURC for all there hard work they do! You know at one time I was a hard critic of them and after attending there meetings and listening to a 2 hour discussion on Eurasian collared-Doves and Great-tail Grackles I am glad I found the MOU Field Trip position. I would than be the one slamming my head against wall crying " WHYYYYY" if I was a MOURC member! hahahah =20 Peace! =20 Mike H ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C3F64F.609B5DF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
Well said, Mike!
 
Jeanie = Joppru
Pennington = County
 
-----Original Message-----
From:=20 mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On = Behalf Of=20 Michael Hendrickson
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 = 6:03=20 PM
To: MOU
Subject: [mou] Minnesota List=20 changes

I am sure many on this list really = don't care to=20 much about the recent changes of the Minn. List. I am also fairly = confident=20 that these same people don't care about MOURC.
 
A Gyrfalcon going from regular to = casual was=20 probably a long debate among the MOURC members since most winter years = there=20 are gyr sightings either migrating by Hawk Ridge in Nov, a sighting in = the=20 Duluth harbor or an individual seen in NW Minn.  I would guess = that the=20 comparison of this bird to the Smith Longspur was used in the = arguments as=20 well. The Smith stayed on the regular list and the other got = demoted. =20
 
I am in favor of what the committee = did to the=20 King Rail. Guessing that there are King Rails nesting in Minnesota is = like=20 guessing there are nesting individuals of Dippers in northern = Minnesota. (=20 some believe they do nest in Minnesota) Till there comes a time that = King=20 Rails do actually nest in Minnesota, I strongly feel the King = Rail should=20 be added to the accidental group.
 
As far as the Northern Bobwhite = change to=20 exterminated, I would agree and support this decision the MOURC made = on this.=20 How does this effect the listing game? Well if you saw a Bobwhite in = SE=20 Minnesota prior to 2004 the bird will stay on your list anytime now it = does=20 not. I know, I know some on the listserve are going to shake there = heads and=20 say "what"?  Till there is some better knowledge on thier = reproductive=20 success, releasing numbers in SE Minnesota by organized groups and = other=20 factors to prove them they are wild birds that can survive and keep = there=20 numbers up than they should remain on the exterminated list. Just my=20 opinion.
 
Also remember you can do WHATEVER you = DARN feel=20 like it with your list. There are no listing police over looking your = shoulder=20 to see what is on your list. IF IF you want them published in the MOU = listing=20 supplement than your list will have to go by whatever listing rules = are used=20 or in place for listers and thier lists.
 
I know for a fact the majority of MOU = members are=20 not strong competitive listers or active listers that follow recent = lumps in=20 species or splits in species. So this post might be as interesting as = stale=20 noodles!
 
What gets me is there are some good = folks on the=20 MOU Records Committee that do a bang up job! For those that follow = every MOURC=20 move and are very critical of what they do, I would suggest that you = attend a=20 MOURC meeting and see first hand what they do. They are not a bunch of = guys or=20 woman ( sorry Ann) that want to try to make your birding a terrible = experience=20 or do things underground to ruin the fun of some! They are trying to = do what=20 is best for Minnesota Birds, there history, trends, and etc.. Give = them a=20 break. Also there are TERM LIMITS for everyone except the chair ( = unless that=20 was changed?) but most every year there is a open spot for one to be = part of=20 the committee. Is it  swinging doorway when the same people leave = and=20 same people get back on? NOOOOOOOOO look at all the new faces in = there! All=20 the old faces decline to re enter themselves back in because many of = them=20 wanted to see new faces on the committee. 
 
I just don't understand some of the = out cry by=20 some that slammed thier heads against the wall and cried " WHYYYY do = they do=20 this"??? " They need to explain themselves NOW"!!  Man if I ever = had to=20 explain everything I did with the MOU Field Trips I would just lose it = and=20 quit. All these decisions were not done in a few seconds and from what = I was=20 told there was a lot of debate before a decision was made on each = change. So=20 relax. take a breath and realize things are going to be all=20 right.
 
I thank MOURC for all there hard work = they=20 do!  You know at one time I was a hard critic of them and after = attending=20 there  meetings and listening to a 2 hour discussion on Eurasian=20 collared-Doves and Great-tail Grackles I am glad I found the MOU Field = Trip=20 position. I would than be the one slamming my head against wall crying = "=20 WHYYYYY" if I was a MOURC member! hahahah
 
Peace!
 
Mike = H
------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C3F64F.609B5DF0-- From two-jays@att.net Thu Feb 19 04:21:13 2004 From: two-jays@att.net (Jim Williams) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 20:21:13 -0800 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long Message-ID: I think Bob Russell has got it right. For me, MOURC keeps far better record= s of where birders went than of where birds are. MOURC and much of MOU=B9s science is sociology instead of biology. Our seasonal reports are anecdotal accounts of random sightings. That does not meet the definition of good science. If a seasonal report tells me that Barred Owl was reported from 25 counties does that say more about where the owls are or more about where the observers were (or were not)? Those two things are not the same. No records of King Rail have been submitted (or perhaps none have met the standards for acceptance), so, therefore, the bird is not here. But, as Bob suggests, did birders actually LOOK for King Rail? Is it a lack of birds or a lack of observer effort? Perhaps it is a lack of direction. If MOURC has questions about the King Rail population in Minnesota it might be better to make appropriate habitat a must-visit requirement for seasonal reporters in certain parts of the state. Do that for a number of years, then assess the data and make an informed decision. Now, before someone tells me that seasonal reports are important and have value to the ornithological community, let me say that I agree. I also have corresponded on this issue with about half a dozen working ornithologists i= n the American Bird Conservancy, the U.S. Geologic Survey, and the American Museum of Natural History. All without exception say that seasonal reports are important.=20 They are important, however, in large part because something is better than nothing. These correspondents also suggest that seasonal reporting could be improved if observers returned on a regular basis to the same locales, so bird population fluctuations could be tracked season to season and year to year. Much of our bird reporting is driven by the happenstance location of misplaced migrants or the popularity of birding hotspots. How much of this state goes uncovered simply by neglect? In a conversation about this with a former MOURC member I was told that asking observers to do this would spoil their fun. Is that true? Must we choose between better science and fun? Do we publish our official checklist= , to be used by ornithologists in who knows how many ways, based on marginal and inadequate information or do we get serious about our science? Can standards be described for seasonal reports? Can observer assignments b= e made? Can defined efforts be made to provide real data to answer questions now answered only by a lack of data? How can you get a decent (scientific?) answer to a question when you have no solid information with which to work? This doesn=B9t even begin to deal with the subjective judgments of MOURC members when dealing with sighting reports that by definition must pass MOURC muster before becoming official. They do their best, no question. The= y bring years of experience to the effort, no question. They are trying hard to do a good job, no question. Nonetheless, the only thing we know for certain at the end of the day, far too many times, is that observer X was a= t the intersection of County Roads A and B on such-and-such day and month and that s/he happened to intersect with a bird the identity of which is in question. What do we know for certain here beyond the movements of the observer? Sociology or biology? The other subject we might wish to explore is why we spend so much time and go to such trouble to record those freak birds that for one odd reason or another have strayed far from home and ended up here. In some cases, indeed= , we are tracking range expansions. Certainly, the addition of Great-tailed Grackle and Eurasian Collared-Dove to our list of regular species shows the value in that regard. But is it of any particular value to weigh and debate the sighting of, say, a western hummingbird species known to wander but never expected to be a colonizer or an obviously storm-blown bird or a migrant best categorized as directionally deficient? I know, I know =AD how can you tell one from the other? We have to vet them all, just in case. And not doing so certainly reduce the fun of it all. I cast my lot with Paul Kerlinger, ornithologist and author of the book "Ho= w Birds Migrate". He writes of migrants far off course, in strange lands because they could not handle flight conditions or simply did not know wher= e they were going, serious flaws for a bird. These individuals, he says, are for the most part destined to die. Their death, he writes, improves the gen= e pool for that species. How odd to think of us elevating to any importance the identity of a bird here by flaw and soon to make its greatest contribution to nature by expiring. Our recording efforts, our memorializin= g of this creature in print are like last rites, an elaborate obituary for a little bit of fluff that would otherwise pass unknown. Go to it, MOURC -- a little bit of science, a little bit of funerary pomp and circumstance. Jim Williams Wayzata From smorton@mvtvwireless.com Thu Feb 19 04:08:51 2004 From: smorton@mvtvwireless.com (Steve and Sue Morton) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:08:51 -0600 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long References: Message-ID: <000e01c3f69e$15981560$d4c41cd0@SteveMorton> Bravo! This makes the most sense of anything I've read so far! Sue Morton, Cottonwood, Lyon County ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Williams" To: "MOU-net" Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 10:21 PM Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long I think Bob Russell has got it right. For me, MOURC keeps far better records of where birders went than of where birds are. MOURC and much of MOU¹s science is sociology instead of biology. Our seasonal reports are anecdotal accounts of random sightings. That does not meet the definition of good science. If a seasonal report tells me that Barred Owl was reported from 25 counties does that say more about where the owls are or more about where the observers were (or were not)? Those two things are not the same. No records of King Rail have been submitted (or perhaps none have met the standards for acceptance), so, therefore, the bird is not here. But, as Bob suggests, did birders actually LOOK for King Rail? Is it a lack of birds or a lack of observer effort? Perhaps it is a lack of direction. If MOURC has questions about the King Rail population in Minnesota it might be better to make appropriate habitat a must-visit requirement for seasonal reporters in certain parts of the state. Do that for a number of years, then assess the data and make an informed decision. Now, before someone tells me that seasonal reports are important and have value to the ornithological community, let me say that I agree. I also have corresponded on this issue with about half a dozen working ornithologists in the American Bird Conservancy, the U.S. Geologic Survey, and the American Museum of Natural History. All without exception say that seasonal reports are important. They are important, however, in large part because something is better than nothing. These correspondents also suggest that seasonal reporting could be improved if observers returned on a regular basis to the same locales, so bird population fluctuations could be tracked season to season and year to year. Much of our bird reporting is driven by the happenstance location of misplaced migrants or the popularity of birding hotspots. How much of this state goes uncovered simply by neglect? In a conversation about this with a former MOURC member I was told that asking observers to do this would spoil their fun. Is that true? Must we choose between better science and fun? Do we publish our official checklist, to be used by ornithologists in who knows how many ways, based on marginal and inadequate information or do we get serious about our science? Can standards be described for seasonal reports? Can observer assignments be made? Can defined efforts be made to provide real data to answer questions now answered only by a lack of data? How can you get a decent (scientific?) answer to a question when you have no solid information with which to work? This doesn¹t even begin to deal with the subjective judgments of MOURC members when dealing with sighting reports that by definition must pass MOURC muster before becoming official. They do their best, no question. They bring years of experience to the effort, no question. They are trying hard to do a good job, no question. Nonetheless, the only thing we know for certain at the end of the day, far too many times, is that observer X was at the intersection of County Roads A and B on such-and-such day and month and that s/he happened to intersect with a bird the identity of which is in question. What do we know for certain here beyond the movements of the observer? Sociology or biology? The other subject we might wish to explore is why we spend so much time and go to such trouble to record those freak birds that for one odd reason or another have strayed far from home and ended up here. In some cases, indeed, we are tracking range expansions. Certainly, the addition of Great-tailed Grackle and Eurasian Collared-Dove to our list of regular species shows the value in that regard. But is it of any particular value to weigh and debate the sighting of, say, a western hummingbird species known to wander but never expected to be a colonizer or an obviously storm-blown bird or a migrant best categorized as directionally deficient? I know, I know ­ how can you tell one from the other? We have to vet them all, just in case. And not doing so certainly reduce the fun of it all. I cast my lot with Paul Kerlinger, ornithologist and author of the book "How Birds Migrate". He writes of migrants far off course, in strange lands because they could not handle flight conditions or simply did not know where they were going, serious flaws for a bird. These individuals, he says, are for the most part destined to die. Their death, he writes, improves the gene pool for that species. How odd to think of us elevating to any importance the identity of a bird here by flaw and soon to make its greatest contribution to nature by expiring. Our recording efforts, our memorializing of this creature in print are like last rites, an elaborate obituary for a little bit of fluff that would otherwise pass unknown. Go to it, MOURC -- a little bit of science, a little bit of funerary pomp and circumstance. Jim Williams Wayzata _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From smithville4@charter.net Thu Feb 19 04:42:04 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:42:04 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Trip Montevideo Message-ID: <000a01c3f6a2$b96143c0$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F670.6E92F280 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: Well the winter MOU trip went real smooth and as you can tell it was a = lot of fun for all. The next MOU trip is on April 3-4. We are meeting in Montevideo at the = Country Kitchen Restaurant, located on highway 212 just west of town at = 7:00am. My co-leader will John Hockema again and possibly Kim Risen again as = well. We will be concentrating on the waterfowl migration and hope to find = good concentrations of White-fronted geese and maybe a Ross's Goose. = Along side the waterfowl migration will be the raptor migration and some = early passerine migration.=20 Some possibilities that MIGHT be around: * Ferruginous Hawk * Prairie Falcon * California Gull * Loggerhead Shrike (tough to find anywhere in Mn) * Mt. Bluebird * Spotted Towhee * Smith's Longspur I would like to keep this group around 20-25 birders. I am beginning to = start a list of those that are interested or planning on going on this = bird trip. So if you interested please respond to this email or email me = direct at Smithville4@charter.net Thanks for all your support. Mike Hendrickson Field Trip guy Duluth, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F670.6E92F280 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
Well the winter MOU trip went real = smooth and as=20 you can tell it was a lot of fun for all.
 
The next MOU trip is on April 3-4. We = are meeting=20 in Montevideo at the Country Kitchen Restaurant, located on highway 212 = just=20 west of town at 7:00am.
 
My co-leader will John Hockema again = and possibly=20 Kim Risen again as well.
 
We will be concentrating on the = waterfowl migration=20 and hope to find good concentrations of White-fronted geese and maybe a = Ross's=20 Goose.  Along side the waterfowl migration will be the raptor = migration and=20 some early passerine migration.
 
Some possibilities that MIGHT be=20 around:
* Ferruginous Hawk
* Prairie Falcon
* California Gull
* Loggerhead Shrike (tough to find = anywhere in=20 Mn)
* Mt. Bluebird
* Spotted Towhee
* Smith's Longspur
 
I would like to keep this group around = 20-25=20 birders. I am beginning to start a list of those that are interested or = planning=20 on going on this bird trip. So if you interested please respond to this = email or=20 email me direct at Smithville4@charter.net
 
Thanks for all your = support.
 
