[mou] Rothsay Birds

[Benjamin Fritchman]

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

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