[mou] Short-eared Owls/Wilkin Co.

[Dan & Sandy Thimgan]

The Short-eared Owls of Wilkin County put on an astounding aerial display
for us on Wednesday (12/13) late afternoon.  We saw at least 19 between the
optimal hours of 4:00 - 5:00 pm.  They were seen in a number of locations in
the Rothsay Wildlife Management area, most notably at the traditional
Prairie Chicken area.  Go west of Rothsay on CR 26, turn north on what is
now known at 300th Ave which magically turns into 190th St when the road
jogs west.  The fields north and south of this stretch of 190th was the best
spot.  Other owls were also seen over fields off CR 15 as it wends its way
north and east toward the town of Lawndale.  Our first, in fact, was seen
down the road marked by the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail sign.

Earlier, many Prairie Chickens were distantly seen out by the rock piles off
the minimum maintenance road which deadends south off of 15 (near that old
concrete silo with the missing top).  Those minimum maintenance roads,
incidentally, are in great shape right now -- solid with no snow.

Other notables seen earlier in the same general area:  Rough-legged Hawk
(4), American Kestrel (2), Northern Harrier (2), Northern Shrike, good
numbers of Ring-necked Pheasants and Prairie Chickens.

Earlier in the day, we had a pair of Rusty Blackbirds stop at our home
feeders.

Thanks to Steve Millard for the initial tip on the Short-ears.

Dan & Sandy Thimgan, Jeff Schultz
Otter Tail County