[mou] Short-eared owls (Pankratz Praire near Crookston)
Hughes, Heidi
hughe112@mail.crk.umn.edu
Sat, 31 Jan 2004 13:46:43 -0600
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Over the past several weeks, Dan Svedarsky has reported seeing
short-eared owls at Pankratz Memorial (~10 mi east of Crookston on Hwy
2, take County road 46 south 1.5 miles). So this morning I got up
before the storm (and before the crack of dawn) to take a look.
=20
I took the Hwy 2 bypass from Crookston to Gentilly (County Road 11).
Just east of the Red Lake River Bridge, I watched 2 coyotes frolicking
in the snow in a field on the south side of the road near the
intersection with County Rd 46 (as the sun crept over the horizon
painting the storm clouds a deep shades of red). =20
=20
The sun was still just a crack when I crossed the railroad tracks
heading south on County road 46 just past Highway 2. Just on the other
side of the railroad tracks, I saw the first of 6 short-eared owls,
hunting over the prairie, about 50 yards to the east. It pounced on
its meal and I watched the process for about 15 minutes. Then I looked
south and saw 3 more owls hunting and plunging into the snow - within a
dozen yards of the road near the Pankratz Prairie sign. Another flew
right in front of my car and landed just a few feet ahead of me on Co
Road 46. It sat there and preened for a good 10 minutes. All this
activity took place in less than a half mile from the railroad tracks.=20
=20
The temperature at dawn was -13F... balmy compared to yesterday -34F.
=20
=20
Heidi Hughes
Crookston
=20
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Over the past several weeks, </span></font><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Dan</span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Svedarsky</span></font><font=
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> has reported
seeing short-eared owls at Pankratz Memorial (~10 mi east of Crookston =
on Hwy
2, take County road 46 south 1.5 miles). So this morning I got up =
before
the storm (and before the crack of dawn) to take a =
look.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I took the Hwy 2 bypass from Crookston to Gentilly =
(County
Road 11). Just east of the </span></font><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Red</span></font><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> =
</span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lake</span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>River</span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Bridge</span></font><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, I watched 2
coyotes frolicking in the snow in a field on the south side of the road =
near
the intersection with County Rd 46 (as the sun crept over the horizon =
painting
the storm clouds a deep shades of red). </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The sun was still just a crack when I crossed the =
railroad
tracks heading south on County road 46 just past Highway 2. Just =
on the
other side of the railroad tracks, I saw the first of 6 short-eared =
owls,
hunting over the prairie, about 50 yards to the east. It =
pounced on
its meal and I watched the process for about 15 minutes. Then I =
looked
south and saw 3 more owls hunting and plunging into the snow – =
within a
dozen yards of the road near the Pankratz Prairie sign. Another =
flew
right in front of my car and landed just a few feet ahead of me on Co =
Road 46.
It sat there and preened for a good 10 minutes. All this activity =
took
place in less than a half mile from the railroad tracks. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The temperature at dawn was -13F… balmy =
compared to yesterday
-34F.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Heidi</span></font> Hughes</p>
<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Crookston</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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