RE: Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 3, = 2006

Kelly = Larson

Bemidji Minnesota

Northern Flights Wild Bird = Store

Just 96 miles from the Canadian border!

Or = visit us on the Web at...

http://www.northern-flights.com

Eschew = Obfuscation!

The middle of Nowhere = = Somewhere!<= /DIV>

On Oct 31, 2006, at 3:54 PM, Jim = Williams wrote:

The Pine Sawyer beetles were the = main attraction several years ago at a Red Pine plantation burn in = central Douglas County, Wisconsin. Black-backed Woodpeckers were = plentiful for several months after the fire was out, feeding on the = larvae of this beetle. Three-toed Woodpeckers also were seen on the = burn, although in much smaller numbers. Someone on a WDNR burn crew told = me that the beetles often arrived before a fire was out. The woodpeckers = also, apparently, followed the smoke. I don't know how else so many of = them would have located that particular beetle-infested site.

Perhaps = some of you recall a fire some years ago near Thunder Bay that also = attracted large numbers of these two woodpecker species, particularly = Black-backed. This fire covered several tens of thousands of acres. A = woodpecker count was taken in one area, that total extrapolated over the = entire burn. As I recall, it was estimated that as many as 20,000 = Black-backed Woodpeckers could have been present if the saturation of = the entire burn matched that of the count area.

An = aside: when the larvae hatched and the beetles were chewing their way = out of the pines, you could clearly hear the munching sound they made. = You also could see small piles of sawdust, from the beetles excavation = efforts, at the base of the trees from which they had emerged.

Jim = Williams

I haven’t seen this bird on = the Minneapolis city lakes lately, and given that = others have seen it at Purgatory Creek in Eden = Prairie, I suspect it is roosting on Lake Minnetonka -- at = least some days.

Sent: = Tuesday, October 31, 2006 5:13 PM
Subject: [mou] Lesser = Black-backed Gull ~ Dakota County

This afternoon from 3:30 until 4:15 = pm I enjoyed watching a Lesser Black-backed Gull on the west end = of Black Dog Lake in Burnsville, Dakota = County in the chilly sunshine = with a hundred or so Ring-billed and Herring = Gulls.

Conny = Brunell

Richfield, Hennepin = Co.

------_=_NextPart_001_01C6FDC5.4538A7BA-- From dmitchell@pressenter.com Thu Nov 2 00:43:53 2006 From: dmitchell@pressenter.com (Donald Mitchell) Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 18:43:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] Star Trib article on Bald Eagle and landowner Message-ID: <000101c6fe17$fba9f400$0200a8c0@DDDSK521> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0002_01C6FDE5.B10F8400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Here is a link to an interesting article in today's Mpls Star-Tribune = about the Morrison County landowner who went to federal court to get the Bald Eagle delisted in order to subdivide his property, which has an active = eagle nest-he won his case, and the judge ordered the USFWS to make a decision = on delisting by February 2007:=20 =20 http://www.startribune.com/531/story/779817.html =20 =20 Donald Mitchell Red WIng ------=_NextPart_000_0002_01C6FDE5.B10F8400 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Here is a link to an interesting article in = today’s Mpls Star-Tribune about the Morrison County landowner who went to federal court to get the Bald Eagle delisted in order to = subdivide his property, which has an active eagle nest—he won his case, and = the judge ordered the USFWS to make a decision on delisting by February = 2007:

http://www.star= tribune.com/531/story/779817.html

Donald Mitchell

Red WIng

------=_NextPart_000_0002_01C6FDE5.B10F8400-- From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Thu Nov 2 02:33:53 2006 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 02:33:53 +0000 Subject: [mou] FW: Re: [mnbird] Late Hummer Message-ID: Stephen Yahn gave me permission to forward this to MOU-net. I am curious what opinions there may be regarding this bird's identification. Stephen also told me he will bring the specimen to the Bell Museum. Dedrick Benz Winona, MN >From: "Stephen Yahn" >Reply-To: steveyahn@comcast.net >To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net >Subject: Re: [mnbird] Late Hummer >Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:28:31 -0600 > >After the two sightings of the hummingbird reported previously, I saw it >again on Tuesday morning silhouetted in the pre-dawn light at a feeder. >After not seeing it for the rest of the day, I hoped that the cold front >might be the trigger to send it on its way to the tropics. This morning >while having breakfast, I discovered it perched on the deck floor beneath >a frozen feeder. > >I approached it slowly and it didn't move so I took a few quick photos >before gently lifting it up and bringing it into the house. Knowing that >hummingbirds respond to cold by entering a state of torpor, I hoped that >warming the bird would restore its ability to feed. After several hours, >it was obvious that the hummer was dead. > >Even with the help of a dozen reference books, I wasn't able to positively >identify the species. My best guess is that it's an immature female >Ruby-throated, although I realize that some late-season sightings are of >Calliopes or Rufous. For those of you with a more practiced eye or who >just want to see it, photos are available here: > > http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stephen_yahn/album?.dir=/c339re2 > >The first of the photos are of the bird as I discovered it. The next >group are closeups taken inside. The remainder were taken in natural >light. > >It is puzzling what causes this late appearance. When I first saw the >hummingbird, it appeared able to fly and feed without impediment. Did it >get a late start from the far north? Did it have a defective migration >urge? Was it lost? No matter the reason, having a dead hummingbird in my >hand on November 1 is a sad experience. > >Steve Yahn >Eagan, Dakota County > > >On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:28:47 -0600, Stephen Yahn >wrote: > >>Yesterday afternoon and again this morning there was a hummingbird at my >>feeders. I wasn't able to make a positive identification--the bird was >>very skittish--but it appeared to be a female or immature Ruby-throated. >>It's been six weeks since I've seen a hummingbird here and I was thinking >>about taking down the nectar feeders for the season. >> >>By the fact that it was skittish and not gorging at the feeders, I assume >>that it has been feeding reasonably well. With the weather set to turn >>much colder, it would seem that the hummer should make haste for its >>winter range. I wonder if the bird has come from the farthest reaches of >>its range, had migration delayed for some reason, or has a defective >>migration instinct. >> >>I had another uncommon visitor to my feeders this morning. A Northern >>Flicker spent a surprisingly long time on my deck, aggressively chasing >>away the jays and icterids that got too close. >> >>Steve Yahn >>Eagan, Dakota County >> >>_______________________________________________ >>mnbird mailing list >>mnbird@lists.mnbird.net >>http://www.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird >> > > >_______________________________________________ >mnbird mailing list >mnbird@lists.mnbird.net >http://www.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird _________________________________________________________________ Try Search Survival Kits: Fix up your home and better handle your cash with Live Search! http://imagine-windowslive.com/search/kits/default.aspx?kit=improve&locale=en-US&source=hmtagline From TMoffatt@threeriversparkdistrict.org Thu Nov 2 13:52:58 2006 From: TMoffatt@threeriversparkdistrict.org (Tom Moffatt) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 07:52:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Richardson Nature Center Red-tailed hawk Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C6FE86.35009F06 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Richardson Nature Center is still searching for it's lost Red-tailed Hawk. This bird broke it's tether and escaped on Monday, Oct. 26th. He is an imprinted bird so he'll be unable to survive in wild on his own and has been a part of RNC's programming for almost 18 years. He has been spotted twice in the area near Richardson Nature Center/ Hyland Park Reserve in Bloomington. Nature center staff would greatly appreciate assistance in locating the bird so that he can be recaptured. He can be easily identified because his lether jesses are still attached to his legs. Anyone spotting him, please contact Richardson at 763-694-7676. The nature center staff will work with the Raptor Center to recapture the bird. Please do not attempt to catch him yourself. Thanks, everyone! =20 Tom Moffatt Outdoor Education Supervisor Richardson Nature Center 8737 E. Bush Lake Road Bloomington, MN 55438 763-694-7681 952-941-7649 (FAX) =20 "Insert clever or wise saying here" =20 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C6FE86.35009F06 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Richardson Nature=20 Center is still searching for it's lost Red-tailed Hawk. This bird broke = it's=20 tether and escaped on Monday, Oct. 26th. He is an imprinted bird so = he'll be=20 unable to survive in wild on his own and has been a part of RNC's=20 programming for almost 18 years. He has been spotted twice in the = area near=20 Richardson Nature Center/ Hyland Park Reserve in Bloomington. = Nature center=20 staff would greatly appreciate assistance in locating the bird so that = he can be=20 recaptured. He can be easily identified because his lether jesses are = still=20 attached to his legs. Anyone spotting him, please contact = Richardson at=20 763-694-7676. The nature center staff will work with the Raptor Center = to=20 recapture the bird. Please do not attempt to catch him yourself. Thanks, = everyone!

Tom Moffatt

Outdoor Education=20 Supervisor

Richardson Nature = Center

8737 E. Bush Lake = Road

Bloomington, MN = 55438

763-694-7681

952-941-7649 = (FAX)

"Insert clever or wise = saying=20 here"

------_=_NextPart_001_01C6FE86.35009F06-- From connybrunell@earthlink.net Thu Nov 2 20:07:01 2006 From: connybrunell@earthlink.net (Conny Brunell) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 14:07:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] Lesser Black-backed Gull ~ Hennepin County Message-ID: <380-2200611422071840@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII This morning from 11:45 am - 12:30pm I enjoyed nice close looks at the Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Purgatory Creek Wetlands off of PrairieCenter Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County. The wetlands to the east of the foot bridge are mostly frozen over with slivers of open water hear and there. The Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 70 other Gulls were sitting on the ice north of the central mudflat. There were 5 Bald Eagles on the southeast section of the ice and occasionally one of them would get up and fly over and the Gulls would flush then circle back and land close to the same spot on the ice again. The nice thing about having the Bald Eagles scare up the Gulls was the opportunity to see the Lesser Black-backed stand up and walk a few steps before taking off affording the chance to see those yellow legs and feet well. While there a flock of 50 or so vocalizing Tundra Swans flew over head, and there were 18 Northern Shovelers and 3 Green-winged Teal in the open water close to the bridge. It was cold and windy with some blowing flakes, and there was an icicle hanging from the tip of the Lesser Blacked-backed's upper mandible - probally from mine to after standing still out there for 45 minutes... Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

This morning from 11:45 am - 12:30pm I enjoyed nice close looks at the Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Purgatory Creek Wetlands off of PrairieCenter Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County. The wetlands to the east of the foot bridge are mostly frozen over with slivers of open water hear and there.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 70 other Gulls were sitting on the ice north of the central mudflat. There were 5 Bald Eagles on the southeast section of the ice and occasionally one of them would get up and fly over and the Gulls would flush then circle back and land close to the same spot on the ice again. The nice thing about having the Bald Eagles scare up the Gulls was the opportunity to see the Lesser Black-backed stand up and walk a few steps before taking off affording the chance to see those yellow legs and feet well.

While there a flock of 50 or so vocalizing Tundra Swans flew over head, and there were 18 Northern Shovelers and 3 Green-winged Teal in the open water close to the bridge. It was cold and windy with some blowing flakes, and there was an icicle hanging from the tip of the Lesser Blacked-backed's upper mandible - probally from mine to after standing still out there for 45 minutes...

Conny Brunell

Richfield, Hennepin Co.

------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Thu Nov 2 21:33:45 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 13:33:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] 8000+/- Tundra Swans, 117 Bald Eagles,Pool 8, Miss. R.,Houston Co. Message-ID: <20061102213345.76175.qmail@web56011.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Subject birds viewed from the new viewing deck/pull-off area at Mile Marker 11, Hwy 26 south of Brownsville. This facility is under construction. The plastic orange fence means DO NOT DRIVE ON THE AREA UNDER CONSTRUCTION. YOU WILL GET STUCK! There is room to get off the pavement onto the shoulder. Some swans are within 100yards of the area. Do not get out of your car, slam the door, rattle your tripod, and march across the area. At least that's my advice. You may scare off the closest swans. These swans are stretched out for two miles mid-river. Some are packed so tightly they form a snowbank of white. Watch for those other big white birds: Am. White Pelicans, Am. Egrets, & Snow Geese. The latter least likely. Trumpeter Swans have been sighted south of Pool 8 along Hwy 26 on the ponds near Reno. Not today. The 117 Bald Eagles (BAEA) are by actual count. Most perched on snags like Halloween characters, draped like dark shrouds on brooms. Mostly immature birds. I presume this concentration of eagles is because waterfowl are a source of food. Over many years watching, I have witnessed two BAEA kill waterfowl, as recently as last week. This note makes no mention of the 10,000s+ other waterfowl seeking refuge currently on the River. Now is the time to see and hear swans along the Mississippi R. Hearing them howl & wail is an invitation to get out and dwell among them. This spectacle brought to you most noticeably by the USFWS and Migratory Bird Stamps. Owned by no one & everyone. Fred Lesher LaCrosse, Wis. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited (http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited) From wbruins@earthlink.net Thu Nov 2 22:42:46 2006 From: wbruins@earthlink.net (Bill Bruins) Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:42:46 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carolina Wren Message-ID: We had another visit by a Carolina Wren today. During lunch my wife spotted it first, she has a good view of an old branch we have fastened to the deck that once housed Downy Woodpecker nests. The wren was exploring the various cavities. It also visited our feeders, worm dishes, and water basin. Hung around for half an hour. During its visit we also watched a Red-breasted Nuthatch trek from feed to bur oak with seeds. Just a short while ago the wren was back visiting. This could be the same bird Chuck Krulas mentioned since we are just a few blocks from that sighting. Bill O. William Bruins 1538 11th Avenue NE Rochester, MN 55906-4213 wbruins@earthlink.net 507-281-1607 - home 507-261-6837 - cell (not always turned on) From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Thu Nov 2 23:15:23 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 17:15:23 -0600 Subject: [mou] Scoter Ruminating, Question Message-ID: <00da01c6fed4$c5ff42c0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Thinking about scoters this afternoon. Personal experience of traveling to lakefronts (Superior & Michigan) in the fall & winter has yielded one of two experiences (generally): nail all three in good to excellent numbers, or miss entirely. Wonder about others' experience - similiar or dissimilar? Are there particular weather (or related) conditions that lead to good scoter viewing (like jaegers)? Thanks for any input. Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties PS For MOU and MnBird recipients, 81 species in (an extended area of) central MN this week - including having the opportunity to serve on the record-breaking November Big Day team yesterday. Nothing terribly unusual since Saturday's Red-throated Loon & Little Gull on Mille Lacs Lake. Most ponds in Mille Lacs & Sherburne area frozen, bird numbers diminishing substantially last few days. Winter has set in early! From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Nov 3 01:31:56 2006 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony Hertzel) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 17:31:56 -0800 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 2 November 2006 Message-ID: <20061103013450.7B83510084@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1162517516==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *November 2, 2006 *MNST0611.02 -Birds mentioned Tundra Swan Little Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull American Three-toed Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Gray Jay Townsend's Solitaire Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill White-winged Crossbill Hoary Redpoll -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: November 2, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday November 2nd 2006. As many as eight thousand TUNDRA SWANS have been reported from along the Mississippi River in Houston County. One good location from which to view the swans is from the pull-off at mile marker 11 of state highway 26 south of the town of Brownsville. Many of the birds are close enough to shore that birders need not get out of their cars. Indeed, doing so would probably unnecessarily disturb the swans. A LITTLE GULL was reported at the Garrison harbor in Crow Wing County on the 29th, and another continues to be seen at the Ironton sewage lagoons in the same county. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL has been at the Purgatory Creek wetlands off Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County for about a week. Interesting was the October 29th report of a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along the trail that leads south from the visitor's center at Afton State Park in Washington County. Take the trail south for about a third of a mile go east into the woods. Look for the stand of red pines. A trip up the north shore of Lake Superior on October 28th produced several interesting reports. A third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Canal Park in Duluth. Seven AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were counted at the following places: One on Alseth Road at Stoney Point, three at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, two at Good Harbor Bay just south of Grand Marais, one in the Grand Marais campground, one along state highway 61 at mile marker 121, and one at Paradise Beach about fourteen miles up the shore from Grand Marais. Twenty-eight Black-backed Woodpeckers were also seen at these and other locations. Seven TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were reported at the following locations: one at Alseth Road, two on the west side of Stoney Point, one at 4th Avenue and 2nd Street in Two Harbors, one at Good Harbor Bay, two along the Croftville Road just northeast of Grand Marais, and three at the small town of Colville. Another Townsend's Solitaire was found on the 29th near the Bluestem Scientific and Natural Area southeast of the town of Glyndon in Clay County. The bird was at a farm on 17th Avenue about half a mile west of county road 23. GRAY JAYS have been moving into the Upper Midwest in higher than usual numbers. In Minnesota, reports have come in from as far west as Kittson County and as far south as Otter Tail County -- two birds were seen in Fergus Falls on the 23rd. I also have reports of PINE GROSBEAK, HOARY REDPOLL, RED CROSSBILL, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 9th 2006. --====1162517516==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *November 2, 2006 *MNST0611.02
-Birds mentioned

Tundra Swan
Little Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Gray Jay
Townsend's Solitaire
Pine Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Hoary Redpoll
-Transcript
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: November 2, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday November 2nd 2006.
As many as eight thousand TUNDRA SWANS have been reported from along the Mississippi River in Houston County. One good location from which to view the swans is from the pull-off at mile marker 11 of state highway 26 south of the town of Brownsville. Many of the birds are close enough to shore that birders need not get out of their cars. Indeed, doing so would probably unnecessarily disturb the swans.
A LITTLE GULL was reported at the Garrison harbor in Crow Wing County on the 29th, and another continues to be seen at the Ironton sewage lagoons in the same county.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL has been at the Purgatory Creek wetlands off Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County for about a week.
Interesting was the October 29th report of a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along the trail that leads south from the visitor's center at Afton State Park in Washington County. Take the trail south for about a third of a mile go east into the woods. Look for the stand of red pines.
A trip up the north shore of Lake Superior on October 28th produced several interesting reports. A third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Canal Park in Duluth. Seven AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were counted at the following places: One on Alseth Road at Stoney Point, three at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, two at Good Harbor Bay just south of Grand Marais, one in the Grand Marais campground, one along state highway 61 at mile marker 121, and one at Paradise Beach about fourteen miles up the shore from Grand Marais. Twenty-eight Black-backed Woodpeckers were also seen at these and other locations. Seven TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were reported at the following locations: one at Alseth Road, two on the west side of Stoney Point, one at 4th Avenue and 2nd Street in Two Harbors, one at Good Harbor Bay, two along the Croftville Road just northeast of Grand Marais, and three at the small town of Colville.
Another Townsend's Solitaire was found on the 29th near the Bluestem Scientific and Natural Area southeast of the town of Glyndon in Clay County. The bird was at a farm on 17th Avenue about half a mile west of county road 23.
GRAY JAYS have been moving into the Upper Midwest in higher than usual numbers. In Minnesota, reports have come in from as far west as Kittson County and as far south as Otter Tail County -- two birds were seen in Fergus Falls on the 23rd. I also have reports of PINE GROSBEAK, HOARY REDPOLL, RED CROSSBILL, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 9th 2006. --====1162517516====-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Nov 3 02:23:16 2006 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 18:23:16 -0800 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Thursday, November 2, 2006 Message-ID: <20061103022609.0E88110219@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1162520596==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *November 2, 2006 *MNDL0611.02 -Birds mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Ross's Goose Canada Goose White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye Gray Partridge Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Eared Grebe Bald Eagle Bonaparte's Gull Red-bellied Woodpecker Gray Jay Yellow-rumped Warbler American Tree Sparrow Fox Sparrow Snow Bunting Rusty Blackbird American Goldfinch -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes Date: November 2, 2006 Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours) Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com) This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 3, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. This week we have experienced a tickling of winter in the area as cold temperatures and a little snow arrived early in the week. Still waters have a skin of ice, so waterfowl are concentrated in any open patch of water they can find. Gary and Marion Otnes were birding in Otter Tail County on October 28 where they found good numbers of most common species of ducks including 11 COMMON GOLDENEYE; other species seen included 8 COMMON LOONS, 5 PIED-BILLED GREBES, and several large flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS. In Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks. At the Crookston wastewater treatment ponds on Sunday there were thousands of geese including GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, SNOW GEESE, ROSS'S GEESE, CANADA GEESE, and CACKLING GEESE; one female COMMON GOLDENEYE and 3 EARED GREBES were among the waterfowl. I would suspect that the numbers are greatly reduced since the coming of the colder weather. Elsewhere in the county SNOW BUNTINGS were seen in several places. In Red Lake County, Shelley Steva saw 200 SNOW BUNTINGS about 4 miles east of Plummer on November 2. Shelley reported a late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in Thief River Falls on October 28, and on November 2, she saw a RUSTY BLACKBIRD along US 59 in Pennington County. On October 28 there were 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS at the Thief River Falls Wastewater Treatment Ponds, and on the 29th, I was unable to relocate them but found a flock of 25 SNOW BUNTINGS there. Also on October 29, I saw 20 GRAY PARTRIDGE along CR 10 about 2 miles south of CR 21. Dana Jenkins reported a BALD EAGLE seen along US 59 a short distance north of CR 2 in Marshall County on November 2. >From Beltrami County, Pat Rice reported a TREE SPARROW on October 28, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and FOX SPARROW on October 30. At Stump Lake on October 31, she saw 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE, and 6 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. Thanks to Gary and Marion Otnes, Pat Rice, and Shelley Steva for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, November 10, 2006. --====1162520596==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *November 2, 2006 *MNDL0611.02
-Birds mentioned

Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Canada Goose
White-winged Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Gray Partridge
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Bald Eagle
Bonaparte's Gull
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Gray Jay
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Rusty Blackbird
American Goldfinch
-Transcript
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: November 2, 2006
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 3, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.
This week we have experienced a tickling of winter in the area as cold temperatures and a little snow arrived early in the week. Still waters have a skin of ice, so waterfowl are concentrated in any open patch of water they can find.
Gary and Marion Otnes were birding in Otter Tail County on October 28 where they found good numbers of most common species of ducks including 11 COMMON GOLDENEYE; other species seen included 8 COMMON LOONS, 5 PIED-BILLED GREBES, and several large flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS.
In Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks. At the Crookston wastewater treatment ponds on Sunday there were thousands of geese including GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, SNOW GEESE, ROSS'S GEESE, CANADA GEESE, and CACKLING GEESE; one female COMMON GOLDENEYE and 3 EARED GREBES were among the waterfowl. I would suspect that the numbers are greatly reduced since the coming of the colder weather. Elsewhere in the county SNOW BUNTINGS were seen in several places.
In Red Lake County, Shelley Steva saw 200 SNOW BUNTINGS about 4 miles east of Plummer on November 2.
Shelley reported a late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in Thief River Falls on October 28, and on November 2, she saw a RUSTY BLACKBIRD along US 59 in Pennington County. On October 28 there were 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS at the Thief River Falls Wastewater Treatment Ponds, and on the 29th, I was unable to relocate them but found a flock of 25 SNOW BUNTINGS there. Also on October 29, I saw 20 GRAY PARTRIDGE along CR 10 about 2 miles south of CR 21.
Dana Jenkins reported a BALD EAGLE seen along US 59 a short distance north of CR 2 in Marshall County on November 2.
>From Beltrami County, Pat Rice reported a TREE SPARROW on October 28, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and FOX SPARROW on October 30. At Stump Lake on October 31, she saw 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE, and 6 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
Thanks to Gary and Marion Otnes, Pat Rice, and Shelley Steva for their reports.
Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, November 10, 2006. --====1162520596====-- From two-jays@att.net Fri Nov 3 03:05:14 2006 From: two-jays@att.net (Jim Williams) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 21:05:14 -0600 Subject: [mou] border fence in rio grande valley Message-ID: Perhaps of interest to those of you who have enjoyed birding in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I do not consider this a political issue, but an environmental issue, should posting of political issues cause problems. Jim Williams, Wayzata, Minnesota ==== I received the following piece on TexBird. I am a winter Texan and am very concerned about the proposed fence along the RGV border. This writing was done by Martin Hagne, Director of the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco, Texas. I wrote back to him and asked him what we as birders can do. The law was signed but as I understand it, the funding is yet to be found. Maybe we can discourage our new legislature from funding it. Wyleen High Town of Minocqua soon to be spending the winter in the Rio Grande Valley Hi all, You might not agree... But here are my two cents worth! A fence, or no fence! by Martin Hagne The Valley Nature Center is not a political or lobbying entity and through tax laws as well as its own policy does not endorse political candidates nor take political stands. Our mission is strictly to educate about our awesome native flora and fauna in hopes that everyone Listening will embrace them and help to save them. Having said that, I must speak out about an idea, a brainstorm, a plan that is already law. So here goes my own personal ranting. This item can become the single-most destructive act towards our remaining habitat in at least my lifetime. Yes, the proposed Border Fence! Here is an issue that I personally think is so very poorly understood anywhere outside the state, or even outside the Valley. Most people hear only of the high numbers of illegal immigrants, the drug smuggling, and potential threats from terrorists. There is never any mention of the impact on the local economy, environment, or even border relations. So how can a little fence along the river hurt? Given the fact that this fence has been described as a double layer structure of high solid fencing, with a row of cleared land on the riverbank, a fence, another cleared stretch of land, between another fence, and finally another wide stretch of cleared land on the north side of the last fence. well, there goes whatever little riparian habitat that is left. For over 20 years the US Fish & Wildlife Service, along with several other national, state, and local environmental partners have spent millions of dollars to create a natural wildlife corridor along the Rio Grande's edge. Over 650,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted on tracts of old farmland and other properties bought with mostly Federal dollars. Well over one hundred tracts of land, some 80,000 acres worth so far (I might be off here?), have been set aside to be linked together from Falcon Lake in Starr County to Boca Chica Beach in Cameron County. This very huge undertaking is all in the effort of saving what little riparian habitat that is left, and trying to restore large areas now laid barren. Why is this so important? There are many stretches of land along the river where there are only 50 to 200 feet of forest buffering the river and open agricultural land. Sometimes there is no buffer at all! These buffers are crucial in protecting the only drinking water available to two million people on both sides of the river. Agricultural run-off from chemicals and at times even worse, the soil itself, is polluting the river and silting it in. Soil erosion is much worse without the stabilization of the native plants lining the river. 512 species of birds, over 320 species of butterflies, two endangered wildcats, the ocelot, and jaguarondi, as well as countless mammals and other wildlife, depends on the less than 5% native habitat left in our area. Percentage-wise there is even less riparian habitat than that left. These animals, especially the mammals, depend on the corridor to move from one area to another in the Valley, as well as across the river. Without this movement they are genetically isolated and will die out in small pockets. This would be a huge environmental disaster! The most bio-diverse region in the whole country would be cleared of any riparian habitat in many areas along the river if the fence were built as some plans show it. The tracts of habitat that have been saved, re-vegetated, and cared for would be gone. The search/spot lights along the fence will likely stop nocturnal animals, such as those endangered cats, from moving around, and even worse stop hunting for food. The same federal politicians that sent money to "build" the wildlife corridor are now sending a bill to bulldoze possibly every last bit of the area. Local and most state politicians are on a whole totally against the concept. As far as I can see and hear, many if not all local businessmen, politicians, and residents feel that this fence will be a disaster in more than one way! Over 250,000 nature visitors travel to this area each year. They bring with them millions of dollars to our economy. Local cities and chambers have invested huge amounts of money and land into the fact that "eco-tourism" is bringing so much to the local economy. Without the habitat, there is no wildlife. Without the wildlife, there are no tourists. But there are more reasons than just environmental concerns. Farmers also worry about having access to their allotted water rights. A solid fence would likely not allow the river pumping that they depend on to grow our nation's crops, nor would it allow access to service such pumps. Then there is the human factor. Relationships with our sister communities across the border are crucial to both side's economies. A fence is the ultimate slap in the face to anyone. Even in nice friendly neighborhoods it normally means "We don't really like you," or "We don't really want to look at you." Folks from outside this area do not have to face the consequences that this will bring. Here just along the border, both sides depend on revenues from the tourist trade. U.S. residents travel across to have dinner, shop for souvenirs and to relax. Mexico residents travel here to shop in fancier stores, and to vacation. And none of this takes into account all of the family ties across the river. Yes, our government is trying to save us from the terrorists. And rightly so! But they need to focus on where theses bad folks are coming from. How many of the 20 airline hijackers of 9/11 came across this border? None! They came legally! There are other criminal elements we need to guard against, but those will find ways to cross over or under this fence in no time at all. The same goes for our immigration issues. The fence will not stop them from trying, and succeeding. Tunnels are being built as we speak, and speed boats are becoming the choice for smugglers. All we have to do is look at the wall between East and West Germany to see how flawed this idea is. People died daily at that wall for many years. The billions of dollars that would be spent on this fence would be much better spent elsewhere. Other preventative measures, such as an electronic "walls" would be much less intrusive and solve many of these issues. Or, what a novel idea. it could be used to do some good for the American people, or even for the immigrants trying to cross! I feel that an electronic fence will do as well as a solid fence. Neither will stop all the concerns, but at least the electronic version seems to allow us to live without these harsh consequences. Well, I guess I better stop before I give away my opinion on this project! Bird On... Martin Hagne Harlingen, TX Cameron Co. From jslind@frontiernet.net Fri Nov 3 05:30:04 2006 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 21:30:04 -0800 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 11/2/06 Message-ID: <20061103053259.8FF931021E@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1162531804==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *November 2, 2006 *MNDU0611.02 -Birds mentioned Ross's Goose White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Lesser Black-backed Gull Long-eared Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Mountain Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire Cape May Warbler Field Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Snow Bunting Rose-breasted Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: November 2, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net) This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 2nd, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. At least eleven TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen over the past weekend along the North Shore between Duluth and Cook County. Two were found along the Croftville Road east of Grand Marais, and singles were seen near Emily�s Restaurant in Knife River, at 4th Avenue and 2nd Street in Two Harbors, and at Good Harbor Bay and at the Outpost Motel in Cook County. Flyovers included a bird along the south end of the Alseth Road and two birds at Stoney Point on the 28th, and two at Colville in Cook County on the 29th. As many as 28 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and seven AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were also seen over the weekend along the North Shore. Locations included Stoney Point, Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, Good Harbor Bay, and Grand Marais. Lighthouse Point has consistently had two to three AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS and a handful of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS over the past few weeks. Three LONG-EARED OWLS were also found by Jason Caddy at Lighthouse Point on the 29th. The female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at Bayfront Park in Duluth was relocated by several observers over the weekend, although I have not heard any reports since then. A third-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found on the 27th by Paul Egeland and others at Canal Park in Duluth. A FIELD SPARROW was found at the Two Harbors cemetery on the 28th. A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was found by Steve and Cindy Broste on the 29th in Grand Marais in front of the Super America gas station. Jan Green relocated the two immature ROSS'S GEESE at the Two Harbors golf course on the 1st, as well as a flock of about 2,000 SNOW BUNTINGS. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen in the Grand Marais inner harbor over the weekend, and a flock of six was seen flying by Two Harbors on the 28th. Deb and Steve Falkowski found three BLACK SCOTERS on the 29th on Lake Superior at Park Point. They also saw a LONG-TAILED DUCK in the harbor near the rowing club at Park Point, and one just south of Stoney Point at fire number 8202. A late-lingering CAPE MAY WARBLER was found by Earl Rosenwinkel on the 26th at Hartley Nature Center in Duluth. A late female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK has also been seen as recently as the 1st at Hartley. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was found by Mike Hendrickson on the 28th in Beaver Bay along Slater Drive. Another RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was found by Jean Carpenter on the 27th along Maui Lane in Esko, Carlton County, as well as one in Lakewood Township found by Gordy Martinson near the corner of Maxwell Road and Oak Street. Deb Ortman also has one coming to her feeder along Haines Road in Hermantown. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 9th. The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. --====1162531804==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *November 2, 2006 *MNDU0611.02
-Birds mentioned

Ross's Goose
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Long-eared Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Cape May Warbler
Field Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
-Transcript
Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: November 2, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 2nd, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
At least eleven TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen over the past weekend along the North Shore between Duluth and Cook County. Two were found along the Croftville Road east of Grand Marais, and singles were seen near Emily�s Restaurant in Knife River, at 4th Avenue and 2nd Street in Two Harbors, and at Good Harbor Bay and at the Outpost Motel in Cook County. Flyovers included a bird along the south end of the Alseth Road and two birds at Stoney Point on the 28th, and two at Colville in Cook County on the 29th.
As many as 28 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and seven AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were also seen over the weekend along the North Shore. Locations included Stoney Point, Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, Good Harbor Bay, and Grand Marais. Lighthouse Point has consistently had two to three AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS and a handful of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS over the past few weeks. Three LONG-EARED OWLS were also found by Jason Caddy at Lighthouse Point on the 29th.
The female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at Bayfront Park in Duluth was relocated by several observers over the weekend, although I have not heard any reports since then. A third-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found on the 27th by Paul Egeland and others at Canal Park in Duluth.
A FIELD SPARROW was found at the Two Harbors cemetery on the 28th. A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was found by Steve and Cindy Broste on the 29th in Grand Marais in front of the Super America gas station.
Jan Green relocated the two immature ROSS'S GEESE at the Two Harbors golf course on the 1st, as well as a flock of about 2,000 SNOW BUNTINGS. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen in the Grand Marais inner harbor over the weekend, and a flock of six was seen flying by Two Harbors on the 28th. Deb and Steve Falkowski found three BLACK SCOTERS on the 29th on Lake Superior at Park Point. They also saw a LONG-TAILED DUCK in the harbor near the rowing club at Park Point, and one just south of Stoney Point at fire number 8202.
A late-lingering CAPE MAY WARBLER was found by Earl Rosenwinkel on the 26th at Hartley Nature Center in Duluth. A late female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK has also been seen as recently as the 1st at Hartley.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was found by Mike Hendrickson on the 28th in Beaver Bay along Slater Drive. Another RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was found by Jean Carpenter on the 27th along Maui Lane in Esko, Carlton County, as well as one in Lakewood Township found by Gordy Martinson near the corner of Maxwell Road and Oak Street. Deb Ortman also has one coming to her feeder along Haines Road in Hermantown.
The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 9th.
The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message.
The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. --====1162531804====-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Nov 3 12:18:17 2006 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 06:18:17 -0600 Subject: [mou] RE: Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 3, 2006 Message-ID: <000001c6ff42$94866d40$0ed4aec6@main> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6FF10.49EBFD40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >>In Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks....... That should read: In Polk County at the Wetlands, Pines , and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks.... Jeanie Joppru Pennington County ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6FF10.49EBFD40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable RE: Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 3, = 2006
>>In = Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the = three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last = couple of weeks.......

That should = read:
In Polk = County at the Wetlands, Pines , and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and = I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging = around for the last couple of weeks....

Jeanie = Joppru
Pennington = County
------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6FF10.49EBFD40-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Nov 3 12:21:25 2006 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 06:21:25 -0600 Subject: [mou] RE: Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 3, 2006 Message-ID: <000501c6ff42$bbafe8b0$0ed4aec6@main> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C6FF10.711578B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >>In Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks....... That should read: In Polk County at the Wetlands, Pines , and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last couple of weeks.... Jeanie Joppru Pennington County ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C6FF10.711578B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable RE: Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 3, = 2006
>>In = Polk County on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and I saw 2 of the = three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging around for the last = couple of weeks.......

That should = read:
In Polk = County at the Wetlands, Pines , and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on October 28, manager Pam Wockenfuss and = I saw 2 of the three GRAY JAYS that she reported have been hanging = around for the last couple of weeks....

Jeanie = Joppru
Pennington = County
------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C6FF10.711578B0-- From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Fri Nov 3 16:41:29 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 10:41:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] Red Crossbills Message-ID: <001301c6ff66$e9a99530$0b01a8c0@pastoral> My son Nathan needs Red Crossbills for his life list - this looks like a good fall/winter to nail them down for him. I realize they are highly nomadic, but is anyone seeing them on a consistent basis in an area within a couple of hours of central MN? All replies welcome. Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties (Only highlight of the morning was 340 Sandhills in Sherburne Refuge - imagine we will hit 600-800 before they leave.) From thomas@angelem.com Fri Nov 3 17:17:58 2006 From: thomas@angelem.com (Thomas Maiello) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 11:17:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Praising the water Message-ID: --Apple-Mail-5--416514723 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Had a delightful experience today as my full and steaming-from-the- cold bird bath drew in a couple of first timers to my arbor. Amidst the flock of white throats and finches and juncos and jays and cardinals and goldfinches and doves and chickadees that are massing outside my office window on a daily basis (wow!), today I was awarded with the breath-taking beauty and struttings of a Cedar Waxwing and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker both drinking joyfully from my copper pool. The waxwing was my first in my experience at this home in Spring Lake Park (just north of Fridley) and although the woodpecker has been here all summer, it is the first time for it to grace my water. I have also been blessed with a spanking of perchings from Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers who apparently have their winter threads on for they simply glisten with dramatically pronounced contrast between their blacks and whites. They actually look like they are newly tuxedoed for the wedding of some friend. I have also had some success managing my House Sparrow herd as they dig into their winter perching habits among my grapevine thickets. The thickets are now devoid of leaves but thick enough to give them an apparent sense of safety among the tangles of vine. I'd get rid of it but other birds take advantage of the shrine. The steaming water and bounty of seeds I have spread like a blanket beneath and around the bird bath is a pure bird magnet with several non-ground feeders testing their feet for the sake of a nourishing and plentiful meal. The lure is simply too powerful for the House Sparrows to bear and they repeatedly test their access rights to the smorgasbord and vital winter water. I have found that all I have to do to disperse the aggressive and domineering housers is to make any motion from inside the window and they all flee while my more desired species simply continue their contented feeding. I am sure the housers flood the area when I am gone. I am going to hit Fleet Farm on a seed buying binge here soon (unless one of you readers can give me other guidance to cheap and varietied bird seed sources) and take the time to wire my tube feeders and grid out my platforms in an attempt to limit the head tossing and seed throwing habits of the housers. I have taken to heart the various House Sparrow control emails shared through this server and am excited to see how they work. My efforts to trap, snare or otherwise control my ground and tree squirrel populations have worked famously also. To date I have dispatched or displaced some 65 ground squirrels and over 45 tree squirrels. (Can we say 'infestation'?) I do know that nature abhors a vacuum (a Universal Law) and that other squirrels will come to fill the void but I have not seen a ground squirrel in over a month and only get an occasional visitor tree squirrel - who often get a stringent warning that there has to be easier ways to find a meal than to test the arbor waters. I do give both the housers and the squirrels food and water via feeders set on the edges of the property. A good mix of birds visit them but I don't hassle the rodents or housers there. I don't make it easy for them there but it is easier than my arbor. One last noticing - I have noticed that there is much variation in how the different species get water from my bird bath. My bath is a large disk, shallow bowl that does not have rocks or ledges or places to sit in the water and dip down. Everyone must use the lip of the bowl or find another way. More of the birds do perch and dip from the lip but the Downy Woodpeckers struggle with that. They end up awkwardly in the water - almost like the lip is too thick and they cannot grasp tightly onto the broad diameter curvature - so they just wade right in after several attempts to clasp their bark-clinging toes against the metal. The larger woodpeckers -the Hairy and Red- bellied - don't seem to have the problem. I also notice this with the Goldfinches - possibly because of their size. But it must be something to do with their tiny feet or angle of their toes because the chickadees and kinglets and other similarly sized birds don't seem to have the issue. This has me shifting to Darwinian-naturalist- researcher mode and I will be noticing more about bird feet as they present themselves. Is this a great life or what!?! And ain't it grand that birds don't wear shoes. Good birding to all and to all a warm night. Thomas Maiello Spring Lake Park --Apple-Mail-5--416514723 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Had a delightful experience today as my full = and steaming-from-the-cold bird bath drew in a couple of first timers to = my arbor.=A0 Amidst the flock of white throats and finches and juncos = and jays and cardinals and goldfinches and doves and chickadees that are = massing outside my office window on a daily basis (wow!), today I was = awarded with the breath-taking beauty and struttings of a Cedar = Waxwing and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker both drinking joyfully = from my copper pool.=A0 The waxwing was my first in my experience at = this home in Spring Lake Park (just north of Fridley) and although the = woodpecker has been here all summer, it is the first time for it to = grace my water.=A0 I have also been blessed with a spanking of perchings = from Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers who apparently have their winter = threads on for they simply glisten with dramatically pronounced contrast = between their blacks and whites. =A0They actually look like they are = newly tuxedoed for the wedding of some friend. =A0

I have also had some = success managing my House Sparrow herd as they dig into their winter = perching habits among my grapevine thickets.=A0 The thickets are now = devoid of leaves but thick enough to give them an apparent sense of = safety among the tangles of vine.=A0 I'd get rid of it but other birds = take advantage of the shrine.=A0 The steaming water and bounty of seeds = I have spread like a blanket beneath and around the bird bath is a pure = bird magnet with several non-ground feeders testing their feet for the = sake of a nourishing and plentiful meal.=A0 The lure is simply too = powerful for the House Sparrows to bear and they repeatedly test their = access rights to the smorgasbord and vital winter water.=A0 I have found = that all I have to do to disperse the aggressive and domineering housers = is to make any motion from inside the window and they all flee while my = more desired species simply continue their contented feeding.=A0 I am = sure the housers flood the area when I am gone.=A0 I am going to hit = Fleet Farm on a seed buying binge here soon (unless one of you readers = can give me other guidance to cheap and varietied bird seed sources) and = take the time to wire my tube feeders and grid out my platforms in an = attempt to limit the head tossing and seed throwing habits of the = housers.=A0 I have taken to heart the various House Sparrow control = emails shared through this server and am excited to see how they = work.

My = efforts to trap, snare or otherwise control my ground and tree squirrel = populations have worked famously also.=A0 To date I have dispatched or = displaced some 65 ground squirrels and over 45 tree squirrels. =A0(Can = we say 'infestation'?) =A0I do know that nature abhors a vacuum (a = Universal Law) and that other squirrels will come to fill the void but I = have not seen a ground squirrel in over a month and only get an = occasional visitor tree squirrel - who often get a stringent warning = that there has to be easier ways to find a meal than to test the arbor = waters.=A0 I do give both the housers and the squirrels food and water = via feeders set on the edges of the property.=A0 A good mix of birds = visit them but I don't hassle the rodents or housers there.=A0 I don't = make it easy for them there but it is easier than my = arbor.

One = last noticing - I have noticed that there is much variation in how the = different species get water from my bird bath.=A0 My bath is a large = disk, shallow bowl that does not have rocks or ledges or places to sit = in the water and dip down.=A0 Everyone must use the lip of the bowl or = find another way.=A0 More of the birds do perch and dip from the lip but = the Downy Woodpeckers struggle with that.=A0 They end up awkwardly in = the water - almost like the lip is too thick and they cannot grasp = tightly onto the broad diameter curvature - so they just wade right in = after several attempts to clasp their bark-clinging toes against the = metal.=A0 The larger woodpeckers -the Hairy and Red-bellied - don't seem = to have the problem.=A0 I also notice this with the Goldfinches - = possibly because of their size.=A0 But it must be something to do with = their tiny feet or angle of their toes because the chickadees and = kinglets and other similarly sized birds don't seem to have the issue.=A0 = This has me shifting to Darwinian-naturalist-researcher mode and I will = be noticing more about bird feet as they present themselves.=A0 Is this = a great life or what!?!=A0 And ain't it grand that birds don't wear = shoes.

Good = birding to all and to all a warm night.

Thomas = Maiello
Spring Lake Park
= --Apple-Mail-5--416514723-- From smithville4@charter.net Fri Nov 3 17:30:34 2006 From: smithville4@charter.net (Mike Hendrickson) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 11:30:34 -0600 Subject: [mou] Finch Forecast Question Message-ID: <000a01c6ff6d$c77d3eb0$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6FF3B.7A17A0C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Duluth weather is very hard to predict and most times our local = weathermen on TV are normally wrong when it comes to forecasting the = weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each fall season the finch forecast = that is forwarded to the MOU listserv and I read how the states will see = very little winter finches this winter season because of the bumper crop = of seed in birches, other decidous trees and coniferous trees. WELL in = the last week or so there has been a good steady migration of common = redpolls, red & white-wing crossbills, pine grosbeaks, evening = grosbeaks, purple finches and pine siskins moving down the northshore of = Lake Superior. This past week I had common redpolls at my feeders along = with purple finches and siskins. So is it just me that the finch forecast we read on our listserv each = fall season is about as good as listening to your local weatherman on TV = predicting the weather?=20 Michael Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6FF3B.7A17A0C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Duluth weather is very hard = to predict=20 and most times our local weathermen on TV are normally wrong when it = comes to=20 forecasting the weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each fall = season the=20 finch forecast that is forwarded to the MOU listserv and I read how = the=20 states will see very little winter finches this winter season because of = the=20 bumper crop of seed in birches, other decidous trees and coniferous = trees. WELL=20 in the last week or so there has been a good steady migration = of=20 common redpolls, red & white-wing crossbills, pine grosbeaks, = evening=20 grosbeaks, purple finches and pine siskins moving down the = northshore of=20 Lake Superior. This past week I had common redpolls at my feeders = along=20 with purple finches and siskins.

So is it just me that = the finch=20 forecast we read on our listserv each fall season is about as good as = listening=20 to your local weatherman on TV predicting the = weather?

Michael = Hendrickson
Duluth,=20 Minnesota
http://webpages.chart= er.net/mmhendrickson/
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6FF3B.7A17A0C0-- From christopher.e.fagyal@baesystems.com Fri Nov 3 18:01:42 2006 From: christopher.e.fagyal@baesystems.com (Chris Fagyal) Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:01:42 -0600 Subject: [mou] Finch Forecast Question Message-ID: --=__PartF4D0F716.0__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit All, Keep in mind that the finch forecast that is published by Ron Pittaway is not a forecast for Minnesota or any states whatsoever. It is a forecast for southern Ontario, Canada, as Ron is an Ontario Field Ornithologist, and looks specifically at movements as well as seed crops in northern Ontario. Ron specifically states in his acknowledgement section: "I thank the many birders and staff of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) whose composite knowledge and reports allowed me to make reasonable predictions about finches in Ontario this fall and winter." Nowhere does he predict anything about the states, though from his predictions about Ontario you may be able to glean possibilities regarding Michigan perhaps, and New York perhaps. Also remember that one of the major landmarks discussed with regards to places to see winter finches is Algonquin Park in Ontario. This park is 3 hours north of Toronto, so we are talking a significant distance (750+ miles?) east of northern Minnesota. I've had multiple e-mail exchanges with Mr. Pittaway and some of the information gleaned is as follows: 1) The forecast for finches applies somewhat to Minnesota, but is most accurate for Southern Ontario. Most all of Minnesota is actually directly south of Manitoba province, not Ontario. 2) The forecast this year talked about bumper seed crops for almost all species of conifers and deciduous trees in much of eastern Canada and speculates that finch movement in southern parts of Eastern Canada will be limited. However, it also states that cone quality diminishes towards Manitoba because of severe drought conditions this year. Given this drought condition in Manitoba, the province directly north of us, that may be one of the reasons why we are seeing large finch movements southwards into Minnesota this year. One of the best way we, in Minnesota, can help Ron out (if we wish to possibly see some more information in the Finch forecase which may be directly applicable to Minnesota) is to provide him information when we are seeing movements of finches and their brethren during the summer, fall, and winter as well as provide him information on crops of cones, birch seeds, mountain ash, etc. I have tried to give him bits of information that I have gleaned from both the listserver as well as personal birding experiences to help him along. His list of contributors for this years forecast is significant, but I am the only one from Minnesota that provided any information (I let him know about the influx of Red Crossbills that were seen in Duluth at Hawk Ridge and asked if that was a usual occurrence seeing such migration). Most all of his contributors are from various parts of Ontario. Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer IBM Certified Solution Designer - Rational Software Architect BAE Systems Land & Armaments Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com >>> "Mike Hendrickson" 11/3/2006 11:30 AM >>> Duluth weather is very hard to predict and most times our local weathermen on TV are normally wrong when it comes to forecasting the weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each fall season the finch forecast that is forwarded to the MOU listserv and I read how the states will see very little winter finches this winter season because of the bumper crop of seed in birches, other decidous trees and coniferous trees. WELL in the last week or so there has been a good steady migration of common redpolls, red & white-wing crossbills, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, purple finches and pine siskins moving down the northshore of Lake Superior. This past week I had common redpolls at my feeders along with purple finches and siskins. So is it just me that the finch forecast we read on our listserv each fall season is about as good as listening to your local weatherman on TV predicting the weather? Michael Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ --=__PartF4D0F716.0__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Description: HTML
All,

Keep in mind that the finch forecast that is published by Ron = Pittaway is not a forecast for Minnesota or any states whatsoever. = It is a forecast for southern Ontario, Canada, as Ron is an Ontario Field = Ornithologist, and looks specifically at movements as well as seed crops = in northern Ontario. Ron specifically states in his acknowledgement = section: "I thank the many birders and staff of the Ontario Ministry of = Natural Resources (OMNR) whose composite knowledge and reports allowed me = to
make reasonable predictions about finches in Ontario this fall and = winter." Nowhere does he predict anything about the states, though = from his predictions about Ontario you may be able to glean possibilit= ies regarding Michigan perhaps, and New York perhaps. Also = remember that one of the major landmarks discussed with regards to places = to see winter finches is Algonquin Park in Ontario. This park is 3 = hours north of Toronto, so we are talking a significant distance (750+ = miles?) east of northern Minnesota.

I've had multiple e-mail exchanges with Mr. Pittaway and some of the = information gleaned is as follows:

1) The forecast for finches applies somewhat to Minnesota, but is = most accurate for Southern Ontario. Most all of Minnesota is = actually directly south of Manitoba province, not Ontario.

2) The forecast this year talked about bumper seed crops for almost = all species of conifers and deciduous trees in much of eastern Canada and = speculates that finch movement in southern parts of Eastern Canada will be = limited. However, it also states that cone quality diminishes = towards Manitoba because of severe drought conditions this year. = Given this drought condition in Manitoba, the province directly north of = us, that may be one of the reasons why we are seeing large finch movements = southwards into Minnesota this year.

One of the best way we, in Minnesota, can help Ron out (if we wish to = possibly see some more information in the Finch forecase which = may be directly applicable to Minnesota) is to provide him information= when we are seeing movements of finches and their brethren during the = summer, fall, and winter as well as provide him information on crops of = cones, birch seeds, mountain ash, etc. I have tried to give him bits = of information that I have gleaned from both the listserver as well as = personal birding experiences to help him along. His list of = contributors for this years forecast is significant, but I am the only one = from Minnesota that provided any information (I let him know about the = influx of Red Crossbills that were seen in Duluth at Hawk Ridge and asked = if that was a usual occurrence seeing such migration). Most all of = his contributors are from various parts of Ontario.