Mike Hendrickson
Field Trip guy
Duluth, MN
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3F670.6E92F280-- From smithville4@charter.net Thu Feb 19 05:30:36 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 23:30:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long References: Message-ID: <002201c3f6a9$80af1690$a7a87044@family> Birding is just a hobby. It's a real simple hobby. You purchase or borrow a pair of binoculars and buy a bird guide or check one out at the library. Dress for the weather, put binoculars around your head and head outdoors. Once outdoors go look for birds and watch them. I thought I bring this out as some are forgetting how simple birding or birdwatching is. Mike H. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Williams" To: "MOU-net" Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 10:21 PM Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long I think Bob Russell has got it right. For me, MOURC keeps far better records of where birders went than of where birds are. MOURC and much of MOU¹s science is sociology instead of biology. Our seasonal reports are anecdotal accounts of random sightings. That does not meet the definition of good science. If a seasonal report tells me that Barred Owl was reported from 25 counties does that say more about where the owls are or more about where the observers were (or were not)? Those two things are not the same. No records of King Rail have been submitted (or perhaps none have met the standards for acceptance), so, therefore, the bird is not here. But, as Bob suggests, did birders actually LOOK for King Rail? Is it a lack of birds or a lack of observer effort? Perhaps it is a lack of direction. If MOURC has questions about the King Rail population in Minnesota it might be better to make appropriate habitat a must-visit requirement for seasonal reporters in certain parts of the state. Do that for a number of years, then assess the data and make an informed decision. Now, before someone tells me that seasonal reports are important and have value to the ornithological community, let me say that I agree. I also have corresponded on this issue with about half a dozen working ornithologists in the American Bird Conservancy, the U.S. Geologic Survey, and the American Museum of Natural History. All without exception say that seasonal reports are important. They are important, however, in large part because something is better than nothing. These correspondents also suggest that seasonal reporting could be improved if observers returned on a regular basis to the same locales, so bird population fluctuations could be tracked season to season and year to year. Much of our bird reporting is driven by the happenstance location of misplaced migrants or the popularity of birding hotspots. How much of this state goes uncovered simply by neglect? In a conversation about this with a former MOURC member I was told that asking observers to do this would spoil their fun. Is that true? Must we choose between better science and fun? Do we publish our official checklist, to be used by ornithologists in who knows how many ways, based on marginal and inadequate information or do we get serious about our science? Can standards be described for seasonal reports? Can observer assignments be made? Can defined efforts be made to provide real data to answer questions now answered only by a lack of data? How can you get a decent (scientific?) answer to a question when you have no solid information with which to work? This doesn¹t even begin to deal with the subjective judgments of MOURC members when dealing with sighting reports that by definition must pass MOURC muster before becoming official. They do their best, no question. They bring years of experience to the effort, no question. They are trying hard to do a good job, no question. Nonetheless, the only thing we know for certain at the end of the day, far too many times, is that observer X was at the intersection of County Roads A and B on such-and-such day and month and that s/he happened to intersect with a bird the identity of which is in question. What do we know for certain here beyond the movements of the observer? Sociology or biology? The other subject we might wish to explore is why we spend so much time and go to such trouble to record those freak birds that for one odd reason or another have strayed far from home and ended up here. In some cases, indeed, we are tracking range expansions. Certainly, the addition of Great-tailed Grackle and Eurasian Collared-Dove to our list of regular species shows the value in that regard. But is it of any particular value to weigh and debate the sighting of, say, a western hummingbird species known to wander but never expected to be a colonizer or an obviously storm-blown bird or a migrant best categorized as directionally deficient? I know, I know ­ how can you tell one from the other? We have to vet them all, just in case. And not doing so certainly reduce the fun of it all. I cast my lot with Paul Kerlinger, ornithologist and author of the book "How Birds Migrate". He writes of migrants far off course, in strange lands because they could not handle flight conditions or simply did not know where they were going, serious flaws for a bird. These individuals, he says, are for the most part destined to die. Their death, he writes, improves the gene pool for that species. How odd to think of us elevating to any importance the identity of a bird here by flaw and soon to make its greatest contribution to nature by expiring. Our recording efforts, our memorializing of this creature in print are like last rites, an elaborate obituary for a little bit of fluff that would otherwise pass unknown. Go to it, MOURC -- a little bit of science, a little bit of funerary pomp and circumstance. Jim Williams Wayzata _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From drbenson@cpinternet.com Thu Feb 19 11:39:36 2004 From: drbenson@cpinternet.com (David Benson) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 05:39:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 2/19/04 Message-ID: <4B9F7B2F-62D0-11D8-B210-000A95AC3AF2@cpinternet.com> --Apple-Mail-1-99329128 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 19, 2004,=20 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists=92 Union. Dedrick Benz reported 12 SPRUCE GROUSE 2.2 miles north of the Sand=20 River on Lake Cty Rd 2 on the 14th, and another single bird on Hwy 1 at=20= mile marker 305. He also reported 13 RED CROSSBILLS at the jct. of Cty=20= Rd 2 and Hwy 1. BOREAL CHICKADEES were at the jct of the Spruce Rd and=20= Endless Waters Rd. Jan Green reported that a GREAT GRAY OWL has been=20 seen on trails east of Greenwood Lake off Cty Rd 2. Mike Hendrickson=92s weekend MOU Field Trip found 11 LONG-TAILED DUCKS = in=20 Two Harbors, two in Agate Bay, and 11 out from the lighthouse on Lake=20 Superior. They also saw the GYRFALCON in Superior, WI, again at the=20 Peavey Elevators; a SNOWY OWL at the Bong Airport in Superior; and a=20 GREAT GRAY OWL near Duluth on the Hwy 61 Expressway betwwen Berquist Rd=20= and Homestead Rd Tom Vallega reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS in Sax-Zim on the 13th, a mile=20= to 1.5 mile south of Byrnes=92 Greenhouse on Cty Rd 7. On the 14th, he=20= saw the NORTHERN HAWK-OWL in Burnett Cty, Wisconsin on Cty Rd H, about=20= a quarter mile south of the jct. with Cty Rd B. Warren Nelson reported that GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen on both the 14th=20= and 15th in the usual neighborhood within a mile of the jct. of Cty Rd=20= 18 and Pietz=92s Road. Several BOREAL CHICKADEES were seen at the Rabey=20= Tree Farm at milepost 186 on Hwy 200. Warren also reported a=20 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK three miles west of Aitkin on Hwy 210. On the 13th Bill Maier reported two COMMON GRACKLES in Duluth on High=20 St between 7th and 8th. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS=20 continue to be abundant in the Duluth area, and there have been an=20 unprecedented number of reports of HOARY REDPOLLS from Northeastern=20 Minnesota this year, including three more this week in Palisade, MN. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February=20= 26. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota=20 Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more=20 information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural=20= History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail=20= to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org.= --Apple-Mail-1-99329128 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=WINDOWS-1252 This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 19, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists=92 Union. Dedrick Benz reported 12 SPRUCE GROUSE 2.2 miles north of the Sand River on Lake Cty Rd 2 on the 14th, and another single bird on Hwy 1 at mile marker 305. He also reported 13 RED CROSSBILLS at the jct. of Cty Rd 2 and Hwy 1. BOREAL CHICKADEES were at the jct of the Spruce Rd and Endless Waters Rd. Jan Green reported that a GREAT GRAY OWL has been seen on trails east of Greenwood Lake off Cty Rd 2. Mike Hendrickson=92s weekend MOU Field Trip found 11 LONG-TAILED DUCKS in Two Harbors, two in Agate Bay, and 11 out from the lighthouse on Lake Superior. They also saw the GYRFALCON in Superior, WI, again at the Peavey Elevators; a SNOWY OWL at the Bong Airport in Superior; and a GREAT GRAY OWL near Duluth on the Hwy 61 Expressway betwwen Berquist Rd and Homestead Rd Tom Vallega reported two GREAT GRAY OWLS in Sax-Zim on the 13th, a mile to 1.5 mile south of Byrnes=92 Greenhouse on Cty Rd 7. On the 14th, he saw the NORTHERN HAWK-OWL in Burnett Cty, Wisconsin on Cty Rd H, about a quarter mile south of the jct. with Cty Rd B. Warren Nelson reported that GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen on both the 14th and 15th in the usual neighborhood within a mile of the jct. of Cty Rd 18 and Pietz=92s Road. Several BOREAL CHICKADEES were seen at the Rabey Tree Farm at milepost 186 on Hwy 200. Warren also reported a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK three miles west of Aitkin on Hwy 210. On the 13th Bill Maier reported two COMMON GRACKLES in Duluth on High St between 7th and 8th. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS continue to be abundant in the Duluth area, and there have been an unprecedented number of reports of HOARY REDPOLLS from Northeastern Minnesota this year, including three more this week in Palisade, MN. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 26. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at = mou.mn.org.= --Apple-Mail-1-99329128-- From lauraerickson@abac.com Thu Feb 19 13:28:52 2004 From: lauraerickson@abac.com (Laura Erickson) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:28:52 -0600 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long In-Reply-To: <002201c3f6a9$80af1690$a7a87044@family> References: Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20040219072111.00b66048@mail1.abac.com> Mike is absolutely right that birding is just a hobby. Ornithology is a science. And if MOURC is to live up to its name, it needs to reflect science, not the hobby of birding. Right now, as has been stated before, a rare bird's status is more reflective of how easy it is for a birder to find it than whether the bird is reliably present in the state. This is a complex problem, though. Because when it comes right down to it, birders are the only ones reliably looking for each species. I think there should be a status other than "accidental" for a species like King Rail that very well may be hiding out waiting for someone to find it--a species that is recorded nesting in neighboring states. Giving King Rail and Ross's Gull the same "accidental" designation makes that designation less meaningful except as it indicates how lucky a birder is to see it. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson From Rick.Hoyme@udlp.com Thu Feb 19 14:01:47 2004 From: Rick.Hoyme@udlp.com (Rick Hoyme) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 08:01:47 -0600 Subject: [mou] Data base of Casual and Accidental records Message-ID: I saw a print out of a data base of the accepted records of the casual and = accidental species in Minnesota. It might have included more such as all = submitted records and maybe rare regulars, I can't remember. Regardless it = was very interesting to read. It would answer the questions that various = posters have posed on why this or that species changes designation.=20 Has there been any thought about making this available through the MOU web = site. There would be a number of advantages to this: - More visibility into the status of some of the species.=20 - Are they recent records or very old records? - What part of the state were they seen? - What season? - Was it an irruption year or was it individuals? - etc. etc. etc. The mechanics of providing it could be as simple as just providing a = down-loadable file and the user would need to buy the software to read it = if he didn't have it, or it could be as complex as having a searchable = on-line data base.=20 I'm not sure who this recommendation should go to , but if you are reading = this please consider it. Rick Hoyme From Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com Thu Feb 19 15:01:23 2004 From: Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com (Chris Fagyal) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:01:23 -0600 Subject: [mou] Data base of Casual and Accidental records Message-ID: One could even go a step further with this and create a MySQL database = with PHP to create a very nice searchable database online that everyone = could easily access from anywhere they had access to the internet. =20 Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer United Defense, L.P. Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 chris.fagyal@udlp.com >>> "Rick Hoyme" 02/19/2004 08:01:47 AM >>> I saw a print out of a data base of the accepted records of the casual and = accidental species in Minnesota. It might have included more such as all = submitted records and maybe rare regulars, I can't remember. Regardless it = was very interesting to read. It would answer the questions that various = posters have posed on why this or that species changes designation.=20 Has there been any thought about making this available through the MOU web = site. There would be a number of advantages to this: - More visibility into the status of some of the species.=20 - Are they recent records or very old records? - What part of the state were they seen? - What season? - Was it an irruption year or was it individuals? - etc. etc. etc. The mechanics of providing it could be as simple as just providing a = down-loadable file and the user would need to buy the software to read it = if he didn't have it, or it could be as complex as having a searchable = on-line data base.=20 I'm not sure who this recommendation should go to , but if you are reading = this please consider it. Rick Hoyme _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From jimryan37@hotmail.com Thu Feb 19 16:06:17 2004 From: jimryan37@hotmail.com (Jim Ryan) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:06:17 -0600 Subject: FW: Re: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long Message-ID: Great comments Jim Williams. Laura Erickson nails the point by distinguishing birding (a self centered pleasure or obsession, depending on ones personality) from Ornithology (attempt to objectively quantify, qualify, understand and aid birds). Both are fine pursuits, with much overlap. Though many birders are as casual as Mike suggests (some even more so) even birding is far from simple for the listers. Large investments of time, energy and money are spent counting, tracking, comparing, etc., to satisfy the desire. I guarantee none of the regular posters on this list use borrowed binoculars and a field guide from the library (though they may have began that way). I did a big year in '02 and quickly realized how those who get the biggest lists are those who can afford to spend the most time afield, and are willing to log the most miles on their car. (Maybe using a borrowed car is a good idea for this hobby??) I try to give back to the birds by participating in multiple CBCs and a BBS. I am considering project feeder watch and adding my sitings to the ebird database. Maybe MOU membership should require its members to participate in a Christmas count or BBS or Project feeder watch, so they are actually contributing to the scientific database, and can truly call themselves Ornithologists, instead of merely birders. I have done these things and am willing to continue, because its fun and it's for the love of the birds. I have nothing against the MOU and want to continue to support it. My thanks to all who volunteer time and effort in its Maintenance and progress. Is there some way it could get State and/or Federal funding (or does this already occur?) since it has genuine scientific goals and values? Value that extends far beyond those who enjoy the birds. That way some people would be paid to further knowledge of the birds. Jim in S. Mpls. (Longfellow) Hennepin County 'If all the animals were gone, we would die from loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the animals soon happens to us. We are part of the earth, and it is a part of us. This we know: all things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.' Chief Seattle, 1854 _________________________________________________________________ Say “good-bye” to spam, viruses and pop-ups with MSN Premium -- free trial offer! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200359ave/direct/01/ From jtpbirder@yahoo.com Thu Feb 19 16:59:15 2004 From: jtpbirder@yahoo.com (Jeff Price) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 08:59:15 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20040219072111.00b66048@mail1.abac.com> Message-ID: <20040219165915.95065.qmail@web14918.mail.yahoo.com> --- Laura Erickson wrote: >I think there should be a status other >than "accidental" for a species like King Rail .... Other terms used for an in-between status are occasional, irregular or casual. What becomes important in bridging the gap between birders and scientists is to define the terms. How many years out of 10 (or 25) does a species need to be seen to fall in each category? ===== Jeff Price Boulder, CO jtpbirder@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From jtpbirder@yahoo.com Thu Feb 19 17:12:23 2004 From: jtpbirder@yahoo.com (Jeff Price) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:12:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20040219171223.50854.qmail@web14908.mail.yahoo.com> Jim Willaims said - > They are important, however, in large part because > something is better than > nothing. These correspondents also suggest that > seasonal reporting could be > improved if observers returned on a regular basis to > the same locales, so > bird population fluctuations could be tracked season > to season and year to > year. Much of our bird reporting is driven by the > happenstance location of > misplaced migrants or the popularity of birding > hotspots. How much of this > state goes uncovered simply by neglect? A couple of points to add to Jim's excellent comments. Part of the problem from a scientific point of view is what can ba called a lack of negative data. Positive data is 'a bird was detected', negative data is 'a bird was NOT detected'. This differs from 'no report' in that you know the species was looked for. So, the BBS/CBC/BBA, etc are all better than seasonal reports in that you know that observers were looking to detect all of the species in a defined (small) area. In a seasonal report you know whaat was detected but you are less confident about what was NOT detected because of lack of effort. Many years ago, in the early days of Birdchat, there was a discussion of setting up a National Checklist Project. For given areas birders would be encouraged to mark which species they detected and did not detect in a given area. The check-list would include a self-determintation of birding level (primarily to use in assessing the quality of the negative data) as well as a determination of effort. It would differ from Wisconsin's excellent program in that the study areas would be smaller (although they could be aggregated to the county level). This differs from ebird in that it emphasizes where the birds are NOT (negative data) almost as much as where they are. While not a substitute for formal surveys (playback, etc) it does go a ways toward filling in some of the gaps in seasonal records that Jim mentions. ===== Jeff Price Boulder, CO jtpbirder@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Thu Feb 19 17:45:20 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:45:20 -0600 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F917F@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> I am reminded of the Hertzel Brothers' excellent effort in locating Long-eared Owls a few years ago. If you look for them in the right way in the right place, they are there. If people are really up in arms about the status of a bird's population in MN, they can impact it. A "King Rail" task force could be formed to actively search for them. A "Dipper" team could head north. A concerted effort to find a species will always be beneficial to the people who do the search, and what you seek to find is usually not the outcome, but the outcome will be interesting, worthwhile and significant. If anyone wants to form such a search team(s), I am sure MOURC and the avid listers in the MOU would welcome the data and the opportunity to take part. I am critical of some elements of MOURC (mostly that they won't take me), but of this I am sure. They are only as thorough as the data that is sent their way. It is up to us to send them more complete data. I have participated in 2 BBS in 2 states and would love to get a transect to do in this state. If anyone has a methodology and an idea of where to go to find King Rails, let me know. It can't be much harder than chasing Yellow Rails in McGregor, and I considered that fun. I challenge people to proclaim their hypotheses and then set out for empirical evidence to substantiate it. What species should be offered up for such a process? Sign me up for both King Rail and Dipper(2 separate searches). There are Warblers that are not regular in the state that we could find on territory if we looked hard enough, as well.=20 1. Mike Hendrickson is right, get out with binos and look at birds. =20 2. MOURC is right also, if you see something noteworthy and you want it to be a part of the written history of bird sightings in this state, use the format and to the best of your ability, capture the sighting.=20 3. Jim Williams is also right, many birds listed do not reflect their potential occurrence in the state. By doing more of what Mike and MOURC desire, Jim concerns can be addressed as well. If we concentrate more on our shared interests and passions, positive outcomes from our own frame of reference are probable.=20 I do not think a possible outcome is that we will all agree, but that we can be aligned more or less. The glass is half full for me today. I better not partake of its contents any more until it is refilled. Mark Alt Manager of Project Management Best Buy Co., Inc. Supply Chain Transformation Office Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com=20 (w) 612-291-6717 (Cell) 612.803.9085 -----Original Message----- From: Jeff Price [mailto:jtpbirder@yahoo.com]=20 Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 11:12 AM To: Jim Williams; MOU-net Subject: Re: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long Jim Willaims said - > They are important, however, in large part because > something is better than > nothing. These correspondents also suggest that > seasonal reporting could be > improved if observers returned on a regular basis to > the same locales, so > bird population fluctuations could be tracked season > to season and year to > year. Much of our bird reporting is driven by the happenstance=20 > location of misplaced migrants or the popularity of birding > hotspots. How much of this > state goes uncovered simply by neglect? A couple of points to add to Jim's excellent comments. Part of the problem from a scientific point of view is what can ba called a lack of negative data.=20 Positive data is 'a bird was detected', negative data is 'a bird was NOT detected'. This differs from 'no report' in that you know the species was looked for.=20 So, the BBS/CBC/BBA, etc are all better than seasonal reports in that you know that observers were looking to detect all of the species in a defined (small) area. In a seasonal report you know whaat was detected but you are less confident about what was NOT detected because of lack of effort. Many years ago, in the early days of Birdchat, there was a discussion of setting up a National Checklist Project. For given areas birders would be encouraged to mark which species they detected and did not detect in a given area. The check-list would include a self-determintation of birding level (primarily to use in assessing the quality of the negative data) as well as a determination of effort. It would differ from Wisconsin's excellent program in that the study areas would be smaller (although they could be aggregated to the county level). This differs from ebird in that it emphasizes where the birds are NOT (negative data) almost as much as where they are. =20 While not a substitute for formal surveys (playback, etc) it does go a ways toward filling in some of the gaps in seasonal records that Jim mentions. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Jeff Price Boulder, CO jtpbirder@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From smithville4@charter.net Thu Feb 19 17:11:54 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:11:54 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birding in Minnesota Message-ID: <000001c3f712$5870b800$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0018_01C3F6D9.2EBC14C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The reason I responded to Jim Williams thoughts on how birding is quite = simple is because Jim's thoughts were so negative on MOURC. I want to = make people on this listserve that are enjoying this thread or watching = this thread to understand that birding in Minnesota is NOT complex as = some may want it to be and things going on with MOURC really shouldn't = effect the way you should enjoy this hobby. The people who sit on MOURC except one or two people consider birding as = a hobby rather than a job. They are volunteering to do what is best for = Minnesota birding. If you don't like how they are doing things than = offer solutions rather than point the finger. What are your ideas to fix = the problem? Laura offered an idea and some others have done so too. I = would like to hear solutions rather than commentary. I personally feel = everything is ok. MOURC is doing a good job, MOURC is not some "good ol = boys" committee. If you want to express your opinion than attend one of = there meetings! Didn't I already said this before? My comments on the King Rail, since its being used in arguments lately. = It has been since 1992 since a King Rail was seen in Minnesota. Ok are = neighboring states have nesting King Rails, so are we to just speculate = that King Rails do nest in Minnesota? Is that science?=20 Also again if King Rails do nest in Minnesota where are the records or = the sightings to prove they do nest in Minnesota? OHHH its our fault = because we are NOT birding in the right places. ALL Minnesota birders = are NOT going to the right places at the right time because IF they were = going to the right places at the right time they would find King Rails = in every large marsh in Minnesota! That is so FALSE! Wow I am getting riled up here! Also this is a solution for those that have issues with MOURC. Go to = there meetings, email the chair privately about your concerns, go hug a = MOURC member, or go shake their hand. Do anything other than point = fingers without giving solutions. I hope these helpful suggestions help = shake those revengeful feelings away or any vendettas you may feel = towards MOURC. Like I said birdwatching or birding umbrellas over everything in = Minnesota including the science part. Its a hobby for us all, it = shouldn't be this complex. Science is ok in birding but to tell MOURC = members to stop acting like birders and start acting like ornithologists = is not a good idea. Why? because the majority are just excellent birders = and I know only one that has a ornithology degree and maybe one other. = The rest have different backgrounds and are doing the best they can to = give an accurate picture of birds in Minnesota.=20 It really shouldn't be this complex because its really a simple hobby = for all of us to enjoy. That is all! Mike Hendrickson The MOU field trip guy Duluth ------=_NextPart_000_0018_01C3F6D9.2EBC14C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
The reason I responded to Jim Williams = thoughts on=20 how birding is quite simple is because Jim's thoughts were so = negative on=20 MOURC. I want to make people on this listserve that are enjoying this = thread or=20 watching this thread to understand that birding in Minnesota is = NOT complex=20 as some may want it to be and things going on with MOURC = really shouldn't=20 effect the way you should enjoy this hobby.
 
The people who sit on MOURC except one = or two=20 people consider birding as a hobby rather than a job. They are = volunteering to do what is best for Minnesota birding. If you don't like = how=20 they are doing things than offer solutions rather than point the finger. = What=20 are your ideas to fix the problem? Laura offered an idea and some others = have=20 done so too. I would like to hear solutions rather than commentary. I = personally=20 feel everything is ok. MOURC is doing a good job, MOURC is not some = "good ol=20 boys" committee. If you want to express your opinion than attend one of = there=20 meetings! Didn't I already said this before?
 
My comments on the King Rail, since its = being used=20 in arguments lately.  It has been since 1992 since a King Rail was = seen in=20 Minnesota. Ok are neighboring states have nesting King Rails,  so = are we to=20 just speculate that King Rails do nest in Minnesota? Is that science?=20
 
Also again if King Rails do nest in = Minnesota where=20 are the records or the sightings to prove they do nest in Minnesota? = OHHH its=20 our fault because we are NOT birding in the right places. ALL Minnesota = birders=20 are NOT going to the right places at the right time because IF they = were=20 going to the right places at the right time they would find King Rails = in every=20 large marsh in Minnesota!  That is so FALSE!
 
Wow I am getting riled up = here!
 
Also this is a solution for those that = have issues=20 with MOURC. Go to there meetings, email the chair privately about your = concerns,=20 go hug a MOURC member, or go shake their hand. Do anything = other than=20 point fingers without giving solutions. I hope these helpful suggestions = help=20 shake those revengeful feelings away or any vendettas you may feel = towards=20 MOURC.
 
Like I said birdwatching or birding = umbrellas over=20 everything in Minnesota including the science part. Its a hobby for us = all, it=20 shouldn't be this complex. Science is ok in birding but to tell MOURC = members to=20 stop acting like birders and start acting like ornithologists is not a = good=20 idea. Why? because the majority are just excellent birders and I know = only one=20 that has a ornithology degree and maybe one other. The rest have = different=20 backgrounds and are doing the best they can   to give an = accurate=20 picture of birds in Minnesota.
 
It really shouldn't be this complex = because its=20 really a simple hobby for all of us to enjoy. That is all!
 
Mike Hendrickson
The MOU field trip guy
Duluth
 
 
------=_NextPart_000_0018_01C3F6D9.2EBC14C0-- From jtpbirder@yahoo.com Thu Feb 19 19:49:27 2004 From: jtpbirder@yahoo.com (Jeff Price) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:49:27 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long In-Reply-To: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F917F@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> Message-ID: <20040219194927.48606.qmail@web14914.mail.yahoo.com> --- "Alt, Mark" wrote: >If > anyone has a methodology and an idea of where to go > to find King Rails, let me know. It can't be much harder than chasing Yellow Rails in McGregor, and I considered that fun. Years ago there was a concentrated effort to find Yellow Rails in North Dakota. The surveyor (Gordon Berkey?) found far more Yellow Rail locations than previously known. There have been various techniques put forward to look for wetland species. Many of them are variants on call counts with tape playback. As long as the methodology is consistent then you are making a reasonable effort. For King Rail it might mean - 1) Identify areas the species is likely to be found (a wheatfield won't cut it). If there are roads then you can use a road survey. If not, it may mean some work in boats. 2) Determine an adequate distance between survey points (this might take some literature review). Maybe every quarter of a mile, maybe a half-mile, maybe a mile. 3) Stop at that point during peak calling period and listen for 1 minute. If you hear a rail mark it present and move on. If you don't, play a tape for a period of time (again, check the literature). Stop and listen for 1 minute. Try again. No response, assume bird is not present. 4) Repeat for other wetlands on your survey route. Obviously, this would need to be refined but the goal is a survey not a population estimate nor looking for population trends. ===== Jeff Price Boulder, CO jtpbirder@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From tobylab69@hotmail.com Thu Feb 19 21:45:05 2004 From: tobylab69@hotmail.com (Craig Menze) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 15:45:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birding in Minnesota Message-ID:

I usually don't respond or get involved with discussion like this, but, after two days of reading about this I decided to say something.  First of all why do some people feel they need to complain about dumb stuff like this on here?  And it always seem like its the same people too.  What difference does it make if a bird or birds statues is changed or down graded?  Does that make birding  less fun?  If you answer yes to that then you need to find a new hobby like gardening or something.   Like Mike said this is a simply hobby, but, yet there always has to be someone out there that has to try and make it complex or complain about some dumb thing.  If you feel a need to complain find some where else to do it and leave this for bird sightings/reports.

Craig

>From: "Michael Hendrickson"
>To: "MOU"
>Subject: [mou] Birding in Minnesota
>Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:11:54 -0600
>
>The reason I responded to Jim Williams thoughts on how birding is quite simple is because Jim's thoughts were so negative on MOURC. I want to make people on this listserve that are enjoying this thread or watching this thread to understand that birding in Minnesota is NOT complex as some may want it to be and things going on with MOURC really shouldn't effect the way you should enjoy this hobby.
>
>The people who sit on MOURC except one or two people consider birding as a hobby rather than a job. They are volunteering to do what is best for Minnesota birding. If you don't like how they are doing things than offer solutions rather than point the finger. What are your ideas to fix the problem? Laura offered an idea and some others have done so too. I would like to hear solutions rather than commentary. I personally feel everything is ok. MOURC is doing a good job, MOURC is not some "good ol boys" committee. If you want to express your opinion than attend one of there meetings! Didn't I already said this before?
>
>My comments on the King Rail, since its being used in arguments lately.  It has been since 1992 since a King Rail was seen in Minnesota. Ok are neighboring states have nesting King Rails,  so are we to just speculate that King Rails do nest in Minnesota? Is that science?
>
>Also again if King Rails do nest in Minnesota where are the records or the sightings to prove they do nest in Minnesota? OHHH its our fault because we are NOT birding in the right places. ALL Minnesota birders are NOT going to the right places at the right time because IF they were going to the right places at the right time they would find King Rails in every large marsh in Minnesota!  That is so FALSE!
>
>Wow I am getting riled up here!
>
>Also this is a solution for those that have issues with MOURC. Go to there meetings, email the chair privately about your concerns, go hug a MOURC member, or go shake their hand. Do anything other than point fingers without giving solutions. I hope these helpful suggestions help shake those revengeful feelings away or any vendettas you may feel towards MOURC.
>
>Like I said birdwatching or birding umbrellas over everything in Minnesota including the science part. Its a hobby for us all, it shouldn't be this complex. Science is ok in birding but to tell MOURC members to stop acting like birders and start acting like ornithologists is not a good idea. Why? because the majority are just excellent birders and I know only one that has a ornithology degree and maybe one other. The rest have different backgrounds and are doing the best they can   to give an accurate picture of birds in Minnesota.
>
>It really shouldn't be this complex because its really a simple hobby for all of us to enjoy. That is all!
>
>Mike Hendrickson
>The MOU field trip guy
>Duluth
>


Dream of owning a home? Find out how in the First-time Home Buying Guide. From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Thu Feb 19 23:49:49 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 17:49:49 -0600 Subject: [mou] Prairie Falcon in Richfield, Hennepin County Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F9181@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> Today at 2 pm I was sitting at my desk when I caught view of a raptor flying at me from the north of the Best Buy HQ in Richfield, Hennepin County, along 76th street heading west towards Penn Ave. It was clearly a large Falcon, so I stood and told some of my coworkers "check out this bird", thinking it was a Peregrine, which I have seen 3 times in the past year here. It was at my eye level 4 stories above the street and about 40 feet away at its closest point. I couldn't resist playing Frank Nicoletti, as I stood and proclaimed in my outside voice "Prairie Falcon" as it passed by the window and on to the west, parallel to 76th Avenue. The light brownish tan dorsal color, streaked lighter breast and clearly contrasting dark wing liners were clearly seen in good light as it flew by. It was larger than the Rock Pigeons that cruise the area all the time, yet not as stocky. It had long tapered wings, its wing beats were not very fast, and reminded me of the Peregrines I have seen in level flight when not in hot pursuit, much like up at Hawk Ridge as they pass. 6 people watched it pass and remarked how cool it was. I had to get out the bird book for several to show what made it a Prairie. I told them it may be at the Airport or coming from over near Hiawatha. Any of these birds being seen this year? Time to look around, I guess. Pretty darn good yard bird for work, I'd say.=20 Mark Alt Brooklyn Center, MN mark.alt@bestbuy.com "Birds and their songs are important to me, they add to my enjoyment of life"=20 From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Feb 20 01:02:47 2004 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony X. Hertzel) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 19:02:47 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 19 February 2004 Message-ID: --============_-1134883523==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 19th. On the 19th, Mark Alt found a PRAIRIE FALCON north of the Best Buy Headquarters in Richfield, Hennepin County. This is along 76th street just east of Penn Avenue. Dedrick Benz reported 12 SPRUCE GROUSE on the 14th, about two and a quarter miles north of the Sand River on Lake County Road 2. Six more were seen in Cook County on the 15th about twenty miles north of Grand Marais along the Gunflint Trail. Several GREAT GRAY OWLS have been reported recently. Mike Hendrickson found one near Duluth on state highway 61 between Berquist Road and Homestead Road. Jan Green reported that a Great Gray Owl has been seen on ski trails east of Greenwood Lake off Lake County Road 2. Tom Vallega found two Great Gray Owls in Sax-Zim on the 13th, a mile to a mile and a half south of Byrnes' Greenhouse along St. Louis County Road 7. And Warren Nelson reports that Great Gray Owls were seen on both the 14th and 15th within a mile of the junction of Aitkin County Road 18 and Pietz's Road. Pietz's Road is a dead-end drive running north off Aitkin County Road 18. It is situated about two miles west of Aitkin County Road 5, or about four miles east of U.S. Highway 169. On the 16th, Brian Smith found the SNOWY OWL that has been reported north of Hutchinson in McLeod County. He found it atop a telephone pole about a half mile west of highway 15 on 220th Street. Another Snowy Owl was seen on the 14th along 690th Street between 150th Avenue and 140th Avenue about one mile west of Dodge County Road 5. SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from Wilkin County on the 13th and again on the 15th. From Rothsay, take County Road 26 west to 300th Avenue, turn the corner and scan the fields here. This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at . MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com. In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700. The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 26th. -- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com --============_-1134883523==_ma============ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" MOU RBA 19 February 2004

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 19th.

