[mou] FW: [mnbird] BOREAL OWL and Bohemian Waxwings in POLK COUNTY
Alt, Mark
Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com
Wed, 9 Mar 2005 08:23:10 -0600
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________________________________________
From: mnbird-admin@lists.mnbird.net
[mailto:mnbird-admin@lists.mnbird.net] On Behalf Of Emery, Nathaniel G
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 5:13 PM
To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net
Subject: [mnbird] BOREAL OWL and Bohemian Waxwings in POLK COUNTY
=20
This morning I was at the Agassiz Environmental Learning Center in
Fertile, Minnesota waiting to assist 5th graders from Bagley with a
winter survival course. I was waiting for the bus at 0915 when the
whistle of waxwings filled my ears. I looked around but couldn't see
them so after 5 minutes I decided to get up and go look for them. First
I saw a flock in the tops of the trees near the entrance drive to the
Nature Center. Soon flock after flock came in and filled branches of
trees and shrubs like Christmas lights. To my surprise they were all
Bohemians. I scanned the flock that spanned from the entrance all the
way along the Sandhill River to the Texas River Crossing for about 10
minutes but didn't see a Cedar Waxwing in the area. I estimated the
number of birds to be 200+.
=20
Smiling and walking back towards the Nature Center a flash
of movement caught my eye near the river. I looked and immediately
thought it was a small hawk. Just as I began to raise my binoculars I
realized that it wasn't a hawk at all, but rather a small owl. I have
been reading about northern owls recently and looking over specimens at
the UMC wildlife museum and from my mental catalog assumed that it was a
Northern Saw-whet Owl. It was perched just above bank height in an ash
that was leaning over the river. I walked to within 15 feet of it,
gathered some mental notes, and took a few pictures with my disposable
camera. After 10 minutes I walked back to the Nature Center excited to
tell UMC student Jessica Sattler and Program Instructor Kirsten Fuglseth
about my find. Beaming I escorted Jess back out to the bird and we
viewed it for another 5 minutes before leaving. Neither time had it
seemed alarmed and hardly acknowledged our existence. I decided to
consult a field guide and used Peterson's Field Guide of Eastern Birds
and realized that I needed to go back and confirm whether it was a
Saw-whet or Boreal Owl. Returning I found him less than 10 feet from
the road at another perch just above bank height. This time I looked
for the pattern of white spots on the forehead, a heavy black outline on
the face, the shape of the head, and the color of the bill. It had
rounded spots, a definite black outline around the facial disc, a
flat-topped head, and I commented to Jess that the color of the bill was
Ivory. Realizing that it was a Boreal Owl and a big deal I told Kirsten
and others. Before going out on one of the segments of survival course
being offered I walked out once again. Grumbling to myself about
leaving a nice camera that I borrow home, I broke my own rule for
viewing wildlife and crept as close as I could. When my hand was less
than 3 feet from the bird I decided to back off and discontinue the
photo shoot. Returning to the Nature Center after taking the kids
cross country skiing and knowing that others might be interested I
called Laura Bell at UMC at ~1150 and asked her to spread the word
around the Natural Resources Department. =20
=20
I checked on the bird more than 4 times before Kirsten made the
announcement that there was a rare owl in the area that I had been
keeping my eye on. After lunch I lead the entire group of about 60
students plus 10 adults to see the very tame owl. People associate much
better with owl than they do waxwing or warbler so the announcement
generated a good buzz and everyone was excited to go see it. At 1210
everyone walked out to the edge of the road and the children leaned over
the snow bank 10 feet from the bird and talked and laughed as I
explained the ecology of the bird and why it would be this far south
when it lives in Canada. After a few minutes the kids left and I went
in for lunch. Around 1255 Dr. John Loegering, his wife Lisa, and Laura
Bell (all faculty or staff of the University of Minnesota, Crookston)
arrived and I played guide only to realize that it was no longer on the
perch that it had sunned and ignored my presence from for the past 3 or
more hours. Searching towards the golf course I relocated the owl from
the bridge that allows golf carts to cross the Sandhill River just up
the hill from the Texas River Crossing. I called to Laura and she kept
her eye on it while I went back to get the Loegering's who had begun
searching the river in the opposite direction. When the three of us
returned Laura had moved onto the golf course and we followed the owl as
it would fly from perch to perch along the river, each time being very
near the water. After consulting National Geographic's Field Guide to
the Birds of North America I had confirmation that it was indeed a
Boreal Owl. We packed up and were on our way back when the bird flew
within 2 feet of Dr. Loegering's head bringing out attention back to the
bird. After soon returning near it's "original" perches we met with
Jessica and Kirsten and we took more pictures through a spotting scope
and eventually decided we had enough good looks at him and packed up
near 1410. =20
=20
This bird was definitely sunning and lazy early in the day but was quite
active from ~1300 hours until we left. There were no plunges observed.
Online resources describe this species as nocturnal and finding refuge
in dense vegetation but this individual was in the open on unobstructed
perches from the time it was initially observed until our departure.
According to the County Occurrence of Minnesota Birds, the Boreal Owl
has never been observed in Polk County.
=20
A few digital pictures did turn out but I will wait until my film is
developed and scanned to post any of them.
=20
Cute as the dickens!