Chris Fagyal
Senior Software Engineer
IBM Certified Solution = Designer - Rational Software Architect
BAE Systems Land & Armaments<= BR>Fridley, MN
(763) 572-5320
Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com

>>= ;> "Mike Hendrickson" <smithville4@charter.net> 11/3/2006 11:30 = AM >>>

Duluth weather is very hard to = predict and most times our local weathermen on TV are normally wrong when = it comes to forecasting the weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each = fall season the finch forecast that is forwarded to the MOU listserv = and I read how the states will see very little winter finches this winter = season because of the bumper crop of seed in birches, other decidous trees = and coniferous trees. WELL in the last week or so there has been a = good steady migration of common redpolls, red & white-wing = crossbills, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, purple finches and pine = siskins moving down the northshore of Lake Superior. This past = week I had common redpolls at my feeders along with purple finches and = siskins.

So is it just me that the f= inch forecast we read on our listserv each fall season is about as good as = listening to your local weatherman on TV predicting the weather?

Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, = Minnesota
http://= webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
--=__PartF4D0F716.0__=-- From blitkey@usfamily.net Fri Nov 3 19:29:21 2006 From: blitkey@usfamily.net (Bill Litkey) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 13:29:21 -0600 Subject: [mou] Surf Scoter - Washington Co. Message-ID: <001301c6ff7e$61ee30c0$0101a8c0@28litkeyhome> Late this morning I observed a female Surf Scoter on White Bear Lake. It was viewed from the small beach at the end of Ash St. in the southeast corner of the lake, i. e., Mahtomedi. Bill Litkey (Oakdale) --- http://USFamily.Net/dialup.html - $8.25/mo! -- http://www.usfamily.net/dsl.html - $19.99/mo! --- From christopher.e.fagyal@baesystems.com Fri Nov 3 19:49:22 2006 From: christopher.e.fagyal@baesystems.com (Chris Fagyal) Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:49:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Finch Forecast Question Message-ID: --=__PartA98DAA52.0__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit All, I just got informed that I mis-spoke regarding the Manitoba/Ontario provincial line. The map of the US I was looking at made it look like Ontario just covered a sliver of Minnesota above Grand Portage, however when looking at a bigger map of just Minnesota, it showed very clearly that Ontario covers a significant part of Minnesota, with Manitoba starting around Warroad. I apologize for the misinformation regarding the provincial lines. I still believe based on emails with Ron that his forecast "sort of" applies to Minnesota, but moreso seems to apply much farther east of here around the area north of Toronto. I do find it very interesting to read the report, and then compare it to our own cone crops/ash berry crops and actual migration movements of winter finches to see how the activity in Minnesota compares to what is predicted for Southern Ontario. I plan to keep trying to send along information to Ron, when applicable, so that possibly in the future the forecast can expand its geographic specifity as well as become increasingly accurate. Cheers, Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer IBM Certified Solution Designer - Rational Software Architect BAE Systems Land & Armaments Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com >>> "Chris Fagyal" 11/3/2006 12:01 PM >>> All, Keep in mind that the finch forecast that is published by Ron Pittaway is not a forecast for Minnesota or any states whatsoever. It is a forecast for southern Ontario, Canada, as Ron is an Ontario Field Ornithologist, and looks specifically at movements as well as seed crops in northern Ontario. Ron specifically states in his acknowledgement section: "I thank the many birders and staff of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) whose composite knowledge and reports allowed me to make reasonable predictions about finches in Ontario this fall and winter." Nowhere does he predict anything about the states, though from his predictions about Ontario you may be able to glean possibilities regarding Michigan perhaps, and New York perhaps. Also remember that one of the major landmarks discussed with regards to places to see winter finches is Algonquin Park in Ontario. This park is 3 hours north of Toronto, so we are talking a significant distance (750+ miles?) east of northern Minnesota. I've had multiple e-mail exchanges with Mr. Pittaway and some of the information gleaned is as follows: 1) The forecast for finches applies somewhat to Minnesota, but is most accurate for Southern Ontario. Most all of Minnesota is actually directly south of Manitoba province, not Ontario. 2) The forecast this year talked about bumper seed crops for almost all species of conifers and deciduous trees in much of eastern Canada and speculates that finch movement in southern parts of Eastern Canada will be limited. However, it also states that cone quality diminishes towards Manitoba because of severe drought conditions this year. Given this drought condition in Manitoba, the province directly north of us, that may be one of the reasons why we are seeing large finch movements southwards into Minnesota this year. One of the best way we, in Minnesota, can help Ron out (if we wish to possibly see some more information in the Finch forecase which may be directly applicable to Minnesota) is to provide him information when we are seeing movements of finches and their brethren during the summer, fall, and winter as well as provide him information on crops of cones, birch seeds, mountain ash, etc. I have tried to give him bits of information that I have gleaned from both the listserver as well as personal birding experiences to help him along. His list of contributors for this years forecast is significant, but I am the only one from Minnesota that provided any information (I let him know about the influx of Red Crossbills that were seen in Duluth at Hawk Ridge and asked if that was a usual occurrence seeing such migration). Most all of his contributors are from various parts of Ontario. Chris Fagyal Senior Software Engineer IBM Certified Solution Designer - Rational Software Architect BAE Systems Land & Armaments Fridley, MN (763) 572-5320 Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com >>> "Mike Hendrickson" 11/3/2006 11:30 AM >>> Duluth weather is very hard to predict and most times our local weathermen on TV are normally wrong when it comes to forecasting the weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each fall season the finch forecast that is forwarded to the MOU listserv and I read how the states will see very little winter finches this winter season because of the bumper crop of seed in birches, other decidous trees and coniferous trees. WELL in the last week or so there has been a good steady migration of common redpolls, red & white-wing crossbills, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, purple finches and pine siskins moving down the northshore of Lake Superior. This past week I had common redpolls at my feeders along with purple finches and siskins. So is it just me that the finch forecast we read on our listserv each fall season is about as good as listening to your local weatherman on TV predicting the weather? Michael Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ --=__PartA98DAA52.0__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Description: HTML
All,

I just got informed that I mis-spoke regarding the Manitoba/Ontario = provincial line. The map of the US I was looking at made it look = like Ontario just covered a sliver of Minnesota above Grand Portage, = however when looking at a bigger map of just Minnesota, it showed very = clearly that Ontario covers a significant part of Minnesota, with Manitoba = starting around Warroad. I apologize for the misinformation = regarding the provincial lines. I still believe based on emails with = Ron that his forecast "sort of" applies to Minnesota, but moreso seems to = apply much farther east of here around the area north of Toronto. I = do find it very interesting to read the report, and then compare it to our = own cone crops/ash berry crops and actual migration movements of winter = finches to see how the activity in Minnesota compares to what is predicted = for Southern Ontario. I plan to keep trying to send along information= to Ron, when applicable, so that possibly in the future the forecast = can expand its geographic specifity as well as become increasingly = accurate.

Cheers,

Chris Fagyal
Senior Software Engineer
IBM Certified Solution = Designer - Rational Software Architect
BAE Systems Land & Armaments<= BR>Fridley, MN
(763) 572-5320
Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com

>>= ;> "Chris Fagyal" <christopher.e.fagyal@baesystems.com> 11/3/2006 = 12:01 PM >>>

All,

Keep in mind that the finch forecast that is published by Ron = Pittaway is not a forecast for Minnesota or any states whatsoever. = It is a forecast for southern Ontario, Canada, as Ron is an Ontario Field = Ornithologist, and looks specifically at movements as well as seed crops = in northern Ontario. Ron specifically states in his acknowledgement = section: "I thank the many birders and staff of the Ontario Ministry of = Natural Resources (OMNR) whose composite knowledge and reports allowed me = to
make reasonable predictions about finches in Ontario this fall and = winter." Nowhere does he predict anything about the states, though = from his predictions about Ontario you may be able to glean possibilit= ies regarding Michigan perhaps, and New York perhaps. Also = remember that one of the major landmarks discussed with regards to places = to see winter finches is Algonquin Park in Ontario. This park is 3 = hours north of Toronto, so we are talking a significant distance (750+ = miles?) east of northern Minnesota.

I've had multiple e-mail exchanges with Mr. Pittaway and some of the = information gleaned is as follows:

1) The forecast for finches applies somewhat to Minnesota, but is = most accurate for Southern Ontario. Most all of Minnesota is = actually directly south of Manitoba province, not Ontario.

2) The forecast this year talked about bumper seed crops for almost = all species of conifers and deciduous trees in much of eastern Canada and = speculates that finch movement in southern parts of Eastern Canada will be = limited. However, it also states that cone quality diminishes = towards Manitoba because of severe drought conditions this year. = Given this drought condition in Manitoba, the province directly north of = us, that may be one of the reasons why we are seeing large finch movements = southwards into Minnesota this year.

One of the best way we, in Minnesota, can help Ron out (if we wish to = possibly see some more information in the Finch forecase which = may be directly applicable to Minnesota) is to provide him information= when we are seeing movements of finches and their brethren during the = summer, fall, and winter as well as provide him information on crops of = cones, birch seeds, mountain ash, etc. I have tried to give him bits = of information that I have gleaned from both the listserver as well as = personal birding experiences to help him along. His list of = contributors for this years forecast is significant, but I am the only one = from Minnesota that provided any information (I let him know about the = influx of Red Crossbills that were seen in Duluth at Hawk Ridge and asked = if that was a usual occurrence seeing such migration). Most all of = his contributors are from various parts of Ontario.

Chris Fagyal
Senior Software Engineer
IBM Certified Solution = Designer - Rational Software Architect
BAE Systems Land & Armaments<= BR>Fridley, MN
(763) 572-5320
Christopher.E.Fagyal@baesystems.com

>>= ;> "Mike Hendrickson" <smithville4@charter.net> 11/3/2006 11:30 = AM >>>

Duluth weather is very hard to = predict and most times our local weathermen on TV are normally wrong when = it comes to forecasting the weather in Duluth. Well, I scan over each = fall season the finch forecast that is forwarded to the MOU listserv = and I read how the states will see very little winter finches this winter = season because of the bumper crop of seed in birches, other decidous trees = and coniferous trees. WELL in the last week or so there has been a = good steady migration of common redpolls, red & white-wing = crossbills, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, purple finches and pine = siskins moving down the northshore of Lake Superior. This past = week I had common redpolls at my feeders along with purple finches and = siskins.

So is it just me that the f= inch forecast we read on our listserv each fall season is about as good as = listening to your local weatherman on TV predicting the weather?

Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, = Minnesota
http://= webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
--=__PartA98DAA52.0__=-- From bears@cpinternet.com Fri Nov 3 22:00:05 2006 From: bears@cpinternet.com (STEVE & ANN) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 16:00:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] Echo Trail Spruce Grouse Message-ID: <000601c6ff93$6ec72c60$c4a0fbd8@home> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FF61.2125E500 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Saw a group of 5 Spruce Grouse on the Echo Trail about 1/4 mile north of = the=20 Big Lake Resort rd. this am. Also had a female Cardinal at our feeder = in Ely yesterday. Steve Schon Ely ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FF61.2125E500 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Saw a group of 5 Spruce Grouse on the = Echo Trail=20 about 1/4 mile north of the

Big Lake Resort rd. this = am.   Also=20 had a female Cardinal at our feeder in Ely yesterday.

          &nbs= p;            = ;  =20 Steve Schon

          &nbs= p;            = ;       =20 Ely
------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FF61.2125E500-- From saqqara@worldnet.att.net Wed Nov 1 17:07:58 2006 From: saqqara@worldnet.att.net (Bruce Baer) Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 11:07:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] Redpolls Message-ID: <000301c6fdd8$48d91f70$0a01a8c0@bruce083171b63> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C6FDA5.FE3EAF70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A Redpoll was flying over our complex as I was walking down to the Old Cedar Ave Bridge. I heard one Monday morning at Hogback Pond and James Pomplun saw two in the reeds at the observation deck. Snow Buntings are also in the area. A Hermit Thrush was along the bluff trail, but very few other birds.- Bruce Baer Bloomington, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C6FDA5.FE3EAF70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

A Redpoll was flying over our complex as I was = walking down to the Old Cedar Ave Bridge. I heard one = Monday morning at Hogback Pond and James Pomplun saw two in the reeds at the = observation deck. Snow Buntings are also in the area. A Hermit Thrush = was along the bluff trail, but very few other birds.-

Bruce = Baer

Bloomington, MN

=

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C6FDA5.FE3EAF70-- From penny@minnesotajobs.com Wed Nov 1 18:30:54 2006 From: penny@minnesotajobs.com (Penny Freymiller) Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:30:54 -0600 Subject: [mou] Red Shouldered Hawk Message-ID: <4548E7DE.9020807@minnesotajobs.com> Red Shouldered Hawk, sighted in Oak Grove MN Oct31st and Nov 1st -- --------------------------------------------------- Penny Freymiller - Senior VP of Business Development Trumor Inc. Family of Businesses including ... MinnesotaJobs.com http://MinnesotaJobs.com DiversityMinnesota.com http://DiversityMinnesota.com mailto:Penny@Trumor.net 763.784.9393 X202 (V) 763.784.1090 (F) Now hosting KARE11.com's career center! From lveelma@autobahn.mb.ca Fri Nov 3 22:23:09 2006 From: lveelma@autobahn.mb.ca (Liis Veelma) Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:23:09 -0600 Subject: [mou] Finch Forecast Question In-Reply-To: <000a01c6ff6d$c77d3eb0$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> References: <000a01c6ff6d$c77d3eb0$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> Message-ID: <454BC14D.9040606@autobahn.mb.ca> Hello all The conditions in NW Ontario--where most likely the Minnesota northern finches come from as well as Manitoba-- normally differ from those in the NE parts of Ontario. For example, on a trip in the fall of 2005, I noted that mountain ash berries were abundant around the north edge of Lake Superior, while the reports from those parts that supply southern Ontario with winter finches indicated almost nonexistent supplies. I even got to observe Herring and Ring-billed Gulls hovering to pluck the berries! The Ontario forecast for the winter of 2005-06 definitely did not apply to SE Manitoba--we got very few winter finches. This year is different in SE Manitoba. Judging by the numbers and early arrival of Redpolls--mostly Common but also some Hoaries--the birch seed crop north of us must be bad. We've also had early and even urban Pine Grosbeaks. So Minnesota may get good winter finching this winter. Liis Veelma Winnipeg, MB From tana Fri Nov 3 23:38:34 2006 From: tana (tana) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 17:38:34 -0600 (GMT-06:00) Subject: [mou] Eurasian Collared-Dove, Wright County Message-ID: <1571536.1162597114970.JavaMail.root@elwamui-polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Today there was a Eurasian collared-dove visiting with some mourning doves under the feeders in my backyard. This is the second collared-dove that I've had in my yard this year (the first was in March). Is this most likely the same bird? I believe that this bird constitutes the third record for Wright County. Good birding everyone! Keith Pulles, Wright County From BillyJoe.Unzen@st.bemidjistate.edu Fri Nov 3 23:41:05 2006 From: BillyJoe.Unzen@st.bemidjistate.edu (BillyJoe Unzen) Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 17:41:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gyrfalcon Message-ID: <1162597265.a39a5abcBillyJoe.Unzen@st.bemidjistate.edu> Today at 12:15pm I had an adult gray-morph Gyrfalcon at the Plover Prairie = region in northern Lac Qui Parle County. This is 4 miles north of Belling= ham on Hwy75 then almost 3 miles east. It was first perched on a fence po= st there then flew southeast towards Louisburg. Bill Unzen From northernflights@charter.net Sat Nov 4 00:35:09 2006 From: northernflights@charter.net (Larson Kelly) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 18:35:09 -0600 Subject: [mou] Finch Forecast Question In-Reply-To: <454BC14D.9040606@autobahn.mb.ca> References: <000a01c6ff6d$c77d3eb0$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> <454BC14D.9040606@autobahn.mb.ca> Message-ID: <8FBEAB19-9D62-4524-A2C2-5FDD094B6CAF@charter.net> --Apple-Mail-1--390284128 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Liis and others, When you are feeling an abundance of Winter finches, please send some my way! I've been asking my customers for finch reports and unlike the North Shore we have yet to see more than a handful. Only a couple people have reported seeing a few Redpoll mixed in with their Goldfinch. No Pine Siskin, Grosbeak or Crossbill! It is perplexing why folks farther South in the Twin Cities area are receiving visits from Winter finches while our feeders to the North remain empty. But...our area has just experienced one of the driest Summers since the 1930's! http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/ drought_situation_report_2006.htm It makes sense that seed crop production would be negatively affected by drought conditions. On the other hand, some plants (and mushrooms) produce more fruit when under stress. Kelly Larson Bemidji Minnesota Northern Flights Wild Bird Store Just 96 miles from the Canadian border! Or visit us on the Web at... http://www.northern-flights.com Eschew Obfuscation! The middle of Nowhere is Somewhere! On Nov 3, 2006, at 4:23 PM, Liis Veelma wrote: > Hello all > > The conditions in NW Ontario--where most likely the Minnesota northern > finches come from as well as Manitoba-- normally differ from those in > the NE parts of Ontario. For example, on a trip in the fall of 2005, I > noted that mountain ash berries were abundant around the north edge of > Lake Superior, while the reports from those parts that supply southern > Ontario with winter finches indicated almost nonexistent supplies. I > even got to observe Herring and Ring-billed Gulls hovering to pluck > the berries! The Ontario forecast for the winter of 2005-06 > definitely did not apply to SE Manitoba--we got very few winter > finches. > > This year is different in SE Manitoba. Judging by the numbers and > early arrival of Redpolls--mostly Common but also some Hoaries--the > birch seed crop north of us must be bad. We've also had early and > even urban Pine Grosbeaks. So Minnesota may get good winter > finching this winter. > > Liis Veelma > Winnipeg, MB > > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net > --Apple-Mail-1--390284128 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Liis and others,
=A0=A0 = =A0When you are feeling an abundance of Winter finches, please send some = my way!
I've been asking my customers for finch reports and = unlike the North Shore we have yet to see more than a handful. Only a = couple people have reported seeing a few Redpoll mixed in with their = Goldfinch.=A0No Pine Siskin, Grosbeak or Crossbill! It is perplexing why = folks farther South in the Twin Cities area are=A0receiving visits from = Winter finches while our feeders to the North remain = empty.
But...our area has just experienced one of the driest = Summers since the 1930's! http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/drought_situation_report_2006.htm
It makes sense that seed crop production would = be=A0negatively affected by drought conditions. On the other hand, some = plants (and mushrooms) produce more fruit when under = stress.

Kelly = Larson
Bemidji Minnesota

Northern Flights Wild Bird = Store
Just 96 miles from the Canadian border!
Or = visit us on the Web at...
http://www.northern-flights.com

Eschew = Obfuscation!
=
The middle of Nowhere = = Somewhere!<= /DIV>

On Nov 3, 2006, at 4:23 PM, Liis = Veelma wrote:

Hello all

The = conditions in NW Ontario--where most likely the Minnesota = northern
finches come from as well as = Manitoba-- normally differ from those in
the NE = parts of Ontario. For example, on a trip in the fall of 2005, = I
noted that mountain ash berries were abundant = around the north edge of
Lake = Superior, while the reports from those parts that supply = southern
Ontario with winter finches = indicated almost nonexistent supplies. I
even got = to observe Herring and Ring-billed Gulls hovering to pluck
the berries! The Ontario forecast for the winter of = 2005-06
definitely did not apply to SE = Manitoba--we got very few winter finches.

This year is = different in SE Manitoba. Judging by the numbers and
early arrival of Redpolls--mostly Common but also = some Hoaries--the
birch seed crop north of us must = be bad. We've also had early and
even urban = Pine Grosbeaks. So Minnesota may get good winter finching this = winter.

Liis Veelma
Winnipeg, = MB

mou-net mailing list
mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
http://cbs.umn.edu/ma= ilman/listinfo/mou-net

= --Apple-Mail-1--390284128-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Sat Nov 4 02:08:10 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 18:08:10 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] 10,000+/- Tundra Swans, Pool 8, Miss. R. Houston Co. Message-ID: <20061104020810.76981.qmail@web56005.mail.re3.yahoo.com> View from Mile Marker 11, Hwy 26 south of Brownsville. New parking & viewing area under construction. 15+/- Am. White Pelicans in the mix of white far to the east side of Pool 8. Fred Lesher LaCrosse, Wis. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Check out the New Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster. (http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta) From pkern@hutchtel.net Sat Nov 4 15:31:01 2006 From: pkern@hutchtel.net (Pamela Kern) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 09:31:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] Assistance Message-ID: <000601c70026$3c5ccb20$5fa56742@PAMSLAPTOP> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FFF3.F0E93930 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings from Pam Kern, Litchfield, Minnesota, Meeker County - about an = hour west of the Twin Cities. I am a photographer. I am looking for = someone to confirm the identify of birds I have photographed or = digiscoped and am unsure of. This fall I have been mostly into gulls. = =20 Thanks for your consideration, Pam ------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FFF3.F0E93930 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Greetings from Pam Kern, Litchfield, Minnesota, Meeker County - about an hour west of = the Twin=20 Cities. I am a photographer. I am looking for someone = to confirm the=20 identify of birds I have photographed or digiscoped and am unsure = of. =20 This fall I have been mostly into gulls.

Thanks for your = consideration,

Pam

------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C6FFF3.F0E93930-- From btefft@frontiernet.net Sat Nov 4 16:38:30 2006 From: btefft@frontiernet.net (btefft@frontiernet.net) Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 10:38:30 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN Message-ID: <20061104103830.5qmqg9ze8tssook4@webmail.frontiernet.net> Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted between 47.5 and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern Minnesota. On Thursday, Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern cardinal at his bird feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne Mickowski saw male and female northern cardinals at his bird feeder in Babbitt. Besides those sightings in St. Louis County, a male cardinal was spotted last Sunday by Norma Malinowski and seen by several others along the Croftwille Road just north of Grand Marais in Cook County. Who knows where they will pop up next. Bill Tefft Ely 218-365-6785 From jslind@frontiernet.net Sat Nov 4 19:44:24 2006 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 13:44:24 -0600 Subject: [mou] Harlequin Duck and Townsend's Solitaires - St. Louis Co. Message-ID: <454C9938.10277.47E352@localhost> A female Harlequin Duck was reported to the Duluth RBA this morning. It was seen at Canal Park in Duluth, near shore on the north side of the breakwall. Yesterday Connie Brunell and Susan Schumacher found two Townsend's Solitaires at the Park Point recreational area ball fields, and five(!) at Stoney Point. I don't have specific locations for the Stoney Point birds, but apparently there was a group of three and a group of two, and many of them were singing. Jim Lind From brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net Sat Nov 4 21:33:10 2006 From: brsmith@sleepyeyetel.net (Brian Smith) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 15:33:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] November Shorebirds/Brown Co. Message-ID: <00ea01c70058$d43391e0$09852c42@S0026080567> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00E7_01C70026.88C9C3F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today there was an interesting mix of shorebirds at the Sleepy Eye = sewage ponds which included: 2 Black-bellied Plovers 3 Greater Yellowlegs 5 Pectoral Sandpipers 1 Sanderling 1 Dunlin 1 Baird's Sandpiper 1 Wilson's Snipe Also, there was one white phase juvenile Ross's Goose in a large mixed = flock of geese on Sleepy Eye lake. Brian Smith Sleepy Eye ------=_NextPart_000_00E7_01C70026.88C9C3F0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Today there was an = interesting mix of=20 shorebirds at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds which included:

2 Black-bellied = Plovers

3 Greater = Yellowlegs

5 Pectoral = Sandpipers

1 Sanderling

1 Dunlin

1 Baird's = Sandpiper

1 Wilson's Snipe

Also, there was one white = phase juvenile=20 Ross's Goose in a large mixed flock of geese on Sleepy Eye = lake.

Brian Smith

Sleepy = Eye
------=_NextPart_000_00E7_01C70026.88C9C3F0-- From sundew@boreal.org Sat Nov 4 22:10:24 2006 From: sundew@boreal.org (Jeremy Ridlbauer) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 16:10:24 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN In-Reply-To: <20061104103830.5qmqg9ze8tssook4@webmail.frontiernet.net> Message-ID: <02c701c7005e$0760d1e0$0202fea9@n8rlover> I had a reliable report of a cardinal up at Gunflint Lodge, up the Gunflint Trail in Cook County, last weekend Oct 28-29. In the last few years, we've had over wintering cardinals in Grand Marais proper, as we've counted a couple on our Christmas Counts. They've been heard in the summer singing as well in the last few years. Jeremy Ridlbauer Grand Marais, MN 218-370-0733 -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu] On Behalf Of btefft@frontiernet.net Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 10:39 AM To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted between 47.5 and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern Minnesota. On Thursday, Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern cardinal at his bird feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne Mickowski saw male and female northern cardinals at his bird feeder in Babbitt. Besides those sightings in St. Louis County, a male cardinal was spotted last Sunday by Norma Malinowski and seen by several others along the Croftwille Road just north of Grand Marais in Cook County. Who knows where they will pop up next. Bill Tefft Ely 218-365-6785 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From clay.christensen@comcast.net Sat Nov 4 23:03:11 2006 From: clay.christensen@comcast.net (Clay Christensen) Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 23:03:11 +0000 Subject: [mou] Bittern Rescue Message-ID: <110420062303.2291.454D1C2F000B3184000008F32216549976020A9C020A9B9C079D080CD2970E040C@comcast.net> --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_2291_1162681391_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit My wife Jean and I rescued an American bittern from the St. Anthony Park community gardens, between Robbins St. and the railroad tracks, just west of Raymond Av. (Ramsey County). It had been seen in the area a week earlier and again yesterday by Sherman Eagles. It never showed any ability to fly. Today it was crouched in one of the garden plots, all fluffed up, looking as mean as it could, with that rapier beak aimed right at my eyes (I wore my protective goggles). I covered it with a towel and put it into a dog carrier. We delivered it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville. Clay Christensen Lauderdale, MN --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_2291_1162681391_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
My wife Jean and I rescued an American bittern from the St. Anthony Park community gardens, between Robbins St. and the railroad tracks, just west of Raymond Av. (Ramsey County). It had been seen in the area a week earlier and again yesterday by Sherman Eagles. It never showed any ability to fly. Today it was crouched in one of the garden plots, all fluffed up, looking as mean as it could, with that rapier beak aimed right at my eyes (I wore my protective goggles). I covered it with a towel and put it into a dog carrier. We delivered it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville.