On the 19th, Mark Alt found a PRAIRIE FALCON north of the Best Buy Headquarters in Richfield, Hennepin County. This is along 76th street just east of Penn Avenue.

Dedrick Benz reported 12 SPRUCE GROUSE on the 14th, about two and a quarter miles north of the Sand River on Lake County Road 2. Six more were seen in Cook County on the 15th about twenty miles north of Grand Marais along the Gunflint Trail.

Several GREAT GRAY OWLS have been reported recently. Mike Hendrickson found one near Duluth on state highway 61 between Berquist Road and Homestead Road. Jan Green reported that a Great Gray Owl has been seen on ski trails east of Greenwood Lake off Lake County Road 2. Tom Vallega found two Great Gray Owls in Sax-Zim on the 13th, a mile to a mile and a half south of Byrnes' Greenhouse along St. Louis County Road 7. And Warren Nelson reports that Great Gray Owls were seen on both the 14th and 15th within a mile of the junction of Aitkin County Road 18 and Pietz's Road. Pietz's Road is a dead-end drive running north off Aitkin County Road 18. It is situated about two miles west of Aitkin County Road 5, or about four miles east of U.S. Highway 169.

On the 16th, Brian Smith found the SNOWY OWL that has been reported north of Hutchinson in McLeod County. He found it atop a telephone pole about a half mile west of highway 15 on 220th Street. Another Snowy Owl was seen on the 14th along 690th Street between 150th Avenue and 140th Avenue about one mile west of Dodge County Road 5.

SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from Wilkin County on the 13th and again on the 15th. From Rothsay, take County Road 26 west to 300th Avenue, turn the corner and scan the fields here.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at <david@cahlander.com>.

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 26th.

-- 
Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com
--============_-1134883523==_ma============-- From cc.fox@minn.net Fri Feb 20 02:02:25 2004 From: cc.fox@minn.net (Cheryl Fox) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 20:02:25 -0600 Subject: [mou] Comments on MOURC, long In-Reply-To: <20040219194927.48606.qmail@web14914.mail.yahoo.com> References: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A30F917F@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> <20040219194927.48606.qmail@web14914.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <6.0.0.22.0.20040219200116.037faec0@mail.minn.net> At the risk of opening a new can of worms we could speculate why there are few King Rails (if that is the case) and how to change that trend. Cheri At 01:49 PM 2/19/04, Jeff Price wrote: >--- "Alt, Mark" wrote: > >If > anyone has a methodology and an idea of where to >go > to find King Rails, let me know. It can't be >much harder than chasing Yellow Rails in McGregor, and >I considered that fun. > >Years ago there was a concentrated effort to find >Yellow Rails in North Dakota. The surveyor (Gordon >Berkey?) found far more Yellow Rail locations than >previously known. > >There have been various techniques put forward to look >for wetland species. Many of them are variants on >call counts with tape playback. As long as the >methodology is consistent then you are making a >reasonable effort. For King Rail it might mean - > >1) Identify areas the species is likely to be found (a >wheatfield won't cut it). If there are roads then you >can use a road survey. If not, it may mean some work >in boats. > >2) Determine an adequate distance between survey >points (this might take some literature review). >Maybe every quarter of a mile, maybe a half-mile, >maybe a mile. > >3) Stop at that point during peak calling period and >listen for 1 minute. If you hear a rail mark it >present and move on. If you don't, play a tape for a >period of time (again, check the literature). Stop >and listen for 1 minute. Try again. No response, >assume bird is not present. > >4) Repeat for other wetlands on your survey route. > >Obviously, this would need to be refined but the goal >is a survey not a population estimate nor looking for >population trends. > > > > >===== >Jeff Price >Boulder, CO >jtpbirder@yahoo.com > >__________________________________ >Do you Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. >http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools >_______________________________________________ >mou-net mailing list >mou-net@cbs.umn.edu >http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Feb 20 03:19:37 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 21:19:37 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, February 20, 2004 Message-ID: <000701c3f760$660c2960$0fd5aec6@main> This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 20, 2004 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. With the coming of warmer weather, longer days, and the nearing of the breeding season for some species, the birding has improved in this part of the state. Prominent in the reports have been owls, and several grouse species. Linda Sparling reported several over wintering TRUMPETER SWANS on the Otter Tail River near Rush Lake just west of highways 78 and 108 in Otter Tail County on February 13th. In Wilkin County, she observed four SHORT-EARED OWLS in the Rothsay Prairie area near the prairie-chicken lek. Several birders saw more than twenty GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS along 300th Ave. between CR 26 and 200th Street, and many more were near the traditional lek. Conny Brunell saw a GOLDEN EAGLE along CR 176 east of the junction with CR15. Other species seen in that area included HORNED LARKS, SNOW BUNTINGS, and LAPLAND LONGSPURS. Rick Gjervold reported some of the same birds in the Lawndale area, and four GRAY PARTRIDGE just north of Lawndale. >From Becker County, Marion Jacobson spotted a BALD EAGLE by the Strandvik Church south of Lake Park. Dave and Betty Hochhalter have a pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS coming to their feeder near Detroit Lakes. Among the other birds at their feeders are several PINE SISKINS, a species that has not been reported very commonly this winter. Doug Johnson found BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the fruit trees on the west side of Bagley in Clearwater County on February 15th. In Beltrami County, Doug Johnson reported a HOARY REDPOLL at his feeder northeast of Bemidji on Big Bass Lake on the weekend. A MERLIN has seen hunting near the grain elevators by the railroad tracks in downtown Bemidji on Friday, February 13th. At the Gully fen, a surprise find was a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on February 15th. Other interesting birds were the 14 or 15 COMMON RAVENS cruising over the fen. Donna and Leon Thoreson reported that they are now feeding almost 200 SNOW BUNTINGS in their yard near Climax in Polk County. A CEDAR WAXWING was seen in their yard last weekend and among the other birds at their feeders is a single HOARY REDPOLL. A NORTHERN SHRIKE came to hunt at their feeders this week. Many GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS and SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were reported from the area in Polk County just south of the Glacial Ridge Project along County Roads 44, 45, and 46. A considerable number of SHORT-EARED OWLS were hunting over the prairies in the same area. One prairie-chicken was found by Doug Johnson right along US Highway 2 near the sign for Rydell NWR west of Erskine. On February 15th, at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary, a DARK-EYED JUNCO, and a HOARY REDPOLL were discovered at the sanctuary feeders. Along the county road just south of the sanctuary, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was found perched in a tree. Eight GRAY PARTRIDGES were seen along that same road near the sanctuary boundary. In Crookston, the MERLIN is still harassing the pigeons at the MSU campus. A NORTHERN CARDINAL stopped at a feeder in Gentilly on February 15th.=20 Shelley Steva saw SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in Red Lake County on Wednesday, one mile east of the intersection of US highway 59 and Red Lake County 1. Beth Siverhus reported RUFFED GROUSE, PILEATED WOODPECKER, and PINE GROSBEAKS in her yard in Roseau County this week. Bob and Adele Powell observed a BALD EAGLE along Roseau County Road 2 near Highway 11 on the 15th. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH is coming to their feeder. GREAT GRAY OWLS continue to be seen in the Beltrami Island State Forest near Norris Camp. Tim Driscoll found a BARRED OWL near the fire tower in the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area on February 13th. Both of these sightings were in Lake of the Woods County. Thanks to Bob and Adele Powell, Rick Gjervold, Conny Brunell, Dave Hochhalter, Tim Driscoll, Beth Siverhus, Doug Johnson, Donna and Leon Thoreson, Marion Jacobson, and Linda Sparling for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, February 27, 2004. From Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com Fri Feb 20 15:19:45 2004 From: Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 09:19:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] My day of Falconry (long) Message-ID: <47784B75545C99469F1E590E3DD193A3899D7E@ds63mail.na.bestbuy.com> A group of 8 members of the MN Falconer's association went out for a hunting day and I tagged along. We covered the mile-square sections of McLeod, Renville, and a corner of Kandiyohi County in 5 cars, centered around Hector, MN, looking for "digs" made by Hungarian Partridge (Huns) or Ring - necked Pheasants. =20 When these birds dig to feed, black dust across the snow appears as a dark smudge in the white blanket of the winter prairie. Winds whip along in this place where trees are rare so thousands of black dirt clods in each plowed field are exposed - each a potential Hun "round-head" or a pheasant. I traveled with my friend Vic this day, yet I never saw a group of birds before him the whole day. I did manage to get him to stop for 50 or so unique dirt clods. He was gracious, saying each time,"Oh yeah, that is a tricky one".=20 This is a group of hawkers that call themselves "Long-wingers", they use only large falcons. Half the licensed falcons used to hunt game birds in the state were around me this day. =20 Standard protocol: * Drive until they spot a game bird or groups of birds pecking, digging, or sitting. =20 a. This is known as a "slip" I. A "flyable slip" if there is no cover within a quarter mile=20 ii. A "tight slip" if the cover is very near.=20 * Position vehicles between the slip and the nearest cover to try and induce the birds when they flush to move towards further cover, giving the falcons more room for pursuit if needed.=20 =20 At first light we found a pheasant digging near some weed beds, a somewhat tight slip. The falconer put his bird "up", and it soon climbed to about 600 feet. When the bird is ready, it flies in a tight pattern or hovers into the wind, pumping its wings vigorously. This is the sign of a bird primed to "Crack one off", compressing its body and dropping into a steeply pitched stoop that ends in a kill. This bird stooped, the Pheasant flushed and crash landed in the grassy field cover nearby after a narrow miss by the attacking Falcon. More pheasants were seen so we positioned ourselves to watch the next flight. A young man named Ryan flew his Gyrfalcon hybrid and got its first kill ever, hitting a Ring-neck and following it to the ground. Vic's turn next. His tiercel, Steady Eddie, a Hershey Bar colored hybrid of a Peale's Peregrine and a Dark Phase Gyr, climbed quickly and held right overhead, in perfect position. Ed cracked one off indeed, ending up sitting astride the Ring Neck about 25 feet from safe cover. It was early, so Vic pulled his bird off without a heavy feeding; hinting that he may get to fly him again that same day if all goes well. Vic referred to this practice as pinching Eddie off of the bird. The birds flown this day were hybrids of Gyrfalcon/Peregrine mix, (Falcons of choice for MN, I was told by Vic) for they stoop like a Peregrine yet have the strength and size of a Gyr. A smaller Falcon flown this day was a Barbary Falcon, an African Peregrine. The larger female Gyrs are large enough to take a Pheasant in its grasp and take it to the ground; the other birds have to strike their prey and pursue to finish them. I saw 10 stoops, resulting in 5 kills.=20 The strategy of the hunters appealed to me as much as the birds. Falconers know the behavior and biology of their prey and their own Hawks, and it is all about setting up the birds for success. Pointing dogs may be used to find birds when they are in cover. A pointer is told to hold, "Whoa" until the bird overhead is in position. Flushing the bird at the right time is critical as the bird has to be in line of sight and in position to stoop. It takes more than 7 seconds for a Falcon to drop from near 1500 feet. The time for the prey to fly to safe cover is what decides if the odds are in favor of the hunter or the hunted.=20 Vic's other bird is named Ed also, "Special Ed". It had the same training schedule as the black bird, is the same age as Steady Eddy, but had not killed wild game yet. We found a very tight slip by a farm off of blacktop and Vic decide to use his "white bird" - Special Ed is a silver phase Gyr. He tried to put the bird up but Ed flew to the snow and plopped down 20 feet away. Vic prompted the bird to fly again and he went to the top of a nearby barn. Our target was a covey of Huns in a ditch 75 feet way, out of line of sight. Vic baited up his lure with a Quail carcass and started swinging it around his head - which means dinner's on in Falconry sign language. Ed dropped low and sped towards the handout, 3 feet off of the blacktop. Vic turned, still spinning the lure and took off running to the ditch where the Huns lay. The ditch was 10 feet down to deep drifts. Vic leapt off the road into nothingness, flushing the Huns, whirling the lure like a lariat. Ed was 5 feet behind as Vic dropped out of sight and 8 partridge flushed in line of sight. One pealed right and flew low over an open field; Ed flew and hit the bird just as it disappeared into the wooded lot. We set up Vic's radio tracker and soon found Ed mantling a Hun at the base of a tree. Falconer's rig their birds with a radio transmitter so they can find them after a flight if the stray or perch out of line of sight.=20 Vic alluded that it was a "ratty kill", that when a falcon takes a bird on the ground inside cover it isn't as in the open before the cover, but I could tell he was pretty happy with Ed. We hawked until darkness fell. We saw 5 large flocks of Lapland Longspurs, the largest being over 100 birds, the males are getting their breeding plumage. Horned Larks are everywhere, but not in large flocks. Two flocks of Snow Buntings were seen, 20- 30 in each one. These guys see Snowy Owls all the time out here, but not today. They said they see them sitting in the fields most of the time, and have seen Snowies take after pheasants. I never knew they were so fast, but they assured me that Snowies can take Huns and Pheasants with ease, in chase or sitting tight to the ground. I love these hawks. I plan to pass my falconers test and get set up with a Red-tail next year. Maybe if I can stick with it, I can be a "Long-winger" in a couple of years, and will be found driving around the farm fields of rural MN, looking for flyable slips so my bird can crack one off. There are worse things that can happen, unless you are a McLeod county Pheasant. From a_molson@unidi.cbs.umn.edu Fri Feb 20 15:47:19 2004 From: a_molson@unidi.cbs.umn.edu (Ann and Manley Olson) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 09:47:19 -0600 Subject: [mou] White-throats in Mpls Message-ID: <40362C07.7020402@unidial.com> For many years there have been wintering White-throats in downtown Minneapolis,usually near the Government Center.Since I retired in 2001, I have not been there very much.Yesterday I saw 2 White-throats(there may have been more) on the South side of the center with a group of House Sparrows. Also this week saw a Robin on the St Paul campus of the U of Minn. a Coopers Hawk in Falcon Hts park,a Pileated at Roselawn Cemetary and a Mourning Dove and Red-breasted Nuthatch showed up at our feeder for the first time in a month. Great Horned Owls are hooting near the campus and near Cleveland and Roselawn in Roseville. Manley Olson From Michelle_McDowell@fws.gov Fri Feb 20 17:33:44 2004 From: Michelle_McDowell@fws.gov (Michelle_McDowell@fws.gov) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 11:33:44 -0600 Subject: [mou] Marshbird Survey Protocols/volunteer Message-ID: A few folks have been searching for a king rail survey protocol. The North American Marshbird Survey Protocol is being used by National Wildlife Refuges across the country and can be found at the following website: http://www.waterbirdconservation.org/waterbirds/NorthAmericanMarshbirdSurveyProtocolsOnlywithoutpicture2.pdf If a "King Rail Taskforce" is in the works, I suggest ensuring your data will add to current research projects and be compatible with databases that are already in use. For birders who would like to become citizen scientists I recommend contacting your nearest National Wildlife Refuge and becoming a volunteer (http://midwest.fws.gov). Other agencies/organizations that may have opportunities to turn your birding talents into data that links to management decisions and more public awareness include the National Park Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Audubon Minnesota and The Nature Conservancy to name a few. Don't be afraid to call them up and offer your talents. We all have more field work than people. If you would like to participate in the marshbird (least bittern, yellow rail, sora, Virginia rail, and American bittern) survey this summer at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge please contact me. Sincerely, Michelle McDowell Wildlife Biologist Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge McGregor, MN 218-768-2402 From zaxquaxi@yahoo.com Fri Feb 20 16:14:29 2004 From: zaxquaxi@yahoo.com (phoebe martin) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 08:14:29 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Data base of Casual and Accidental records Message-ID: <20040220161429.38880.qmail@web20503.mail.yahoo.com> >One could even go a step further with this and create a >MySQL database with PHP to create a very nice searchable >database online that everyone could easily access from >anywhere they had access to the internet. >Chris Fagyal >Senior Software Engineer >United Defense, L.P. >Fridley, MN >(763) 572-5320 >chris.fagyal@udlp.com Yeah. Maybe somthing like that Christmas Bird Count page. Gregg Swanson __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From KarlBardon@aol.com Fri Feb 20 18:03:25 2004 From: KarlBardon@aol.com (KarlBardon@aol.com) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 13:03:25 EST Subject: [mou] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Re:=20[mou]=20Accidental=3F=A0No,=20we're=20not=20?= =?ISO-8859-1?Q?kidding=20(very=20long)?= Message-ID: <148.2290e5f8.2d67a5ed@aol.com> --part1_148.2290e5f8.2d67a5ed_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en I would like to reply to Bob Russell's comments. I write as a former=20 Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee member who assisted in the author= ship of=20 the 2004 checklist, but I did not confer with my fellow MORC members, so thi= s=20 is not an official MORC response. Most of the concerns addressed by Russell and others can be found in the=20 checklist itself. The Accidental, Casual, and Regular status terms are clear= ly=20 defined on the first page of the 2004 MORC checklist; an Accidental species=20= is=20 one "for which there are Accepted records in two, one, or no years out of th= e=20 last ten years." Thus, designating a species as Accidental only refers to it= s=20 yearly occurrence in the last ten years. The idea that an Accidental species is one which is "not likely to occur=20 again" has never appeared on any official MORC checklist (1978 to 2004). Not= e that=20 Russell has apparently taken this definition from Green and Janssen (1975),=20 who define Accidental as "not likely to occur again, or only at very infrequ= ent=20 intervals" Also note that he has conveniently left out the very important=20 latter part of the definition! Janssen (1987), which is an update of Green a= nd=20 Janssen (1975), defines Accidental the same way MORC does, without the langu= age=20 used by Green and Janssen (1975). In summary, Russell has complained about t= he=20 status of King Rail becoming Accidental based on an out of date and=20 incomplete definition! Either way, I think that Accidental clearly defines the current status of=20 King Rail in Minnesota=E2=80=94a species which has not been seen since 1992=20= and is likely=20 to occur again only at very infrequent intervals. When MORC completed the=20 1999 checklist, King Rail had been seen in only three of the last ten years,= but=20 we erred on the side of positivity, and defined this species as Casual. The=20 last nesting attempt was in 1983 and the last positive breeding was in 1976.= =20 This species has not been Regular since the 1978 edition of our checklist, s= o a=20 move to Accidental is not at all unexpected or surprising. What alternative=20 status does Russell suggest for King Rail? Casual? Regular? Extirpated? Exti= nct?=20 These are the only choices. Russell acts surprised that King Rail has changed status in the last 20 or 3= 0=20 years, but think of all the species which have changed significantly in that= =20 amount of time (on the 1978 checklist, House Finch was considered=20 Hypothetical, Baird's Sparrow was Regular but is now Accidental, and Lesser=20= Black-backed=20 Gull did not even occur on the checklist even thought it is now Regular). Russell claims King Rails may breed in South Dakota, but the current status=20 of this species in South Dakota is Accidental (!), with only two breeding=20 records, the last in 1974 (Tallman, Swanson and Palmer, 2002). Although Russ= ell=20 also claims King Rails breed in Iowa and Wisconsin, a quick internet check s= howed=20 this species to be both Endangered and Casual in Iowa, and to be rare in=20 Wisconsin with Special Concern or "imperiled" breeding status (the current=20 Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas does not show any confirmed breeding reports).= Thus, he=20 has painted a picture of King Rails breeding all around Minnesota based on=20 faulty information. Note that the new Minnesota checklist contains annotations for each species.= =20 These were drafted specifically for the purpose of avoiding the type of=20 confusion that has resulted concerning the status of King Rail. The annotati= on for=20 King Rail clearly states: "Former summer resident. Last recorded in 1992. St= ate=20 designation: Endangered." Other species that Russell may consider Acccidenta= l=20 by his own definition (not MORC's), such as Fieldfare, are annotated with th= e=20 single record. How does defining King Rail as Accidental in Minnesota make i= t=20 similar to a species such as South Polar Skua in North Dakota? Who suggested= =20 all species considered to be Accidental were similar? Are all Regular specie= s=20 similar? Since both House Sparrow and Lesser Black-backed Gull are Regular,=20 does this mean their occurrence in the state is similar? Definitely not! Birding coverage of Minnesota is far more extensive than it was 20 or 30=20 years ago, which makes the disappearance of King Rail all the more perplexin= g. I=20 really doubt that observers in Minnesota are substantially different from th= e=20 observers in neighboring states that report breeding King Rails. There HA= VE=20 been surveys in Minnesota within the last ten years that have searched for=20 King Rails by canoe and by foot (such as the DNR's Minnesota County Biologic= al=20 Survey, which I participated in). Hundreds of observers report other species= of=20 rails from throughout the state, why not King Rails? It would be great if=20 extensive surveys of marshes in Minnesota turned up a King Rail or two, but=20= it is=20 quite clear that this species does not occur in numbers anything close to wh= at=20 it did formerly. As with his concerns about King Rail, Russell uses illogical reasoning to=20 suggest that Gyrfalcon should in fact be Regular in Minnesota. Gyrfalcon was= =20 considered Casual on an official Minnesota checklist as recently as 1993, an= d it=20 has always maintained a barely Regular status (average of only 3.4 records p= er=20 year in the last 40 years). Gyrfalcon was voted Casual by MORC for the 2004=20 checklist because there were no reports in 1995 and 1999. How do the 20 records in Illinois in the last 35 years support Regular statu= s? =E2=80=94this is evidence for Gyrs in a maximum of only 57% of all years, bu= t records=20 in at least 80% of all years is required for Regular status! Why would a=20 hawkwatch at Grand Portage net more Gyrfalcons than at Hawk Ridge? How does the regular occurrence of Gyrs in South Dakota translate into=20 Minnesota observers missing this species? Note that the area where Gyrfalcon= s are=20 seen most often in South Dakota is west of the Missouri River, 150 miles fro= m=20 Minnesota. This area is substantially different from any part of Minnesota i= n=20 many respects: vegetationally, climatically, ornithologically. As a birder w= ho=20 used to explore South Dakota, Russell knows this. Hundreds of species change= =20 significantly in status in a range of 150 miles: west of the Missouri River,= =20 species such as Lark Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock's Oriole, Long-billed=20 Curlew, Burrowing Owl, etc. all breed regularly, but all of which have less=20= than=20 Regular status in Minnesota. Is Russell suggesting all these species be=20 considered Regular in Minnesota because they occur regularly within 150 mile= s? Russell asks: "Who checks the chicken flocks regularly in western MN?" Many=20 observers bird in western Minnesota and report hundreds of Greater=20 Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse each season, including this past wi= nter when many=20 observers have noted Short-eared Owls and other raptors in the same areas as= =20 all those "chickens." Many regular seasonal report contributors live in=20 western areas such as Fergus Falls, Fargo-Moorhead, East Grand Forks, Crooks= ton, and=20 Thief River Falls=E2=80=94and these observers regularly report "chickens" an= d raptors=20 (such as Prairie Falcons). I am a disbeliever in the theory that Gyrfalcons are Regular in northwestern= =20 Minnesota. I have made at least one trip to northwestern Minnesota every=20 winter since 1992, specifically looking for Gyrfalcons (I haven't seen a Gyr= there=20 since 1994), and I know Peder Svingen birds in that part of the state even=20 more often that I do. Finally, Russell's suggestion that we are missing=20 Gyrfalcons in northwestern Minnesota where there are relatively few observer= s is=20 contradicted by his evidence that Gyrs occur regularly in South Dakota, and=20= that=20 Illinois has 20 records in the last 35 years; by this logic, Gyrs should be=20 capable of occurring anywhere in the state, not just northwestern Minnesota! In my opinion, Russell has insulted the entire birding population of=20 Minnesota (especially BBS surveyors) by suggesting we are not finding the bi= rds that=20 HE thinks are out there, and he has insulted the birders in neighboring stat= es=20 by mis-representing the status of King Rails outside our borders. Lastly, ev= en=20 if King Rails and Gyrfalcons are occurring in Minnesota more often than MOU=20 records indicate, how is this a fault of MORC? We have simply defined each=20 species based on the data that was available. Is Russell suggesting we give=20= these=20 species a status which is based on something other than the available data? Karl Bardon Literature cited Green, Janet C. and Robert B. Janssen 1975. Minnesota Birds: Where, When, an= d=20 How Many. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. Janssen, Robert B. 1987. Birds in Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press,=20 Minneapolis. Tallman, Dan A., David=C2=A0 L. Swanson and Jeffrey S. Palmer. 2002. The Bir= ds of=20 South Dakota, Third Edition. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen. In a message dated 2/18/04 12:18:52 AM, Wildchough@aol.com writes: > I think this Minnesota rarities committee has been locked up in a=20 > Koochiching cabin way too long this winter.=C2=A0 Let the suns shine in me= n and women!! To=20 > call a King Rail "accidental" is to treat records of this species like som= e=20 > of the truly accidental records that dot the annals of the birding world,=20 > great records like a Slender-billed Curlew in New York or a Skua in North=20= Dakota=20 > or a Manx Shearwater on a lawn in Michigan.=C2=A0 Accidental means not lik= ely to=20 > occur again, an "accident" of nature.=C2=A0 The great Ontario birder Alan=20 > Wormington says there is no such thing as "accidental."=C2=A0 History will= repeat itself=20 > eventually.=C2=A0 A record of King Rail in Minnesota which breeds in Wisco= nsin,=20 > breeds in Iowa, may breed in South Dakota and definitely breeds in Nebrask= a is=20 > hardly an "accident."=C2=A0 For crying outloud like a nocturnal petrel, th= is is a=20 > rail folks!=C2=A0 Rails can populate the most remote islands in the far re= aches of=20 > the world's oceans so for a King Rail to appear again in Minnesota is hard= ly=20 > accidental.=C2=A0 How does a bird go from breeding in the state within the= past 2=20 > or 3 decades to accidental?=C2=A0 Did it suddenly change its nature?=C2= =A0 So it's=20 > gotten rarer but the continued possibilities of future records is relative= ly=20 > high.=C2=A0 And then there's the detectability issue.=C2=A0 How many birde= rs in this state=20 > ever get out of their SUVs and walk more than 200 yards from the car?=C2= =A0 How=20 > many boat, canoe, kayak records have birders turned in recently? Almost no= ne.=C2=A0=20 > Does anyone go out and walk through marshes, as any thorough check of the=20= big=20 > Mississippi marsh south of LaCrescent been made by boat recently?=C2=A0 Ha= ve the=20 > marshes of Lac qui Parle been checked other than a brief drive down the ro= ads=20 > that lead through the refuge.=C2=A0 Have tapes been played regularly in th= e early=20 > morning and evening?=C2=A0 Is the aged BBS birding population even capable= of=20 > hearing a distant "bup, bup?"=C2=A0 And there's the gyr demoted to casual.= =C2=A0 Let's see=20 > 20 records in Illinois in the past 35 years.=C2=A0 Did all these birds jus= t fly=20 > around Minnesota.=C2=A0 How many folks sit at Grand Portage for 2 months d= oing a=20 > real hawklookout, who birds Koochiching and Kittson and Lake of the Woods=20= on a=20 > regular basis?=C2=A0 Who checks the chicken flocks regularly in western MN= ?=C2=A0 South=20 > Dakota gets multiple gyrs every year and most of these records are 200 mil= es=20 > south of Minnesota's Canadian border.=C2=A0 Certainly there are gyrs in Mi= nnesota=20 > every year.=C2=A0 What good does it do the list to periodically downgrade=20= a=20 > species every decade or so and then put it back on the regular list when a= series=20 > of records demands it?=C2=A0 Why not calm down, admit that species like=20 > Red-throated Loons, jaegers, gyrs, and many other boreal/arctic species ar= e cyclic and=20 > go with the flow rather than trying to pigeonhole these birds which still=20= are=20 > "regular" over a period of, say 50-60 years or more.=C2=A0 Not every invas= ion=20 > occurs every 2 years or even every 10 years in boreal ecosystems.=C2=A0 We= have much=20 > to learn of northern invasions and it makes no sense to change their statu= s=20 > just to make work for the records committee although it does keep this rec= ords=20 > committee out of the woods and out of our hair for extended periods and I=20 > guess that's good.=C2=A0 I feel better now.=C2=A0 We'll make Bobwhite comm= ents later!=C2=A0 Bob=20 > Russell, Dakota County, proud home to at least 2 records committee members= . --part1_148.2290e5f8.2d67a5ed_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en I would like to reply to Bob Russell's= comments. I write as a former Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee me= mber who assisted in the authorship of the 2004 checklist, but I did not con= fer with my fellow MORC members, so this is not an official MORC response.
Most of the concerns addressed by Russell and others can be found in the che= cklist itself. The Accidental, Casual, and Regular status terms are clearly=20= defined on the first page of the 2004 MORC checklist; an Accidental species=20= is one "for which there are Accepted records in two, one, or no years out of= the last ten years." Thus, designating a species as Accidental only refers=20= to its yearly occurrence in the last ten years.