=20
Nate Emery =20
Fertile, Polk County
=20
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
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____<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>From: mnbird-admin@lists.mnbird.net
[mailto:mnbird-admin@lists.mnbird.net] On Behalf Of Emery, Nathaniel =
G<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 5:13 =
PM<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>To: =
mnbird@lists.mnbird.net<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Subject: [mnbird] BOREAL OWL and =
Bohemian
Waxwings in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">POLK</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
=
w:st=3D"on">COUNTY</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></=
p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This morning I was at the =
<st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Agassiz</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Environmental</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Learning</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType>
in Fertile, <st1:State w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Minnesota</st1:place></st1:State>
waiting to assist 5th graders from Bagley with a winter survival =
course.
I was waiting for the bus at 0915 when the whistle of waxwings filled my
ears. I looked around but couldn’t see them so after 5 =
minutes I
decided to get up and go look for them. First I saw a flock in the =
tops
of the trees near the entrance drive to the <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Nature</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.
Soon flock after flock came in and filled branches of trees and shrubs =
like
Christmas lights. To my surprise they were all Bohemians. I =
scanned
the flock that spanned from the entrance all the way along the =
<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Sandhill</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType
w:st=3D"on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to the Texas River =
Crossing for
about 10 minutes but didn’t see a Cedar Waxwing in the area. =
I
estimated the number of birds to be 200+.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> =
Smiling and walking back towards the <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Nature</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> a flash =
of
movement caught my eye near the river. I looked and immediately =
thought
it was a small hawk. Just as I began to raise my binoculars I =
realized
that it wasn’t a hawk at all, but rather a small owl. I have =
been
reading about northern owls recently and looking over specimens at the =
UMC
wildlife museum and from my mental catalog assumed that it was a =
Northern
Saw-whet Owl. It was perched just above bank height in an ash that =
was
leaning over the river. I walked to within 15 feet of it, gathered =
some
mental notes, and took a few pictures with my disposable camera. =
After 10
minutes I walked back to the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Nature</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> excited =
to tell
UMC student Jessica Sattler and Program Instructor Kirsten Fuglseth =
about my
find. Beaming I escorted Jess back out to the bird and we viewed =
it for
another 5 minutes before leaving. Neither time had it seemed =
alarmed and
hardly acknowledged our existence. I decided to consult a field =
guide and
used Peterson’s Field Guide of Eastern Birds and realized that I =
needed
to go back and confirm whether it was a Saw-whet or Boreal Owl. =
Returning
I found him less than 10 feet from the road at another perch just above =
bank
height. This time I looked for the pattern of white spots on the
forehead, a heavy black outline on the face, the shape of the head, and =
the
color of the bill. It had rounded spots, a definite black outline =
around
the facial disc, a flat-topped head, and I commented to Jess that the =
color of
the bill was Ivory. Realizing that it was a Boreal Owl and a big =
deal I
told Kirsten and others. Before going out on one of the segments =
of
survival course being offered I walked out once again. Grumbling =
to
myself about leaving a nice camera that I borrow home, I broke my own =
rule for
viewing wildlife and crept as close as I could. When my hand was =
less
than 3 feet from the bird I decided to back off and discontinue the =
photo
shoot. Returning to the Nature Center after taking the kids =
cross
country skiing and knowing that others might be interested I called =
Laura Bell
at UMC at ~1150 and asked her to spread the word around the Natural =
Resources
Department. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I checked on the bird more than 4 =
times
before Kirsten made the announcement that there was a rare owl in the =
area that
I had been keeping my eye on. After lunch I lead the entire group =
of
about 60 students plus 10 adults to see the very tame owl. People =
associate
much better with owl than they do waxwing or warbler so the announcement
generated a good buzz and everyone was excited to go see it. At =
1210
everyone walked out to the edge of the road and the children leaned over =
the
snow bank 10 feet from the bird and talked and laughed as I explained =
the
ecology of the bird and why it would be this far south when it lives in =
<st1:country-region
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
After a few minutes the kids left and I went in for lunch. Around =
1255
Dr. John Loegering, his wife Lisa, and Laura Bell (all faculty or staff =
of the
University of Minnesota, Crookston) arrived and I played guide only to =
realize
that it was no longer on the perch that it had sunned and ignored my =
presence
from for the past 3 or more hours. Searching towards the golf =
course I
relocated the owl from the bridge that allows golf carts to cross the =
<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Sandhill</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType
w:st=3D"on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> just up the hill from the =
Texas
River Crossing. I called to Laura and she kept her eye on it while =
I went
back to get the Loegering’s who had begun searching the river in =
the opposite
direction. When the three of us returned Laura had moved onto the =
golf
course and we followed the owl as it would fly from perch to perch along =
the
river, each time being very near the water. After consulting =
National
Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America I had =
confirmation
that it was indeed a Boreal Owl. We packed up and were on our way =
back
when the bird flew within 2 feet of Dr. Loegering’s head bringing =
out
attention back to the bird. After soon returning near it’s
“original” perches we met with Jessica and Kirsten and we =
took more
pictures through a spotting scope and eventually decided we had enough =
good
looks at him and packed up near 1410. =
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This bird was definitely sunning =
and lazy
early in the day but was quite active from ~1300 hours until we =
left.
There were no plunges observed. Online resources describe this =
species as
nocturnal and finding refuge in dense vegetation but this individual was =
in the
open on unobstructed perches from the time it was initially observed =
until our
departure. According to the <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType>
<st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Occurrence</st1:PlaceName> of Minnesota =
Birds, the
Boreal Owl has never been observed in <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Polk</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>A few digital pictures did turn out =
but I
will wait until my film is developed and scanned to post any of =
them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Cute as the =
dickens!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Nate
Emery &n=
bsp; &nb=
sp;
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Fertile, <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Polk</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></=
p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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