Clay Christensen

Lauderdale, MN
--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_2291_1162681391_0-- From natester166@hotmail.com Sat Nov 4 23:48:15 2006 From: natester166@hotmail.com (Nathan Schirmacher) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 18:48:15 -0500 Subject: [mou] Duluth through Two Harbors Message-ID: --_5482ba2d-c579-48e0-87dc-68a44d580302_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable At Park Point at 9:30 this morning on the harbor side were nine Surf scot= ers,two White-Winged Scoters,One female Harlequin duck . Also there were tw= o Gray Jays and one or more Red Crossbills on park point . The sea ducks we= re observed from a bus stop near Lafayette Park on the harbor side. On Scen= ic Highway 61 near the Scenic Cafe there was a Townsend's Solitaire. At Two= Harbors there was a American Three- Toed Woodpecker.This woodpecker was be= hind the Holiday Station near the Americinn on a little path.Thank you to a= ll who helped us today.Nathan SchirmacherPrinceton,MN _________________________________________________________________ Check the weather nationwide with MSN Search: Try it now! http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=3Dweather&FORM=3DWLMTAG= --_5482ba2d-c579-48e0-87dc-68a44d580302_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable At Park Point at 9:30 this morning on the harbor side were nin= e Surf scoters,two White-Winged Scoters,One female Harlequin duck . Also th= ere were two Gray Jays and one or more Red Crossbills on park point . The s= ea ducks were observed from a bus stop near Lafayette Park on the harbor si= de. On Scenic Highway 61 near the Scenic Cafe there was a Townsend's Solita= ire. At Two Harbors there was a American Three- Toed Woodpecker.This woodpe= cker was behind the Holiday Station near the Americinn on a little path.Tha= nk you to all who helped us today.

Nathan Schirmacher
Princeton,M= N

Try the next generation of search with Windows LiveT Searc= h today! Try it now!= = --_5482ba2d-c579-48e0-87dc-68a44d580302_-- From natester166@hotmail.com Sat Nov 4 23:59:07 2006 From: natester166@hotmail.com (Nathan Schirmacher) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 18:59:07 -0500 Subject: [mou] Caspian Tern Message-ID: --_6f64c8cb-f307-4139-af59-832e6b64b449_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Also at Duluth at about 2:30 was a Caspian Tern it seemed Pretty late. I d= indt get a great look but my Dad did so we didnt think rare tern.Nathan Sch= irmacherPrinceton,MN _________________________________________________________________ Call friends with PC-to-PC calling -- FREE http://get.live.com/messenger/overview= --_6f64c8cb-f307-4139-af59-832e6b64b449_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Also at Duluth at about 2:30 was a C= aspian Tern it seemed Pretty late. I dindt get a great look but my Da= d did so we didnt think rare tern.

Nathan Schirmacher
Princeton,M= N

Call friends with PC-to-PC calling -- FREE Connect now! = --_6f64c8cb-f307-4139-af59-832e6b64b449_-- From b.tefft@vcc.edu Sat Nov 4 23:44:15 2006 From: b.tefft@vcc.edu (Bill Tefft) Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 17:44:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN Message-ID: <454CD16F020000600000393B@vcc11.vcc.edu> A male and female cardinal was seen at Steve Shon's neighbors today. >>> "btefft@frontiernet.net" 11/04/06 10:38 AM >>> Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted between 47.5 and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern Minnesota. On Thursday, Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern cardinal at his bird feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne Mickowski saw male and female northern cardinals at his bird feeder in Babbitt. Besides those sightings in St. Louis County, a male cardinal was spotted last Sunday by Norma Malinowski and seen by several others along the Croftwille Road just north of Grand Marais in Cook County. Who knows where they will pop up next. Bill Tefft Ely 218-365-6785 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From bafall@umn.edu Sun Nov 5 00:38:00 2006 From: bafall@umn.edu (Bruce Fall) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 18:38:00 -0600 Subject: [mou] Bohemian Waxwing, Carver Co. Message-ID: <5AB4ADE9-719E-4198-9194-637A14303E65@umn.edu> There was an adult Bohemian Waxwing in a flock of 40 Cedar Waxwings today around noon at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (near Chanhassen), specifically at the winterberry plantings near the willow/hydrangea/winterberry parking area, 1.3 miles from the start of 3-Mile Drive. For over an hour waxwings, including the Bohemian at least 5 times, flew nearly continuously in small groups from the willows across the road to the winterberry bushes, where they gorged on the bright red berries, then flew back west. Although the waxwings weren't present later in the afternoon (2:30), the bushes are still loaded with berries so perhaps the flock will return. Bruce A. Fall Minneapolis From jotcat" Message-ID: <008301c70070$1ab2c890$800f46d8@VL420> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C7003D.B3DB0970 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This morning a lone female Cardinal showed up at our feeders. We = haven't had one since spring, but have had a pair visiting, and other = single birds in the past 5 years. No regular wintering or breeding = birds right here. =20 Also visiting this morning was a single Fox Sparrow, first we'd seen in = a few days. Very good Fox Sp. migration along the shore this fall. = Fewer White-throated Sp. than usual - they bailed out early. Now where = are all these winter finches? Goldfinches occasionally, but no siskins = or redpolls in them. 4 Evening Grosbeaks about 2 weeks ago, no Pine Gr. = or any crossbills, but we've been down with some darn virus or other and = haven't been out birding much. A friend in Tofte reported a Red-bellied = Woodpecker early this week, not seen for a couple days. We have seen 2 = different Black-backed Woodpeckers visiting a dead spruce in our yard. Carol Tveekrem Schroeder, Cook Co.=20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: btefft@frontiernet.net=20 To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 10:38 AM Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted between 47.5 =20 and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern Minnesota. On Thursday, = =20 Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern cardinal at his bird =20 feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne Mickowski saw male and female =20 northern cardinals at his bird feeder in Babbitt. Besides those =20 sightings in St. Louis County, a male cardinal was spotted last Sunday = =20 by Norma Malinowski and seen by several others along the Croftwille =20 Road just north of Grand Marais in Cook County. Who knows where they will pop up next. Bill Tefft Ely 218-365-6785 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C7003D.B3DB0970 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
This morning a lone female = Cardinal=20 showed up at our feeders. We haven't had one since spring, but = have had a=20 pair visiting, and other single birds in the past 5 years. No = regular=20 wintering or breeding birds right here.

Also visiting this morning was a single Fox = Sparrow,=20 first we'd seen in a few days. Very good Fox Sp. migration = along the=20 shore this fall. Fewer White-throated Sp. than usual - they bailed = out=20 early. Now where are all these winter finches? Goldfinches=20 occasionally, but no siskins or redpolls in them. 4 Evening = Grosbeaks=20 about 2 weeks ago, no Pine Gr. or any crossbills, but we've been down = with some=20 darn virus or other and haven't been out birding much. A friend in = Tofte=20 reported a Red-bellied Woodpecker early this week, not seen for a couple = days.   We have seen 2 different Black-backed Woodpeckers = visiting a dead spruce in our yard.

Carol Tveekrem

Schroeder, Cook Co.

----- Original Message -----
From:=20 btefft@frontiernet.net =

To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu

Sent: Saturday, November 04, = 2006 10:38=20 AM

Subject: [mou] Northern = Cardinals in NE=20 MN

Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted = between=20 47.5
and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern = Minnesota. =20 On Thursday,
Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern = cardinal=20 at his bird
feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne = Mickowski saw=20 male and female
northern cardinals at his bird feeder in=20 Babbitt. Besides those
sightings in St. Louis County, = a male=20 cardinal was spotted last Sunday
by Norma Malinowski and = seen by=20 several others along the Croftwille
Road just north of Grand = Marais=20 in Cook County.

Who knows where they will pop up = next.

Bill=20 = Tefft
Ely
218-365-6785

_____________________________________= __________
mou-net=20 mailing list
mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
http://cbs.umn.edu/m= ailman/listinfo/mou-net

------=_NextPart_000_007F_01C7003D.B3DB0970-- From reforest@wiktel.com Sun Nov 5 03:03:34 2006 From: reforest@wiktel.com (Tom Crumpton) Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 21:03:34 -0600 Subject: [mou] Grosbeaks Koochiching County Message-ID: <454D5486.6000805@wiktel.com> My neighbors reported pine grosbeaks at their feeder last week and there are good numbers of evening grosbeaks at my feeder. Still good numbers of geese on the Rainy River but not like the numbers in September. Also good eagle numbers with individuals seen sitting by nests. Tom Crumpton From b.tefft@vcc.edu Sun Nov 5 18:42:24 2006 From: b.tefft@vcc.edu (Bill Tefft) Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2006 12:42:24 -0600 Subject: [mou] Grosbeaks and waterfowl Message-ID: <454DDC30020000600000394D@vcc11.vcc.edu> November is starting with mild weather. Although there has been ice developing on the shorelines of lakes, there are still good numbers of mallards, goldeneyes and hooded mergansers and even a couple of black ducks on the Ely Area lakes. Snow buntings and American robins still common around the area. Little sign of sparrows since last week. Evening grosbeaks are seen throughout the year at the Blue Heron B & B, but they have been joined this week by pine grosbeaks at the feeders. Pine grosbeaks are feeding on the bright red crab apples and visiting local bird feeders. Pine siskins and American goldfinches and common redpolls are also showing up at feeders but in small numbers. Yesterday, the ravens came to watch and comment on the football game between the Vermilion Ironmen and the Minnesota West Bluejays. A meadowlark (maybe a stow-away that came from Worthington) flew past the stands a couple of times. The bluejays lost out in Raven Country. Bill Tefft Parks and Recreation Instructor Vermilion Community College 1900 E. Camp Street Ely, MN 55731 Phone: 218-365-7241 Fax: 218-365-7207 From stfcatfish@yahoo.com Sun Nov 5 20:27:05 2006 From: stfcatfish@yahoo.com (Steve Foss) Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 12:27:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Northern Cardinals in NE MN In-Reply-To: <454CD16F020000600000393B@vcc11.vcc.edu> Message-ID: <20061105202705.29716.qmail@web60924.mail.yahoo.com> We saw a male and female cardinal this morning at our feeder in Ely as well. Probably the same birds already reported, as we're three doors down from Shons. We'd seen a female at our feeder last fall, another female at the feeder this spring, and a lone female came about three weeks ago as well. Steve Foss --- Bill Tefft wrote: > A male and female cardinal was seen at Steve Shon's > neighbors today. > > > > >>> "btefft@frontiernet.net" > 11/04/06 10:38 AM > >>> > Over the past week there have been 4 cardinals sighted > between 47.5 > and 48 degrees north latitude in northeastern Minnesota. > On Thursday, > Steve Schon saw and reported a female northern cardinal > at his bird > feeder in Ely. This morning Wayne Mickowski saw male and > female > northern cardinals at his bird feeder in Babbitt. > Besides those > sightings in St. Louis County, a male cardinal was > spotted last Sunday > by Norma Malinowski and seen by several others along the > Croftwille > Road just north of Grand Marais in Cook County. > > Who knows where they will pop up next. > > Bill Tefft > Ely > 218-365-6785 > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates (http://voice.yahoo.com) From stfcatfish@yahoo.com Sun Nov 5 20:30:28 2006 From: stfcatfish@yahoo.com (Steve Foss) Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 12:30:28 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Black-backed woodpeckers Message-ID: <20061105203028.87355.qmail@web60920.mail.yahoo.com> I saw two black-backed woodpeckers in separate locations yesterday, both up the Echo Trail outside Ely. The first was a male stripping bark from a downed red pine that was among the slash left over after a big logging cut near Big Lake, right off the Echo. The second was a male flying through some second-growth pine 28 miles from Ely, where the Moose Loop intersects the Echo. Steve Foss ____________________________________________________________________________________ Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates (http://voice.yahoo.com) From birdchick@comcast.net Sun Nov 5 02:31:33 2006 From: birdchick@comcast.net (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 20:31:33 -0600 Subject: [mou] Bittern Rescue In-Reply-To: <110420062303.2291.454D1C2F000B3184000008F32216549976020A9C020A9B9C079D080CD2970E040C@comcast.net> References: <110420062303.2291.454D1C2F000B3184000008F32216549976020A9C020A9B9C079D080CD2970E040C@comcast.net> Message-ID: <0C7E3167-3392-4394-81C6-B0B4D1216379@comcast.net> Way to go, Clay. There must be something in the air. Last weekend at Cape May, the Leica staff helped a stranded bittern too. You can see pictures of it here: http://www.birdchick.com/2006/10/leica-staff-helps-bittern.html Sharon Stiteler Minneapolis, MN On Nov 4, 2006, at 5:03 PM, Clay Christensen wrote: > My wife Jean and I rescued an American bittern from the St. Anthony > Park community gardens, between Robbins St. and the railroad > tracks, just west of Raymond Av. (Ramsey County). It had been seen > in the area a week earlier and again yesterday by Sherman Eagles. > It never showed any ability to fly. Today it was crouched in one of > the garden plots, all fluffed up, looking as mean as it could, with > that rapier beak aimed right at my eyes (I wore my protective > goggles). I covered it with a towel and put it into a dog carrier. > We delivered it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville. > > Clay Christensen > Lauderdale, MN From rob_daves@yahoo.com Mon Nov 6 00:40:28 2006 From: rob_daves@yahoo.com (Rob Daves) Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 16:40:28 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Pileated WP in S. Minneapolis Message-ID: <20061106004028.7120.qmail@web60625.mail.yahoo.com> --0-1646173947-1162773628=:6866 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I know that pileateds aren't rare, but in the urban environment it's really special to see one. I saw a pileated fly up onto the side of a cottonwood tree bordering Minnehaha Creek at 15th Avenue S. in Minneapolis this afternoon about 1:45 p.m. Good birding to all... Rob Daves, Minneapolis --------------------------------- Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. --0-1646173947-1162773628=:6866 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

I know that pileateds aren't rare, but in the urban environment it's really special to see one. I saw a pileated fly up onto the side of a cottonwood tree bordering Minnehaha Creek at 15th Avenue S. in Minneapolis this afternoon about 1:45 p.m.

Good birding to all...

Rob Daves, Minneapolis

Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. --0-1646173947-1162773628=:6866-- From dbmartin@skypoint.com Mon Nov 6 02:43:00 2006 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 20:43:00 -0600 Subject: [mou] Eurasian Collared-dove-Sibley County Message-ID: <000b01c7014d$4a29a020$6f2f56c7@oemcomputer> Found five ECDc's in the town of Winthrop today. They were just west of the large corn pile in front of the ethanol plant. When we first saw them they were high up in a decideous tree across from the auto parts store. After a while they flew toward the west end of the plant. One had flown across State Highway 5 from the north to the south. Not sure where it had been on the north side of the road. This is we believe a first county record but not unexpected as they seem to be in all directions from this county. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com From d.buria-falkowski@mr.mnscu.edu Mon Nov 6 13:23:43 2006 From: d.buria-falkowski@mr.mnscu.edu (Deb Buria-Falkowski) Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2006 07:23:43 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Black-backed Gull - Duluth Message-ID: --=__Part1A3E1D4F.0__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sunday, we observed a first winter Great Black-backed Gull on the MN side of the Superior Entry from 12:30-2:30. =20 =20 Steven and Deb Falkowski =20 --=__Part1A3E1D4F.0__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Description: HTML

Sunday, we observed a first winter Great Black-backed Gull on = the MN=20 side

of the Superior Entry from 12:30-2:30.

Steven and Deb Falkowski

--=__Part1A3E1D4F.0__=-- From Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com Mon Nov 6 19:46:36 2006 From: Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2006 13:46:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Board Meeting Date Change Message-ID: <53C2BE278DA0704BA0CC0F271E0158CBC1CF4A@dsp65mail.na.bestbuy.com> The MOU Board Meeting has to be moved to November 29th, the Wednesday, of the week prior to the Paper session, due to conflicts of schedule. The new meeting time and place is Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, Minnesota, in the Twin Cities; the meeting is to begin promptly at 6:00 PM, and all must be out by 9:00 PM. The building is to be open by 5:30 PM for people to set up and get ready. All MOU members are welcome; an agenda will be forthcoming shortly. Please accept my apology for any inconvenience this may cause.=20 Mark Alt President MOU From corax6330@yahoo.com Tue Nov 7 21:25:39 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:25:39 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Tundra Swans, Hwy 26, Houston Co. Message-ID: <20061107212539.73206.qmail@web56001.mail.re3.yahoo.com> 10,000s stretched from just south of Brownsville past the new viewing area under construction, past the old current deck, and on south toward Dike 8 of the Mississippi R. Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wis. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index From ABEERMAN@smumn.edu Tue Nov 7 22:15:45 2006 From: ABEERMAN@smumn.edu (ABEERMAN) Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:15:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] RE: Tundra Swans Message-ID: <20061107221545254f9a8ed5@mail.smumn.edu> Yesterday, I also spotted in that area (Mile Marker 11) several northern= pintails, hooded mergansers, and a ruddy duck. = Andrew Beerman From elizjbell@comcast.net Tue Nov 7 15:02:46 2006 From: elizjbell@comcast.net (Elizabeth Bell) Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:02:46 +0000 Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change Message-ID: <110720061502.9726.4550A015000C6357000025FE220074567204040A0D069607040A@comcast.net> --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_9726_1162911766_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I, too, feel changing this long-standing traditional date is unfortunate for the same reasons Ann mentioned. By doing this we are excluding outstate members from personally attending this meeting. I would like this to be recomsidered. -- Elizabeth Bell on Grey Cloud Island 5868 Pioneer Road South Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143 651 459-4150 --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_9726_1162911766_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

I, too, feel changing this long-standing traditional date is unfortunate for the same reasons Ann mentioned. By doing this we are excluding outstate members from personally attending this meeting. I would like this to be recomsidered.

--
Elizabeth Bell
on Grey Cloud Island
5868 Pioneer Road South
Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143
651 459-4150

--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_9726_1162911766_0-- From Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com Tue Nov 7 23:06:55 2006 From: Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 17:06:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change References: <110720061502.9726.4550A015000C6357000025FE220074567204040A0D069607040A@comcast.net> Message-ID: <53C2BE278DA0704BA0CC0F271E0158CB11F070@dsp65mail.na.bestbuy.com> I cannot attend the night before, on Friday night, I have a commitment I = cannot get out of.. Wood Lake cannot accomodate us Thursday night, hence = it is Wednesday. ________________________________ From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu on behalf of Elizabeth Bell Sent: Tue 11/7/2006 9:02 AM To: Alt, Mark; chrisb@fullcircleimage.com; Ann Kessen; = axhertzel@sihope.com; wlexgeo@aol.com; Bob Janssen; = dmitchell@pressenter.com; Erica Sitz; c.hallie.skinner@gmail.com; = jebonkoski@aol.com; Jim Mattson; kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us; = psvoigt@comcast.net; Peder Svingen; mncbc@rohair.com; Shirley Alt 1 Cc: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu; mnbird@lists.mnbird.net Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change I, too, feel changing this long-standing traditional date is unfortunate = for the same reasons Ann mentioned. By doing this we are excluding = outstate members from personally attending this meeting. I would like = this to be recomsidered. =20 -- Elizabeth Bell=20 on Grey Cloud Island=20 5868 Pioneer Road South=20 Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143=20 651 459-4150 From smithville4@charter.net Wed Nov 8 02:46:21 2006 From: smithville4@charter.net (Mike Hendrickson) Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 20:46:21 -0600 Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change References: <110720061502.9726.4550A015000C6357000025FE220074567204040A0D069607040A@comcast.net> Message-ID: <001501c702e0$14db8890$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C702AD.C81CD900 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Yes I agree its unfortunate the meeting has moved from a Friday to = Wednesday.=20 Michael Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Elizabeth Bell=20 To: Alt, Mark ; chrisb@fullcircleimage.com ; Ann Kessen ; = axhertzel@sihope.com ; wlexgeo@aol.com ; Bob Janssen ; = dmitchell@pressenter.com ; Erica Sitz ; c.hallie.skinner@gmail.com ; = jebonkoski@aol.com ; Jim Mattson ; kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us ; = psvoigt@comcast.net ; Peder Svingen ; mncbc@rohair.com ; Shirley Alt 1=20 Cc: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu ; mnbird@lists.mnbird.net=20 Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 9:02 AM Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change I, too, feel changing this long-standing traditional date is = unfortunate for the same reasons Ann mentioned. By doing this we are = excluding outstate members from personally attending this meeting. I = would like this to be recomsidered. -- Elizabeth Bell=20 on Grey Cloud Island=20 5868 Pioneer Road South=20 Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143=20 651 459-4150 ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C702AD.C81CD900 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Yes I agree its unfortunate = the meeting=20 has moved from a Friday to Wednesday.

Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
http://webpages.chart= er.net/mmhendrickson/

----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Elizabeth=20 Bell

To: Alt, Mark ; chrisb@fullcircleimage.com= ; Ann = Kessen ; axhertzel@sihope.com ; wlexgeo@aol.com ; Bob = Janssen ; dmitchell@pressenter.com = ; Erica Sitz ;=20 c.hallie.skinner@gmail.com= ; jebonkoski@aol.com ; Jim=20 Mattson ; kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us = ; psvoigt@comcast.net ; Peder = Svingen ;=20 mncbc@rohair.com=20 ; Shirley = Alt 1=20

Cc: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu ; mnbird@lists.mnbird.net =

Sent: Tuesday, November 07, = 2006 9:02=20 AM

Subject: [mou] Re: Board = Meeting Date=20 Change

I, too, feel changing this long-standing traditional = date is=20 unfortunate for the same reasons Ann mentioned. By doing this we are = excluding=20 outstate members from personally attending this meeting. I would like = this to=20 be recomsidered.

--
Elizabeth Bell
on Grey = Cloud=20 Island
5868 Pioneer Road South
Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143 =
651=20 459-4150

------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C702AD.C81CD900-- From reforest@wiktel.com Wed Nov 8 03:34:12 2006 From: reforest@wiktel.com (Tom Crumpton) Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:34:12 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl L.O.W. county Message-ID: <45515034.9000003@wiktel.com> While traveling in LOW County today observed a snowy owl, section was 30 or 31 about 8-9 miles NW of Williams will have a better legal tomorrow if anyone is interested they can get back to me. Have a great Day Tom Crumpton From Katie.Haws@dnr.state.mn.us Wed Nov 8 15:09:12 2006 From: Katie.Haws@dnr.state.mn.us (Katie Haws) Date: Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:09:12 -0600 Subject: [mou] Whooping Crane sighting Message-ID: <45519EB8.8FFC.00E3.0@dnr.state.mn.us> I received a call yesterday from a Ole Anderson, a resident of Clearwater County and Biology teacher and life long birder/waterfowl hunter. On 11/4/06, he spotted a lone Whooping Crane in a mixed flock of Canada and Snow geese while duck hunting. Ole was "100% certain" of his identification, and saw the distinctive field marks and large size of the bird. This bird was sighted in a field 7 miles E. of the town of Mahnomen, and 3 miles N. of Hwy. 200. Apparently this location has been the site of one whooping crane in the past. Additional observations may reveal whether the bird stays in the area. Katie Haws DNR Nongame Wildlife Specialist 2115 Birchmont Bch. Rd. N.E. Bemidji, MN 56601 218-755-2976 218-755-4066 fax cell: 218-556-3163 e-mail: katie.haws@dnr.state.mn.us From david@cahlander.com Wed Nov 8 17:42:15 2006 From: david@cahlander.com (David A. Cahlander) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 11:42:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Great Black-backed Gull on Recently Seen (St. Louis) Message-ID: <001c01c7035d$3de63f50$0400a8c0@flash> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0019_01C7032A.F0022290 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable http://www.moumn.org/cgi-bin/recent.pl ------=_NextPart_000_0019_01C7032A.F0022290 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

http://www.moumn.org/cgi-= bin/recent.pl

------=_NextPart_000_0019_01C7032A.F0022290-- From clay.christensen@comcast.net Wed Nov 8 17:53:40 2006 From: clay.christensen@comcast.net (Clay Christensen) Date: Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:53:40 +0000 Subject: [mou] Bittern was fatally injured Message-ID: <110820061753.409.455219A4000CEE98000001992212020784020A9C020A9B9C079D080CD2970E040C@comcast.net> --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_409_1163008420_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit The American bittern that my wife and I took to the Wildlife Rehab Center last Saturday didn't make it. It had a compound fracture to the right humerus (wing bone) and the ends of the exposed bone tissue were necrotic (dead). The severity of the injury and its necrosis led the vet to decide that the fracture would never heal to allow for no pain and the ability to fly. The bittern was humanely euthanized to end its suffering. I guess that's something...its pain is over. Clay Christensen Lauderdale, MN --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_409_1163008420_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

The American bittern that my wife and I took to the Wildlife Rehab Center last Saturday didn't make it. It had a compound fracture to the right humerus (wing bone) and the ends of the exposed bone tissue were necrotic (dead). The severity of the injury and its necrosis led the vet to decide that the fracture would never heal to allow for no pain and the ability to fly. The bittern was humanely euthanized to end its suffering. I guess that's something...its pain is over.