The idea that an Accidental species is one which is "not likely to occur aga= in" has never appeared on any official MORC checklist (1978 to 2004). Note t= hat Russell has apparently taken this definition from Green and Janssen (197= 5), who define Accidental as "not likely to occur again, or only at very inf= requent intervals" Also note that he has conveniently left out the very impo= rtant latter part of the definition! Janssen (1987), which is an update of G= reen and Janssen (1975), defines Accidental the same way MORC does, without=20= the language used by Green and Janssen (1975). In summary, Russell has compl= ained about the status of King Rail becoming Accidental based on an out of d= ate and incomplete definition!

Either way, I think that Accidental clearly defines the current status of Ki= ng Rail in Minnesota=E2=80=94a species which has not been seen since 1992 an= d is likely to occur again only at very infrequent intervals. When MORC comp= leted the 1999 checklist, King Rail had been seen in only three of the last=20= ten years, but we erred on the side of positivity, and defined this species=20= as Casual. The last nesting attempt was in 1983 and the last positive breedi= ng was in 1976. This species has not been Regular since the 1978 edition of=20= our checklist, so a move to Accidental is not at all unexpected or surprisin= g. What alternative status does Russell suggest for King Rail? Casual? Regul= ar? Extirpated? Extinct? These are the only choices.

Russell acts surprised that King Rail has changed status in the last 20 or 3= 0 years, but think of all the species which have changed significantly in th= at amount of time (on the 1978 checklist, House Finch was considered Hypothe= tical, Baird's Sparrow was Regular but is now Accidental, and Lesser Black-b= acked Gull did not even occur on the checklist even thought it is now Regula= r).

Russell claims King Rails may breed in South Dakota, but the current status=20= of this species in South Dakota is Accidental (!), with only two breeding re= cords, the last in 1974 (Tallman, Swanson and Palmer, 2002). Although Russel= l also claims King Rails breed in Iowa and Wisconsin, a quick internet check= showed this species to be both Endangered and Casual in Iowa, and to be rar= e in Wisconsin with Special Concern or "imperiled" breeding status (the curr= ent Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas does not show any confirmed breeding repor= ts). Thus, he has painted a picture of King Rails breeding all around Minnes= ota based on faulty information.

Note that the new Minnesota checklist contains annotations for each species.= These were drafted specifically for the purpose of avoiding the type of con= fusion that has resulted concerning the status of King Rail. The annotation=20= for King Rail clearly states: "Former summer resident. Last recorded in 1992= . State designation: Endangered." Other species that Russell may consider Ac= ccidental by his own definition (not MORC's), such as Fieldfare, are annotat= ed with the single record. How does defining King Rail as Accidental in Minn= esota make it similar to a species such as South Polar Skua in North Dakota?= Who suggested all species considered to be Accidental were similar? Are all= Regular species similar? Since both House Sparrow and Lesser Black-backed G= ull are Regular, does this mean their occurrence in the state is similar? De= finitely not!

Birding coverage of Minnesota is far more extensive than it was 20 or 30 yea= rs ago, which makes the disappearance of King Rail all the more perplexing.=20= I really doubt that observers in Minnesota are substantially different from=20= the observers in neighboring states that report breeding King Rails. There&n= bsp;  HAVE been surveys in Minnesota within the last ten years that ha= ve searched for King Rails by canoe and by foot (such as the DNR's Minnesota= County Biological Survey, which I participated in). Hundreds of observers r= eport other species of rails from throughout the state, why not King Rails?=20= It would be great if extensive surveys of marshes in Minnesota turned up a K= ing Rail or two, but it is quite clear that this species does not occur in n= umbers anything close to what it did formerly.

As with his concerns about King Rail, Russell uses illogical reasoning to su= ggest that Gyrfalcon should in fact be Regular in Minnesota. Gyrfalcon was c= onsidered Casual on an official Minnesota checklist as recently as 1993, and= it has always maintained a barely Regular status (average of only 3.4 recor= ds per year in the last 40 years). Gyrfalcon was voted Casual by MORC for th= e 2004 checklist because there were no reports in 1995 and 1999.

How do the 20 records in Illinois in the last 35 years support Regular statu= s?=E2=80=94this is evidence for Gyrs in a maximum of only 57% of all years,=20= but records in at least 80% of all years is required for Regular status! Why= would a hawkwatch at Grand Portage net more Gyrfalcons than at Hawk Ridge?<= BR>
How does the regular occurrence of Gyrs in South Dakota translate into Minne= sota observers missing this species? Note that the area where Gyrfalcons are= seen most often in South Dakota is west of the Missouri River, 150 miles fr= om Minnesota. This area is substantially different from any part of Minnesot= a in many respects: vegetationally, climatically, ornithologically. As a bir= der who used to explore South Dakota, Russell knows this. Hundreds of specie= s change significantly in status in a range of 150 miles: west of the Missou= ri River, species such as Lark Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock's Oriole, Lo= ng-billed Curlew, Burrowing Owl, etc. all breed regularly, but all of which=20= have less than Regular status in Minnesota. Is Russell suggesting all these=20= species be considered Regular in Minnesota because they occur regularly with= in 150 miles?

Russell asks: "Who checks the chicken flocks regularly in western MN?" Many=20= observers bird in western Minnesota and report hundreds of Greater Prairie-C= hickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse each season, including this past winter when= many observers have noted Short-eared Owls and other raptors in the same ar= eas as all those "chickens." Many regular seasonal report contributors live=20= in western areas such as Fergus Falls, Fargo-Moorhead, East Grand Forks, Cro= okston, and Thief River Falls=E2=80=94and these observers regularly report "= chickens" and raptors (such as Prairie Falcons).

I am a disbeliever in the theory that Gyrfalcons are Regular in northwestern= Minnesota. I have made at least one trip to northwestern Minnesota every wi= nter since 1992, specifically looking for Gyrfalcons (I haven't seen a Gyr t= here since 1994), and I know Peder Svingen birds in that part of the state e= ven more often that I do. Finally, Russell's suggestion that we are missing=20= Gyrfalcons in northwestern Minnesota where there are relatively few observer= s is contradicted by his evidence that Gyrs occur regularly in South Dakota,= and that Illinois has 20 records in the last 35 years; by this logic, Gyrs=20= should be capable of occurring anywhere in the state, not just northwestern=20= Minnesota!

In my opinion, Russell has insulted the entire birding population of Minneso= ta (especially BBS surveyors) by suggesting we are not finding the birds tha= t HE thinks are out there, and he has insulted the birders in neighboring st= ates by mis-representing the status of King Rails outside our borders. Lastl= y, even if King Rails and Gyrfalcons are occurring in Minnesota more often t= han MOU records indicate, how is this a fault of MORC? We have simply define= d each species based on the data that was available. Is Russell suggesting w= e give these species a status which is based on something other than the ava= ilable data?

Karl Bardon

Literature cited

Green, Janet C. and Robert B. Janssen 1975. Minnesota Birds: Where, When, an= d How Many. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.

Janssen, Robert B. 1987. Birds in Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press,=20= Minneapolis.

Tallman, Dan A., David=C2=A0 L. Swanson and Jeffrey S. Palmer. 2002. The Bir= ds of South Dakota, Third Edition. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen.<= /FONT>

In a message dated 2/18/04 12:18:52 AM, Wildchough@aol.com writes:


I think this Minnesota= rarities committee has been locked up in a Koochiching cabin way too long t= his winter.=C2=A0 Let the suns shine in men and women!! To call a King Rail=20= "accidental" is to treat records of this species like some of the truly acci= dental records that dot the annals of the birding world, great records like=20= a Slender-billed Curlew in New York or a Skua in North Dakota or a Manx Shea= rwater on a lawn in Michigan.=C2=A0 Accidental means not likely to occur aga= in, an "accident" of nature.=C2=A0 The great Ontario birder Alan Wormington=20= says there is no such thing as "accidental."=C2=A0 History will repeat itsel= f eventually.=C2=A0 A record of King Rail in Minnesota which breeds in Wisco= nsin, breeds in Iowa, may breed in South Dakota and definitely breeds in Neb= raska is hardly an "accident."=C2=A0 For crying outloud like a nocturnal pet= rel, this is a rail folks!=C2=A0 Rails can populate the most remote islands=20= in the far reaches of the world's oceans so for a King Rail to appear again=20= in Minnesota is hardly accidental.=C2=A0 How does a bird go from breeding in= the state within the past 2 or 3 decades to accidental?=C2=A0 Did it sudden= ly change its nature?=C2=A0 So it's gotten rarer but the continued possibili= ties of future records is relatively high.=C2=A0 And then there's the detect= ability issue.=C2=A0 How many birders in this state ever get out of their SU= Vs and walk more than 200 yards from the car?=C2=A0 How many boat, canoe, ka= yak records have birders turned in recently? Almost none.=C2=A0 Does anyone=20= go out and walk through marshes, as any thorough check of the big Mississipp= i marsh south of LaCrescent been made by boat recently?=C2=A0 Have the marsh= es of Lac qui Parle been checked other than a brief drive down the roads tha= t lead through the refuge.=C2=A0 Have tapes been played regularly in the ear= ly morning and evening?=C2=A0 Is the aged BBS birding population even capabl= e of hearing a distant "bup, bup?"=C2=A0 And there's the gyr demoted to casu= al.=C2=A0 Let's see 20 records in Illinois in the past 35 years.=C2=A0 Did a= ll these birds just fly around Minnesota.=C2=A0 How many folks sit at Grand=20= Portage for 2 months doing a real hawklookout, who birds Koochiching and Kit= tson and Lake of the Woods on a regular basis?=C2=A0 Who checks the chicken=20= flocks regularly in western MN?=C2=A0 South Dakota gets multiple gyrs every=20= year and most of these records are 200 miles south of Minnesota's Canadian b= order.=C2=A0 Certainly there are gyrs in Minnesota every year.=C2=A0 What go= od does it do the list to periodically downgrade a species every decade or s= o and then put it back on the regular list when a series of records demands=20= it?=C2=A0 Why not calm down, admit that species like Red-throated Loons, jae= gers, gyrs, and many other boreal/arctic species are cyclic and go with the=20= flow rather than trying to pigeonhole these birds which still are "regular"=20= over a period of, say 50-60 years or more.=C2=A0 Not every invasion occurs e= very 2 years or even every 10 years in boreal ecosystems.=C2=A0 We have much= to learn of northern invasions and it makes no sense to change their status= just to make work for the records committee although it does keep this reco= rds committee out of the woods and out of our hair for extended periods and=20= I guess that's good.=C2=A0 I feel better now.=C2=A0 We'll make Bobwhite comm= ents later!=C2=A0 Bob Russell, Dakota County, proud home to at least 2 recor= ds committee members.
--part1_148.2290e5f8.2d67a5ed_boundary-- From lauraerickson@abac.com Fri Feb 20 19:02:36 2004 From: lauraerickson@abac.com (Laura Erickson) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 13:02:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] =?iso-8859-1?Q?Re:_[mou]_Re:_[mou]_Accidental=3F=A0No,_we're?= not kidding (very long) In-Reply-To: <148.2290e5f8.2d67a5ed@aol.com> Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20040220124807.0200e868@mail1.abac.com> --=====================_21789031==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The change in definition for "accidental" status of birds in Minnesota between Green & Janssen's original book and Janssen's updated book is in keeping with the change of focus from MOU as a legitimate ornithological society to a birding club. Defining accidental by how many of the past years a species has been reported by a birder is indeed useful to birders in predicting the likelihood of adding a particular species to their lists, but is not a useful classification ornithologically. Perhaps it is difficult to come to a consensus about the proper status designations for Minnesota birds, but Bob's points deserve more consideration than Karl's sarcastic response. For MOU to live up to its name, a majority of the people on MOURC should be ornithologists. If MOU is indeed changing direction from an ornithological union to a birding club, that change should be reflected in the name of the organization. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson --=====================_21789031==.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" The change in definition for "accidental" status of birds in Minnesota between Green & Janssen's original book and Janssen's updated book is in keeping with the change of focus from MOU as a legitimate ornithological society to a birding club.  Defining accidental by how many of the past years a species has been reported by a birder is indeed useful to birders in predicting the likelihood of adding a particular species to their lists, but is not a useful classification ornithologically.   Perhaps it is difficult to come to a consensus about the proper status designations for Minnesota birds, but Bob's points deserve more consideration than Karl's sarcastic response. 

For MOU to live up to its name, a majority of the people on MOURC should be ornithologists.  If MOU is indeed changing direction from an ornithological union to a birding club, that change should be reflected in the name of the organization.

