[mou] SE Owls still in Wilkin Cty

[Hagsela@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