Clay Christensen

Lauderdale, MN

--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_409_1163008420_0-- From BirdBill5@aol.com Wed Nov 8 18:30:51 2006 From: BirdBill5@aol.com (BirdBill5@aol.com) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 13:30:51 EST Subject: [mou] Re: Board Meeting Date Change Message-ID: -------------------------------1163010650 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I would be happy to meet with anyone coming to the paper session Friday evening to discuss MOU matters. This would be an informal get together but a chance for those unable to attend on Wed. to meet with me as incoming president. Depending on the number of people I will reserve appropriate space. Regards, Bill George -------------------------------1163010650 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I would be happy to meet with anyone coming to the paper session Friday= evening to discuss MOU matters. This would be an informal get together but=20= a chance for those unable to attend on Wed. to meet with me as incoming pres= ident. Depending on the number of people I will reserve appropriate space.

Regards,

Bill George

-------------------------------1163010650-- From wieber64@comcast.net Wed Nov 8 20:23:10 2006 From: wieber64@comcast.net (Gail Wieberdink) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 14:23:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] mystery hawk Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C70341.6AA9D0E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We made a quick run through Carlos Avery this morning and saw a number of hawks. There were at least 3 rough-legged hawks circling over one of the grassy areas. We found a different one perched on the top of a dead birch tree and I am wondering if it could be a juvenile ferruginous hawk. It had a very light breast and when it flew, just the wing tips were black. I feel it had too much white on its head to be a broad wing or red tail. It looks very much like the light juvenile (1st year) in Sibley (big book not FG) -- page 124. I have a pretty decent photo of it perched, no photo of it flying. If anyone would like to take a look and see what it might be, I can email the photo to you. Thanks for any help!! Gail Gail Wieberdink wieber64@comcast.net ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C70341.6AA9D0E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

We made a=20 quick run through Carlos Avery this morning and saw a number of = hawks. =20 There were at least 3 rough-legged hawks circling over one of the grassy = areas. We found a different one perched on the top of a dead = birch=20 tree and I am wondering if it could be a juvenile ferruginous = hawk. It had=20 a very light breast and when it flew, just the wing tips were = black. I=20 feel it had too much white on its head to be a broad wing or red = tail. It=20 looks very much like the light juvenile (1st year) in Sibley (big book = not FG)=20 -- page 124. I have a pretty decent photo of it perched, no photo = of it=20 flying. If anyone would like to take a look and see what it might = be, I=20 can email the photo to you.

Thanks for=20 any help!!

Gail

Gail Wieberdink

wieber64@comcast.net=

------=_NextPart_000_0006_01C70341.6AA9D0E0-- From tiger150@comcast.net Wed Nov 8 22:18:50 2006 From: tiger150@comcast.net (alyssa) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 16:18:50 -0600 Subject: [mou] Cackling Geese, Lincoln's Sparrow, Menalistic Squirrel, ect. (Hennepin Co) Message-ID: <004101c70383$de253d10$6401a8c0@A2400T2482> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C70351.93350BF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I biked over to Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park from = 9:30-11:30 this morning. The lake was alive with many, many geese, a = good portion of them being CACKLING GEESE. Also present on the lake were = mainly HOODED MERGANSERS and C. GOLDENEYES, with a few BUFFLEHEAD mixed = in. Plus, several muskrats came out and allowed nice, close looks. And, = oddly enough, I saw some chickadees in the cattails. Any thoughts? Also = present at the nature center: @ W-T Sparrows @ Am. Tree Sparrows @ Wild Turkey family @ Great Horned Owls--the naturalists said that a pair have been roosting = up on the spruce trail for several days and already hooting. I did see = one briefly fly to the north end of the spruce area, but I could not = relocate it. @ Red-bellied Woodpeckers When I biked home, I came across a LINCOLN'S SPARROW foraging with a = flock of American Tree Sparrows (off of Western Ave, near Winnetka, by = the marsh sidewalk.) According to last year's dates, the lastest one in = the fall was 10/21. (E-mail for more specific directions.)=20 On Ford Road in Hopkins, I saw a (black) melanistic gray squirrel in a = yard. Don't seem to see those that often.=20 I don't think any of us could have asked for a better day in November! Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C70351.93350BF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I biked over to Westwood Hills Nature = Center in St.=20 Louis Park from 9:30-11:30 this morning. The lake was alive with many, = many=20 geese, a good portion of them being CACKLING GEESE. Also present on the = lake=20 were mainly HOODED MERGANSERS and C. GOLDENEYES, with a few BUFFLEHEAD = mixed in.=20 Plus, several muskrats came out and allowed nice, close looks. And, = oddly=20 enough, I saw some chickadees in the cattails. Any = thoughts? Also=20 present at the nature center:

@ W-T Sparrows

@ Am. Tree Sparrows

@ Wild Turkey family

@ Great Horned Owls--the naturalists = said that a=20 pair have been roosting up on the spruce trail for several days and = already=20 hooting. I did see one briefly fly to the north end of the spruce = area, but=20 I could not relocate it.

@ Red-bellied Woodpeckers

When I biked home, I came across a = LINCOLN'S=20 SPARROW foraging with a flock of American Tree Sparrows (off of Western = Ave,=20 near Winnetka, by the marsh sidewalk.) According to last year's = dates, the=20 lastest one in the fall was 10/21. (E-mail for more specific=20 directions.)

On Ford Road in Hopkins, I saw a = (black)=20 melanistic gray squirrel in a yard. Don't seem to see those that often.=20

I don't think any of us could have = asked for a=20 better day in November!

Alyssa DeRubeis

Golden Valley, Hennepin=20 Co.

------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C70351.93350BF0-- From fieldfare21@hotmail.com Wed Nov 8 23:40:16 2006 From: fieldfare21@hotmail.com (Benjamin Fritchman) Date: Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:40:16 -0600 Subject: [mou] Whooping Crane update & Gray Jays Message-ID: I know a few people might be interested in the status of the Whooping Crane in Mahnomen County. I drove around the area for a couple of hours and had no luck refinding the bird. There is a lot of area to search, so it may have just eluded me, but they are pretty hard to overlook, thus I believe it has moved on. I believe this may very well be a wild bird from the Alberta flock for two reasons, one the location is pretty far west for any wandering Wisconsin bird, and also, for those who don't know the geography of Mahnomen Co. very well, the western portion is primarily flat and open, while the eastern portion is hilly and wooded. The change is fairly abrupt, and it forms a natural migration route for birds heading south. Any birds coming from the west tend to concentrate along here and head south. A few weeks ago, Bob Dunlap and I had a good push of raptors, geese, swans, cranes, etc. in this area. And today was also the same, with a lot of migrating birds following the edge south. Anyway, the area the crane was reported from is along this area where the plains meet the hills, indicating to me a bird coming from a westerly/northwestly direction. Hopefully sufficient documentation is sent in. Also of interest is that I found 2 more Gray Jays in Norman County. They were along Hwy. 200, just east of where CR 41 meets the highway. They were at a homestead with fire number 3911. They were on both sides of the highway, and spent most of the time in the spruce trees on the south side and in the crabapple tree on the south side. It'd be interesting to see the extent of this Gray Jay irruption if there was more coverage here in the northwest. That being said, please send any sightings in western/northwestern Minnesota to either Jeanie Joppru or myself for compilation purposes-even if you relocate a bird that has already been reported. Thanks. Ben Fritchman Fargo, ND NDSU _________________________________________________________________ Try the next generation of search with Windows Live Search today! http://imagine-windowslive.com/minisites/searchlaunch/?locale=en-us&source=hmtagline From dmitchell@pressenter.com Thu Nov 9 00:42:22 2006 From: dmitchell@pressenter.com (Donald Mitchell) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 18:42:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] FCC considers plan to make towers more bird-friendly Message-ID: <000401c70397$eee49010$0200a8c0@DDDSK521> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C70365.A44C6A00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable "The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) announced November 3rd that = it will propose a rulemaking that could help prevent the killing of = millions of migratory birds at nearly ninety thousand communications towers = throughout the United States."=20 =20 For details, follow this link: http://www.abcbirds.org/media/releases/fcctowers.htm=20 =20 Donald Mitchell Red Wing MN ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C70365.A44C6A00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

“The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) = announced November 3^rd that it will propose a rulemaking that could help prevent = the killing of millions of migratory birds at nearly ninety thousand = communications towers throughout the United = States.”

For details, follow this link:

http://www.= abcbirds.org/media/releases/fcctowers.htm

Donald Mitchell

Red Wing MN

------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C70365.A44C6A00-- From dmitchell@pressenter.com Thu Nov 9 01:06:26 2006 From: dmitchell@pressenter.com (Donald Mitchell) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 19:06:26 -0600 Subject: [mou] CRP-grassland bird article in StarTribune Message-ID: <000001c7039b$4de97c30$0200a8c0@DDDSK521> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70369.034F0C30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable For those who missed it, there was an interesting article in yesterday's Star Tribune about the benefits and future of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which pays farmers to take marginal land out of corn and soybean production and put it into perennial cover-1.76 million acres in = MN, according to the article. The program reduces soil erosion, improves = water quality, and provides habitat for declining grassland bird species. = There is worry that the program may be cut or altered in the next Farm Bill: =20 =20 http://www.startribune.com/562/story/792182.html=20 =20 Donald Mitchell Red Wing MN ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70369.034F0C30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

For those who missed it, there was an interesting = article in yesterday’s Star Tribune about the benefits and future of the = Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which pays farmers to take marginal land out of = corn and soybean production and put it into perennial cover—1.76 million = acres in MN, according to the article. The program reduces soil erosion, = improves water quality, and provides habitat for declining grassland bird = species. There is worry that the program may be cut or altered in the next Farm = Bill:

http://www.star= tribune.com/562/story/792182.html

Donald Mitchell

Red Wing = MN

------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70369.034F0C30-- From markpalas@earthlink.net Thu Nov 9 01:12:50 2006 From: markpalas@earthlink.net (Mark Palas) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 19:12:50 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gray Jays- Pine County Message-ID: <20E242D1-94F8-4C87-8FA4-37BAB0A3268F@earthlink.net> I'm not sure if it warrants reporting, but I saw two Gray Jays on sunday in Pine County while hunting. The specific location is near Sturgeon Lake. Any speculation as to what is driving them so far south, so early in the season? Mark Palas From BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM Thu Nov 9 01:31:22 2006 From: BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM (Williams, Bob) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 19:31:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Eurasian Collared-Doves in Travers County and Red-shafted Flicker in Douglas County Message-ID: <190AC390-4A8D-4067-80B6-A6EB6346A1F4@mimectl> --_3445BE46-AC53-4892-AD6E-266AD36230B5_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This morning I encountered a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves in Traverse Co= unty at the boat ramp on Lake Traverse that is by the town shown on my DeLo= rme as Dakomin(I didn't see much evidnece of a town there). This is off Hw= y 27 across the road from Co. Rd. 3. One of the birds was very coooperativ= e and called several times when I first arrived. Yesterday I encountered a pair of flickers along Co. Rd. 4 west of Hwy 29 i= n the afternoon. One was Yellow-shafted and the other Red-shafted, presuma= bly a hybrid but I only saw the bird flying away so could not be certain. = =20 I found large mixed flocks of geese in Grant County(Big Lake just east of H= erman), Traverse County(at the same boat ramp by Dakomin), Swift County(Gri= ffin Lake in the far NW corner) and Kandiyohi County(Lake Lillian). =20 Also yesterday there were 12 Bald Eagles hanging out just north of the town= of St. Rosa in Stearns County which seemed like an odd place to congregate= . =20 Bob Williams, Bloomington --_3445BE46-AC53-4892-AD6E-266AD36230B5_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

This morning I encountered= a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves in Traverse County at the boat ramp on L= ake Traverse that is by the town shown on my DeLorme as Dakomin(I didn't se= e much evidnece of a town there). This is off Hwy 27 across the road = from Co. Rd. 3. One of the birds was very coooperative and called sev= eral times when I first arrived.

Yesterday I encountered a pair of flickers= along Co. Rd. 4 west of Hwy 29 in the afternoon. One was Yellow-shaf= ted and the other Red-shafted, presumably a hybrid but I only saw the bird = flying away so could not be certain.

I found large mixed flocks of geese i= n Grant County(Big Lake just east of Herman), Traverse County(at the same b= oat ramp by Dakomin), Swift County(Griffin Lake in the far NW corner) = and Kandiyohi County(Lake Lillian).

Also yesterday there were 12 Bald Eagles h= anging out just north of the town of St. Rosa in Stearns County which = seemed like an odd place to congregate.

Bob Williams, Bloomington

--_3445BE46-AC53-4892-AD6E-266AD36230B5_-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Thu Nov 9 02:42:16 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 18:42:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Houston Co. Pool 8 from Hwy 26 Message-ID: <607366.29162.qm@web56006.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Great Blue Heron---------1 Tundra Swan--------10,000s Peregrine Falcon---------1 Flyover, I90 bridge/L&D 7 Ring n. Pheasant---------1 Wilson's Snipe-----------3 Tufted Titmouse----------1 E. Bluebird--------------3 Brown Creeper------------3 Fred Lesher LaCrosse, Wis. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail. http://new.mail.yahoo.com From wieber64@comcast.net Thu Nov 9 04:36:11 2006 From: wieber64@comcast.net (Gail Wieberdink) Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 22:36:11 -0600 Subject: [mou] RE: mystery hawk Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C70386.4A97C5B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There have been quite a few requests for the hawk photo and the consensus seems to be that the bird is some form of red-tailed hawk. Jason Bolish found a really great photo of the Krider's form at: http://pie.midco.net/dougback/miscphotos/Kriders_redtail.jpg To my eye, this photo is almost exactly the same as the bird we saw. I will put 4 of the photos I took on Yahoo photo and send an invite to the list for anyone who would like to take a look. (My Yahoo ID is "wild_whippets" in case you wonder where the invite came from!) Yahoo Photo puts on pretty small versions of the photos so the detail is not as good as the emailed photo, but you get the idea. I would be interested to hear if anyone else agrees that this is the Krider's form. Thanks, everyone, for all the input! And thanks to Jason for finding the other photo. Gail ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C70386.4A97C5B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

There have=20 been quite a few requests for the hawk photo and the consensus seems to = be that=20 the bird is some form of red-tailed hawk. Jason Bolish found a = really=20 great photo of the Krider's form at:

htt= p://pie.midco.net/dougback/miscphotos/Kriders_redtail.jpg

To my eye,=20 this photo is almost exactly the same as the bird we saw. I will = put 4 of=20 the photos I took on Yahoo photo and send an invite to the list for = anyone who=20 would like to take a look. (My Yahoo ID is "wild_whippets" in case = you=20 wonder where the invite came from!) Yahoo Photo puts on pretty = small=20 versions of the photos so the detail is not as good as = the=20 emailed photo, but you get the idea. I would be interested to hear = if=20 anyone else agrees that this is the Krider's form.

Thanks,=20 everyone, for all the input! And thanks to Jason for finding the = other=20 photo.

Gail

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C70386.4A97C5B0-- From wieber64@comcast.net Thu Nov 9 13:48:17 2006 From: wieber64@comcast.net (Gail Wieberdink) Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 07:48:17 -0600 Subject: [mou] Yahoo hawk photos Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C703D3.6B2973D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The list would not accept the Yahoo Photo invite as it was too big a file. Try this for access to the 4 hawk photos: http://tinyurl.com/ybr3br Gail ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C703D3.6B2973D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The list=20 would not accept the Yahoo Photo invite as it was too big a file. = Try this=20 for access to the 4 hawk photos:

http://tinyurl.com/ybr3br=

Gail

------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C703D3.6B2973D0-- From Deb.Sewell@dnr.state.mn.us Thu Nov 9 14:43:55 2006 From: Deb.Sewell@dnr.state.mn.us (Deb Sewell) Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:43:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] Re: Gray jays in Pine County Message-ID: <4552EA4B02000001000039CA@co5.dnr.state.mn.us> I'm pretty sure I saw a gray jay at my house near Bruno the weekend before last; hearing they were near Sturgeon Lake reassures me that I perhaps was not just seeing things! About twenty minutes after I say the gray jay, I got a good close look at a black-backed woodpecker, which I have only seen once before here. Deb Sewell Fisheries Specialist DNR Hinckley Area Fisheries (320) 384-7721 From bstahly@boreal.org Thu Nov 9 16:08:19 2006 From: bstahly@boreal.org (Bruce W. Stahly) Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:08:19 -0600 Subject: [mou] Evening Grosbeaks--Cook County Message-ID: <45535273.7000108@boreal.org> A flock of about six Evening Grosbeaks appeared at my feeder this morning, their first appearance of the fall/winter season. Bruce Stahly Grand Marais From Curt.Vacek@dnr.state.mn.us Thu Nov 9 16:16:30 2006 From: Curt.Vacek@dnr.state.mn.us (Curt Vacek) Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:16:30 -0600 Subject: [mou] Marsh Lake long-tailed duck Message-ID: <4552FFFC.6840.00D1.0@dnr.state.mn.us> Reporting a hunter harvested adult male long-tailed duck on Marsh Lake (Big Stone County) yesterday (11/8/06). _______________________________ Curt Vacek Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Minnesota DNR - Section of Wildlife 3715 Campground Rd Montevideo, MN 56265 phone: (320) 752-4394 fax: (320) 752-4391 email: curt.vacek@dnr.state.mn.us From rerpeldi@tds.net Wed Nov 8 03:58:39 2006 From: rerpeldi@tds.net (Ronald Erpelding) Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 21:58:39 -0600 Subject: [mou] Eurasian Collared Doves in Stearns County Message-ID: <20061108035849.BECU9318.outaamta01.mail.tds.net@Family> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C702B7.E47AEB00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Today (November 7, 2006) at 3:20 p.m. I observed two Eurasian Collared Doves in Paynesville, MN in Stearns County. The Eurasian Collared Doves were seen on a power pole cross beam on the south side of MN Hwy 23 just east of the stop light intersection with the main street in Paynesville and across from the Vern Johnson Motors Building. The birds were still present when I left at 3:30 p.m. Ron Erpelding Willmar, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C702B7.E47AEB00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Today (November 7, 2006) at 3:20 p.m. I observed two Eurasian Collared Doves in Paynesville, = MN in Stearns County. = The Eurasian Collared Doves were seen on a power pole cross beam on the south side of = MN Hwy 23 just east of the stop light intersection with the main street in = Paynesville and across from the Vern Johnson Motors Building. The birds were = still present when I left at 3:30 p.m.

Ron Erpelding

Willmar, MN

------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C702B7.E47AEB00-- From rdunlap@gac.edu Thu Nov 9 23:27:59 2006 From: rdunlap@gac.edu (rdunlap@gac.edu) Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:27:59 -0600 Subject: [mou] Black Scoter, Dakota County Message-ID: <20061109172759.azpsy1hr4gsgkw48@webmail-0.gac.edu> John Hockema just called to report that he found a Black Scoter at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County this afternoon around 4:30. He said the bird could be viewed from near the cemetery on the northwest side of the lake. Bob Dunlap From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Nov 10 01:36:03 2006 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony Hertzel) Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 17:36:03 -0800 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 9 November 2006 Message-ID: <20061110013922.577811021E@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163122563==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *November 9, 2006 *MNST0611.09 -Birds mentioned Tundra Swan Harlequin Duck Black Scoter Gyrfalcon Great Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Carolina Wren -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: November 9, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, November 9th 2006. On November 3rd, Bill Unzen reported a GYRFALCON at the Plover Prairie region in northern Lac Qui Parle County. This is four miles north and three miles east of the town of Bellingham. As many as ten thousand TUNDRA SWANS have now been reported from along the Mississippi River just south of Brownsville in Houston County. I have a secondhand report of a BLACK SCOTER seen November 9th at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County. The bird was said to be visible from near the cemetery on the northwest side of the lake. The fall's first SNOWY OWL was reported by Tom Crumpton on the 7th about eight or nine miles northwest of Williams in Lake of the Woods County. On the 2nd, Bill Bruins reported a CAROLINA WREN in his backyard in Rochester, Olmsted County. A first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry at the end of Park Point in Duluth on the 5th. Also seen along Park Point was a HARLEQUIN DUCK at Canal Park near the north side of the breakwall, and two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE'S at the ball fields by the recreation area. As many as five Townsend's Solitaires were reported by Connie Brunell at Stoney Point in St. Louis County on the 4th. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 16th 2006. --====1163122563==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*November 9, 2006
*MNST0611.09

-Birds mentioned

Tundra Swan
Harlequin Duck
Black Scoter
Gyrfalcon
Great Black-backed Gull
Snowy Owl
Carolina Wren

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: November 9, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, November 9th 2006.

On November 3rd, Bill Unzen reported a GYRFALCON at the Plover Prairie region in northern Lac Qui Parle County. This is four miles north and three miles east of the town of Bellingham.

As many as ten thousand TUNDRA SWANS have now been reported from along the Mississippi River just south of Brownsville in Houston County.

I have a secondhand report of a BLACK SCOTER seen November 9th at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County. The bird was said to be visible from near the cemetery on the northwest side of the lake.

The fall's first SNOWY OWL was reported by Tom Crumpton on the 7th about eight or nine miles northwest of Williams in Lake of the Woods County.

On the 2nd, Bill Bruins reported a CAROLINA WREN in his backyard in Rochester, Olmsted County.

A first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry at the end of Park Point in Duluth on the 5th. Also seen along Park Point was a HARLEQUIN DUCK at Canal Park near the north side of the breakwall, and two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE'S at the ball fields by the recreation area. As many as five Townsend's Solitaires were reported by Connie Brunell at Stoney Point in St. Louis County on the 4th.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 16th 2006. --====1163122563====-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Nov 10 02:35:38 2006 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 18:35:38 -0800 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Thursday, November 9, 2006 Message-ID: <20061110023853.BA4A0103C0@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163126138==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *November 9, 2006 *MNDL0611.09 -Birds mentioned Trumpeter Swan Tundra Swan Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Western Grebe Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Whooping Crane Wilson's Snipe Great Horned Owl Snowy Owl Great Gray Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Shrike Gray Jay American Robin Fox Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Rusty Blackbird Pine Grosbeak American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes Date: November 9, 2006 Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours) Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com) This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 10, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. This has been a milder week in the northwest, but the sound of the wind is that of winter, so we know that it is coming. Topping the list of sightings have been many reports of GRAY JAYS throughout the area. Gretchen Mehmel at the Red Lake WMA in Lake of the Woods County reported a SAW-WHET OWL calling near Norris Camp on November 3. Species seen at the feeder include GRAY JAYS and PINE GROSBEAKS. Other species seen in the area included BALD EAGLE, and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS. >From Roseau County, Beth Siverhus reported a GRAY JAY and a FOX SPARROW in Roseau on November 3. She reported that a flock of AMERICAN ROBINS is still hanging around, and several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS have been seen. Tom Crumpton reported the season's first SNOWY OWL seen on the west side of CR 55 about 8 miles north of Williams. To get there take CR 2 for five miles from Williams, then go 5 miles west on CR 8 to CR 55. The bird was in section 30 or 31 of Lakewood Township. Brad Dokken reported seeing a GREAT GRAY OWL northwest of Roseau in a cedar swamp five to six miles west of MN 310 on October 29. Larry Wilebski continues to report GRAY JAYS at his shorebird park northwest of Lancaster in Kittson County. Pat Rice in Beltrami County reported a family of TRUMPETER SWANS that included 5 cygnets and 2 adults at their place near Bemidji. On November 6 she saw a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. Mary Lou Marchand saw some of the same species on November 4 at her home in Bemidji and also had a visit from a MERLIN. On the 5th, she saw 20 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 15 HOODED MERGANSERS, and some COMMON MERGANSERS on Lake Bemidji. Beth Siverhus reported TUNDRA SWANS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at Dixon Lake in Itasca County .Other species seen at Dixon Lake included GREAT HORNED OWL, GRAY JAY, PINE GROSBEAK, and EVENING GROSBEAK on November 5. Maggie Anderson reported that there were still three WESTERN GREBES on Agassiz Pool at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on November 3. On November 5, I found a GRAY JAY along CR 7 in the refuge, and Dan Svedarsky reported one in the northeast part of the refuge. Linda Johnson reported a GRAY JAY in the western part of the county on November 2. Kevin Englesrud saw a GRAY JAY on hunting land west of Newfolden on November 2. In Pennington County , there was a GRAY JAY at the Braastad residence east of Thief River Falls on November 4, and one showed up at our feeder a few miles away on the 5th. John Loegering in Polk County saw a GRAY JAY in Oakdale Cemetery in the city of Crookston on November 4. The WHOOPING CRANE found by Ole Anderson and reported by Katie Haws in Mahnomen County on November 4 was not relocated by Ben Fritchman on November 8. Wayne Runningen reported 30 TRUMPETER SWANS in the Pelican River east of Pelican Rapids in Otter Tail County on November 8. Dan and Sandy Thimgan saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on November 2, a NORTHERN SHRIKE and MERLIN at Glendalough State Park on the 8th. The last RUSTY BLACKBIRD they saw was on November 6. On November 9, Anna Morphique saw a WILSON'S SNIPE at Glendalough State Park. Thanks to the many folks who sent in reports this week. Keep those sightings coming, and remember to report all gray jays. Be as specific as possible as to location, date, and habitat. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, November 17, 2006 --====1163126138==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*November 9, 2006
*MNDL0611.09

-Birds mentioned

Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Western Grebe
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
Whooping Crane
Wilson's Snipe
Great Horned Owl
Snowy Owl
Great Gray Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Gray Jay
American Robin
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Rusty Blackbird
Pine Grosbeak
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: November 9, 2006
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 10, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

This has been a milder week in the northwest, but the sound of the wind is that of winter, so we know that it is coming. Topping the list of sightings have been many reports of GRAY JAYS throughout the area.