Laura Erickson
Duluth, MN

Producer, "For the Birds" radio program
<http://www.lauraerickson.com/>

There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds.  There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

                                --Rachel Carson

--=====================_21789031==.ALT-- From larson@redwing.net Fri Feb 20 20:36:38 2004 From: larson@redwing.net (Kelly Larson) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 14:36:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Comments Message-ID: <40366FD7.78FDDCC8@redwing.net> Perhaps we may have to consider down grading the status of MOU from scientific organization to hard core hobbyists. It's a shame, MOU should be able to support both. Each group has so much to offer the other. With a little mutual support and positive input, these two groups could be working together for better birding, greater knowledge, and conservation measures that keep pace with growing need. Kelly Larson Eagle Spot Festival Great River Birding Festival Great Minnesota Morel Festival -- Visit Our Website http://www.thefeatheredfriend.com The 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival Is Coming... Hosted by Wabasha, MN on May 14-15-16 2004. http://www.mississippi-river.org/birding/ From lisa.gelvin-innvaer@dnr.state.mn.us Fri Feb 20 21:45:35 2004 From: lisa.gelvin-innvaer@dnr.state.mn.us (Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 15:45:35 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Comments Message-ID: re: "down grading the status of MOU from scientific organization to hard core hobbyists" Before we move down that path, I hope that MOU members will consider remaining "big tent" wherein different areas of focus are welcome. It doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Bringing diverse groups together is challenging but with commitment, in the end you get something really great. I also encourage folks to consider that it may not be enough just to love birds--that we need to care for them and their habitats too if we want the objects of our birding passion to thrive for us and future generations to enjoy. There are so many pressures on birds and bird habitats. There is so much that we still don't know. Although there are agencies and private organizations trying to address conservation and data needs, their efforts alone simply are not sufficient. The help of MOU and its members is needed and wanted. There are many ways opportunities for this. Not everyone in MOU would need to participate, but hopefully it is a component of MOU that will remain and grow. Lastly, important messages are sent by our actions or inactions. As a friend once said, "If it's not important enough for us to do something about it, then maybe it's just not that important." Is that the message that folks want to send? Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer Courtland, MN >>> Kelly Larson 2/20/2004 2:36:38 PM >>> Perhaps we may have to consider down grading the status of MOU from scientific organization to hard core hobbyists. It's a shame, MOU should be able to support both. Each group has so much to offer the other. With a little mutual support and positive input, these two groups could be working together for better birding, greater knowledge, and conservation measures that keep pace with growing need. Kelly Larson Eagle Spot Festival Great River Birding Festival Great Minnesota Morel Festival -- Visit Our Website http://www.thefeatheredfriend.com The 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival Is Coming... Hosted by Wabasha, MN on May 14-15-16 2004. http://www.mississippi-river.org/birding/ _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From cgreiner@millcomm.com Fri Feb 20 23:04:06 2004 From: cgreiner@millcomm.com (Carl Greiner) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:04:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Comments - Long Message-ID: <002101c3f805$da6ce380$7dd1b241@mshome.net> Hi folks, I am sure none of you know me because I am generally as secretive as a King Rail in Minnesota. As I was sitting here enjoying the snow falling outside my window and reading the wonderful discourse on the latest MOU checklist I became a little opinionated on 3 of the articles. The first seemed rather angry that this discussion was being debated on this group and why can't everyone be happy and watch birds. A valid wish but also falls into that dreaded word "censorship". I for one am learning a great deal about the MOU and its members, gyrfalcon distribution, king rail distribution, and human discourse. Clearly these messages are on topic for the group thus I would prefer the author uses their right to press the delete key if the topic is not of interest rather than persuading others not to post. The second and third articles that I took umbrage to are pasted below. I am puzzled by the degree of emotions that have arisen over a disagreement on how the MORC determines the status of birds in the state. It seems to me by looking at the checklist that the criteria is logical, fair, and as objective as is possible in such a endeavor. They clearly list their criteria and definitions. So why the angst? If the authors are that upset about the status of the King Rail, go out and find some, document them correctly, share the information, and present it to the MORC according to their criteria. If they then reject your presentation I may join you in your revolution. As to the phrases "down grading the status of MOU from scientific organization to hard core hobbyists" and "change of focus from MOU as a legitimate ornithological society to a birding club" , I find it necessary to inform the authors that there is no organization grading society that lists organizations as legitimate, ornithological, scientific, or birding clubs. A organization is defined by its members. If your organization (or its members) participates in using systematic methods to gain knowledge on a subject (preferably through experimentation) resulting in a peer-reviewed publications than you can certainly claim your organization is a scientific organization. If your organization is a scientific organization where the subject is birds than your organization is ornithological organization. If your organization contains among its membership people who practice the hobby of birding and the organization supports that hobby then your organization is a birder's club. I think the MOU is all of the above. Legitimacy on the other had is earned through the activities of the members and the leadership of the organization and is to a certain extent also up to those that are judging the organization. Within it's own membership ranks is the only place I have observed the MOU's legitimacy being questioned. I have in my life been a member of many scientific organizations other than the MOU (american association of blood banks, american society of microbiologists, international society for cellular therapy, american society of medical technologists, the wildlife society, american association for the advancement of science, SigmaXi, etc...). Ornithology is unique in that the amateurs are so advanced as to often approach if not surpass the professionals in their knowledge of the subject. To the credit of the professional (e.g. paid & published) ornithologists in the country they have recognized this fact and have untilized amateurs to conduct "citizen science" that benefits both groups and the birds. So before you change the charter, retitle the organization, and throughly divide the membership, at least have an argument. -How does the Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, California, etc... ornithologist's unions make their record determinations (e.g. whats their criteria)? -Can you provide objective evidence that the King Rail, Bobwhite, Gyrfalcon, etc... are incorrectly classified? -What objective criteria would you use? -Plan a study and apply for MOU funds - another scientific organizaition endeavor -How does the shift in observations in Minnesota compare to the data for other states, nationally, internationally? -What is the data show from BBS? -What is the status by Audobon, Nature Conservancy, ABA, surrounding states, USFWS, etc... Yet I ramble, saw a Meadowlark spp. in Dodge County yesterday. Carl Greiner Chatfield, MN P.S. I enjoyed Mr. Bardon's message. I did not see it as sarcastic, rather he provided data supported arguments with citations to refute Mr. Russell's criticisms. Perhaps we may have to consider down grading the status of MOU from scientific organization to hard core hobbyists. It's a shame, MOU should be able to support both. Each group has so much to offer the other. With a little mutual support and positive input, these two groups could be working together for better birding, greater knowledge, and conservation measures that keep pace with growing need. Kelly Larson The change in definition for "accidental" status of birds in Minnesota between Green & Janssen's original book and Janssen's updated book is in keeping with the change of focus from MOU as a legitimate ornithological society to a birding club. Defining accidental by how many of the past years a species has been reported by a birder is indeed useful to birders in predicting the likelihood of adding a particular species to their lists, but is not a useful classification ornithologically. Perhaps it is difficult to come to a consensus about the proper status designations for Minnesota birds, but Bob's points deserve more consideration than Karl's sarcastic response. For MOU to live up to its name, a majority of the people on MOURC should be ornithologists. If MOU is indeed changing direction from an ornithological union to a birding club, that change should be reflected in the name of the organization. Laura Erickson From RHoyme@msn.com Fri Feb 20 23:08:36 2004 From: RHoyme@msn.com (Richard Hoyme) Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:08:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0783_01C3F7D4.2D86EB10 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ornithology is rather unique in the science world in it's use of = amateurs. I'm an engineer and we would never consider letting a bunch of = un-trained or at least under-trained amateurs design an electronics box. = But as someone in a previous post said, there are not enough = professionals doing field work, so they make due with the inputs from = the hobby community.=20 This also goes to a criticism that I have heard many times of MOURC, = mainly rejected submissions. I think that many of the rejections are not = because the submitter didn't see the bird, but rather didn't write it up = well enough. Just look at the minutes from the MOURC meetings. Many = rejections are for poor write-ups. I believe that there are a lot of us = birders that really don't know what to put on the form. What should we = look for when viewing a casual or accidental?=20 I think that there is a lack of training out there and I include myself = here. I think it would benefit the hobby and science if there were some = kind of training made available. First, a written tutorial would be = helpful. Maybe it could be made available on the MOU web page. Second = some kind of seminar that would possibly use slides to look at some of = the species that need documentation. Go through want to look for. What = are "under-tail coverts"? How do you locate primaries, secondaries, etc. = Include other topics about external bird anatomy. And finally how to = write it up in a way that is acceptable to MOURC.=20 If science and hobby are to coexist and the data is commingled, then = science needs to train hobby.=20 Unfortunately this is a big project that needs people that are both = knowledgeable and can teach. Maybe this idea could be discussed at what = ever committee is appropriate. We can either sit at our computers and have a flame war (which has = destroyed other list servers) or we can try to make things better. = Anyone else have some ideas on how to make things better? Rick Hoyme ------=_NextPart_000_0783_01C3F7D4.2D86EB10 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Ornithology is rather unique in the science world in it's use of = amateurs.=20 I'm an engineer and we would never consider letting a bunch of = un-trained or at=20 least under-trained amateurs design an electronics box. But as someone = in a=20 previous post said, there are not enough professionals doing field work, = so they=20 make due with the inputs from the hobby community.
 
This also goes to a criticism that I have heard many times of = MOURC, mainly=20 rejected submissions. I think that many of the rejections are not = because the=20 submitter didn't see the bird, but rather didn't write it up well = enough. Just=20 look at the minutes from the MOURC meetings. Many rejections are for = poor=20 write-ups. I believe that there are a lot of us birders that really = don't know=20 what to put on the form. What should we look for when viewing a casual = or=20 accidental?
 
I think that there is a lack of training out there and I include = myself=20 here. I think it would benefit the hobby and science if there = were some=20 kind of training made available. First, a written tutorial would be = helpful.=20 Maybe it could be made available on the MOU web page. Second some kind = of=20 seminar that would possibly use slides to look at some of the species = that need=20 documentation. Go through want to look for. What = are "under-tail=20 coverts"? How do you locate primaries, secondaries, etc. Include = other=20 topics about external bird anatomy. And finally how to write it up = in a way=20 that is acceptable to MOURC.
 
If science and hobby are to coexist and the data is commingled, = then=20 science needs to train hobby.
 
Unfortunately this is a big project that needs people that are both = knowledgeable and can teach. Maybe this idea could be discussed at what = ever=20 committee is appropriate.
 
We can either sit at our computers and have a flame war (which has=20 destroyed other list servers) or we can try to make things better. = Anyone else=20 have some ideas on how to make things better?
 
Rick Hoyme
 
------=_NextPart_000_0783_01C3F7D4.2D86EB10-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Sat Feb 21 16:02:39 2004 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 08:02:39 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Records Committee at December Meeting Message-ID: <20040221160239.64297.qmail@web13422.mail.yahoo.com> Please everyone, let's have the entire Records Committee if possible at the December Meeting around a table on stage discussing a fictitious report. For 30 minutes. Actual questions could be raised about how the report was written. The MOU audience could participate. MOU president could preside. Let's have at least one civil discussion of Records Committee criteria and language. Let's actually see the Committee, put faces and speech to names. There is no end to disagreement, but we can be public and democratic about how MOU operates. Look at the range of posts to both MOU-net & MNBird. We need to attempt at least to appeal to both the scientists and the beginning birdwatchers. (I find the scientist/birdwatcher split oversimplified.) Reasonable discourse at a public meeting beats hostile exchanges on the net. "Everyone take a deep breath." Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wisconsin __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From psvingen@d.umn.edu Sat Feb 21 21:14:58 2004 From: psvingen@d.umn.edu (Peder Svingen) Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 15:14:58 -0600 (CST) Subject: [mou] Documentation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Rick Hoyme has posted constructive commentary on the need for guidelines on "the fine art of documentation" (borrowing a phrase from Ann Johnson, who's article by the same name was reprinted in The Loon 61:163_165). Guidelines for documentation are one of several initiatives that will be considered by the MOU records committee (MOURC) during my tenure as Chair, which started three weeks ago. The database of Casual/Accidental species prepared by Karl Bardon (a project involving many hundreds of hours of work over a period of six years) is still being proofed and updated. Karl distributed a "beta version" of this database to MOURC so that accurate information was available when the committee determined species status, and annotated the checklist for the first time. I was not a member of the committee when the current checklist was developed, and can only guess at the many hours of labor contributed by the volunteer members of MOURC, but IMHO the annotations, layout, and wealth of information contained in this checklist are most impressive! Kudos all around! Another MOURC initiative is an extensive bibliography of identification articles, which will be posted to the MOU website after the committee has had a chance to review and comment on the document. The committee will also be tasked to develop guidelines for documentation. In the meantime, and in response to Rick's request for information on how to document a rare bird, I would like to suggest the following resources: Dittmann, D. L., and G. W. Lasley. 1992. How to document rare birds. Birding 24:145_159. Available online at or via the LOS website at Lynch, M. 1995. The importance of documenting birds. Bird Observer 23(5). Available online at Helpful hints on documentation from the Oklahoma Bird Records Committee can be found online at The Maryland Bird Records Committee has dedicated a page to the late Claudia Wilds as a tribute to her identification and documentation skills at Mark Patterson has posted a step-by-step primer on writing convincing details at Wilds, C, and R. Hilton. 1992. Emerging from the silent majority: documenting rarities. Maryland Birdlife 48:30_35. Available online at -- Peder H. Svingen - psvingen@d.umn.edu - Duluth, MN On Fri, 20 Feb 2004, Richard Hoyme wrote: > > This also goes to a criticism that I have heard many times of MOURC, > mainly rejected submissions. I think that many of the rejections are not > because the submitter didn't see the bird, but rather didn't write it up > well enough. Just look at the minutes from the MOURC meetings. Many > rejections are for poor write-ups. I believe that there are a lot of us > birders that really don't know what to put on the form. What should we > look for when viewing a casual or accidental? > From shconrad@2z.net Sun Feb 22 01:53:19 2004 From: shconrad@2z.net (shconrad@2z.net) Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 19:53:19 -0600 Subject: [mou] Brown Thrasher Itasca County Message-ID: <1077414799.40380b8fa20a5@webmail.2z.net> Saw a Brown Thrasher sitting in a clump of spruce near a feeder in the northeast corner of Grand Rapids this morning. Shawn Conrad ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent from Znet Telecom webmail Znet Telecom http://www.2z.net From dbmartin@skypoint.com Sun Feb 22 04:31:06 2004 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 22:31:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] Winter/Spring? Message-ID: <00b801c3f8fc$b29bae20$f12e56c7@oemcomputer> Strange combination of birds today. White-winged Crossbills-Yellow Medicine County (cemetary on 23 at Hanley Falls), Murray County (cemetary 1/2 mile north and 1/2 mile east of Westport) Red-winged Blackbird-50 bird flock headed north in Pipestone County and included at least 3 Brown Headed Cowbirds Snow Buntings-only ones were headed north in Redwood and Yellow Medicine counties although we looked for them in many other counties Rough-legged Hawks-in Murray and Yellow Medicine counties but many more red-tails in migration north bound Birding and studying bird distribution in Minnesota, not sitting behind a computer. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com From Pmegeland@aol.com Sun Feb 22 05:24:32 2004 From: Pmegeland@aol.com (Pmegeland@aol.com) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 00:24:32 EST Subject: [mou] On finding a King Rail Message-ID: -------------------------------1077427472 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have been fortunate in recording 11 King Rails in the past 35 years in Minnesota. Their were five different sightings; one family group of two adults and five young, and three sightings and one heard only occurrence. With this as a back drop, how did I find that many? Two sightings were serendipity ie I wasn't looking for them and the other three were result of actually looking for marsh birds. My experience is that King Rails are not shy. The family group was along busy highway US 212 and heard only record was along busy US 12. King Rails do not require a large marsh, the family group was in a marsh of about 1 acre since drained, one record was in an area of about 3 acres, two sightings were in marshes of about 50 acres and the last was at the Big Stone refuge. Time of day is not important; one record was early morning, one in late morning, one is middle of afternoon, one about sunset and the last at midnight. There was only one common theme in finding King Rails, that was finding them calling. The King Rail has a very loud and carrying call and was how I found all but the family group. These record were from Meeker, Renville, Lyon and Lac Qui Parle counties. When to look? Except for the family group which were seen in July, the records were from the middle of May to the middle of June. I believe that the above information should tell birder that there is no magic to finding King Rails, just expose yourself to a lot of small marshes in May and June and keep your ears tuned. I have done this for many more years of late without success but will keep trying. -------------------------------1077427472 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I have been fortunate in recording 11 King Rails in the past 35 years i= n Minnesota. Their were five different sightings; one family group of two ad= ults and five young, and three sightings and one heard only occurrence. With= this as a back drop, how did I find that many? Two sightings were serendipi= ty ie I wasn't looking for them and the other three were result of actually=20= looking for marsh birds. My experience is that King Rails are not shy. The f= amily group was along busy highway US 212 and heard only record was along bu= sy US 12.
King Rails do not require a large marsh, the family group was in a mars= h of about 1 acre since drained, one record was in an area of about 3 acres,= two sightings were in marshes of about 50 acres and the last was at the Big= Stone refuge.
Time of day is not important; one record was early morning, one in late= morning, one is middle of afternoon, one about sunset and the last at midni= ght.
There was only one common theme in finding King Rails, that was fi= nding them calling. The King Rail has a very loud and carrying call and was=20= how I found all but the family group.
These record were from Meeker, Renville, Lyon and Lac Qui Parle countie= s. When to look? Except for the family group which were seen in July, the re= cords were from the middle of May to the middle of June.
I believe that the above information should tell birder that there is n= o magic to finding King Rails, just expose yourself to a lot of small marshe= s in May and June and keep your ears tuned.
I have done this for many more years of late without success but will k= eep trying.
 
-------------------------------1077427472-- From rerpeldi@tds.net Sun Feb 22 03:28:45 2004 From: rerpeldi@tds.net (Ronald Erpelding) Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 21:28:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] Townsend's Solitaire in Pipestone County ,NW of Pipestone, MN Message-ID: <200402220328.i1M3SboK000603@outbound1.sec.tds.net> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3F8C1.B0AC3C00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Today (Saturday, February 21, 2004) at 1:36 p.m. I found a Townsend's Solitaire in Pipestone County just northwest of Pipestone, MN. The bird was observed for approximately 20 minutes on both sides of County Road 67 northwest of Pipestone National Monument. Directions: Coming into Pipestone from the northeast on Highway 23 where it intersects Highway 75, turn West/right on 2nd St NE (note; the street sign is faded - on the opposite side of where you turn off of Highways 23/75 to 2nd St NE is the grain elevator/grain bins). Follow 2nd St. NE/NW west for one mile to NW 8th Avenue. Turn North/right on NW 8th Avenue. When NW 8th Avenue curves west turn North/right on County Road 67/68th Avenue and follow Co.Rd 67/68th Avenue north for 8 tenths of a mile. On your right/east side is the western boundary of the Pipestone National Monument followed by a Wildlife Mgmt area/State Game Refuge. On your left/west side is a large cemetery. Continue north past the cemetery where the road becomes gravel. The bird was observed perched on fence posts, small trees and in the road ditches on both sides of the road in the area of the Wildlife Mgmt area small parking lot on the east side and the large black dirt mounds on the west side of the road. The bird was not with any other birds. Ron Erpelding Willmar, MN Kandiyohi County ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3F8C1.B0AC3C00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Today (Saturday, February 21, 2004) at 1:36 p.m. I = found a Townsend’s Solitaire in Pipestone County just northwest of Pipestone, MN.  The bird was observed for = approximately 20 minutes on both sides of County Road 67 northwest of Pipestone National Monument.  

Directions:<= /u>

Coming into Pipestone from the northeast on Highway = 23 where it intersects Highway 75, turn = West/right on 2nd St NE (note; the street sign is faded – = on the opposite side of  where you turn off of Highways 23/75 to 2nd St = NE  is the grain elevator/grain bins).  Follow 2nd St. NE/NW west = for one mile to NW = 8th AvenueTurn North/right on NW 8th = AvenueWhen NW 8th = Avenue curves west turn North/right on = County Road 67/68th Avenue and follow Co.Rd = 67/68th Avenue north for 8 tenths of a mile.  On your right/east side is the = western boundary of the Pipestone National = Monument followed by a Wildlife Mgmt area/State Game Refuge. On your left/west = side is a large cemetery. Continue north past the cemetery where the road becomes gravel.  The bird was observed perched on fence posts, small trees = and in the road ditches on both sides of the road in the area of the Wildlife Mgmt area small parking = lot on the east side and the large black = dirt mounds on the west side of the road. =  

The bird was not with any other = birds.

 

