[mou] Brown Cty. 4th of July (long)
Brian Smith
brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net
Sun, 4 Jul 2004 20:29:38 -0500
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Happy 4th of July, everyone:
I spent three hours birding in south central Brown cty. this afternoon. =
The first place I stopped was at an empty farm grove about 13 miles =
south/southwest of Sleepy Eye. I went there to look for a Swainson's =
Hawk that I happened upon there a few weeks ago. Today there were two =
adult light phase birds soaring above the grove when I arrived. After I =
got the scope out, I noticed that one of the birds had some prey in its =
talons (a mouse, I think) and what was neat was that both of the birds =
were doing acrobatics around each other as the bird with the prey would =
sort of dangle the prey near the other bird but they never actually =
transferred the food to the other bird. This went on for five minutes =
or more and then finally the bird with the prey flew off over the grove =
and out of sight. The other bird continued to soar near me for a few =
minutes and then flew off to the west and out of sight. To me this =
behavior looked like some sort of bonding ritual between two mated =
birds. I'll continue to watch this spot as I'm almost certain that =
they're nesting there.
On the way home I noticed a Cuckoo fly in front of my car near a gravel =
pit with scattered trees along Hwy. 4. I turned around and was able to =
relocate the bird long enough to identify it as a Black-billed Cuckoo. =
While I was watching the Cuckoo I heard a bird singing in a tree that I =
was unfamiliar with. I turned the scope on it and immediately =
recognized it as a Lark Sparrow. This bird has eluded me in Brown cty. =
for over five years. Anyway, the bird continued to sing for a little =
while. I noticed that at one point it cocked its tail at a 90 degree =
angle (like a wren) and I thought that this might be an alarm posture. =
The bird flew off into a nearby soybean field and was followed by two =
other birds. The two others was one adult Lark Sparrow and a juvenile. =
The juvenile followed one of the adult birds around the entire time =
begging for food. One of the adult Lark Sparrows continued to hold its =
tail upright, I suppose since it was alarmed over my presence. I =
believe that this is a first nesting record for Brown cty. for this =
species. The place where I found the Lark Sparrows is probably 17 or 18 =
miles south of the Minnesota river valley so these birds are a little =
ways out of its usual summer territory. =20
My last stop was at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds where I was a little =
surprised to find 4 Lesser Yellowlegs. Also seen were two Eared Grebes =
and 1 Ring-billed Gull. =20
Brian Smith
Sleepy Eye
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Happy 4th of July, =
everyone:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I spent three hours birding in south =
central Brown=20
cty. this afternoon. The first place I stopped was at an empty =
farm grove=20
about 13 miles south/southwest of Sleepy Eye. I went there to look =
for a=20
<STRONG>Swainson's Hawk </STRONG>that I happened upon there a few weeks=20
ago. Today there were two adult light phase birds soaring above =
the grove=20
when I arrived. After I got the scope out, I noticed that one of =
the birds=20
had some prey in its talons (a mouse, I think) and what was neat was =
that both=20
of the birds were doing acrobatics around each other as the bird with =
the prey=20
would sort of dangle the prey near the other bird but they never =
actually=20
transferred the food to the other bird. This went on for five =
minutes=20
or more and then finally the bird with the prey flew off over the =
grove and=20
out of sight. The other bird continued to soar near me for a few =
minutes=20
and then flew off to the west and out of sight. To me this =
behavior looked=20
like some sort of bonding ritual between two mated birds. I'll continue =
to watch=20
this spot as I'm almost certain that they're nesting there.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On the way home I noticed a Cuckoo fly =
in front of=20
my car near a gravel pit with scattered trees along Hwy. 4. I =
turned around=20
and was able to relocate the bird long enough to identify it as a=20
<STRONG>Black-billed Cuckoo.</STRONG> While I was watching the =
Cuckoo I=20
heard a bird singing in a tree that I was unfamiliar with. I =
turned the=20
scope on it and immediately recognized it as a <STRONG>Lark=20
Sparrow.</STRONG> This bird has eluded me in Brown cty. for over =
five=20
years. Anyway, the bird continued to sing for a little =
while. I=20
noticed that at one point it cocked its tail at a 90 degree angle (like =
a wren)=20
and I thought that this might be an alarm posture. The bird flew =
off into=20
a nearby soybean field and was followed by two other birds. The =
two others=20
was one adult Lark Sparrow and a juvenile. The juvenile followed =
one of=20
the adult birds around the entire time begging for food. One =
of the=20
adult Lark Sparrows continued to hold its tail upright, I suppose since =
it was=20
alarmed over my presence. I believe that this is a first nesting =
record=20
for Brown cty. for this species. The place where I found the =
Lark=20
Sparrows is probably 17 or 18 miles south of the Minnesota river valley =
so these=20
birds are a little ways out of its usual summer territory. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>My last stop was at the Sleepy Eye =
sewage ponds=20
where I was a little surprised to find 4 <STRONG>Lesser=20
Yellowlegs.</STRONG> Also seen were two Eared Grebes and 1 =
Ring-billed=20
Gull. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Brian Smith</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sleepy Eye</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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