Gretchen Mehmel at the Red Lake WMA in Lake of the Woods County reported a SAW-WHET OWL calling near Norris Camp on November 3. Species seen at the feeder include GRAY JAYS and PINE GROSBEAKS. Other species seen in the area included BALD EAGLE, and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.

>From Roseau County, Beth Siverhus reported a GRAY JAY and a FOX SPARROW in Roseau on November 3. She reported that a flock of AMERICAN ROBINS is still hanging around, and several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS have been seen. Tom Crumpton reported the season's first SNOWY OWL seen on the west side of CR 55 about 8 miles north of Williams. To get there take CR 2 for five miles from Williams, then go 5 miles west on CR 8 to CR 55. The bird was in section 30 or 31 of Lakewood Township. Brad Dokken reported seeing a GREAT GRAY OWL northwest of Roseau in a cedar swamp five to six miles west of MN 310 on October 29.

Larry Wilebski continues to report GRAY JAYS at his shorebird park northwest of Lancaster in Kittson County.

Pat Rice in Beltrami County reported a family of TRUMPETER SWANS that included 5 cygnets and 2 adults at their place near Bemidji. On November 6 she saw a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. Mary Lou Marchand saw some of the same species on November 4 at her home in Bemidji and also had a visit from a MERLIN. On the 5th, she saw 20 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 15 HOODED MERGANSERS, and some COMMON MERGANSERS on Lake Bemidji.

Beth Siverhus reported TUNDRA SWANS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at Dixon Lake in Itasca County .Other species seen at Dixon Lake included GREAT HORNED OWL, GRAY JAY, PINE GROSBEAK, and EVENING GROSBEAK on November 5.

Maggie Anderson reported that there were still three WESTERN GREBES on Agassiz Pool at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on November 3. On November 5, I found a GRAY JAY along CR 7 in the refuge, and Dan Svedarsky reported one in the northeast part of the refuge. Linda Johnson reported a GRAY JAY in the western part of the county on November 2. Kevin Englesrud saw a GRAY JAY on hunting land west of Newfolden on November 2.

In Pennington County , there was a GRAY JAY at the Braastad residence east of Thief River Falls on November 4, and one showed up at our feeder a few miles away on the 5th.

John Loegering in Polk County saw a GRAY JAY in Oakdale Cemetery in the city of Crookston on November 4.

The WHOOPING CRANE found by Ole Anderson and reported by Katie Haws in Mahnomen County on November 4 was not relocated by Ben Fritchman on November 8.

Wayne Runningen reported 30 TRUMPETER SWANS in the Pelican River east of Pelican Rapids in Otter Tail County on November 8. Dan and Sandy Thimgan saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on November 2, a NORTHERN SHRIKE and MERLIN at Glendalough State Park on the 8th. The last RUSTY BLACKBIRD they saw was on November 6. On November 9, Anna Morphique saw a WILSON'S SNIPE at Glendalough State Park.

Thanks to the many folks who sent in reports this week. Keep those sightings coming, and remember to report all gray jays. Be as specific as possible as to location, date, and habitat.

We had a golden-crowned kinglet working the undersides of our sedums in the front yard late this afternoon. Excellent views.

Clay Christensen

Lauderdale, MN

Ramsey County

--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_20881_1163130823_0-- From earlorf@uslink.net Fri Nov 10 04:40:39 2006 From: earlorf@uslink.net (Earl Orf) Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 22:40:39 -0600 Subject: [mou] Pine Grosbeaks-Itasca County Message-ID: <000001c70482$651eb7c0$5426ad42@TOSHIBAEARL> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70450.1A8447C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We had 7 female Pine Grosbeaks along the road to our house today. We are in Itasca County, about halfway between Hibbing and Grand Rapids. Earl Orf web site www.earlorfphotos.com ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70450.1A8447C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

We had 7 female Pine Grosbeaks along the road to our = house today. We are in Itasca County, about halfway between Hibbing and Grand = Rapids.

Earl Orf

web site www.earlorfphotos.com

------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70450.1A8447C0-- From jslind@frontiernet.net Fri Nov 10 06:16:50 2006 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 22:16:50 -0800 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 11/9/06 Message-ID: <20061110062007.A6EBE1021A@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163139410==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *November 9, 2006 *MNDU0611.09 -Birds mentioned Snow Goose Ross's Goose Cackling Goose Canada Goose Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Spruce Grouse Great Black-backed Gull Red-bellied Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Townsend's Solitaire Pine Warbler Northern Cardinal -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: November 9, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net) This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 9th, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. A first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was found by Steve and Deb Falkowski on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry on the 5th. Bob Eklbad and Diane Anderson found a female HARLEQUIN DUCK at Canal Park in Duluth on the 4th, near shore on the north side of the breakwall. They also found a LONG-TAILED DUCK, SURF SCOTER, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on the bayside of Park Point near 32nd Street. Connie Brunell and Susan Schumacher found two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES on the 3rd at the Park Point recreational area ball fields, and five at Stoney Point. Jason Caddy also saw four migrating over Stoney Point on the 3rd. Nathan and Al Schirmacher found a TOWNSEND�S SOLITAIRE on the 4th along Scenic Highway 61 near the Scenic Cafe and Gary Kuyava reported two on the 4th near the Ford dealership, just west of Two Harbors. BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS continue to be seen in northeast Minnesota, especially along the North Shore. Several observers saw both species over the weekend at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, and along the snowmobile trail south of the Holiday gas station on the west side of Two Harbors. Kim Eckert's Minnesota Birding Weekend trip turned up several interesting sightings over the weekend, including BLACK SCOTER and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in the Grand Marais harbor, several flocks of LONG-TAILED DUCKS northeast of Grand Marais, and the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER along Slater Drive in Beaver Bay. They also found a very late PINE WARBLER along the Croftville Road northeast of Grand Marais. The two immature ROSS'S GEESE at the Two Harbors golf course were still present today along with several CACKLING GEESE, SNOW GEESE, and CANADA GEESE. Steve Schon found five SPRUCE GROUSE north of Ely on the 3rd along the Echo Trail (CR 116) about a quarter mile north of the Big Lake Resort. Steve also had a pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS at his feeders in Ely on the 2nd. Cardinals continue to be found at several locations in northeast Minnesota, including the Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, Croftville, Schroeder, Beaver Bay, Two Harbors, and Babbitt. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 16th. The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum to mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. --====1163139410==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*November 9, 2006
*MNDU0611.09

-Birds mentioned

Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Spruce Grouse
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Townsend's Solitaire
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: November 9, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 9th, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

A first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was found by Steve and Deb Falkowski on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry on the 5th. Bob Eklbad and Diane Anderson found a female HARLEQUIN DUCK at Canal Park in Duluth on the 4th, near shore on the north side of the breakwall. They also found a LONG-TAILED DUCK, SURF SCOTER, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on the bayside of Park Point near 32nd Street.

Connie Brunell and Susan Schumacher found two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES on the 3rd at the Park Point recreational area ball fields, and five at Stoney Point. Jason Caddy also saw four migrating over Stoney Point on the 3rd. Nathan and Al Schirmacher found a TOWNSEND�S SOLITAIRE on the 4th along Scenic Highway 61 near the Scenic Cafe and Gary Kuyava reported two on the 4th near the Ford dealership, just west of Two Harbors.

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS continue to be seen in northeast Minnesota, especially along the North Shore. Several observers saw both species over the weekend at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, and along the snowmobile trail south of the Holiday gas station on the west side of Two Harbors.

Kim Eckert's Minnesota Birding Weekend trip turned up several interesting sightings over the weekend, including BLACK SCOTER and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in the Grand Marais harbor, several flocks of LONG-TAILED DUCKS northeast of Grand Marais, and the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER along Slater Drive in Beaver Bay. They also found a very late PINE WARBLER along the Croftville Road northeast of Grand Marais.

The two immature ROSS'S GEESE at the Two Harbors golf course were still present today along with several CACKLING GEESE, SNOW GEESE, and CANADA GEESE.

Steve Schon found five SPRUCE GROUSE north of Ely on the 3rd along the Echo Trail (CR 116) about a quarter mile north of the Big Lake Resort. Steve also had a pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS at his feeders in Ely on the 2nd. Cardinals continue to be found at several locations in northeast Minnesota, including the Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, Croftville, Schroeder, Beaver Bay, Two Harbors, and Babbitt.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 16th.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message.

I think I saw the missing Richardson = Nature Center=20 Red Tailed Hawk yesterday. I have reported this to the Nature = Center, but=20 wanted to get it on the listserve so I could alert people in the = specific=20 area. I wish I would have realized how out of place it was at the = time=20 & that the unidentified item it was carrying was a = restraint, this=20 was probably the missing bird I had read about.

Date & Time: 11-6-06 around 11:45=20 am

Location: Bloomington. = Southwest corner=20 of the I35W / 90th Street intersection. The bird landed in a tree = in front=20 of a business on the Frontage road.

I'm gonna continue checking the area = throughout the=20 week. If you go through this & surrounding areas in = Bloomington, =20 please keep your eyes open.

Jason Bolish

------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C70294.2C0C7DE0-- From chetmeyers@visi.com Sat Nov 11 03:53:12 2006 From: chetmeyers@visi.com (chetmeyers@visi.com) Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 21:53:12 -0600 Subject: [mou] Lesser black-backed - Calhoun Message-ID: <1163217192.455549283e716@my.visi.com> After a period of at least a week, the lesser black-backed gull was on Calhoun Friday evening. Still showing up around sunset. Nothing else of much interest, but it is time for some late winter gulls to start appearing. Have yet to see a Bonaparte's or glaucous. Chet Meyers From Wildchough@aol.com Sat Nov 11 04:30:02 2006 From: Wildchough@aol.com (Wildchough@aol.com) Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:30:02 EST Subject: [mou] Stearns County crossbills Message-ID: --part1_c05.92b4449.3286abca_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I found two small flcoks of red crossbills while hiking around Collegeville today. The first consisted of approximateyl 14 birds foraging in small-coned spruce near the orchard at St. John's which is located a few hundred yards southwest of the campus on the backroad to St. Joseph, MN. The flock contained at least two call types: most of the birds had a soft and high-pitched "jif, jif, jif" and the males were generally dull brownish red and there was a larger, stockier brick red bird that called lower, like "cleep, cleep." It too was in the small-coned spruces (white, Englemann?). I called Phil Chu and 10 minutes later we were back at the orchard but the birds had moved on. About an hour later I had a flock of 10 birds fly over the arboretum trail which circles the lakes near the entrance road off the Interstate. The birds were over the tallest hill south of the small lake where the boardwalk is. Also of interest today was a nice flock of Lapland Longspurs and a few Snow Buntings at Pearl Lake and 70 Snow Buntings at Albany. An American Golden-Plover at Albany may be the latest Stearns County bird ever. Small numbers of Trumpeter and Tundra Swans throughout the eastern half of the county. A swimming Bald Eagle near South Haven was a serious hazard to driving although my truck did manage to stay in an upright position during the 50 mph U-turn. Bob Russell --part1_c05.92b4449.3286abca_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I found two small flcoks of red cro= ssbills while hiking around Collegeville today. The first consisted of= approximateyl 14 birds foraging in small-coned spruce near the orchard at S= t. John's which is located a few hundred yards southwest of the campus on th= e backroad to St. Joseph, MN. The flock contained at least two call ty= pes: most of the birds had a soft and high-pitched "jif, jif, jif" and the m= ales were generally dull brownish red and there was a larger, stockier brick= red bird that called lower, like "cleep, cleep." It too was in the sm= all-coned spruces (white, Englemann?). I called Phil Chu and 10 minute= s later we were back at the orchard but the birds had moved on. About=20= an hour later I had a flock of 10 birds fly over the arboretum trail which c= ircles the lakes near the entrance road off the Interstate. The birds=20= were over the tallest hill south of the small lake where the boardwalk is.&n= bsp; Also of interest today was a nice flock of Lapland Longspurs and a few=20= Snow Buntings at Pearl Lake and 70 Snow Buntings at Albany. An America= n Golden-Plover at Albany may be the latest Stearns County bird ever. =20= Small numbers of Trumpeter and Tundra Swans throughout the eastern half of t= he county. A swimming Bald Eagle near South Haven was a serious hazard= to driving although my truck did manage to stay in an upright position duri= ng the 50 mph U-turn. Bob Russell --part1_c05.92b4449.3286abca_boundary-- From birdchick@gmail.com Sat Nov 11 05:06:11 2006 From: birdchick@gmail.com (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:06:11 -0600 Subject: [mou] Missing Red Tailed Hawk In-Reply-To: <000d01c702c6$77019100$6401a8c0@JBPrimary> References: <000d01c702c6$77019100$6401a8c0@JBPrimary> Message-ID: <0D64595B-E836-4FA0-A531-A8E31F68D79F@gmail.com> --Apple-Mail-7-230777727 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes; format=flowed I just got this in my email today from The Raptor Center: "Right this very minutes the Three River=92s escapee (RTHA) is down in =20= the TRC clinic getting the once over by Dr. Ponder. He flew right =20 into the feeding station at Richardson, looking for food, and they =20 brought him to TRC (of course) to see how he fared and if anything is =20= wrong.. As Juli says, =93He doesn=92t look like he missed a meal.=94 = And =20 seems to be no worse for his big adventure. So let everyone know. =20= Thanks for all your caring and concern. Yay!" Sharon Stiteler www.birdchick.com Minneapolis, MN On Nov 7, 2006, at 5:43 PM, Jason Bolish wrote: > I think I saw the missing Richardson Nature Center Red Tailed Hawk =20 > yesterday. I have reported this to the Nature Center, but wanted =20 > to get it on the listserve so I could alert people in the specific =20 > area. I wish I would have realized how out of place it was at the =20 > time & that the unidentified item it was carrying was a restraint, =20 > this was probably the missing bird I had read about. > > Date & Time: 11-6-06 around 11:45 am > > Location: Bloomington. Southwest corner of the I35W / 90th Street =20= > intersection. The bird landed in a tree in front of a business on =20 > the Frontage road. > > I'm gonna continue checking the area throughout the week. If you =20 > go through this & surrounding areas in Bloomington, please keep =20 > your eyes open. > > Jason Bolish > --Apple-Mail-7-230777727 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252

I just got = this in my email today from The Raptor Center:

"Right this very = minutes the Three River=92s escapee (RTHA) is down in the TRC clinic = getting the once over by Dr. Ponder.=A0 He flew right into the feeding = station at Richardson, looking for food, and they brought him to TRC (of = course) to see how he fared and if anything is wrong..=A0 As Juli says, = =93He doesn=92t look like he missed a meal.=94=A0 And seems to be no = worse for his big adventure. =A0=A0So let everyone know.=A0=A0 Thanks = for all your caring and concern.=A0 Yay!"

Sharon = Stiteler

www.birdchick.com

Minneapolis, = MN

On Nov = 7, 2006, at 5:43 PM, Jason Bolish wrote:

I think I saw the = missing Richardson Nature Center Red Tailed Hawk yesterday.=A0 I have = reported this to the Nature Center, but wanted to get it on the = listserve so I could alert people in the specific area.=A0 I wish I = would have realized how out of place it was at the time & that=A0the = unidentified item it was carrying was=A0a restraint, this was = probably=A0the missing bird I had read = about.=A0
=A0
=A0
Location:=A0 Bloomington.=A0 Southwest corner of the = I35W / 90th Street intersection.=A0 The bird landed in a tree in front = of a business on the Frontage road.=A0
=A0
I'm gonna continue checking the area throughout the = week.=A0 If you go through this & surrounding areas in Bloomington,=A0= please keep your eyes open.
=A0

<= /HTML>= --Apple-Mail-7-230777727-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Sat Nov 11 18:48:42 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 10:48:42 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Pool 8, Houston Co.Miss. R.Tundra Swans Update Message-ID: <671036.85446.qm@web56005.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Thousands of TUSW at 12N today remain between The Shellhorn Bar & Grill and the south viewing deck south of Brownsville. Other waterfowl also as well as dozens of Bald Eagles. Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wis. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com Sat Nov 11 18:55:08 2006 From: Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com (Paul Budde) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 12:55:08 -0600 Subject: [mou] Three-toed woodpeckers Message-ID: <244BB0A2242EF0489D8FFB420E3F3C5A01A21390@MINSCEXM01A.americas.benfieldglobal.net> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C705C2.E876D158 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 VHdvIGFyZSBzdGlsbCBkaXJlY3RseSBiZWhpbmQgdGhlIEhvbGlkYXkgZ2FzIHN0YXRpb24gb24g dGhlIHdlc3Qgc2lkZSAoSS5lLiBEdWx1dGgtc2lkZSkgb2YgVHdvIGhhcmJvcnMuIA0KDQpQYXVs DQo= ------_=_NextPart_001_01C705C2.E876D158 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 PCFET0NUWVBFIEhUTUwgUFVCTElDICItLy9XM0MvL0RURCBIVE1MIDMuMi8vRU4iPg0KPEhUTUw+ DQo8SEVBRD4NCjxNRVRBIEhUVFAtRVFVSVY9IkNvbnRlbnQtVHlwZSIgQ09OVEVOVD0idGV4dC9o dG1sOyBjaGFyc2V0PXV0Zi04Ij4NCjxNRVRBIE5BTUU9IkdlbmVyYXRvciIgQ09OVEVOVD0iTVMg RXhjaGFuZ2UgU2VydmVyIHZlcnNpb24gNi41Ljc2NTAuMjgiPg0KPFRJVExFPlRocmVlLXRvZWQg d29vZHBlY2tlcnM8L1RJVExFPg0KPC9IRUFEPg0KPEJPRFk+DQo8IS0tIENvbnZlcnRlZCBmcm9t IHRleHQvcGxhaW4gZm9ybWF0IC0tPg0KDQo8UD48Rk9OVCBTSVpFPTI+VHdvIGFyZSBzdGlsbCBk aXJlY3RseSBiZWhpbmQgdGhlIEhvbGlkYXkgZ2FzIHN0YXRpb24gb24gdGhlIHdlc3Qgc2lkZSAo SS5lLiBEdWx1dGgtc2lkZSkgb2YgVHdvIGhhcmJvcnMuPEJSPg0KPEJSPg0KUGF1bDwvRk9OVD4N CjwvUD4NCg0KPC9CT0RZPg0KPC9IVE1MPg== ------_=_NextPart_001_01C705C2.E876D158-- From clay.christensen@comcast.net Sat Nov 11 19:18:45 2006 From: clay.christensen@comcast.net (Clay Christensen) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 19:18:45 +0000 Subject: [mou] Gray catbird Ramsey Co. Message-ID: <111120061918.14410.4556221500063E520000384A2212020784020A9C020A9B9C079D080CD2970E040C@comcast.net> --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_14410_1163272725_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit We've been having regular visits from a gray catbird here at our birdbath in Lauderdale, Ramsey County. I haven't seen it at the feeders, but there's food on the ground and other feeders in the neighborhood that it may be going to. Janssen's Birds In Minnesota lists Nov. 9 as a late date in southern Minnesota and says birds seen in mid-November and into December are probably trying to winter over. This bird was seen this morning, 11/11. We'll see how far into the cold weather it continues. Clay Christensen Lauderdale, MN --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_14410_1163272725_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

We've been having regular visits from a gray catbird here at our birdbath in Lauderdale, Ramsey County. I haven't seen it at the feeders, but there's food on the ground and other feeders in the neighborhood that it may be going to. Janssen's Birds In Minnesota lists Nov. 9 as a late date in southern Minnesota and says birds seen in mid-November and into December are probably trying to winter over. This bird was seen this morning, 11/11. We'll see how far into the cold weather it continues.

Clay Christensen

Lauderdale, MN

--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_14410_1163272725_0-- From natester166@hotmail.com Sat Nov 11 19:54:17 2006 From: natester166@hotmail.com (Nathan Schirmacher) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 14:54:17 -0500 Subject: [mou] Little Gull on Mille Lacs Lake Message-ID: --_fe23aa9d-a08b-44d9-9755-e60c5abf6cb2_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today my Dad and I were birding Aitkin and Mille lacs counties. There was a= juvenile Golden Eagle on 18 in Aitkin county.On the Mille Lacs lake there = was a Little Gull sitting on the rock island in Wigwam Bay.There were hundr= eds of gulls on the lake today mostly bonaparte's.Nathan SchirmacherPrincet= on,MN _________________________________________________________________ Search from any Web page with powerful protection. Get the FREE Windows Liv= e Toolbar Today! http://get.live.com/toolbar/overview= --_fe23aa9d-a08b-44d9-9755-e60c5abf6cb2_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Today my Dad and I were birding Aitk= in and Mille lacs counties. There was a juvenile Golden Eagle on 18 in Aitk= in county.On the Mille Lacs lake there was a Little Gull sitting on the roc= k island in Wigwam Bay.There were hundreds of gulls on the lake today mostl= y bonaparte's.

Nathan Schirmacher
Princeton,MN

Search from any Web page with powerful protection. Get the FREE Windows = Live Toolbar Today! Try it now! = --_fe23aa9d-a08b-44d9-9755-e60c5abf6cb2_-- From natester166@hotmail.com Sat Nov 11 22:57:09 2006 From: natester166@hotmail.com (Nathan Schirmacher) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:57:09 -0500 Subject: [mou] Owl call/boreal owl Message-ID: --_9bf3c8b9-3a4f-4a39-9cc6-53d791e0057e_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today on 18 there was a owl call.We couldnt find anything in the book.I che= cked on Cornell site and it didnt match anything but the Boreal Owl.Do they= ever call during the day? We have never heard a boreal before just seen th= em. It fits the call in Sibley and the internet calls.The time of day was a= round 9:30.Nathan SchirmacherPrinceton,MN _________________________________________________________________ Search from any Web page with powerful protection. Get the FREE Windows Liv= e Toolbar Today! http://get.live.com/toolbar/overview= --_9bf3c8b9-3a4f-4a39-9cc6-53d791e0057e_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Today on 18 there was a owl call.We = couldnt find anything in the book.I checked on Cornell site and it didnt ma= tch anything but the Boreal Owl.Do they ever call during the day? We have n= ever heard a boreal before just seen them. It fits the call in Sibley and t= he internet calls.The time of day was around 9:30.

Nathan Schirmache= r
Princeton,MN

Search from any Web page with powerf= ul protection. Get the FREE Windows Live Toolbar Today! Try it now! = --_9bf3c8b9-3a4f-4a39-9cc6-53d791e0057e_-- From smithville4@charter.net Sat Nov 11 23:25:18 2006 From: smithville4@charter.net (Mike Hendrickson) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:25:18 -0600 Subject: [mou] Two Harbors/Canal Park Birds Message-ID: <002801c705e8$a66d7010$6400a8c0@FAMILYCOMPUTER> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C705B6.5B7F88E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I got a call from Mark Ochs to meet him and Paul Budde in Two Harbors to = do some birding. We started out at the lighthouse in Two Harbors where = Mark and Paul spotted a Townsend Solitaire foraging for food along the = lake walk behind the lighthouse. They decided to bird the golf course = and I stayed back to digiscope the solitaire. I posted two photos on my = website under "recent sightings". I then headed off to Duluth to see what birds are hanging around the = breakwalls at Canal Park. When I arrived at Canal Park I discovered two = immature/female harlequin ducks feeding along the rocks near the north = breakwall. I checked the gulls on the breakwall and found a adult = Glaucous Gull on the south breakwall. Not a bad day. =20 Michael Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C705B6.5B7F88E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I got a call from Mark Ochs = to meet him=20 and Paul Budde in Two Harbors to do some birding. We started out at = the=20 lighthouse in Two Harbors where Mark and Paul spotted a Townsend = Solitaire=20 foraging for food along the lake walk behind the lighthouse. They = decided=20 to bird the golf course and I stayed back to digiscope the = solitaire.=20 I posted two photos on my website under "recent = sightings".

I then headed off to Duluth = to see=20 what birds are hanging around the breakwalls at Canal Park. = When I=20 arrived at Canal Park I discovered two immature/female harlequin ducks = feeding=20 along the rocks near the north breakwall. I checked the = gulls on=20 the breakwall and found a adult Glaucous Gull on the south=20 breakwall.