Ron Erpelding

Willmar, MN

Kandiyohi County

------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3F8C1.B0AC3C00-- From Hagsela@aol.com Sun Feb 22 07:11:33 2004 From: Hagsela@aol.com (Hagsela@aol.com) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 02:11:33 EST Subject: [mou] Spruce Grouse in Lake Co. Message-ID: <78.511b50b2.2d69b025@aol.com> I found a male Spruce Grouse on Hwy.1, .2 miles west of mile marker 323, near Isabella. He flushed from the road as I drove by, then settled down a few feet from the road and allowed me a careful study with my scope. The red combs above the eyes were distinctive. He came back to the road after deciding I was of no consequence. What a beauty! Time of observation was 3:00 - 3:15. I also saw Boreal Chickadees at the corner of Spruce Rd. and Endless Waters Rd. (off Hwy. 1 in Superior National Forest). The 1st Boreal Chickadee was foraging in a spruce just off the path on Endless Waters. The others came in to a tape and cavorted around for a few minutes before disappearing. In Two Harbors, I relocated the Harlequin Duck (female) that's been seen by others in Agate Bay. Linda Sparling Hennepin Cty. From fieldfare21@hotmail.com Sun Feb 22 16:33:51 2004 From: fieldfare21@hotmail.com (Benjamin Fritchman) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 10:33:51 -0600 Subject: [mou] Rothsay Birds Message-ID: Yesterday afternoon, Feb. 21, I decided to drive to Rothsay. On my way I found 2 Robins and 3 Mourning Doves in Long Prairie. I got to Rothsay around 2, and I drove to the traditional lek west of town. I found 3 Red-winged blackbirds in a flock of Starlings, they were streaked, which I assumed meant females, but don't they come later than males?? At the lek were several Prairie Chickens, which turned out to be very numerous as I drove around. I had them in 8 different locations from the lek northward to Lawndale. Also spotted in the Rothsay vicinity was 2 Northern Shrikes, 3 Rough-legged Hawks, several Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and 2 Lapland Longspurs. I returned to the lek at around 4:30 and I walked the field road going north. At about 5 P.M. I was at the first bend in the farm road, when a SE Owl flushed and flew off to the east. As I walked back to my car, 3 more SE Owls were hunting along the road. One flew north to hunt, but 2 of them stayed in the vicinity of the open-sided shed until dusk. They would fly around and several times landed on the road in front of me, or on posts south of the road. I eventually saw one grab some type of rodent and eat it. The best part was that the 2 that stuck around kept swooping at each other, and each time they would give out a "yelp." Something I've never heard from a SE Owl. It was really neat hearing them vocalize. Also yesterday, a flock of White-winged Crossbills showed up at a feeder in Long Prairie. Ben Fritchman Long Prairie, MN _________________________________________________________________ Click, drag and drop. My MSN is the simple way to design your homepage. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200364ave/direct/01/ From fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us Sun Feb 22 19:06:01 2004 From: fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us (fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 13:06:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] promoting harmony? Message-ID: Birding Friends- I have a thought/suggestion that may lend some cohesiveness and action to the many thoughts that have been shared here this past week. One of the primary reasons we have such great dissent regarding rare bird designations is that we are lacking in hard science. So what if the MOU designated one species a year or so as a target bird by the entire organization? (Perhaps one year is not sufficient data but that could easily be modified). One of our two publications could provide us essential information about this species: suggested pictures, books, and audio materials could be listed and standard methodology of locating said species could be shared amongst our organization. MOU members would then record the hours they spend actually searching for this species (along with other pertinent data, like date, county, time of day, etc.) and submit them on some (as of yet unavailable) standardized reporting form. We accomplish at least three objectives: 1) the organization does real/measureable science, 2) we provide hard data to make better informed decisions regarding species abundance, 3) we all learn about one rare species a year, and in so doing become more competent should we ever encounter that species. (The idea could even be expanded to regional levels. What if Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa birders were all looking for King Rails for the next two years?) The decision to promote, modify or disregard this proposal would be made by the MOU board of directors. Jerry B., do you have room to put this on the March agenda if we get a favorable reply in the next few days? Peder S., do you think the MOURC would endorse such a proposal? Tony H. and Allison J., is this something either of you would want to include in our publications? I would be willing to collect, categorize, and record the data (for the first year/round of this process), and then submit it to one of our publications chairs. My thinking is ideas regarding this proposal should be shared via MOU-net being, if endorsed, it will fall under MOU oversight. Also, so the issue does not continue to clutter our reading, I would kindly ask that your feedback be shared by Feb. 24th. Any individuals wanting to assist in developing this project, please contact me directly. (I am NOT asking if you wish to be involved in data collecting at this time.) Any individuals wanting to "flame me" for cluttering up their bird only list-serve, or promoting a really stupid idea should be advised that my e-mail address has changed and will be made available when Sadam Hussein returns to power. Randy Frederickson Willmar From jslind@frontiernet.net Sun Feb 22 18:10:41 2004 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 12:10:41 -0600 Subject: [mou] Iceland Gull - Two Harbors Message-ID: <40389C41.3015.E3AA944@localhost> The first winter Iceland Gull was seen at about 10:00 this morning at Agate Bay in Two Harbors, loafing on an ice chunk in from of the tug boat with about 10 Herring Gulls. This is the first time I've seen the bird since Feb. 5th. The Harlequin Duck and Long-tailed Duck were on the lake side of the breakwall. Agate Bay is mostly free of ice (for now). Jim Lind Two Harbors From larson@redwing.net Sun Feb 22 23:20:33 2004 From: larson@redwing.net (Kelly Larson) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 17:20:33 -0600 Subject: [mou] Eagles & Bluebirds (long) Message-ID: <40393941.D97FDFEE@redwing.net> I just got back from Colvill Park (Red Wing) where we have been hosting the Eagle Spot weekends since mid December. Though our focus is on the Eagles, we have been keeping track of other birds/wildlife seen each day. Our scopes are set up in Bill's Bay to avoid the bitter winds coming off the main channel. Since the start we have had 3 Coot every weekend. They are very good at fishing. They are not so good at handling the fish once they catch them and often loose them to aggressive Mallards. We have also had 3 Greater Scaup and 1 Canvasback almost every week. Out in the main channel we continue to see small groups of C. Merganser and C. Golden Eye. Sometimes they move into the bay. I have set up several feeding stations near the observation area. Regular visitors include Downy, Hairy, & Red-bellied Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch. A pair of Pileated live in the area and have been seen using the large suet feeder a couple of times. Today's big surprise came just as I was ready to leave. I drove down to the end to take a final Eagle count at the main channel. I was getting into the car when a flash of blue caught my eye. On a small branch near the trunk of a huge Cottonwood tree sat an Eastern Bluebird. He flew to a small tree near the river and was joined by 6 more Bluebirds! I have had no local reports of over wintering Bluebirds this year. I have read no reports on MOU this winter either. How likely is it that these are spring migrants? P.S. The Tufted Titmice are still coming to my feeders everyday! Kelly Larson Feathered Friend Red Wing, MN -- Visit Our Website http://www.thefeatheredfriend.com The 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival Is Coming... Hosted by Wabasha, MN on May 14-15-16 2004. http://www.mississippi-river.org/birding/ From watsup@boreal.org Mon Feb 23 03:57:35 2004 From: watsup@boreal.org (Steve and Sherry Watson) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 19:57:35 -0800 Subject: [mou] gyrfalcon Message-ID: <000001c3f9c1$2dae2e20$140f46d8@m7z0w8> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C3F97E.1F8AEE20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today (Sunday 22nd) my dad and I decided to take a trip to county road 2 looking for spruce grouse then head down to Duluth and Sax Zim. On the way out to our truck before we left I heard both a barred and a great horned owl hooting on the back of our land. I heard one other owl but was not sure what it was. After we left and were heading down the road from our house we saw two small owls fly across the road in two different locations. We think they were saw-whets but we = didn=92t see them well enough. Once we made it to county road 2 from Grand Marais we struck out on spruce grouse but we found the Iceland gull in two harbors hanging with some herrings out on a chunk of floating ice. We were able to get great views of it with my scope. We then headed down to Duluth and tried for the Gyrfalcon. After about an hour or so of searching only seeing a red-tailed hawk at Peavey elevators we finally were able to sight it as the bird coasted by high coming out of Minnesota. We saw it pretty good but lost it as it flew by a clump of trees. After that we went and saw the snowy owl at the bong airport and found it without troubles. We were able to see it through my scope easily as it perched on a clump of plowed snow. The tag isn=92t so bad = so I don=92t know why everyone was whining about it, it sure didn=92t = bother me; it=92s still a snowy owl! We didn=92t go up to Sax Zim because it started to snow hard and it was beginning to get late.=20 =20 Josh Watson Grand Marais =20 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.581 / Virus Database: 368 - Release Date: 2/9/04 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C3F97E.1F8AEE20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

        = ;  Today (Sunday 22nd) my dad and I decided to take a trip to county = road 2 looking for spruce grouse then head down to = Duluth and Sax Zim.  = On the way out to our truck before we left I heard both a barred and a great = horned owl hooting on the back of our land.  I heard one other owl but was not sure what it was.  After we left and were heading = down the road from our house we saw two small owls fly across the road in two = different locations.  We think they = were saw-whets but we didn=92t see them well enough.  Once we made it to county road = 2 from Grand Marais we struck out on spruce grouse but we found the = Iceland gull in two harbors hanging with some herrings out on a = chunk of floating ice.  We were able = to get great views of it with my scope.  = We then headed down to Duluth and tried for the Gyrfalcon.  After about an hour or so of searching only seeing a red-tailed = hawk at Peavey elevators we finally were able to sight it as the bird coasted by = high coming out of Minnesota= .  We saw it = pretty good but lost it as it flew by a clump of trees.  After that we went and saw the = snowy owl at the bong airport and found it without troubles.  We were able to see it through = my scope easily as it perched on a clump of plowed snow.  The tag isn=92t so bad so I = don=92t know why everyone was whining about it, it sure didn=92t bother me; = it=92s still a snowy owl!  We = didn=92t go up to Sax Zim because it started to snow hard and it was beginning to = get late.

 

=

Josh = Watson

Grand Marais     


---
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------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C3F97E.1F8AEE20-- From odunamis@yahoo.com Mon Feb 23 03:16:26 2004 From: odunamis@yahoo.com (Chad Heins) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 19:16:26 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] MOURC-long Message-ID: <20040223031626.86141.qmail@web10501.mail.yahoo.com> Hey birders! Apparently I picked a bad time to not check my email. My brain is still on information overload as I try and process the entire discussion of MOURC listings etc... First, I must confess that I am not a member of the MOU. Perhaps that excludes me from any right to comment, perhaps I'll comment anyway. If I'm reading many of the comments right, it seems that there is a desire for better communication between the MOURC and the MOU membership/birding community. I would like to thank Karl Bardon for his explanation of the re-listing of King Rail et al. Your explanation was very insightful and for the first time, I learned what the MOU defines as accidental. I spent quite a bit of time on the MOU website the other day looking for abundance classifications for birds in MN. While there is a list of casual species and accidental species, there is no definition of those terms. Compare and contrast: I checked out the WSO's website (Wisconsin Society for Ornithology). They have an incredible annotated checklist of every one of the 422 species recorded in Wisconsin. They have classifications for rare (rare, but regular in the state annually), casual (no more than 1 record every 1-5 years), and accidental (less than one record every 5 years). I'm not suggesting the MOU adopt such classifications--simply that it would be nice if this kind of information was available to the public (non-members). Along those lines, it seems to me that some of the comments made regarding MOURC are not against the decisions that have been made, but rather about the way those decisions are shared with the birding community. My birding experience in Minnesota is limited to the last 3 years. I've heard of Gyrfalcon sightings each year; why would this bird no longer be considered regular? My erroneous assumption was based on my limited experience in the state. I'm not looking at 10 years of data like the MOURC is. But if the reasoning for such a decision is included with such a decision, people would have no grounds for disagreement. One last thing and then I'll shutup... I have seen my share of rarities in the Mankato area. I have also seen my share of rejections from record committees in WI as well as MN. (That's what happens when you are so excited, you forget to take pictures) When documentations are rejected, it is nice when the reasons for rejection are clearly outlined in a response. It helps all of us to be better field ornithologists, note-takers, and record-keepers. The next time I see a Mississippi Kite in the MN River Valley, I am going to look at and note the field marks that caused my first one to be rejected. Thank you for your time. Chad Heins Mankato, MN __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From bafall@umn.edu Sun Feb 22 23:30:13 2004 From: bafall@umn.edu (Bruce Fall) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 17:30:13 -0600 Subject: [mou] Checklist Message-ID: <102B663E-658F-11D8-994E-0003937E575A@umn.edu> Of the 30+ responses (direct and indirect) generated by last week=92s=20 =93accidental? You've got to be kidding (long)=94 post, Peder Svingen=92s=20= (=93Documentation,=94 02/21) is the first and so far only one to commend=20= MOURC for this valuable, information-rich document and for the=20 considerable effort the members spent in producing it. I would like to=20= join Peder in offering acclamation for the Checklist. [Please note: I=20 am a retired (2001) member of that committee and, like Peder, did not=20 participate in its production.]=A0I=92m sure the 10-person all-volunteer=20= committee would appreciate hearing positive comments about the=20 Checklist from others as well! Even those critical of MOURC are likely=20= to refer to this Checklist frequently and benefit from the wealth of=20 information in it, as will most other MOU members. Peder is certainly=20 correct that the time spent in its production was substantial--at a=20 minimum hundreds of person-hours (all voluntary). This is an important=20= and well-done publication and should be recognized as such. Bruce Fall Minneapolis Hennepin Co. From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Mon Feb 23 04:39:34 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 22:39:34 -0600 Subject: [mou] Checklist In-Reply-To: <102B663E-658F-11D8-994E-0003937E575A@umn.edu> Message-ID: <000001c3f9c7$0d09cca0$59b391ce@main> I agree completely with Bruce's comment. This document represents a mammoth amount of volunteer work, shows that a lot of discussion and reseach went into it, and that decisions were not made frivolously. It is a thorough and well put together list, and the folks who worked on it ought to be commended for a job well done, rather than criticized on small details. No document is perfect, but this type of nitpicking is unnecessary and hurtful. Assuming that most of the detracters would not be willing or able to do any better, then constructive comments would be more in order. When an organization asks some members to be responsible for a task, it is appropriate, once the best possible people for the job are chosen, to then not micromanage how they do their work if we expect others to be willing to serve in the future. We are not speaking of a highpaying position here, as in industry, where one can expect and must usually accept that some supervisors try to control every aspect of one's work. Well done, MOURC members! Personally, if I don't understand why some decision is made , I plan to email the committee or one of it's members and ask for an explanation. I'm sure you will be happy to comply. Jeanie > -----Original Message----- > From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu=20 > [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On Behalf Of Bruce Fall > Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 5:30 PM > To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > Subject: [mou] Checklist >=20 >=20 >=20 > Of the 30+ responses (direct and indirect) generated by last week=92s=20 > =93accidental? You've got to be kidding (long)=94 post, Peder = Svingen=92s=20 > (=93Documentation,=94 02/21) is the first and so far only one to = commend=20 > MOURC for this valuable, information-rich document and for the=20 > considerable effort the members spent in producing it. I=20 > would like to=20 > join Peder in offering acclamation for the Checklist. [Please note: I=20 > am a retired (2001) member of that committee and, like Peder, did not=20 > participate in its production.]=A0I=92m sure the 10-person = all-volunteer=20 > committee would appreciate hearing positive comments about the=20 > Checklist from others as well! Even those critical of MOURC=20 > are likely=20 > to refer to this Checklist frequently and benefit from the wealth of=20 > information in it, as will most other MOU members. Peder is certainly=20 > correct that the time spent in its production was substantial--at a=20 > minimum hundreds of person-hours (all voluntary). This is an=20 > important=20 > and well-done publication and should be recognized as such. >=20 >=20 > Bruce Fall > Minneapolis > Hennepin Co. >=20 > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net >=20 From Byokel@aol.com Mon Feb 23 13:04:04 2004 From: Byokel@aol.com (Byokel@aol.com) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 08:04:04 EST Subject: [mou] Great Grays in Sax-Zim Message-ID: <102.3f6d613e.2d6b5444@aol.com> My sons and I saw 3 Great Gray Owls Sunday evening at 5:45 along Hwy 7; two were sitting on the wires between Sax and Byrne's Greenhouse, and a 3rd was just south of 319 (Stone Lake Road). We still have thistle-depleting swarms of redpolls and dozens of Pine Grosbeaks at our feeders. A single Bohemian Waxwing was present on Saturday AM. Ben Yokel Melrude, MN Byokel@aol.com From Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com Mon Feb 23 14:07:55 2004 From: Chris.Fagyal@udlp.com (Chris Fagyal) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 08:07:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOURC-long Message-ID: All, If anyone would like to take a look at the Wisconsin checklist (and I = agree it is quite nice and packed with information) here is the link: = http://www.uwgb.edu/birds/wso/WILIST.PDF Another checklist format I like if anyone is interested is the one for the = Tandayapa Valley in Ecuador. They give a "likely to be seen" indicator = for every bird, and for any of the vagrants they list when/where the = records occured. Admittedly it is only for the last 5 years or so since = Tandayapa lodge was built, but still a very nicely done checklist. It can = be viewed at: http://www.tandayapa.com/TBLList.html for the Tandayapa Bird = lodge and immediately surrounding (within 5km) area and http://www.tandayap= a.com/birdtours/daytripslist.html for an annotated list that includes all = areas visiting in day trips from the lodge. Both are very nice. Just some ideas from a fellow birder regarding checklists. Something = could be done similarily for the MN list, and i'd even offer to help = compile the information to build a checklist (ie send me a list of = sightings for accidental species such that one could annotate on a list = where/when it was seen...an example would be Long-tailed Jaeger. Has been = seen 3 times, in XX, YY and last at the Bayport Marina in Month (I cant = remember it), 2002.) such as the Tandayapa ones, and combine in the = breeding information provided in the WSO one. Providing an online = resource with as much information as possible would seem to be a good = thing to help promote birding in the state. =20 Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer United Defense, L.P. Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 chris.fagyal@udlp.com >>> Chad Heins 02/22/2004 21:16:26 PM >>> Hey birders! Apparently I picked a bad time to not check my email.=20 My brain is still on information overload as I try and process the entire discussion of MOURC listings etc... =20 First, I must confess that I am not a member of the MOU. Perhaps that excludes me from any right to comment, perhaps I'll comment anyway. If I'm reading many of the comments right, it seems that there is a desire for better communication between the MOURC and the MOU membership/birding community. I would like to thank Karl Bardon for his explanation of the re-listing of King Rail et al. Your explanation was very insightful and for the first time, I learned what the MOU defines as accidental. =20 I spent quite a bit of time on the MOU website the other day looking for abundance classifications for birds in MN. While there is a list of casual species and accidental species, there is no definition of those terms. Compare and contrast: I checked out the WSO's website (Wisconsin Society for Ornithology). They have an incredible annotated checklist of every one of the 422 species recorded in Wisconsin. They have classifications for rare (rare, but regular in the state annually), casual (no more than 1 record every 1-5 years), and accidental (less than one record every 5 years). I'm not suggesting the MOU adopt such classifications--simply that it would be nice if this kind of information was available to the public (non-members). Along those lines, it seems to me that some of the comments made regarding MOURC are not against the decisions that have been made, but rather about the way those decisions are shared with the birding community. My birding experience in Minnesota is limited to the last 3 years. I've heard of Gyrfalcon sightings each year; why would this bird no longer be considered regular? My erroneous assumption was based on my limited experience in the state. I'm not looking at 10 years of data like the MOURC is. But if the reasoning for such a decision is included with such a decision, people would have no grounds for disagreement. One last thing and then I'll shutup... I have seen my share of rarities in the Mankato area.=20 I have also seen my share of rejections from record committees in WI as well as MN. (That's what happens when you are so excited, you forget to take pictures)=20 When documentations are rejected, it is nice when the reasons for rejection are clearly outlined in a response. It helps all of us to be better field ornithologists, note-takers, and record-keepers. The next time I see a Mississippi Kite in the MN River Valley, I am going to look at and note the field marks that caused my first one to be rejected. =20 Thank you for your time. Chad Heins Mankato, MN =20 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools=20 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From jtpbirder@yahoo.com Mon Feb 23 17:59:07 2004 From: jtpbirder@yahoo.com (Jeff Price) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 09:59:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] promoting harmony? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20040223175907.65125.qmail@web14916.mail.yahoo.com> Randy, >From a scientific point of view your idea is relatively sound for some species but not others. So, for questions dealing with summer status (King Rail, Northern Bobwhite) then this approach, if it were coupled with some sort of atlas block-busting effort, might yield desired results. For other species that may be more irregular (winter/migrants) then it would likely require more than two years. For others, like Gyrfalcon, it might work or it might not depending on the actual status in winter. Then again, it might tell you something about the actual status of the species in winter.... Jeff Price --- fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us wrote: > Birding Friends- > > One of the primary reasons we have such great > dissent regarding rare bird > designations is that we are lacking in hard science. > So what if the MOU > designated one species a year or so as a target bird > by the entire > organization? (Perhaps one year is not sufficient > data but that could > easily be modified). > One of our two publications could provide us ===== Jeff Price Boulder, CO jtpbirder@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From jdunnette@mayo.edu Mon Feb 23 19:34:47 2004 From: jdunnette@mayo.edu (Dunnette, Joel H.) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 13:34:47 -0600 Subject: [mou] FW: Raptor days Message-ID: <612151C538ADD51196E70002B330CFA003A3B5A6@excsrv52.mayo.edu> > I have not been out much looking for birds the past few days, but they seem to have found me. > > Last Friday as I was walking from my car into work a large accipiter flew directly over me from behind. I only had a short glimpse, but close. The size (a bit larger than a crow) and long rounded tail told me it was probably a Cooper's Hawk. Pretty good sighting for near downtown Rochester. It would have been nice to have a longer look. > > Then Sunday an adult female Sharp-shinned Hawk stopped on the snag outside our picture window. She (assumed from size mostly) did not stay long, but my wife got a look and I got a so-so picture. > > Then today on my way to work I took a short detour on the gravel road NE of Salem Corners, to feed the Horned Larks. There were quite a few of them, in small groups. A Kestrel was on the wire near where I had been feeding, perhaps going after mice that come to the corn. > Just after dumping the last of the cracked corn a Rough-Legged Hawk flew past right in front of the car. No binoculars needed! > About a half mile east from there, a Northern Shrike was perched on top of a tree next to the road. > > Well, I thought that was a pretty good morning. It put me in better than normal mood going in to work on Monday. > > Then as I was going past Salem Sound I saw a smallish buteo in a tree right near the bend. Something about it made me turn around and go back to get a decent look. It turned out to be a Red-Shouldered Hawk! A good find in itself. > > 4 year birds in 5 days, along with some other nice birds, without hardly trying is pretty nice. > > Keep your eyes open and your hopes up! > > Joel Dunnette > near Rochester From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Mon Feb 23 20:17:46 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 14:17:46 -0600 Subject: [mou] Call question Message-ID: <02a201c3fa4a$2aad4bf0$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_029F_01C3FA17.CF83A990 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable While studying the relationship of God & nature this afternoon for = Sunday's message, broke out the Bird Song Ear Training Guide (by John = Feith) to begin retraining my ear for the coming spring. Listened to the Merlin's call and realized that - in 10 years of birding = - have never heard one call in the field. Which led to the question: * Which birds that we normally see (say, at least 1-2 times annually) do = we rarely hear call? =20 Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------=_NextPart_000_029F_01C3FA17.CF83A990 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
While studying the relationship of God = & nature=20 this afternoon for Sunday's message, broke out the Bird Song Ear = Training Guide=20 (by John Feith) to begin retraining my ear for the coming = spring.
 
