[mou] Gonvick Rice Paddies, Clearwater Cty
Larson Kelly
northernflights@charter.net
Wed, 12 Apr 2006 19:25:56 -0500
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Bemidji Birding Club Trip Report
Our new birding club had it's first official field trip today. We
travelled north of Gonvick to an area of commercial rice paddies. The
birding was phenomenal! Upwards of 10,000 Tundra Swans filled the
flooded impoundments and muddy fields! They were everywhere, in-
flight, swimming, feeding, napping, fighting. We drove between two
paddies and were surrounded by a blizzard of white bodies in all
directions. Despite the constant wind, the sound of all those swans
mixed with the Chorus Frogs was thrilling. The area also yielded 17
species of duck plus many Canada Geese and 2 Greater White-fronted
Geese.
Total species for the day 54, all in Clearwater county.
Other highlights of the trip included.
1 Western Meadowlark, FOY
3 Dbl.-crested Cormorants, FOY
9 Black-billed Magpie
13 Sandhill Cranes, FOY
8 Raptor species
On top of the amazing Swan spectacle the group witnessed, we
encountered record numbers of Northern Harrier. Almost all were male
and totaled close to 2 dozen individuals! Remarkable beyond their
numbers were the behaviors we observed. Yes, there was plenty of
hunting-hawking the fields, some kitting, numerous low swoops and a
little close up ditch diving action. Then we encountered what
appeared to be a courtship display by a male in the presence of a
higher soaring female. The display was performed over a small opening
in a cedar swamp. The male would fly to a height above the spot then
stoop into it, pulling up 10 or 15 feet above the ground, then climb
and repeat. It reminded me of a hummingbird dance! Later we witnessed
what appeared to be an intense aerial interaction between a male and
female. In another location two males clashed over territory. The
loser gave us gave us a fine look as he made a low and hasty retreat
in front of our vehicle.
Kelly Larson
Bemidji Minnesota
Northern Flights Wild Bird Store
Just 96 miles from the Canadian border!
Or visit us on the Web at... www.northern-flights.com
Eschew Obfuscation!
The middle of Nowhere is Somewhere!
>
>
>
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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV>Bemidji Birding Club Trip =
Report</DIV><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Our =
new birding club had it's first official field trip today. We travelled =
north of Gonvick to an area of commercial rice paddies. The birding was =
phenomenal! Upwards of 10,000 Tundra Swans filled the flooded =
impoundments and muddy fields! They were everywhere, in-flight, =
swimming, feeding, napping, fighting. We drove between two paddies and =
were=A0surrounded by a blizzard of white bodies in all directions. =
Despite the constant wind, the sound of all those swans mixed with the =
Chorus Frogs was thrilling. The area also yielded 17 species of duck =
plus many Canada Geese and 2 Greater White-fronted =
Geese.</DIV><DIV>Total species for the day 54, all in Clearwater =
county.</DIV><DIV>Other highlights of the trip included.</DIV><DIV>1 =
Western Meadowlark, FOY</DIV><DIV>3=A0 Dbl.-crested Cormorants, =
FOY</DIV><DIV>9 Black-billed Magpie</DIV><DIV>13 Sandhill Cranes, =
FOY</DIV><DIV>8 Raptor species</DIV><DIV>On top of the amazing =
Swan=A0spectacle the group witnessed, we encountered record numbers of =
Northern Harrier. Almost all were male and totaled close to 2 dozen =
individuals! Remarkable beyond their numbers were the behaviors we =
observed. Yes, there was plenty of hunting-hawking the fields, some =
kitting, numerous low swoops and a little close up ditch diving action. =
Then we encountered what appeared to be a courtship display by a male in =
the presence of a higher soaring female. The display was performed over =
a small opening in a cedar swamp. The male would fly to a height above =
the spot then stoop into it, pulling up 10 or 15 feet above the ground, =
then climb and repeat. It reminded me of a hummingbird dance! Later =
we=A0witnessed what appeared to be an intense=A0aerial interaction =
between a male and female. In another location two males clashed over =
territory. The loser gave us gave us a fine look as he made a low and =
hasty retreat in front of our vehicle.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; =
border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; =
border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Kelly =
Larson</DIV><DIV>Bemidji Minnesota</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Northern Flights Wild Bird =
Store</DIV><DIV>Just 96 miles from the Canadian border!</DIV><DIV>Or =
visit us on the Web at...=A0<A =
href=3D"http://www.northern-flights.com">www.northern-flights.com</A></DIV=
><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#4A2FFF"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(74, 47, 255); "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(74, 47, 255); ">Eschew =
Obfuscation!</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#FF4934"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(255, 73, 52); "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(255, 73, 52); ">The =
middle of Nowhere </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
color=3D"#FF4934"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"text-decoration: underline;; color: rgb(255, 73, 52); =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(255, 73, 52); =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: rgb(255, 73, 52); =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; =
">is</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
color=3D"#FF4934"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: =
rgb(255, 73, 52); "><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"color: =
rgb(255, 73, 52); "> =
Somewhere!</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></DIV><DIV><BLOCKQUOTE =
type=3D"cite"><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> <BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></=
HTML>=
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