[mou] MSP Snowy Owl seen 1-26-06

[Alt, Mark]

Karen Shragg, the director of Wood Lake Nature Center, and I went out to =
the airport to try for Snowies, I find midday the toughest time to =
locate them, most of my interesting sightings have been at dawn or late =
in the day. After much scanning with binos to no avail from the glycol =
facility blockhouse on Cargo Rd, I scanned with a scope and found a =
white blob =BE miles away in front of the main terminal. Without enough =
magnification to put eyes in the head, we were able to determine it was =
indeed the largest owl on the continent by its wing edge being a dark =
shadow on the white blob, its feathers on the nape of the head and =
around its feet ruffling in the wind, and two quick movements of its =
head. This was a lifer for Karen, I was sorry she didn't get a close and =
definitive look at it. This was around 12:30 PM. Horned Larks were heard =
in two occasions from this location, their high twittering calls blown =
on the wind, so I didn't locate them specifically. but they sounded like =
flyovers. Nearly 50 degrees and the snow is melting, if you want to see =
the Snowies, now would be a good time, they may be moving on soon. Good =
Birding.