Listened to the Merlin's call and = realized that -=20 in 10 years of birding - have never heard one call in the field.  = Which led=20 to the question:
 
* Which birds that we normally see = (say, at=20 least 1-2 times annually) do we rarely hear call?  =
 
Good birding to all!
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, = MN
------=_NextPart_000_029F_01C3FA17.CF83A990-- From connyb@mycidco.com Mon Feb 23 17:09:34 2004 From: connyb@mycidco.com (Conny Brunell) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 17:09:34 Subject: [mou] Spruce Grouse, Lake Co. Message-ID: Early this morning Leslie Marcus, Susan Schumacher and I headed up CR2 in Lake County to look for Spruce Grouse. We found our first male in the middle of the road at 7:00 am on CR 2, 5.5 miles North of CR 15. The second male also in the middle of the road, 15.2 miles north from CR 15 (just .2 miles from the Sand River sign) at 7:25. They both stayed in the middle of the road picking grit until an oncoming car flushed them into the woods. We were lucky that there were no snowmobiles out on a Monday morning, and the logging trucks did not get rolling until after we had a chance to watch them up close. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Cty connyb@mycidco.com From Steve Weston" The Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter (MRVAC) will hold its February meeting on Thursday the 26th. Speaker: Caroll Henderson The Program: Costa Rica & World Conservation Carrol Henderson, Supervisor of the Department of Natural Resources Non-game Wildlife Program, will present a program on the conservation movement that has developed in Costa Rica since 1969. He will discuss how Costa Rica has become a world leader in conservation of endangered habitats, in recognizing the importance of preserving biodiversity and in promoting nature tourism as a means of conserving protected areas. Please, join us at 7:30 p.m. at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center in Bloomington. You may wish to come early for the social period with coffee, cookies and committee exhibits. There is no admission. All are welcome. For directions call me (612-978-3993), e-mail me or see our newsletter at: http://home.comcast.net/~mrvac/Feb2004.doc or you can visit our website: www.mrvac.org . Steve Weston on Quigley Lake in Eagan sweston2@comcast.net From two-jays@att.net Tue Feb 24 15:37:56 2004 From: two-jays@att.net (Jim Williams) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 07:37:56 -0800 Subject: [mou] Eagle Spot event Message-ID: Posted at the request of Kelly Larson, by Jim Williams, Wayzata. If a reply is sent, please reply to Kelly. ------ Kelly Larson Feathered Friend Wild Bird Store 651-267-1001 Bob Musil, Executive Director Red Wing VCB 651-385-5934, 800-498-3444 bmusil@redwing.org Red Wing=B9s 2004 Eagle Spot Festival Set for February 28-29 Eagle Spot Weekends Run Through March 20 =20 Red Wing=B9s 2nd annual Eagle Spot Festival will be held February 28-29, and will feature city-wide celebrations, live birds of prey presentations, wildlife photography seminars, guest speakers, book signings and more. The action starts at 8 am each morning with open range viewing of Eagles in the Wild at Colvill Park. Hundreds of eagles have been known to gather in the cottonwood trees that line the river and this winter=B9s cold weather has resulted in fantastic eagle viewing conditions. Visitors can enjoy a hot cup of shade grown coffee or hot chocolate, warm u= p near the bonfire and toast a few marshmallows. Members of the Environmental Learning Center will offer Smore set-ups and hot dogs complete with roastin= g sticks. Experienced volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about Bald Eagles. Wildlife photographers Dale Bohlke, Gary Krogman, and Hope Rutledge will give wildlife photography tips at Colvill Park from 10 am to noon on Saturday and Sunday, and will answer questions about equipment, techniques and digiscoping. "Beautiful Things With Wings: A Photographers Eye on Nature", a multimedia event will be presented Saturday afternoon. The remarkable digital wildlife photography of Gary Krogman and Hope Rutledge i= s set to music and features birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. Meet the artist as they answer questions and share their wildlife experiences. The University of Minnesota Raptor Center will be at Riverfront Center with a live eagle, great-horned owl and red tail hawk from 11 am to 1 pm. This i= s a great opportunity to see and learn about some of our native birds of prey= . The Wild Bird Lady of Red Wing, Kelly Larson, will be at Riverfront Center on Saturday presenting a seminar on Bird Feeding through Seasonal Transitions. On Sunday the program "True Blue Survivor" will provide an introduction to attracting Eastern Bluebirds. Bluebird houses can be assembled and purchased. The Red Wing Environmental Learning Center demonstrates Winter Survival Skills at Levee Park Saturday afternoon. Topics include winter camping, snowshoeing, emergency shelters, and cold water rescue. An evening of famil= y entertainment at the Sheldon Theatre will wrap up Saturday=B9s activities. On Sunday, the St. James Hotel will offer Brunch with Binoculars in the rooftop Summit Room from 11 am to 2 pm. Enjoy a spectacular buffet and zoom in on the vistas of bluffs and soaring eagles with a pair of binoculars, compliments of the St. James. Prominent birding expert and wildlife author Carrol Henderson will sign his books "Wild About Birds and "The Travelers Guide to Birding in Minnesota" i= n Clara=B9s Gifts & Coffee shop on Sunday, a delightful new shop located off th= e Main Street entrance. Nancy Overcott, Minnesota birder and naturalist, will sign her book, "At Home in the Big Woods" on Saturday. The grand finale of the weekend will be a Live Eagle Presentation courtesy of the National Eagle Center. Meet one of the live bald eagles who resides at the center, and learn about the history, ecology and recovery of our national symbol of freedom. The Live Eagle Presentation will take place in the St. James Hotel courtyard from 1-2 pm and visitors can get their pictur= e taken with the eagle from 2:30 =AD 3:30 pm. Many Red Wing area properties will be offering special "Roost with the Eagles" rates for visitors wishing to overnight. For more information on lodging options or on the "Eagle Spot Festival" event call the Red Wing Visitor and Convention Bureau at 651-385-5934 or 1-800-498-3444 or visit www.redwing.org. Brunch with Binoculars at the St. James Hotel is offered each Sunday from 11-2 through eagle-spotting season. The Red Wing Visitors and Convention Bureau will also host a series of Eagle Spot weekends in Colvill Park through March 21. From 1-3 pm visitors to the park will have access to spotting scopes and binoculars, and will be able to learn more about the habits and behaviors of Bald Eagles from trained volunteers from the Red Wing Environmental Learning Center Instructor Naturalist Program and Feathered Friend Wild Bird Store. The Eagle Spot headquarters visitor=B9s center will also be open weekends from 1-3 pm and will dispense brochures, maps and literature. Red Wing=B9s picturesque location on the bluffs of the Mississippi makes it the ideal eagle watching location, with many perfect vantage points located both indoors and out. Colvill Park is highly regarded as a premier location for viewing and photographing eagles in a natural environment and during peak activity it is not uncommon to see over one hundred eagles resting in the trees or soaring above the river bluffs. Organizers hope that Eagle Spot will help visitors understand the relationships between wildlife and habitat and will inspire appreciation an= d future conservation for area wildlife. Information on Bald Eagle behavior and recovery as well as river ecology and management will be key components of the program. From Byokel@aol.com Tue Feb 24 14:29:43 2004 From: Byokel@aol.com (Byokel@aol.com) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 09:29:43 EST Subject: [mou] Black Backed Woodpecker in Melrude (St. Lous Co) Message-ID: <75.233634ad.2d6cb9d7@aol.com> We had a female Black-backed Woodpecker working a dead pine in our yard this AM. I'm amazed we ever heard it over the deafening din of the redpolls! Ben Yokel Melrude, MN Byokel@aol.com From richpeet@hotmail.com Tue Feb 24 16:46:28 2004 From: richpeet@hotmail.com (Rich Peet) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 10:46:28 -0600 Subject: [mou] King Rail sound Vs Virginia Rail sound? Message-ID: Please humor a birder here that has never seen a King Rail in MN. In fact I am not sure on how to differentiate the call between the Virginia and the King. Linked is two files that I had identified as Virginia Rails. Please confirm they are Virginia and give an indication of the unique part of a King call that I should listen for when listening to Rails. Not a great recording as I did not target this bird and was simply testing a couple microphones. recorded 4/18/03, Shurburn WLR, N45.45807, W93.70802, 6:30AM, 30 degrees F, Overcast, Wind east at 5mph, edge of wetland on auto tour route. I have this bird calling for 1 hour. 285kb download http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/kingvvirginia1.mp3 712kb download http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/kingvvirginia2.mp3 Rich Peet >From: KarlBardon@aol.com >To: Wildchough@aol.com, mou-net@cbs.umn.edu >Subject: [mou] Re: [mou] Accidental? No, we're not kidding (very long) >Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 13:03:25 EST > >Either way, I think that Accidental clearly defines the current status of >King Rail in Minnesota—a species which has not been seen since 1992 and >is likely >to occur again only at very infrequent intervals. When MORC completed the >1999 checklist, King Rail had been seen in only three of the last ten >years, but >we erred on the side of positivity, and defined this species as Casual. The >last nesting attempt was in 1983 and the last positive breeding was in >1976. >This species has not been Regular since the 1978 edition of our checklist, >so a >move to Accidental is not at all unexpected or surprising. What alternative >status does Russell suggest for King Rail? Casual? Regular? Extirpated? >Extinct? >These are the only choices. > >Russell acts surprised that King Rail has changed status in the last 20 or >30 >years, but think of all the species which have changed significantly in >that >amount of time (on the 1978 checklist, House Finch was considered >Hypothetical, Baird's Sparrow was Regular but is now Accidental, and Lesser >Black-backed >Gull did not even occur on the checklist even thought it is now Regular). > >Russell claims King Rails may breed in South Dakota, but the current status >of this species in South Dakota is Accidental (!), with only two breeding >records, the last in 1974 (Tallman, Swanson and Palmer, 2002). Although >Russell >also claims King Rails breed in Iowa and Wisconsin, a quick internet check >showed >this species to be both Endangered and Casual in Iowa, and to be rare in >Wisconsin with Special Concern or "imperiled" breeding status (the current >Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas does not show any confirmed breeding >reports). Thus, he >has painted a picture of King Rails breeding all around Minnesota based on >faulty information. > _________________________________________________________________ Click, drag and drop. My MSN is the simple way to design your homepage. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200364ave/direct/01/ From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Tue Feb 24 19:47:48 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 13:47:48 -0600 Subject: [mou] Personal feeder challenge Message-ID: <001a01c3fb0f$14d217a0$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C3FADC.C9EB5C60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Within the next week I hope to put up feeders on our new property here = in central Minnesota. However, my ten years of feeding birds only extends to urban but well = treed (word?) property. Here we have five rural acres (weeds only at = this point, which the redpolls and pheasants love), but the closest = trees are 500-1000 feet away. Any suggestions on feeder types and = approaches? Not used to working treelessly! Good birding to all. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C3FADC.C9EB5C60 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Within the next week I hope to put up = feeders on=20 our new property here in central Minnesota.
 
However, my ten years of feeding birds = only extends=20 to urban but well treed (word?) property.  Here we have five rural = acres=20 (weeds only at this point, which the redpolls and pheasants love), but = the=20 closest trees are 500-1000 feet away.  Any suggestions on feeder = types and=20 approaches?  Not used to working treelessly!
 
Good birding to all.
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, = MN
------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C3FADC.C9EB5C60-- From smithville4@charter.net Tue Feb 24 20:13:14 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 14:13:14 -0600 Subject: [mou] King Rail sound Vs Virginia Rail sound? References: Message-ID: <001801c3fb12$a276e5b0$a7a87044@family> Rich: They are both recordings of a Virginia Rail. The second recording (kingvirginia2) almost sounded like a Yellow Rail at first. The taps or clicks were different from what I am use to hearing but in comparing them to the first recording they are both Virginia Rails. Mike Hendrickson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich Peet" To: ; ; Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 10:46 AM Subject: [mou] King Rail sound Vs Virginia Rail sound? > Please humor a birder here that has never seen a King Rail in MN. > In fact I am not sure on how to differentiate the call between the Virginia > and the King. > > Linked is two files that I had identified as Virginia Rails. Please confirm > they are Virginia and give an indication of the unique part of a King call > that I should listen for when listening to Rails. > > Not a great recording as I did not target this bird and was simply testing a > couple microphones. > recorded 4/18/03, Shurburn WLR, N45.45807, W93.70802, 6:30AM, 30 degrees F, > Overcast, Wind east at 5mph, edge of wetland on auto tour route. I have this > bird calling for 1 hour. > > 285kb download > http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/kingvvirginia1.mp3 > > 712kb download > http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/kingvvirginia2.mp3 > > Rich Peet > > > >From: KarlBardon@aol.com > >To: Wildchough@aol.com, mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > >Subject: [mou] Re: [mou] Accidental? No, we're not kidding (very long) > >Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 13:03:25 EST > > > >Either way, I think that Accidental clearly defines the current status of > >King Rail in Minnesotaâ?"a species which has not been seen since 1992 and > >is likely > >to occur again only at very infrequent intervals. When MORC completed the > >1999 checklist, King Rail had been seen in only three of the last ten > >years, but > >we erred on the side of positivity, and defined this species as Casual. The > >last nesting attempt was in 1983 and the last positive breeding was in > >1976. > >This species has not been Regular since the 1978 edition of our checklist, > >so a > >move to Accidental is not at all unexpected or surprising. What alternative > >status does Russell suggest for King Rail? Casual? Regular? Extirpated? > >Extinct? > >These are the only choices. > > > >Russell acts surprised that King Rail has changed status in the last 20 or > >30 > >years, but think of all the species which have changed significantly in > >that > >amount of time (on the 1978 checklist, House Finch was considered > >Hypothetical, Baird's Sparrow was Regular but is now Accidental, and Lesser > >Black-backed > >Gull did not even occur on the checklist even thought it is now Regular). > > > >Russell claims King Rails may breed in South Dakota, but the current status > >of this species in South Dakota is Accidental (!), with only two breeding > >records, the last in 1974 (Tallman, Swanson and Palmer, 2002). Although > >Russell > >also claims King Rails breed in Iowa and Wisconsin, a quick internet check > >showed > >this species to be both Endangered and Casual in Iowa, and to be rare in > >Wisconsin with Special Concern or "imperiled" breeding status (the current > >Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas does not show any confirmed breeding > >reports). Thus, he > >has painted a picture of King Rails breeding all around Minnesota based on > >faulty information. > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Click, drag and drop. My MSN is the simple way to design your homepage. > http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200364ave/direct/01/ > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net > From wenelson@mlecmn.net Wed Feb 25 01:24:37 2004 From: wenelson@mlecmn.net (Warren Nelson) Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 19:24:37 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Gray Owls still present in Aitkin County Message-ID: <403BF955.1259F298@mlecmn.net> There were 3 Great Gray Owls and a Barred Owl along Aitkin C.R.18 this past weekend. Two of the Great Gray Owls and the Barred Owl were near the intersection of C.R.18 and Pietz's Road. The third Great Gray Owl was 2&1/4 miles east of highway 169 on C.R.18 ( 1&3/4 miles west of Pietz's Road ). Warren Nelson From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Wed Feb 25 20:46:38 2004 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al) Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 14:46:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties; upcoming trip Message-ID: <015801c3fbe0$77b19a40$0b01a8c0@PastorAl> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0155_01C3FBAE.2CA4B960 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Spent a little time today driving around Mille Lacs (Hwy 12, 18, refuge = between 50th & 55th) and Sherburne (Hwy 3, 70, 23, 4 & 5) Counties = today. Nothing dramatic, but did note a Northern Shrike on Sherburne 4 = (about three miles from 5 intersection), two Bald Eagles (Hwys 4 & 5, = one adult, one immature), medium sized flock of Redpolls (Mille Lacs 12, = just off 169), numerous Horned Larks and many flocks of Tree Sparrows = feeding along the roadways. However, Snow Buntings were conspicuous by = their absence, after noting flocks up to 50 in preceding weeks. Contemplating taking my 11 year old birding son on a northern spin = Monday 3/1 - perhaps northern Aitkin County, Sax Zim, Duluth, Two = Harbors. Any recent or consistent sightings I should be aware of? He's = missing most of the northern specialties (has a list slightly over 200), = having always birded in southern & central Wisconsin. Since I've only lived in MN less than three months, directions are = always welcome. Am conversant with Aitkin 18/the Great = Gray/Sharp-tailed areas - and some of the Sax Zim bog. Have only birded = Two Harbors once, and Duluth never. Would love to get him (frankly, = both of us) the Gyr, but.... Thanks! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs County ------=_NextPart_000_0155_01C3FBAE.2CA4B960 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Spent a little time today driving = around Mille Lacs=20 (Hwy 12, 18, refuge between 50th & 55th) and Sherburne (Hwy 3, 70, = 23, 4=20 & 5) Counties today.  Nothing dramatic, but did note a Northern = Shrike=20 on Sherburne 4 (about three miles from 5 intersection), two Bald Eagles = (Hwys 4=20 & 5, one adult, one immature), medium sized flock of Redpolls (Mille = Lacs=20 12, just off 169), numerous Horned Larks and many flocks of Tree = Sparrows=20 feeding along the roadways.  However, Snow Buntings were = conspicuous by=20 their absence, after noting flocks up to 50 in preceding = weeks.
 
Contemplating taking my 11 year old = birding son on=20 a northern spin Monday 3/1 - perhaps northern Aitkin County, Sax = Zim,=20 Duluth, Two Harbors.  Any recent or consistent sightings I should = be aware=20 of?  He's missing most of the northern specialties (has a list = slightly=20 over 200), having always birded in southern & central=20 Wisconsin.
 
Since I've only lived in MN less than = three months,=20 directions are always welcome.  Am conversant with Aitkin 18/the = Great=20 Gray/Sharp-tailed areas - and some of the Sax Zim bog.  Have only = birded=20 Two Harbors once, and Duluth never.  Would love to get him = (frankly, both=20 of us) the Gyr, but....
 
Thanks!
 
Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
Mille Lacs = County
------=_NextPart_000_0155_01C3FBAE.2CA4B960-- From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Wed Feb 25 23:28:55 2004 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 23:28:55 +0000 Subject: [mou] Common Redpolls, Winona Message-ID: One of the few times I was happy to be stuck at a red light, I had a flock of about 20 Common Redpolls sitting in a tree at the intersection of 5th and Huff St in Winona today. Then they flew off, probably to some lucky feeder. Also had 5 Gray Partridge on Sunday, between Wilson and Wyattville on CR 12/25. Dedrick Benz Winona _________________________________________________________________ Say “good-bye” to spam, viruses and pop-ups with MSN Premium -- free trial offer! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200359ave/direct/01/ From ksussman@lcp2.net Thu Feb 26 15:23:40 2004 From: ksussman@lcp2.net (ksussman@lcp2.net) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 09:23:40 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Gray Stone Lake Road Message-ID: <403e0f7c.ffe.0@lcp2.net> A short detour down #7 through SaxZim on my way to work this morning found: 1 Great Gray Owl 1 mile east #7 on Stone Lake Road. It was just beyond the logging mess 2 Adult Bald Eagles lurking in a tree above the open water at the end of the creek running into Stone Lake From drbenson@cpinternet.com Thu Feb 26 16:15:07 2004 From: drbenson@cpinternet.com (David Benson) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:15:07 -0600 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 2/26/04 Message-ID: --Apple-Mail-2-720659530 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 26, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GYRFALCON was last reported on the 21st, again in the vicinity of the Peavey Elevators in Superior, WI. Deep snow has induced SPRUCE GROUSE to spend more time out on the road at the traditional area along Lake Cty Rd 2 north of Two Harbors. Grouse were reported this week from just south of the jct. with the Sand River, from 5.5 miles north of Cty Rd 15, from just north of the Sand River, and from Hwy 1, 0.2 miles west of mile marker 323. GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers in two areas this week: In Sax-Zim, as many as three owls along Cty Rd 7 from Stone Lake Rd (Cty Rd 319) south to a mile beyond Byrne's Greenhouse. Karen Sussman saw an owl yesterday on Stone Lake Rd a mile east of 7. In Aitkin Cty, Great Grays continue to be seen along Cty Rd 18 between the jct with Cty Rd 5 and the jct with Hwy 169, with most sightings on or around Pietz's Road. Warren Nelson reported a BARRED OWL was also seen at the jct with Pietz's Rd on the 24th. In Two Harbors, the ICELAND GULL, a GLAUCOUS GULL, the HARLEQUIN DUCK, and the LONG-TAILED DUCK were still being seen on or near Agate Bay last weekend. Harry Hutchins reported that a COMMON LOON has overwintered at the Clay Boswell plant on the Mississippi River in Cohasett, MN. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, March 5. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org. --Apple-Mail-2-720659530 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=US-ASCII This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 26, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GYRFALCON was last reported on the 21st, again in the vicinity of the Peavey Elevators in Superior, WI. Deep snow has induced SPRUCE GROUSE to spend more time out on the road at the traditional area along Lake Cty Rd 2 north of Two Harbors. Grouse were reported this week from just south of the jct. with the Sand River, from 5.5 miles north of Cty Rd 15, from just north of the Sand River, and from Hwy 1, 0.2 miles west of mile marker 323. GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers in two areas this week: In Sax-Zim, as many as three owls along Cty Rd 7 from Stone Lake Rd (Cty Rd 319) south to a mile beyond Byrne's Greenhouse. Karen Sussman saw an owl yesterday on Stone Lake Rd a mile east of 7. In Aitkin Cty, Great Grays continue to be seen along Cty Rd 18 between the jct with Cty Rd 5 and the jct with Hwy 169, with most sightings on or around Pietz's Road. Warren Nelson reported a BARRED OWL was also seen at the jct with Pietz's Rd on the 24th. In Two Harbors, the ICELAND GULL, a GLAUCOUS GULL, the HARLEQUIN DUCK, and the LONG-TAILED DUCK were still being seen on or near Agate Bay last weekend. Harry Hutchins reported that a COMMON LOON has overwintered at the Clay Boswell plant on the Mississippi River in Cohasett, MN. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, March 5. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or send an e-mail to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org. --Apple-Mail-2-720659530-- From lisa.gelvin-innvaer@dnr.state.mn.us Thu Feb 26 17:33:18 2004 From: lisa.gelvin-innvaer@dnr.state.mn.us (Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 11:33:18 -0600 Subject: [mou] Winter Finches-Request for Information Message-ID: Request Posted on behalf of LaCrosse WI Tribune Seeking to talk with someone knowledgeable about winter finches , particularly their movements in Wisconsin/Minnesota. (e.g. What has been happening this winter, in relation to previous winters) Information needed by today (2/26/04) to meet deadline. Many thanks in advance. Please respond directly to: Betsy Bloom LaCrosse Tribune email: bbloom@lacrossetribune.com From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Thu Feb 26 17:35:04 2004 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 17:35:04 +0000 Subject: [mou] Golden Eagles, Houston County Message-ID: I took the morning today (Thursday) to look for Golden Eagles, Redpolls, and Eurasian Collared-Doves in Houston County. I discovered a shorter, faster, more Golden-laden route to Beaver Creek State Park from Winona! County Road 10 does a horseshoe with 76. >From the northern intersection of 10 & 76, I had Goldens at 1.3 miles and 4.2 miles on 10. My best guess is one 1st year and one 2nd year bird. Also had an Eastern Bluebird at about 1.2 miles from 76. Beaver Creek: nothing unusual Caledonia: my Collared-Dove, redpoll search yielded nothing. Dedrick Benz Winona, MN _________________________________________________________________ Store more e-mails with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage – 4 plans to choose from! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/ From two-jays@att.net Thu Feb 26 20:41:45 2004 From: two-jays@att.net (Jim Williams) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 12:41:45 -0800 Subject: [mou] Bird images needed In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Good photos of certain bird species are needed for publication in the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas. At my suggestion this request is being sent to you. Please help if you can. Jim Williams Wayzata ---------- From: "Thomas Schultz" Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 09:06:22 -0600 Subject: [wisb] WBBA images needed We are still in need of photos of a number of species for the forthcoming Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas book. We have been given until at least late June before we need to submit the images to the publisher (while the manuscript is being finalized), so we will have one more field season to try to get out and get the photos we need. Unfortunately, we are unable to monetarily compensate photographers for the use of their photos -- all of the images are donated -- but your contribution will be acknowledged in the book. These are the species for which we are still lacking suitable photographs: Bell's Vireo Blue Grosbeak Boreal Chickadee Eared Grebe (we have fair shot of winter-plumaged bird, but would prefer breeding plumage) Evening Grosbeak (we have shots of birds at feeders) Philadelphia Vireo Western Kingbird Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow Rail In addition, there are also some species for which we would love to have better photos than what we currently have. These would include: Alder Flycatcher Canada Warbler Hooded Merganser Magnolia Warbler Nashville Warbler Pileated Woodpecker Red Crossbill Red-shouldered Hawk Veery Warbling Vireo Wilson's Warbler Yellow-throated Vireo Photos that show breeding-related behavior are preferred, but in many cases that has not been possible, so any good photo of the species would do. Birds shown in a natural setting are also preferred (not hand-held). Photos should be reasonably sharp, with the bird somewhat prominent in the picture, and slides or high-quality digital images are preferred, although if we get desperate, good-quality prints or negatives might be used. Images selected for the book will be reproduced in full color! If you are able to help with providing for any of these species, please contact either of the photo editors listed below. The editors are also looking for high-quality photographs of various Wisconsin bird habitats or vegetative communities, so you are also welcome to submit images of those subjects for consideration. Thank you, Tom Schultz N6104 Honeysuckle Lane Green Lake, WI 54941 920-294-3021 trschultz@vbe.com Dave Kuecherer 726 Harvard Drive Neenah, WI 54956 920-725-7915 d-jk726@execpc.com ############################## This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To UNSUBSCRIBE, E-mail to To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to Send administrative QUERIES, E-mail to From fieldfare21@hotmail.com Thu Feb 26 19:22:05 2004 From: fieldfare21@hotmail.com (Benjamin Fritchman) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 13:22:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] North Shore Wed. Message-ID: I spent all yesterday birding the north shore. I was particularly looking for the Iceland Gull in Two Harbors. As I was driving up I found a few rafts of Red-breasted Mergansers on the lake. When I arrived in Knife River I noticed a few Gulls flying around, so I went down to the marina. There out by the island were 150+ gulls. In among them were 2 adult Glaucous Gulls and the Iceland Gull. Later in Two Harbors I located the Harlequin Duck in Burlington Bay with some Goldeneyes. Ben Fritchman Long Prairie _________________________________________________________________ Store more e-mails with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage – 4 plans to choose from! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/ From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Feb 27 00:41:14 2004 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony X. Hertzel) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 18:41:14 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 26 February 2004 Message-ID: --============_-1134280015==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 26th. GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers this past week: In the Sax Zim bog area, up to three were along St. Louis County Road 7 between Stone Lake Road (County Road 319) south to one mile beyond Byrne's Greenhouse. One Great Gray was seen on the 18th along Stone Lake Road a mile east of 7, and another was seen along St. Louis County Road 133 about half a mile west of County Road 7. In Aitkin County, Great Grays continue to be seen along County Road 18 between County Road 5 and U.S. Highway 169. I have a second hand report of a SNOWY OWL seen on the 20th about a mile north of U.S. Highway 10 on St. Croix Trail in southern Washington County. This is just south of the entrance to the Carpenter Nature Center. And a Snowy Owl is still being seen in Dodge County, along 690th Street between 150th Avenue and 140th Avenue about a mile west of Dodge County Road 5. On February 21st Ron Erpelding found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in Pipestone County just northwest of the town of Pipestone. The bird was observed on both sides of County Road 67 northwest of Pipestone National Monument. Coming into Pipestone from the northeast on state highway 23, turn west on 2nd Street NE. Follow 2nd Street for one mile to NW 8th Avenue and turn north. When the road curves west turn north on County Road 67 for three-quarters of a mile. Continue north past the cemetery where the road becomes gravel. The bird was observed perched on fence posts, small trees, and in the road ditches near the Wildlife Management Area's small parking lot. Several SPRUCE GROUSE were along Lake County Road 2 north of Two Harbors this week. They were reported from just south of the Sand River; from just north of the Sand River; from five and a half miles north of Lake County Road 15; and from state highway 1, a quarter of a mile west of mile marker 323. In Two Harbors, the HARLEQUIN DUCK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, ICELAND GULL, and GLAUCOUS GULL were still being seen on or near Agate Bay over the weekend. And finally, birders in the southern parts of the state are beginning to report migrant EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Bluebirds have been seen in Wabasha, Goodhue, and Dakota counties. This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at . MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com. In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700. The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, March 4th. -- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com --============_-1134280015==_ma============ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" MOU RBA 26 February 2004
This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday February 26th.

GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers this past week: In the Sax Zim bog area, up to three were along St. Louis County Road 7 between Stone Lake Road (County Road 319) south to one mile beyond Byrne's Greenhouse. One Great Gray was seen on the 18th along Stone Lake Road a mile east of 7, and another was seen along St. Louis County Road 133 about half a mile west of County Road 7. In Aitkin County, Great Grays continue to be seen along County Road 18 between County Road 5 and U.S. Highway 169.

I have a second hand report of a SNOWY OWL seen on the 20th about a mile north of U.S. Highway 10 on St. Croix Trail in southern Washington County. This is just south of the entrance to the Carpenter Nature Center. And a Snowy Owl is still being seen in Dodge County, along 690th Street between 150th Avenue and 140th Avenue about a mile west of Dodge County Road 5.

On February 21st Ron Erpelding found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in Pipestone County just northwest of the town of Pipestone. The bird was observed on both sides of County Road 67 northwest of Pipestone National Monument. Coming into Pipestone from the northeast on state highway 23, turn west on 2nd Street NE.  Follow 2nd Street for one mile to NW 8th Avenue and turn north.  When the road curves west turn north on County Road 67 for three-quarters of a mile. Continue north past the cemetery where the road becomes gravel. The bird was observed perched on fence posts, small trees, and in the road ditches near the Wildlife Management Area's small parking lot. 

Several SPRUCE GROUSE were along Lake County Road 2 north of Two Harbors this week. They were reported from just south of the Sand River; from just north of the Sand River; from five and a half miles north of Lake County Road 15; and from state highway 1, a quarter of a mile west of mile marker 323.

In Two Harbors, the HARLEQUIN DUCK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, ICELAND GULL, and GLAUCOUS GULL were still being seen on or near Agate Bay over the weekend.

And finally, birders in the southern parts of the state are beginning to report migrant EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Bluebirds have been seen in Wabasha, Goodhue, and Dakota counties.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at <david@cahlander.com>.

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, March 4th.

-- 
Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com
--============_-1134280015==_ma============-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Feb 27 02:30:02 2004 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 20:30:02 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, February 27, 2004 Message-ID: <000401c3fcd9$9e164bf0$3fb391ce@main> This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 27, 2004 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. This week has been a mild week throughout the area, and signs of spring are all around, even though we are sure to have some more cold and snow in March. Most of the snow buntings have moved north, some horned larks, and longspurs are being reported. The grouse family is starting their courtship displays. Owls are also pairing off and getting ready to raise a family. >From Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County, Gretchen Mehmel reported that several GREAT GRAY OWLS have been sighted in the forest. On Sunday and Monday, she saw one north of the Norris firetower, and June and Ell-kay Foss saw three along the Winner and Faunce-Butterfield roads on Monday on their way to work. GREAT HORNED OWLS are hooting near Norris Camp also. In Roseau County, Gretchen Mehmel saw two SHARP-TAILED GROUSE about three miles west of Hayes Lake State Park on Tuesday, February 24th. Rissa Foss saw a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in her backyard south of the park over the weekend. Shelley Steva saw SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in Red Lake County one mile east of the intersection of US highway 59 and County Road 1 on February 18th. On the 23rd, there were ten BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the town of Plummer. Lori Becker reported from the Wetland, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary that the COMMON REDPOLLS have greatly increased in numbers this week, and fifteen CEDAR WAXWINGS showed up to clean up the remaining fruit at the sanctuary in Polk County. Mike Christopher in Crookston spotted the local MERLIN hunting around town this week. Donna and Leon Thoreson near Climax reported that most, if not all, of the snow buntings that were in their yard departed with the coming of the warm weather. Instead they now have several HORNED LARKS, and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. Randy Chaffee reported a NORTHERN SHRIKE near the golf course at Climax on the 26th. In Norman County on Sunday, Mel and Elaine Bennefeld saw a BALD EAGLE along County Road 39 and 33 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS along Highway 32 south of Twin Valley. More GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS were seen along CR 39 east of Borup, and along CR 27 west of Twin Valley. Clay County birds spotted by the Bennefeld's on Monday included three WILD TURKEYS two miles north of Moorhead on County Road 1. At Bluestem Prairie along CR 85 they found 37 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. On Tuesday, they found a NORTHERN SHRIKE at the Ponderosa Golf Club. Benjamin Fritchman birded in Wilkin County on the 21st where he observed numerous GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS in the Rothsay area. Other species seen there included three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, SHORT-EARED OWLS, HORNED LARKS, SNOW BUNTINGS, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and three RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS. Rick Gjervold also was in Wilkin County this week at the Waterfowl Production Area west of Highway 9 and south of CR 26 where he found both RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, and GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS. He also reported two GOLDEN EAGLES there. In the Lawndale area he spotted nine GRAY PARTRIDGE, and a BALD EAGLE. On his way through Long Prairie on the 21st, Benjamin Fritchman saw a MOURNING DOVE, AMERICAN ROBIN, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in that Todd County town. Thanks to Gretchen Mehmel, Mel and Elaine Bennefeld, Randy Chaffee, Shelley Steva, Rick Gjervold, Benjamin Fritchman, Lori Becker, Mike Christopher, and Donna and Leon Thoreson for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, March 5, 2004. From smithville4@charter.net Fri Feb 27 17:14:58 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 11:14:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Winter Field Trip pics Message-ID: <001401c3fd55$3a77e7d0$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3FD22.EF959960 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello: Tony Hertzel and Dave Cahlander added some digital pictures of the past = MOU Field Trip here in Duluth and surrounding areas. There is a group = picture of all of us and a great picture of John Hockema feeding a Grey = Jay off his hand. John Arthur who came along took some of pictures and = his picture of the female Spruce Grouse and the Grey Jay were very nice. = John also took a picture of John trying to kiss me on the cheek and you = can see my expression I wasn't in the mood for kisses. (-: Also for those that didn't go along and are curious about MOU trips = these pictures will give you a look on what is going on and you might be = able to recognize some people in these pictures. These pictures will be up until late April for viewing. Than after that = there will be pics of the MOU April trips. Maybe some pics of the Salt = Lake Weekend event. To see them go to the MOU web site and than scroll = down to " MOU Trip Summary" click that link and you'll see the pics. Thanks again Tony and Dave. Also thank you John Arthur for your great = pics you donated to the site as well! I still have room (10-13) spots for the April 3-4 trip to Montevideo. = Let me know at smithville4@charter.net Mike Hendrickson MOU Field Trip Guy. Duluth, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3FD22.EF959960 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello:
 
Tony Hertzel and Dave Cahlander added = some digital=20 pictures of the past MOU Field Trip here in Duluth and surrounding = areas. =20 There is a group picture of all of us and a great picture of John = Hockema=20 feeding a Grey Jay off his hand.  John Arthur who came along took = some of=20 pictures and his picture of the female Spruce Grouse and the Grey Jay = were very=20 nice.  John also took a picture of John trying to kiss me on the = cheek and=20 you can see my expression I wasn't in the mood for kisses. = (-:
 
Also for those that didn't go along and = are curious=20 about MOU trips these pictures will give you a look on what is going on = and you=20 might be able to recognize some people in these pictures.
 
These pictures will be up until late = April for=20 viewing. Than after that there will be pics of the MOU April trips. = Maybe some=20 pics of the Salt Lake Weekend event. To see them go to the MOU web site = and than=20 scroll down to " MOU Trip Summary" click that link and you'll see the=20 pics.
 
Thanks again Tony and Dave. Also thank = you John=20 Arthur for your great pics you donated to the site as well!
 
I still have room (10-13) spots for the = April 3-4=20 trip to Montevideo. Let me know at smithville4@charter.net
 
Mike Hendrickson
MOU Field Trip Guy.
Duluth, MN
------=_NextPart_000_0011_01C3FD22.EF959960-- From smithville4@charter.net Fri Feb 27 21:32:38 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 15:32:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] Duluth Peregrine Message-ID: <000a01c3fd79$38f86960$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FD46.EE2A1820 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I was at the Greysolon Building to drop off some stuff for a function = tonight and I looked up at the nest box and saw one of the adults at the = nest site. It was sitting on the roof of it. Last year they hatched some = young and its kool to see they are reusing it again or has interest in = reusing the nest box again. I took some digital pictures of the adult. I = have a 4500 coolpix Nikon and yesterday I got the step rings and other = gadget so I can attatch it to my scope w/o having to fidget the eye = pieces together. Worked pretty well. I wonder and maybe its the same adult that hung most of the winter at = Cargil Elevator OR maybe its a different bird that came back from = unknown places? Mike H. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FD46.EE2A1820 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I was at the Greysolon Building to drop = off some=20 stuff for a function tonight and I looked up at the nest box and saw one = of the=20 adults at the nest site. It was sitting on the roof of it. Last year = they=20 hatched some young and its kool to see they are reusing it again or has = interest=20 in reusing the nest box again. I took some digital pictures of the = adult. I have=20 a 4500 coolpix Nikon and yesterday I got the step rings and other gadget = so I=20 can attatch it to my scope w/o having to fidget the eye pieces together. = Worked=20 pretty well.
 
I wonder and maybe its the same adult = that hung=20 most of the winter at Cargil Elevator OR maybe its a different bird that = came=20 back from unknown places?
 
Mike H.
 
 
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FD46.EE2A1820-- From connyb@mycidco.com Fri Feb 27 17:25:18 2004 From: connyb@mycidco.com (Conny Brunell) Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 17:25:18 Subject: [mou] Great Horned Owl, Hennepin Co. Message-ID: This afternoon Susan, Leslie and I saw a Great Horned Owl sitting in an old Eagle nest in Bloominton, Hennepin Co. Going East from I35W on Black Dog Road past the East end outflow .3 miles from Casperson Landing Fort Snelling State Park sign looking North over the River Valley. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Cty connyb@mycidco.com From shconrad@2z.net Sat Feb 28 01:12:17 2004 From: shconrad@2z.net (shconrad@2z.net) Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 19:12:17 -0600 Subject: [mou] Aitkin County Road 18 Message-ID: <1077930737.403feaf13cd7f@webmail.2z.net> Birded Aitkin CR 18 & 5 from 6:30 am to 9:00 am. Could not locate the Great Grays, but the Barred Owl was in the spruce across from Pietz's Rd. Other birds seen: -- 9 Snow Buntings on the logging road that runs north across from CR 5 -- 2 Gray Jays on the Grant in Aid trail that runs south across from Pietz's -- Ruffed Grouse on north side of CR 18, west of Pietz's -- Rough-legged Hawk near the intersection of 169 and 18 Shawn Conrad ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent from Znet Telecom webmail Znet Telecom http://www.2z.net From sharonks@mn.rr.com Sat Feb 28 14:56:58 2004 From: sharonks@mn.rr.com (sharonks@mn.rr.com) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 08:56:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Merlin in Wayzata Message-ID: <1ab23e1b0911.1b09111ab23e@rdc-kc.rr.com> This morning as I pulled up behind the bird store in Wayzata I was watching our feeders. Out from behind my car zoomed in a male merlin who popped off one of the sparrows that had just flushed from the millet on the ground. Sharon Stiteler Uptown, Minneapolis (in Wayzata this morning) From JulianSellers@msn.com Sat Feb 28 19:33:10 2004 From: JulianSellers@msn.com (Julian Sellers) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 13:33:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl in St. Paul Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3FDFF.685F26E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable At 1 pm today, Joel and Gail Roberts called me to tell me that a large, = white owl had been on their roof all day. I zipped over, and saw the = Snowy Owl there from 1:05 to 1:20. It's on the southeast corner of = their roof, and the house is on the southeast corner of Fairmount and = Finn, in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul. From = Cleveland and St. Clair, go west one block to Finn, then north three = blocks to Fairmount, but stop halfway between Princeton and Fairmount to = see the owl on the edge of the roof. Julian Sellers St. Paul ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3FDFF.685F26E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
At 1 pm today, Joel and Gail Roberts called me = to tell me=20 that a large, white owl had been on their roof all day.  I zipped = over, and=20 saw the Snowy Owl there from 1:05 to 1:20.  It's on the southeast = corner of=20 their roof, and the house is on the southeast corner of Fairmount and = Finn, in=20 the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul.  From Cleveland = and St.=20 Clair, go west one block to Finn, then north three blocks to Fairmount, = but stop=20 halfway between Princeton and Fairmount to see the owl on the edge of = the=20 roof.
 
Julian Sellers
St. Paul
------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C3FDFF.685F26E0-- From watsup@boreal.org Sat Feb 28 22:21:56 2004 From: watsup@boreal.org (Steve and Sherry Watson) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 14:21:56 -0800 Subject: [mou] spruce grouse Message-ID: <000401c3fe49$47361420$8e0f46d8@m7z0w8> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3FE06.3912D420 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This morning at about quarter after eight my dad and I found a female spruce grouse about a mile down from the Sand River on lake county road 2. Less than thirty seconds after we spotted it a logging truck came lumbering down the road and the bird flew back into the thick balsams. About five minutes later it came back out and we were able to view it nicely as it sat on the road and ate the grit of the side. We also sighted some grey jays along the way and I even fed one from my hand. Josh Watson from Grand Marais --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.594 / Virus Database: 377 - Release Date: 2/24/04 ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3FE06.3912D420 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

        = ;  This morning at about quarter after eight my dad and I found a female spruce grouse about a mile = down from the Sand River on lake county road 2.  Less than thirty seconds after we spotted it a logging truck came lumbering down the road and the bird flew back into the thick = balsams.  About five minutes later it = came back out and we were able to view it nicely as it sat on the road and ate the = grit of the side.  We also = sighted some grey jays along the way and I even fed one from my hand. =

 

=

Josh Watson = from

Grand = Marais

 

=

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.594 / Virus Database: 377 - Release Date: 2/24/04

------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3FE06.3912D420-- From sharonks@mn.rr.com Sun Feb 29 00:27:45 2004 From: sharonks@mn.rr.com (sharonks@mn.rr.com) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 18:27:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl in St. Paul Message-ID: <1ae1c01a7ff8.1a7ff81ae1c0@rdc-kc.rr.com> Just got a call from Dennis and Barb Martin, the snowy owl flew off the house at 6:16pm and over to the St Thomas Campus (St. Paul side) where it apprears to be actively hunting. They last saw the bird perched on top of a five story building on the southwest corner of the campus next to the ball fields. Sharon Stiteler Uptown, Minneapolis ----- Original Message ----- From: Julian Sellers Date: Saturday, February 28, 2004 1:33 pm Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl in St. Paul > At 1 pm today, Joel and Gail Roberts called me to tell me that a > large, white owl had been on their roof all day. I zipped over, > and saw the Snowy Owl there from 1:05 to 1:20. It's on the > southeast corner of their roof, and the house is on the southeast > corner of Fairmount and Finn, in the Macalester-Groveland > neighborhood of St. Paul. From Cleveland and St. Clair, go west > one block to Finn, then north three blocks to Fairmount, but stop > halfway between Princeton and Fairmount to see the owl on the edge > of the roof. > > Julian Sellers > St. Paul From smithville4@charter.net Sun Feb 29 04:09:43 2004 From: smithville4@charter.net (Michael Hendrickson) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 22:09:43 -0600 Subject: [mou] Cedar Waxwings Message-ID: <000a01c3fe79$dc9c8910$a7a87044@family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FE47.91C81D50 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Well its warm enough and it feels like spring up here in Duluth! Today = while taking a walk in my neighborhood I saw a small group of 5 or so = Cedar Waxwings. Normally Cedars are not seldom found here in the winter = time and it was nice to feel warmth and see Cedar Waxwings. One of them = hawked for a insect in the air and that also encouraging that Spring is = near!! Mike H. Duluth ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FE47.91C81D50 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Well its warm enough and it feels like = spring up=20 here in Duluth! Today while taking a walk in my neighborhood I saw a = small group=20 of 5 or so Cedar Waxwings. Normally Cedars are not seldom found here in = the=20 winter time and it was nice to feel warmth and see Cedar Waxwings. One = of them=20 hawked for a insect in the air and that also encouraging that Spring is=20 near!!
 
Mike H.
Duluth
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3FE47.91C81D50-- From hughe112@mail.crk.umn.edu Sun Feb 29 16:41:02 2004 From: hughe112@mail.crk.umn.edu (Hughes, Heidi) Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 10:41:02 -0600 Subject: [mou] Pankratz Prairie Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3FEE2.D1731AFD Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I've been going out to Pankratz Prairie (east of Crookston) at dawn and dusk the past couple of days and have been treated to very close looks at 6-12 short eared owls. Last night along County Road 46, starting at the RR tracks just south of Hwy 2, I found approximately one owl per mile - sitting on mailboxes and telephone poles, hunting in the prairies next to the road and sitting on the road eating their "catch". It's quite a spectacle and very consistent (at dusk and dawn). Ross Hier at the DNR office in Crookston sent me a note last week... it's a little early for prairie chicken displays, but "a few booms have been heard around the county." =20 Heidi Hughes Crookston=20 =20 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3FEE2.D1731AFD Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I’ve been going out = to Pankratz Prairie (east of Crookston) at dawn and dusk the past couple of days and = have been treated to very close looks at  6-12 short eared owls.  = Last night along County Road 46, starting at the RR tracks just south of Hwy = 2, I found approximately one owl per mile - sitting on mailboxes and = telephone poles, hunting in the prairies next to the road and sitting on the road eating = their “catch”.   It’s quite a spectacle and very consistent (at dusk = and dawn).  Ross Hier at the DNR office in Crookston sent me a note last week… = it’s a little early for prairie chicken displays, but ”a few booms have = been heard around the county.”

 

Heidi Hughes

Crookston

 

=00 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C3FEE2.D1731AFD-- From aajensen1@hotmail.com Sun Feb 29 18:55:41 2004 From: aajensen1@hotmail.com (Allison Jensen) Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 12:55:41 -0600 Subject: [mou] Birding in Austria--req for info Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0031_01C3FEC3.56748320 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello, Jeff and I are going to Austria on Thursday and will be able to visit = Lake Neusiedl and Seewinkel. If anyone has been and has tips, that would be = appreciated. Or if anyone knows an Austrian birder to contact via e-mail, that would be = appreciated, too. Good birding, Allison Jensen ------=_NextPart_000_0031_01C3FEC3.56748320 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello,
 
Jeff and I are going to Austria on Thursday and will be able to = visit Lake=20 Neusiedl
and Seewinkel. If anyone has been and has tips, that would be = appreciated.=20 Or if
anyone knows an Austrian birder to contact via e-mail, that would = be=20 appreciated,
too.
 
Good birding,
Allison Jensen
------=_NextPart_000_0031_01C3FEC3.56748320-- From pmdeerwood@visi.com Sun Feb 29 23:27:54 2004 From: pmdeerwood@visi.com (Pamela Marie Deerwood) Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 17:27:54 -0600 Subject: [mou] Red-Shouldered Hawk Big Willow Park, Minnetonka Message-ID: <4042757A.3010700@visi.com> Happy Leap Day! Today, February 29th, 2004, John Arthur and I were delighted to watch a mature red-shouldered hawk in Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, Hennepin County, MN. We watched the hawk for about 45 minutes (~2:10 - 3 PM) while it hunted from the trees on the edge of the marsh areas of Minnehaha Creek north of the railroad tracks, then flew south of the railroad tracks to perch in trees along the more open waters of Minnehaha Creek. We were amazed as we observed the bird fly to the edge of the creek (a short distance upstream from the canoe landing), where it caught a frog and ate it, as we continued to watch, in a nearby tree. Thank goodness for natural areas! Pamela Deerwood Hopkins, MN