[mou] Metro Birding

[Steve Weston]

Found an interesting hawk this evening in Eagan in Lebanon Hills, visible in
one of the small swamps on the south side of Cliff Road between the Holland
Lake and the entrance to Shultz Lake.  I believe it was the swamp by the old
entrance.   This beauty was clean white below with only faint banding on its
tail and blond head markings.  From its long tail, fluffy white under tail
coverets, and slim appearance, I believe this is an unusual light morph
Coopers Hawk.  I assume it is a juvenile.  Tail feathers were in molt with
only two feathers at full length.  I don't know that I have ever seen a
picture of bird with this coloration.

A friend inquired if I had seen any Nighthawks this summer, and I have not.
I have not been driving through any of the small towns with my windows open,
so I may have missed them.  Is anybody finding them in eastern Minnesota?

Got a call from a co-worker today asking what birds were building mud nests
on his deck and how he might be able to discourage them.  It seems that
these birds, which we determined were Barn Swallows, were terrorizing his
kids.  After determining that the nests were empty, he washed them away with
his hose.   I suggested that he could hang plastic sheeting from hsi deck to
discourage the swallows, but that removing the nests was technically
illegal, and especially illegal if the birds had started to lay eggs.

Then I told him, that he was really missing a show that would really excite
his kids.  I guaranteed him that if he left them to nest, the kids would be
watching through the window everyday.  The Barn Swallow is an insect feeder
and will scarf down more than its weight in mosquitos everyday.  (Well, that
may be a lie.  They may not eat  as many mosquitos as larger bugs.)   And,
while the birds will dive bomb anyone approaching their nests to protect
their young, as time continues they will probably become accustom to the
kids and be less threatened by them.  In any case, they may dive at them,
but they will not attack, and they wouldn't even draw blood if they were in
hand.  (Oh, well that maybe another slight exaggeration.)  I hope I
convinced him to welcome the birds.

We are going through a lot of grape jelly.  Cherie had to refill the dish 
that I filled yesterday.  She reported at least seven orioles today.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2@comcast.net