[mou] Prairie Falcon in NW Rock County
Ronald Erpelding
rerpeldi@tds.net
Thu, 23 Feb 2006 22:11:07 -0600
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Today (Thursday, February 23rd I birded in Lincoln, Pipestone, Rock and
Murray Counties in SW Minnesota. The best bird of the day by far was a
Prairie Falcon seen in NW Rock County at 10:30 a.m. The Falcon was perched
on a power pole crossbeam on the east side of Rock County Road 6/60th Avenue
between 221st and 211th Streets. The bird flew off to the west about 6 feet
above the corn stubble and circled back to a power pole further south. It
then flew off to the east again about 6 feet above the corn stubble and out
of sight. I circled the 1 mile square section but did not refind the bird.
Upon returning to County Road 6 I headed south and again saw the bird at
10:47 a.m. perched on a power pole crossbeam about a mile further south from
where it was originally seen. The dark coverts and axillaries under the
wings were very evident when the bird flew. Two Rough-legged Hawks were
also seen in Rock County
It had snowed a half inch or so overnight which may have helped in finding
the Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs early in the morning in Lincoln
County. There was little or know snow cover in the fields in the other
counties. No other Snow Buntings were found and the only other Lapland
Longspurs seen were a single flock in Rock County around noon.
The best bird in Murray County (thanks to Janet Timmerman's great
directions) were two Wild Turkey Toms about a half mile west of Chandler and
a quarter mile north at the Lost Timber Bible Camp. I also saw a single
Wild Turkey at the Hjermstad Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Northwest
Murray County. No owls of any species were seen at Hjermstad but an
unbelievable total of at least 142 White-tailed Deer were seen in the areas
adjacent to the WMA on the north, east and west.
Ron Erpelding
Willmar, MN
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Today (Thursday, February 23rd I birded in <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lincoln</st1:City>,
Pipestone, Rock and <st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Murray</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType
w:st=3D"on">Counties</st1:PlaceType> in <st1:place w:st=3D"on">SW =
Minnesota</st1:place>.
The best bird of the day by far was a <b><span =
style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Prairie
Falcon</span></b> seen in NW Rock County at 10:30 a.m. The Falcon =
was
perched on a power pole crossbeam on the east side of Rock County Road =
6/60<sup>th</sup>
Avenue between 221<sup>st</sup> and 211<sup>th</sup> Streets. The =
bird
flew off to the west about 6 feet above the corn stubble and circled =
back to a
power pole further south. It then flew off to the east again about =
6 feet
above the corn stubble and out of sight. I circled the 1 mile =
square section
but did not refind the bird. Upon returning to County Road 6 I =
headed
south and again saw the bird at 10:47 a.m. perched on a power pole =
crossbeam
about a mile further south from where it was originally seen. =
The
dark coverts and axillaries under the wings were very evident when the =
bird
flew. Two <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Rough-legged =
Hawks</span></b>
were also seen in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Rock</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 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>It had snowed a half inch or so overnight which may =
have
helped in finding the <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Snow =
Buntings</span></b>
and <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Lapland Longspurs</span></b> =
early in the
morning in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Lincoln</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. =
There was
little or know snow cover in the fields in the other counties. No =
other
Snow Buntings were found and the only other Lapland Longspurs seen were =
a
single flock in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Rock</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> around =
noon. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The best bird in Murray County (thanks to Janet =
Timmerman’s
great directions) were two <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Wild =
Turkey</span></b>
Toms about a half mile west of Chandler and a quarter mile north at the =
Lost
Timber Bible Camp. I also saw a single Wild Turkey at the =
Hjermstad Wildlife
Management Area (WMA) in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Northwest</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Murray</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.
No owls of any species were seen at Hjermstad but an unbelievable total =
of at
least 142 White-tailed Deer were seen in the areas adjacent to the WMA =
on the
north, east and west.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Ron Erpelding<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on"><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Willmar</span></font></st1:C=
ity><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State
w:st=3D"on">MN</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p=
>
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