Not a bad day.

Michael = Hendrickson
Duluth,=20 Minnesota
http://webpages.chart= er.net/mmhendrickson/

------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C705B6.5B7F88E0-- From cakrulas@charter.net Sat Nov 11 23:59:22 2006 From: cakrulas@charter.net (Chuck Krulas) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:59:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Dakota Cty Black Scoter Message-ID: <000701c705ed$6a973170$97617344@CAKrulas> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C705BB.1E2E1BF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable After 2 hours of searching I relocated the Black Scoter near the = swimming beach at 4:45PM Today (Saturday) ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C705BB.1E2E1BF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

After 2 hours of searching I relocated = the Black=20 Scoter near the swimming beach at 4:45PM Today=20 (Saturday)

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C705BB.1E2E1BF0-- From JELLISBIRD@aol.com Sun Nov 12 01:44:24 2006 From: JELLISBIRD@aol.com (JELLISBIRD@aol.com) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:44:24 EST Subject: [mou] Douglas County birds/Albany Golden Plover Message-ID: Saw the Am. Golden Plover posted by Bob Russell at the Albany sewage ponds. Douglas had Trumpeter Swans at four locations. Had 3 Am. Black Ducks in with a large crowd of mallards at Lake Jennie refuge. Saw 19 Bald Eagles today in various locations with 8 at Lake Oscar environs. Several flocks of Snow Buntings but no Longspurs or other winter finches. Had one Rough-Legged Hawk... 3 Bonapartes and only Ring-bills additionally. Quite a few late season waterfowl around, mostly in larger waterbodies. Saw a young Wood Duck hanging around with three coot at Lake Osakis that was tipping up and feeding just like a coot...even doing shallow dives. It was actually kind of scarey...goes to show what bad company can do. Nice day but kind of slow birding. John Ellis-St. Paul From khaus@chartermi.net Sun Nov 12 03:01:36 2006 From: khaus@chartermi.net (Keith Hauswirth) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 21:01:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Unidentifed Bird Message-ID: <004001c70606$de886680$fa9abf44@D2QDG961> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01C705D4.93424D30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable As I was walking this morning around the Elementary School grounds, I = noticed a dead bird at the base of an outside wall. I picked up the = bird and was going to dispose of it in a nearby woods. However, when I = picked it up, I noticed it was quite a beautiful bird and one I had not = seen before. I took it home with me and checked for identification in = my birding atlas. I still could not find a definative match. I am = hoping someone may be able to assist in the identificatin of this bird. The bird is approximately 5 inches in length with a conical bill. There = is a bit of black above its bill with its head being a mottled light = brown and white. Underneath its bill is a small patch of white that = circles completely around its head. Beneath the white is a thin ring of = brown that circles around its front to its back. It's entire back is a = mottled light brown and black. Its inner wings are a mottled light = brown and black. The center of its wings are pure white. Its outer = wings follow a black, white, black, white pattern with the ends big = black with a very narrow white band at the tips. The tail is notched = and esssentially black with the same narrow white band at its tip. It's = breast is white with black underneath. I'm thinking it may be a = juvenile who had not fully devloloped yet. Nevertheless, it is a very = pretty bird. =20 I would appreciate any help with identification. ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01C705D4.93424D30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

As I was walking this morning around = the Elementary=20 School grounds, I noticed a dead bird at the base of an outside = wall. I=20 picked up the bird and was going to dispose of it in a nearby = woods. =20 However, when I picked it up, I noticed it was quite a beautiful bird = and one I=20 had not seen before. I took it home with me and checked for = identification=20 in my birding atlas. I still could not find a definative = match. I am=20 hoping someone may be able to assist in the identificatin of this=20 bird.

The bird is approximately 5 inches in = length with a=20 conical bill. There is a bit of black above its bill with its head = being a=20 mottled light brown and white. Underneath its bill is a small = patch=20 of white that circles completely around its head. Beneath the = white is a=20 thin ring of brown that circles around its front to its back. It's = entire=20 back is a mottled light brown and black. Its inner wings are a = mottled=20 light brown and black. The center of its wings are pure = white. Its=20 outer wings follow a black, white, black, white pattern with the ends = big black=20 with a very narrow white band at the tips. The tail is notched and = esssentially black with the same narrow white band at its tip. = It's breast=20 is white with black underneath. I'm thinking it may be a juvenile = who had=20 not fully devloloped yet. Nevertheless, it is a very pretty = bird. =20

I would appreciate any help with=20 identification.

------=_NextPart_000_003D_01C705D4.93424D30-- From wbruins@earthlink.net Sun Nov 12 15:13:35 2006 From: wbruins@earthlink.net (Bill Bruins) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 09:13:35 -0600 Subject: [mou] CAROLINA WREN Message-ID: It seems the CAROLINA WREN has remained in the neighborhood despite the unexpected 12 inches of snow delivered Friday. Yesterday my wife saw it checking out the crevices iof a long dead stump in the neighbor's yard. This morning she heard it first and called to me to come and hear it. Since then, it has visited the feeder by the kitchen window. I've put out meal worms hoping it will find them before the chickadees finish them off. O. William Bruins 1538 11th Avenue NE Rochester, MN 55906-4213 wbruins@earthlink.net 507-281-1607 - home 507-261-6837 - cell (not always turned on) From cruzcolibri@yahoo.com Sat Nov 11 20:37:36 2006 From: cruzcolibri@yahoo.com (Alex Cruz) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 12:37:36 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Northern Shrike and Long-eared Owl at French Reg Park, Plymouth Message-ID: <837825.37035.qm@web31604.mail.mud.yahoo.com> --0-191051678-1163277456=:37035 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Today, Dan Karvonen and I did an afternoon dog walk in French Regional Park in Plymouth. Highlights included a Northern Shrike at the Rockford Rd entrance and a Long-eared Owl roosting. Beautiful fall day. Looking up, Alex Cruz Crystal, Hennepin Co, MN --------------------------------- Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. --0-191051678-1163277456=:37035 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Today, Dan Karvonen and I did an afternoon dog walk in French Regional Park in Plymouth. Highlights included a Northern Shrike at the Rockford Rd entrance and a Long-eared Owl roosting. Beautiful fall day.

Looking up,

Alex Cruz

Crystal, Hennepin Co, MN

Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. --0-191051678-1163277456=:37035-- From connybrunell@earthlink.net Sun Nov 12 19:24:05 2006 From: connybrunell@earthlink.net (Conny Brunell) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 13:24:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] Rough-legged Hawk ~ Dakota County Message-ID: <380-220061101219245312@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_840811121210519245312 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII This morning at 11:05 am I enjoyed seeing a light Rough-legged Hawk from MN Hwy 56 just south of 250th St. in Hampton, Dakota County glide over a roadside field. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_840811121210519245312 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

This morning at 11:05 am I enjoyed seeing a light Rough-legged Hawk from MN Hwy 56

just south of 250th St. in Hampton, Dakota County glide over a roadside field.

Conny Brunell

Richfield, Hennepin Co.

------=_NextPart_840811121210519245312-- From corax6330@yahoo.com Sun Nov 12 20:08:17 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 12:08:17 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles, Pool 8 Miss, R.,Houston Co. Message-ID: <806289.57526.qm@web56011.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Still thousands of TUSW viewable near The Shellhorn bar & grill, and south on Hwy 26 at Mile Marker 11, and further, 1.3 miles to the old viewing platform. Other viewing sites on your own, but be careful of traffic. Bald Eagles also abundant, as well as puddle ducks, and rafts of divers mixed with puddle ducks far to the east & center of Pool 8. Dozens of BAEA, mostly immature plumages. Much of Pool 8 is in Wisconsin. Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wis. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Music Unlimited Access over 1 million songs. http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited From ksussman@lcp2.net Sun Nov 12 20:48:38 2006 From: ksussman@lcp2.net (Karen Sussman) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 14:48:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] Spruce Grouse and more Message-ID: <2BEED338-728F-11DB-9D80-000A95D84DEC@lcp2.net> --Apple-Mail-6-373724410 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Spruce Grouse this morning at noon along St Louis County road #25, approximately 1 mile south of intersection with County Road #82 in NE St Louis County. Ben Yokel and I also found 5+ Rough Legs, 2 Harriers, Bald Eagles and Red Tails along the back roads of Angora, Sturgeon, and Britt (NE St Louis County). Some nice Pine Grosbeaks not too far from the Spruce Grouse. Karen Sussman ksussman@lcp2.net --Apple-Mail-6-373724410 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=US-ASCII Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProSpruce Grouse this morning at noon along St Louis County road #25, approximately 1 mile south of intersection with County Road #82 in NE St Louis County. Ben Yokel and I also found 5+ Rough Legs, 2 Harriers, Bald Eagles and Red Tails along the back roads of Angora, Sturgeon, and Britt (NE St Louis County). Some nice Pine Grosbeaks not too far from the Spruce Grouse. Times New RomanKaren Sussman ksussman@lcp2.net --Apple-Mail-6-373724410-- From wjkhahk@charter.net Mon Nov 13 02:54:18 2006 From: wjkhahk@charter.net (Bill Kass) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:54:18 -0600 Subject: [mou] Baltimore Oriole! Message-ID: <000001c706cf$0478c8d0$6dc5bc42@c5n2r9> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C7069C.B9DE58D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I got a very pleasant surprise on Friday after our 10 =C2=BD inches of = snow in Rochester. About noon, my 9 year old looked out our back window = and glaring in the sunlight was a male Baltimore Oriole sitting in an = almost bare bush against a sunlit snow covered background. Beautiful = sight, especially considering that even thought my backyard species = count is about 45, I have never had a Oriole until now, even with = oranges, jelly, and hummingbird feeders. I wondered why it was here and = realized that it was picking berries off of one of my bushes (along with = the juncos). It hung around all day eating those berries and sitting in = the sun. The next day it was nowhere to be found. I did get some very = good pictures though, but I had to use my Minolta with a telephoto lens. Bill Kass Rochester, MN ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C7069C.B9DE58D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Baltimore Oriole!

I got a very pleasant surprise on Friday after = our 10 = =C2=BD inches of snow in = Rochester. About noon, my 9 year old looked out our back window = and glaring in the sunlight was a male Baltimore Oriole sitting in an = almost bare bush against a sunlit snow covered = background. Beautiful sight, = especially considering that even thought my backyard species count is = about 45, I have never had a Oriole until now, even with oranges, jelly, = and hummingbird feeders. I wondered why it was here and realized that it was = picking berries off of one of my bushes (along with the juncos). = It hung around all day eating those berries and sitting in the = sun. The next day it was = nowhere to be found. I did get some very good pictures though, but = I had to use my Minolta with a telephoto lens.

Bill = Kass

Rochester, MN

------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C7069C.B9DE58D0-- From dbmartin@skypoint.com Mon Nov 13 03:51:53 2006 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 21:51:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] Krider's Red-tailed Hawk Message-ID: <000701c706d7$1266a2c0$a02f56c7@oemcomputer> A juvenile or subadult Krider's Red-tailed Hawk has spent at least the last two days and we understand a few earlier days at the Black Dog Road exit off of 35W. It was easiest and safest to see from either the north bound or south bound entrance ramps, depending on which side of the road it was on. We saw it on both sides at different times. This bird is probably the purest Krider's that we have ever seen. Its' tail is predominately white with thin black bands. The head as well as most of the underparts are white. The back is speckled black and white with very little brown on the bird. We think it is most likely a subadult and not a juvenile because of the lack of brown and since it still has the thinly banded tail. Although there is a lot of white on this bird there is no true albinism that we were able to see. It compares very favorably with the photos in Brian Wheelers "Raptors of Western North America". We suspect that this bird will not stay here long, even though it appears to be successful in hunting, as most Krider's winter south of Missouri and Kansas in east Texas and Louisiana. Be very careful looking at this bird. This highway as you all well know is very busy. We would not stop on the highway to look at this bird at all, but would only use the much slower moving on ramps. Also seen today was a subadult Golden Eagle migrating past Lake Byllesby into Goodhue County. Lots of Bald Eagles, both adults and juvs, were migrating everywhere. The Black Scoter was still present on Byllesby today as well at two additional Black Scoters were on east Black Dog Lake yesterday. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com From drewbec@aol.com Mon Nov 13 18:30:27 2006 From: drewbec@aol.com (drewbec@aol.com) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:30:27 -0500 Subject: [mou] Krider's Red-tailed Hawk In-Reply-To: <000701c706d7$1266a2c0$a02f56c7@oemcomputer> References: <000701c706d7$1266a2c0$a02f56c7@oemcomputer> Message-ID: <8C8D568ECEAD455-118-47B@MBLK-M01.sysops.aol.com> This bird has actually been present at this location for a few weeks. I frequently drive past this area in the morning, and have seen the bird numerous times at approximately 8:00-8:15am. It often sits in the trees between the northbound on-ramp and I-35, but does use other perches as mentioned. There is plenty of room to pull over on the on-ramp and study the bird, if you're fortunate enough to catch sight of it before getting on the interstate. I agree it is an beautiful example of this subspecies or form. As far as speculation on how long it will remain in the area, I recall another Krider's that did overwinter a few miles east of this location, near Gun Club Lake, about 5 or 6 years ago. So, who knows, it may stay. Drew Smith Eagan, Dakota County -----Original Message----- From: dbmartin@skypoint.com To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Sent: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 9:51 PM Subject: [mou] Krider's Red-tailed Hawk A juvenile or subadult Krider's Red-tailed Hawk has spent at least the last two days and we understand a few earlier days at the Black Dog Road exit off of 35W. It was easiest and safest to see from either the north bound or south bound entrance ramps, depending on which side of the road it was on. We saw it on both sides at different times. This bird is probably the purest Krider's that we have ever seen. Its' tail is predominately white with thin black bands. The head as well as most of the underparts are white. The back is speckled black and white with very little brown on the bird. We think it is most likely a subadult and not a juvenile because of the lack of brown and since it still has the thinly banded tail. Although there is a lot of white on this bird there is no true albinism that we were able to see. It compares very favorably with the photos in Brian Wheelers "Raptors of Western North America". We suspect that this bird will not stay here long, even though it appears to be successful in hunting, as most Krider's winter south of Missouri and Kansas in east Texas and Louisiana. Be very careful looking at this bird. This highway as you all well know is very busy. We would not stop on the highway to look at this bird at all, but would only use the much slower moving on ramps. Also seen today was a subadult Golden Eagle migrating past Lake Byllesby into Goodhue County. Lots of Bald Eagles, both adults and juvs, were migrating everywhere. The Black Scoter was still present on Byllesby today as well at two additional Black Scoters were on east Black Dog Lake yesterday. Dennis and Barbara Martin dbmartin@skypoint.com _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more. From jbolish@vikingmagazine.com Mon Nov 13 19:11:52 2006 From: jbolish@vikingmagazine.com (Jason Bolish) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:11:52 -0600 Subject: [mou] Krider's Red-tailed Hawk Message-ID: <139A3FFAB1981046853F8E3FD5A5DFFA27C637@mnviking05.vikingmag.com> Just located the Krider's Hawk on my lunch break, it is perched on the = ramp from Black Dog Road to Southbound 35W, & it's easily visible from = 35W. There's a regular adult RT a couple trees away, but the difference = is very easy to see, what a beautiful bird, & a lifer from me (now I = won't have to dodge bullets in Carlos Avery to see one!) I'm gonna try = for some photos tomorrow. Thanks for the alerts! Jason Bolish Information Systems Viking Magazine Service Inc (952)885-0922 ext 4137 From tiger150@comcast.net Mon Nov 13 21:06:02 2006 From: tiger150@comcast.net (alyssa) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:06:02 -0600 Subject: [mou] B-W Hawk (?) Hennepin Co. Message-ID: <001901c70767$8912e010$6401a8c0@A2400T2482> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C70735.3BE65380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This morning as I was entering my car, I noticed a flock of three crows = hanging out in a mature deciduous tree in my neighbor's yard (across the = street.) Then I noticed that one of the crows was dive-bombing one = suspicious-looking one, and then I looked at the shape more carefully. = Chunky, hunched-over...definately a bueto. I am leaning towards B-W Hawk = because we have had them in the summer. I doubt it to be a R-S Hawk, for = we have never had one here. Any thoughts? I will try to look for it, but = its rediscovery is uncertain. Thanks! Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C70735.3BE65380 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

This morning as I was entering my car, = I noticed a=20 flock of three crows hanging out in a mature deciduous tree in my = neighbor's=20 yard (across the street.) Then I noticed that one of the crows was = dive-bombing=20 one suspicious-looking one, and then I looked at the shape more = carefully.=20 Chunky, hunched-over...definately a bueto. I am leaning towards B-W Hawk = because=20 we have had them in the summer. I doubt it to be a R-S Hawk, for we have = never=20 had one here. Any thoughts? I will try to look for it, but its = rediscovery=20 is uncertain. Thanks!

Alyssa DeRubeis

Golden = Valley

------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C70735.3BE65380-- From MMARTELL@audubon.org Mon Nov 13 22:46:28 2006 From: MMARTELL@audubon.org (MARTELL, Mark) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:46:28 -0500 Subject: [mou] B-W Hawk (?) Hennepin Co. Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70775.8EA6B8CC Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Broad-wings are pretty much complete migrants and would not be expected = around here this time of year. Red-tails of course are the most common = buteo here this time of year but a red-shouldered is not out of the = question. =20 Mark Martell=20 Director of Bird Conservation=20 Audubon Minnesota=20 2357 Ventura Drive #106=20 St. Paul, MN 55125=20 651-739-9332=20 651-731-1330 (FAX)=20 http://mn.audubon.org =20 -----Original Message----- From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On = Behalf Of alyssa Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 3:06 PM To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Subject: [mou] B-W Hawk (?) Hennepin Co. This morning as I was entering my car, I noticed a flock of three crows = hanging out in a mature deciduous tree in my neighbor's yard (across the = street.) Then I noticed that one of the crows was dive-bombing one = suspicious-looking one, and then I looked at the shape more carefully. = Chunky, hunched-over...definately a bueto. I am leaning towards B-W Hawk = because we have had them in the summer. I doubt it to be a R-S Hawk, for = we have never had one here. Any thoughts? I will try to look for it, but = its rediscovery is uncertain. Thanks! =20 Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70775.8EA6B8CC Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Broad-wings are pretty much complete migrants and would not be = expected=20 around here this time of year. Red-tails of course are the most = common=20 buteo here this time of year but a red-shouldered is not out of the = question.

Mark Martell
Director of Bird Conservation
Audubon=20 Minnesota
2357 Ventura Drive = #106=20
St. Paul, MN 55125
651-739-9332
651-731-1330 (FAX)=20
http://mn.audubon.org

-----Original Message-----
From: = mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu=20 [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On Behalf Of = alyssa
Sent:=20 Monday, November 13, 2006 3:06 PM
To:=20 mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: [mou] B-W Hawk (?) Hennepin=20 Co.

This morning as I was entering my = car, I noticed=20 a flock of three crows hanging out in a mature deciduous tree in my = neighbor's=20 yard (across the street.) Then I noticed that one of the crows was=20 dive-bombing one suspicious-looking one, and then I looked at the = shape more=20 carefully. Chunky, hunched-over...definately a bueto. I am leaning = towards B-W=20 Hawk because we have had them in the summer. I doubt it to be a R-S = Hawk, for=20 we have never had one here. Any thoughts? I will try to look for = it, but=20 its rediscovery is uncertain. Thanks!

Alyssa DeRubeis

Golden=20 Valley

------_=_NextPart_001_01C70775.8EA6B8CC-- From BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM Mon Nov 13 23:58:46 2006 From: BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM (Williams, Bob) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:58:46 -0600 Subject: [mou] Long-tailed Duck in Pope County Message-ID: --_4B3DE5E2-7D21-4685-9492-BD394A0684AB_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This morning at about 10:45 I observed a juvenile Long-tailed Duck for abo= ut 45 minutes near the eastern shore of Lake Minnewaska in Pope County. Th= e bird dove frequently but was actually very cooperative and easily seen fr= om the park in Glenwood that is across the road from Barsness Park. This p= ark is south of downtown on the west side of Hwy 104. Bob Williams, Bloomington --_4B3DE5E2-7D21-4685-9492-BD394A0684AB_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

This morning at abou= t 10:45 I observed a juvenile Long-tailed Duck for about 45 minutes near th= e eastern shore of Lake Minnewaska in Pope County. The bird dove freq= uently but was actually very cooperative and easily seen from the park in G= lenwood that is across the road from Barsness Park. This park is sout= h of downtown on the west side of Hwy 104.

Bob Williams, Bloomington

--_4B3DE5E2-7D21-4685-9492-BD394A0684AB_-- From ekblad@frontiernet.net Mon Nov 13 23:59:57 2006 From: ekblad@frontiernet.net (Bob Ekblad) Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:59:57 -0600 Subject: [mou] Lake Byllesby Black Scoter Message-ID: <001301c7077f$d31aabd0$6501a8c0@BobLaptop> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01C7074D.88803BD0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The immature Black Scoter was finally found this afternoon at Lake Byllesby about 2:15pm at the lake access at the small section of county land off of Cty 88 which is just a short distance west of the church. I was at the lake trying to find the bird from about 8:45am (and met several others looking as well) so I was quite elated to find it - and then have it hanging around quite close to shore as well. The wind had also died down by that time to the point were the water was almost flat (significantly different from what it was on Sunday). The two plovers and the dunlin were still hanging around the sandbars out from the cemetery viewing area. There were at least 3 or 4 Common Loons present on the lake as well as two Ruddy Ducks, some Common Mergansers and two pair of Hooded Mergansers. An additional find was a Horned Grebe which I initially spotted just out from the Goodhue County public access area near the west end of the lake. Bob Ekblad Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01C7074D.88803BD0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The immature Black Scoter was finally found this = afternoon at Lake Byllesby about 2:15pm at the lake access at the small section of = county land off of Cty 88 which is just a short distance west of the = church. I was at the lake trying to = find the bird from about 8:45am (and met several others looking as well) so I was = quite elated to find it – and then have it hanging around quite close to = shore as well. The wind had also = died down by that time to the point were the water was almost flat = (significantly different from what it was on Sunday). The two plovers and the dunlin were still hanging around the = sandbars out from the cemetery viewing area. There were at least 3 or 4 Common Loons present on the lake as = well as two Ruddy Ducks, some Common Mergansers and two pair of Hooded = Mergansers. An additional find was a Horned = Grebe which I initially spotted just out from the Goodhue County public access area = near the west end of the lake.

Bob = Ekblad

Olmsted County in Southeast = Minnesota

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_0014_01C7074D.88803BD0-- From benzdedrick@hotmail.com Tue Nov 14 03:08:31 2006 From: benzdedrick@hotmail.com (Dedrick Benz) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 03:08:31 +0000 Subject: [mou] Duluth Update, Monday Message-ID: John Hockema and I cruised up north, and were able to relocate the following goodies: ALL 3 SCOTERS: White-winged (flock of 9) and Black - 33rd St (bayside of Park Point). Surf - Rowing club - bayside 2 HARLEQUIN DUCKS(female/immature): Amazing looks - From Canal Park, go over lift bridge and park ASAP. Find your way to the south breakwall, and follow it out into the lake. The birds were hanging tight against the breakwall on the right side. The birds were 15 feet down from the elevated breakwall, and maybe 15 feet out. We could see them several feet underwater before they would resurface after a dive. We could see them defecate underwater (sorry, I think that's cool). We could watch them actively preen each feather. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (1st winter): Seen from WI Point on the inner MN breakwall. Observed around 3:15, then 3:30 it flew into WI, towards Allouez Bay. Dedrick Benz Winona, MN _________________________________________________________________ Get FREE company branded e-mail accounts and business Web site from Microsoft Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ From mattjim@earthlink.net Tue Nov 14 18:00:53 2006 From: mattjim@earthlink.net (James Mattsson) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:00:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] shorebirds, Byllesby Message-ID: <410-220061121418053921@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Nov. 14, 2006 - Lake Byllesby, Dakota Co. Black Scoter not seen today, only 2 Common Loons on big water...but found these at west end mudflats: Black-bellied Plover - 1 American Golden-Plover - 1 Dunlin - 5 Pectoral Sandpiper - 1 Wilson's Snipe - 1 All were were seen well from the Goodhue side of the lake with good light. At one point the two plovers were within inches of each other. Nice comparison and could readily see that BBPL was slightly larger, grayer, had a larger bill, longer neck, and less pronounced supercilium than the very buffy appearing AMGP. Jim ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

Nov. 14, 2006 - Lake Byllesby, Dakota Co.

Black Scoter not seen today, only 2 Common Loons on big water...but found these at west end mudflats:

Black-bellied Plover - 1

American Golden-Plover - 1

Dunlin - 5

Pectoral Sandpiper - 1

Wilson's Snipe - 1

All were were seen well from the Goodhue side of the lake with good light. At one point the two plovers were within inches of each other. Nice comparison and could readily see that BBPL was slightly larger, grayer, had a larger bill, longer neck, and less pronounced supercilium than the very buffy appearing AMGP.

Jim

------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8-- From saqqara@worldnet.att.net Tue Nov 14 20:16:10 2006 From: saqqara@worldnet.att.net (Bruce Baer) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:16:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] Black Scoter Message-ID: <000c01c70829$bb01fee0$0a01a8c0@bruce083171b63> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C707F7.70678EE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The Black Scoter was seen at Lake Byllesby at 10:30 this morning at the location reported by Bok Ekblad. That is the small Dakota County access west of the church at the end of Gerlock. I happened to be driving along the edge of the lake and saw it skimming across the lake and intercepted it at the pull out. Third time's a charm. Bruce Baer Bloomington, MN ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C707F7.70678EE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The Black Scoter was seen at Lake Byllesby at 10:30 this morning at the location reported by Bok Ekblad. That = is the small Dakota County access west of the = church at the end of Gerlock. I happened to be driving along the edge of the = lake and saw it skimming across the lake and intercepted it at the pull = out.

Third time’s a = charm.

Bruce = Baer

Bloomington, MN

------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C707F7.70678EE0-- From thimgan@digitaljam.com Tue Nov 14 20:13:46 2006 From: thimgan@digitaljam.com (Dan & Sandy Thimgan) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:13:46 -0600 Subject: [mou] Merlin/Shrike Interaction Message-ID: I witnessed a recent Merlin/Northern Shrike interaction at Glendalough State Park (in central Otter Tail County) that might interest others. I first heard a couple of unearthly-sounding vocalizations, including a distinct "ripping" sound. Freezing, I looked around. Nothing. I waited. Then out of the corner of my eye, I caught the plummet of a small raptor as it plunged in a straight, vertical nose dive into some nearby brush. A moment later, up popped a Merlin carrying prey. A flash of white/black and the size, suggested that the prey was perhaps a chickadee or nuthatch. The Merlin flew to a tree and started to pluck the prey. Then, there was another blast of those random, strange sounds I had heard earlier, and in flew a Northern Shrike, landing in the tree a couple of yards above the Merlin's perch. The Shrike then broke into a furious bout of bill-clacking and even took an apparent semi-swoop in the Merlin's direction. The bill clacking continued. The Merlin stopped plucking prey, stared in the Shrike's direction, and finally seemed to grow tired of the racket, grabbed its prey and rocketed into the woods. It was what our friend Jeff Schultz calls a "Wild Kingdom Moment." Truly cool! --Dan -- Dan & Sandy Thimgan Otter Tail County Battle Lake MN From TMoffatt@threeriversparkdistrict.org Tue Nov 14 20:47:10 2006 From: TMoffatt@threeriversparkdistrict.org (Tom Moffatt) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:47:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] Thanks for the help Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7082E.0E3510A8 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I just wanted to send a quick thanks to all of the folks who took time to keep an eye out for our escaped Red-tailed Hawk during the last two weeks. We were amazed and grateful for the generosity of all who took time out to lend us a hand and really appreciated all the possible sightings that were forwarded to us at the nature center. Happily, he seemed to tire of fending for himself and returned to the nature center on Friday to beg for treats. Aside from a small cut on one toe, he's in great shape and back to work teaching park visitors about raptors and their place in the environment. Thanks to you all!! =20 Tom Moffatt Outdoor Education Supervisor Richardson Nature Center 8737 E. Bush Lake Road Bloomington, MN 55438 763-694-7681 952-941-7649 (FAX) =20 "Insert clever or wise saying here" =20 ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7082E.0E3510A8 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I = just wanted to=20 send a quick thanks to all of the folks who took time to keep an eye out = for our=20 escaped Red-tailed Hawk during the last two weeks. We were amazed and = grateful=20 for the generosity of all who took time out to lend us a hand and really = appreciated all the possible sightings that were forwarded to us at the = nature=20 center. Happily, he seemed to tire of fending for himself and returned = to the=20 nature center on Friday to beg for treats. Aside from a small cut on one = toe,=20 he's in great shape and back to work teaching park visitors about = raptors and=20 their place in the environment. Thanks to you all!!

Tom Moffatt

Outdoor Education=20 Supervisor

Richardson Nature = Center

8737 E. Bush Lake = Road

Bloomington, MN = 55438

763-694-7681

952-941-7649 = (FAX)

"Insert clever or wise = saying=20 here"

------_=_NextPart_001_01C7082E.0E3510A8-- From birdchick@gmail.com Tue Nov 14 22:21:53 2006 From: birdchick@gmail.com (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:21:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] Re: [mnbird] that deformed robin In-Reply-To: <63863.71.32.190.130.1163540130.squirrel@71.32.190.130> References: <63863.71.32.190.130.1163540130.squirrel@71.32.190.130> Message-ID: --Apple-Mail-4-552119502 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Bill deformities have been a concern for the last few years. Here's a database of birds birds documented with deformed bills: http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/bills.html I first heard about it when I posted photos of a peregrine with a deformed bill that came into a Duluth banding station in 2004: http://www.birdchick.com/2004/10/forgot-one-photo.html I posted a photo of the bird and found out that Bud Anderson has been tracking raptors with deformed bills. According to his research the birds originated from Alaska and more started to be discovered along the western migration route. From there, more raptors were being documented in the east. There's lots of speculation as to what is causing it from funguses to viruses to poisoning. I found red-winged blackbirds with elongated bills in Nebraska in March this year: http://www.birdchick.com/2006/03/to-pack-or-not-to-pack.html Bud gave a powerpoint presentation about it and gave me permission to use it to spread the word if anyone would like me to give it. Sharon Stiteler www.birdchick.com Minneapolis, MN On Nov 14, 2006, at 3:35 PM, Laura Erickson wrote: > By the way, it was Bill Bruins whose sharp eyes first detected the > decurved bill on the robin. It's so important to pay attention to the > details on even common birds, but we often just stop looking after > a quick > ID. > > Laura Erickson > Duluth, MN > > www.birderblog.com > > There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. > There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of > nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after > the > winter. > > --Rachel Carson > > > > > _______________________________________________ > mnbird mailing list > mnbird@lists.mnbird.net > http://www.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird --Apple-Mail-4-552119502 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1

Bill = deformities have been a concern for the last few years.=A0 Here's a = database of birds birds documented with deformed bills:

http://www.u= md.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/bills.html

I first heard about it when = I posted photos of a peregrine with a deformed bill that came into a = Duluth banding station in 2004: =A0

http://www= .birdchick.com/2004/10/forgot-one-photo.html =A0

I posted a photo of the = bird and found out that Bud Anderson has been tracking raptors with = deformed bills.=A0=A0According to his research the birds originated from = Alaska and more started to be discovered along the western migration = route.=A0 =46rom there, more raptors were being documented in the east.=A0= There's lots of speculation as to what is causing it from funguses to = viruses to poisoning.=A0=A0

I found red-winged = blackbirds with elongated bills in Nebraska in March this = year:

http= ://www.birdchick.com/2006/03/to-pack-or-not-to-pack.html

Bud gave a powerpoint = presentation about it and gave me permission to use it to spread the = word if anyone would like me to give it.

Sharon = Stiteler

www.birdchick.com

Minneapolis, = MN

On Nov = 14, 2006, at 3:35 PM, Laura Erickson wrote:

By the way, it was Bill Bruins whose sharp eyes = first detected the
decurved bill on the = robin.=A0 It's so important = to pay attention to the
details on = even common birds, but we often just stop looking after a = quick
ID.

Laura = Erickson
Duluth, MN

There is symbolic as well as = actual beauty in the migration of birds.=A0
There is = something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of
nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, = and spring after the
winter.

--Rachel = Carson

mnbird mailing list
mnbird@lists.mnbird.net
<= DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; ">http://www.= mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird

= --Apple-Mail-4-552119502-- From wenelson@mlecmn.net Wed Nov 15 01:49:34 2006 From: wenelson@mlecmn.net (Warren Nelson) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 19:49:34 -0600 Subject: [mou] Snowy Owl in Aitkin County Message-ID: <455A722E.3010705@mlecmn.net> There is a report of a SNOWY OWL about eight miles north of Aitkin along County Road 1. It has been around for a couple of days and was last seen sitting on top of the barn of Ken Hurd this morning. Also seen this last Sunday was a NORTHERN HAWK OWL by a very reliable source while he was hunting north of Aitkin also along C.R. 1. There are also reports of EVENING GROSBEAKS coming to feeders near Gun Lake, south of Palisade. Warren Nelson From sweston2@comcast.net Wed Nov 15 05:01:59 2006 From: sweston2@comcast.net (Steve Weston) Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:01:59 -0600 Subject: [mou] MRVAC Holiday Auction this Thursday Message-ID: <005401c70873$4e7bdcb0$d69b7618@Weston72505> This Thursday (11/16) the Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter (MRVAC) will hold its annual Holiday Auction at the Minnesota Valley National Refuge Visitor's Center at 3815 American Blvd East in Bloomington (exit I-494 at 34th Avenue). Drop off auction donations, check out other items and enjoy refreshments starting at 6 pm, Begin silent auction bidding at 6:30 pm. Live auction starts at 7:00 pm. We are raising money for field trip grants so school groups can visit the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for Environmental Education and to purchase good quality waterproof binoculars for the students' use at the Refuge. Matching funds are in the making so that each dollar raised would become four dollars! Some of the items available this year include: - a Raven spotting scope and a Radian ProGt Tripod donated by Eagle Optics. This is a 78mm straight through viewing scope with a 20-60x variable magnification eyepiece with a close focus of 17 feet. ($489 value). - A Behind the Scenes tour of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Project. Tour includes a dawn visit to a blind to observe bird handlers training whooping cranes with the ultralights. Meet personnel from Operation Migration, the International Crane Foundation & Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. - Bob Janssen has generously donated a field trip for six one morning next spring. - or how about a one-night stay at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America hotel. - or bid on the opportunity to spend some time with the flight crew at the Raptor Center. Watch up close as they put some of the rehabilitated raptors through their "paces", flying on the U of M St. Paul campus Mall. We hope to see you at the auction, but if you can not make it, you can submit a bid on any or all of the six items described below via email or phone no later than November 15, to Heidi Ferguson at 651-488-5775 or kinglet102@msn.com. Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN sweston2@comcast.net From kreckert@cpinternet.com Wed Nov 15 17:00:53 2006 From: kreckert@cpinternet.com (Kim R Eckert) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:00:53 -0600 Subject: [mou] Steve Yahn hummingbird In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Unless I missed it, I'm surprised that no one has posted a comment on mou-net on the ID of Steve Yahn's hummingbird. My intitial opinion was that it is an Anna's Hummingbird, and when I showed the photos to others I saw recently in Texas at the Harlingen birding festival (including ID experts Paul Lehman and Michael O'Brien), they concurred in that ID. Its lack of rufous or buff tones on the flanks should preclude Calliope and the genus Selasphorus (Rufous, Allen's, and Broad-tailed), and its evenly spaced primaries of equal width would eliminate the genus Archilochus (Ruby-throated and Black-chinned). This leaves the genus Calypte (Anna's and Costa's): the primary tips falling short of the tail tip favors Anna's and tends to eliminate the shorter-tailed Costa's (whose folded primary tips normally extend beyond the tail). Of course, its identity will be confirmed by the specimen, with the record evaluated by the MOU Records Committee. - Kim Eckert On Nov 1, 2006, at 8:33 PM, Dedrick Benz wrote: > Stephen Yahn gave me permission to forward this to MOU-net. I am > curious what opinions there may be regarding this bird's > identification. Stephen also told me he will bring the specimen to > the Bell Museum. > > Dedrick Benz > Winona, MN > > >> From: "Stephen Yahn" >> Reply-To: steveyahn@comcast.net >> To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net >> Subject: Re: [mnbird] Late Hummer >> Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:28:31 -0600 >> >> After the two sightings of the hummingbird reported previously, I saw >> it again on Tuesday morning silhouetted in the pre-dawn light at a >> feeder. After not seeing it for the rest of the day, I hoped that >> the cold front might be the trigger to send it on its way to the >> tropics. This morning while having breakfast, I discovered it >> perched on the deck floor beneath a frozen feeder. >> >> I approached it slowly and it didn't move so I took a few quick >> photos before gently lifting it up and bringing it into the house. >> Knowing that hummingbirds respond to cold by entering a state of >> torpor, I hoped that warming the bird would restore its ability to >> feed. After several hours, it was obvious that the hummer was dead. >> >> Even with the help of a dozen reference books, I wasn't able to >> positively identify the species. My best guess is that it's an >> immature female Ruby-throated, although I realize that some >> late-season sightings are of Calliopes or Rufous. For those of you >> with a more practiced eye or who just want to see it, photos are >> available here: >> >> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stephen_yahn/album?.dir=/c339re2 >> >> The first of the photos are of the bird as I discovered it. The next >> group are closeups taken inside. The remainder were taken in >> natural light. >> >> It is puzzling what causes this late appearance. When I first saw >> the hummingbird, it appeared able to fly and feed without >> impediment. Did it get a late start from the far north? Did it >> have a defective migration urge? Was it lost? No matter the >> reason, having a dead hummingbird in my hand on November 1 is a sad >> experience. >> >> Steve Yahn >> Eagan, Dakota County >> >> >> On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:28:47 -0600, Stephen Yahn >> wrote: >> >>> Yesterday afternoon and again this morning there was a hummingbird >>> at my feeders. I wasn't able to make a positive >>> identification--the bird was very skittish--but it appeared to be a >>> female or immature Ruby-throated. It's been six weeks since I've >>> seen a hummingbird here and I was thinking about taking down the >>> nectar feeders for the season. >>> >>> By the fact that it was skittish and not gorging at the feeders, I >>> assume that it has been feeding reasonably well. With the weather >>> set to turn much colder, it would seem that the hummer should make >>> haste for its winter range. I wonder if the bird has come from the >>> farthest reaches of its range, had migration delayed for some >>> reason, or has a defective migration instinct. > From jadrake@arvig.net Wed Nov 15 20:08:45 2006 From: jadrake@arvig.net (Jeff and Amy Drake) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:08:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] pileated duo Message-ID: <000c01c708f1$e7c22770$9ebe81d8@D807P3B1> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C708BF.904671E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Richville, MN - Ottertail Cty. I've been watching two Pileated Woodpeckers a male & a female for the = last few minutes. They've been delicately picking crabapples off the = tree in our front yard. They look ridiculuous because of the way they = flop on those slender branches while choosing just the right apple to = eat. The male seems to lean his head way back and flashes his wings at = her. Maybe he is just looking for an apple behind him without turning = his head and is losing his balance but it seems like a deliberate = attention-getting strategy to me. Has anyone else seen behavior like = this? As a bonus a male cardinal came and sat for a while in the bush next to = my window. I saw a female here last week but prior to that haven't seen = Cardinals in this yard for 2 years. Amy Drake ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C708BF.904671E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Richville, MN - Ottertail=20 Cty.

I've been watching two Pileated = Woodpeckers a male=20 & a female for the last few minutes. They've been delicately = picking=20 crabapples off the tree in our front yard. They look ridiculuous = because=20 of the way they flop on those slender branches while choosing just the = right=20 apple to eat. The male seems to lean his head way back and flashes = his=20 wings at her. Maybe he is just looking for an apple behind him = without=20 turning his head and is losing his balance but it seems like a = deliberate=20 attention-getting strategy to me. Has anyone else seen behavior = like=20 this?

As a bonus a male cardinal came and sat = for a=20 while in the bush next to my window. I saw a female here last = week=20 but prior to that haven't seen Cardinals in this yard for 2 = years.

Amy Drake

------=_NextPart_000_0009_01C708BF.904671E0-- From ekblad@frontiernet.net Wed Nov 15 20:27:15 2006 From: ekblad@frontiernet.net (Bob Ekblad) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:27:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Varied Thrush - Olmsted County Message-ID: <000301c708f4$7164eab0$6501a8c0@BobLaptop> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C708C2.26CA7AB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A male Varied Thrush showed up in my yard around noon today. I first spotted it in the mowed grass area out in front of the house before it moved to the end of a row of intermixed pine and spruce trees (nearest my house - not the end out by the road) where it was feeding on the ground for a few minutes. It disappeared for a while after it was chased off by some Blue Jays but then showed up in the crab apple tree in my front yard and stayed there for at least 20 minutes eating crab apples. It flew off to the tree row again after that. I have watched but it has not come back into the yard. They are notorious for hiding out in spruce/pine trees so I'm hoping it is still hanging around and will be here for a while. To my knowledge it hasn't been at the corn feeder that I have out near the end of the tree row. Not only is this a really neat looking bird, it is also a new yard list bird for me. Also - while watching for the Varied Thrush to re-appear, I also spotted a Northern Shrike (right near the corn feeder). They are a pretty rare find in my yard. Bob Ekblad 5737 Sherri Dr NW Byron, MN 55920 Two miles due east of Oxbow Park in Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota 507-775-6949 ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C708C2.26CA7AB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

A male Varied Thrush showed up in my yard around noon today. I first spotted it = in the mowed grass area out in front of the house before it moved to the end of = a row of intermixed pine and spruce trees (nearest my house – not the = end out by the road) where it was feeding on the ground for a few minutes. It disappeared for a while = after it was chased off by some Blue Jays but then showed up in the crab apple tree = in my front yard and stayed there for at least 20 minutes eating crab = apples. It flew off to the tree row = again after that. I have watched but = it has not come back into the yard. = They are notorious for hiding out in spruce/pine trees so I’m hoping it is = still hanging around and will be here for a while. To my knowledge it hasn’t been at the corn feeder that I = have out near the end of the tree row. =

Not only is this a really neat looking bird, it is = also a new yard list bird for me.

Also – while watching for the Varied Thrush to = re-appear, I also spotted a Northern Shrike (right near the corn feeder). They are a pretty rare find in = my yard.

Bob = Ekblad

5737 Sherri Dr = NW

Byron, MN = 55920

Two miles due east of Oxbow Park = in

Olmsted County in Southeast = Minnesota

507-775-6949

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C708C2.26CA7AB0-- From ekblad@frontiernet.net Wed Nov 15 20:30:58 2006 From: ekblad@frontiernet.net (Bob Ekblad) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:30:58 -0600 Subject: [mou] RE: Varied Thrush - Olmsted County Message-ID: <000e01c708f4$f5cfd7b0$6501a8c0@BobLaptop> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C708C2.AB3567B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I was correct in being optimistic. The Varied Thrush is back in the crab apple tree (which is easily viewable from my driveway & turnaround area). Bob Ekblad Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com _____ From: Bob Ekblad [mailto:ekblad@frontiernet.net] Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 2:27 PM To: MOUnet; MnBirdNet Cc: Tony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com) Subject: Varied Thrush - Olmsted County A male Varied Thrush showed up in my yard around noon today. I first spotted it in the mowed grass area out in front of the house before it moved to the end of a row of intermixed pine and spruce trees (nearest my house - not the end out by the road) where it was feeding on the ground for a few minutes. It disappeared for a while after it was chased off by some Blue Jays but then showed up in the crab apple tree in my front yard and stayed there for at least 20 minutes eating crab apples. It flew off to the tree row again after that. I have watched but it has not come back into the yard. They are notorious for hiding out in spruce/pine trees so I'm hoping it is still hanging around and will be here for a while. To my knowledge it hasn't been at the corn feeder that I have out near the end of the tree row. Not only is this a really neat looking bird, it is also a new yard list bird for me. Also - while watching for the Varied Thrush to re-appear, I also spotted a Northern Shrike (right near the corn feeder). They are a pretty rare find in my yard. Bob Ekblad 5737 Sherri Dr NW Byron, MN 55920 Two miles due east of Oxbow Park in Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota 507-775-6949 ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C708C2.AB3567B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I was correct in being = optimistic. The Varied Thrush is back in = the crab apple tree (which is easily viewable from my driveway & turnaround = area).

Bob = Ekblad

Olmsted = County in Southeast Minnesota

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

From: Bob Ekblad [mailto:ekblad@frontiernet.net]
Sent: Wednesday, November = 15, 2006 2:27 PM
To: MOUnet; MnBirdNet
Cc: Tony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com)
Subject: Varied Thrush - = Olmsted County

A male Varied Thrush showed = up in my yard around noon today. I = first spotted it in the mowed grass area out in front of the house before it = moved to the end of a row of intermixed pine and spruce trees (nearest my house = – not the end out by the road) where it was feeding on the ground for a = few minutes. It disappeared = for a while after it was chased off by some Blue Jays but then showed up in the crab = apple tree in my front yard and stayed there for at least 20 minutes eating = crab apples. It flew off to the = tree row again after that. I have = watched but it has not come back into the yard. They are notorious for hiding out in spruce/pine trees so = I’m hoping it is still hanging around and will be here for a while. To my knowledge it hasn’t = been at the corn feeder that I have out near the end of the tree row.

Not only is this a really = neat looking bird, it is also a new yard list bird for = me.

Also – while watching = for the Varied Thrush to re-appear, I also spotted a Northern Shrike (right near = the corn feeder). They are a = pretty rare find in my yard.

Bob = Ekblad

5737 = Sherri Dr NW

Byron, MN = 55920

Two miles = due east of Oxbow Park in

Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota

507-775-694= 9

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C708C2.AB3567B0-- From alynneretired@yahoo.com Wed Nov 15 20:59:56 2006 From: alynneretired@yahoo.com (audrey lynn) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:59:56 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Crossbills Message-ID: <20061115205956.11959.qmail@web61215.mail.yahoo.com> --0-590795729-1163624396=:10834 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi All, I found 6-8 Red Crossbills in Hoyt Lakes(St Louis Co.) this morning. They were in the Pines in front of the Floe Plant. Audrey L. Evers --------------------------------- Sponsored Link Don't quit your job - take classes online and earn your degree in 1 year. Start Today --0-590795729-1163624396=:10834 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Hi All,

I found 6-8 Red Crossbills in Hoyt Lakes(St Louis Co.) this morning. They were in the Pines in front of the Floe Plant.

Audrey L. Evers

Sponsored Link

Don't quit your job - take classes online and earn your degree in 1 year. Start Today --0-590795729-1163624396=:10834-- From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Wed Nov 15 21:33:54 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:33:54 -0600 Subject: [mou] Starling Mimicry Message-ID: <013201c708fd$c056f1a0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Now that species numbers are dwindling (and my son is posting the Saturday "goodies" before I do), one is forced to observe and comment on behavior (chuckle of heavy irony). Have had two Starling mimic calls this week already: Eastern Meadowlark (not unusual nor particularly well done today) & Eastern Pewee (that's a personal first - very well done). Wonder how many different birds they can imitate? Most unusual over the years was a Pine Siskin ascending call, done so well that I searched the trees for it just north of Milwaukee. Your experiences? Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties (Marveling over the YB Loon sighting by an excellent birding couple in central Wisconsin this afternoon) From rhoyme@msn.com Thu Nov 16 00:25:15 2006 From: rhoyme@msn.com (Richard Hoyme) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 18:25:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Starling Mimicry References: <013201c708fd$c056f1a0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C708E3.65C0C8C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Actually Starlings can be a real problem to birding by ear. We have a = flock that lives on our building and have heard them do an almost = perfect Killdeer and Red-tailed Hawk scream. I've heard them imitate = Red-bellied Woodpecker, Least Sandpiper and Eastern Phoebe. Whenever I = hear a bird I always evaluate the season and the habitat. If either are = suspect, I investigate more until I see it for sure. In the 5 cases I = sited, something was wrong with either where or when I heard the call = and I investigated. So listener beware! They are good at it. Happy Birding Rick Hoyme ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Pastor Al Schirmacher=20 To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu ; = mnbird@lists.mnbird.net=20 Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 3:33 PM Subject: [mou] Starling Mimicry Now that species numbers are dwindling (and my son is posting the = Saturday=20 "goodies" before I do), one is forced to observe and comment on = behavior=20 (chuckle of heavy irony). Have had two Starling mimic calls this week already: Eastern = Meadowlark=20 (not unusual nor particularly well done today) & Eastern Pewee = (that's a=20 personal first - very well done). Wonder how many different birds = they can=20 imitate? Most unusual over the years was a Pine Siskin ascending call, done so = well=20 that I searched the trees for it just north of Milwaukee. Your experiences? Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties (Marveling over the YB Loon sighting by an excellent birding couple in = central Wisconsin this afternoon)=20 _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu = http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C708E3.65C0C8C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Actually Starlings can be a real problem to birding by ear. We have = a flock=20 that lives on our building and have heard them do an almost perfect = Killdeer and=20 Red-tailed Hawk scream. I've heard them imitate Red-bellied Woodpecker, = Least=20 Sandpiper and Eastern Phoebe. Whenever I hear a bird I always evaluate = the=20 season and the habitat. If either are suspect, I investigate more until = I see it=20 for sure. In the 5 cases I sited, something was wrong with either where = or when=20 I heard the call and I investigated. So listener beware! They are good = at=20 it.

Happy Birding

Rick Hoyme

----- Original Message -----

From: Pastor Al = Schirmacher=20

To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu ; mnbird@lists.mnbird.net =

Sent: Wednesday, November 15, = 2006 3:33=20 PM

Subject: [mou] Starling = Mimicry

Now that species numbers are dwindling (and my son is = posting=20 the Saturday
"goodies" before I do), one is forced to observe and = comment=20 on behavior
(chuckle of heavy irony).

Have had two Starling = mimic=20 calls this week already: Eastern Meadowlark
(not unusual nor = particularly well done today) & Eastern Pewee (that's a =
personal=20 first - very well done). Wonder how many different birds they = can=20
imitate?

Most unusual over the years was a Pine Siskin = ascending=20 call, done so well
that I searched the trees for it just north of=20 Milwaukee.

Your experiences?

Al = