[mou] Blooper

[Dan & Sandy Thimgan]

scene:  2000 Fergus Falls CBC by open water on the Otter Tail River in
residential Fergus Falls
weather:  near blizzard-like conditions all day

The Bloopees (Gayle and Ruth Beecher, Sandy & Dan Thimgan) were scanning the
river for waterfowl when we spotted a hunched-over, raptor-like shape down
near the riverbank in an inaccessible spot.  We couldn't make it out, but it
undoubtedly was a rarity of some sort!  We hazarded some guesses.  No
consensus.  We raced back to the car, retrieved a scope, and set it up the
snow, our eyes stinging from the blowing snow.  The bird just wouldn't turn
around for us. So, we all galloped back to the car once again and plunged
through the drifts on an adjoining snowy back street in hopes of finding a
better viewing angle.  Out of the car again, we circled stealthily around
the corner of a house, slogging through snow up to our knees. This was high
drama indeed!  Peering around the house, we finally got a full frontal view
of the bird.  It was a......plastic penguin!

Dan & Sandy Thimgan
Otter Tail County
Battle Lake, MN