[mou] Jackson/Cottonwood counties today

[Dennis/Barbara Martin]

Black-headed Gull at Spirit Lake spent nearly all day flying around and
feeding in the lily pads on the Iowa side of the border.  Numerous people
were present from 7:45 AM to late afternoon and during that time it went
accross the road into Minnesota only once (about 1:15)  to check out a large
flock of migrating Franklin's and Ring-billed Gulls that were over the
Minnesota side for a few minutes.

Great-tailed Grackles were found by others near the intersection of State
Highway 86 and Jackson Cty 4.  We found five Trumpeter Swans just south of
Lakefield on State Highway 86.  The four adults were banded with
pinkish/orangish neck bands and the juvenile was unbanded.  We presume that
these birds are from the recent Iowa release projects and as such are not
countable.  Can anyone confirm this thought?  At the same location were
three mallard sized geese that we presume were Cackling Geese.  Although we
understand that this species is not that common in the western counties.

At the Red Rock Prairie in Cottonwood County there was one poor look at a
single adult male Smith's Longspur.  Certainly more will arrive in the
coming cooler days.  Also present were many many pipits, Horned Larks,
Vesper and Savanah Sparrows.  At dusk 3 or 4 Short-eared Owls came out for
great looks.

Dennis and Barbara Martin
dbmartin@skypoint.com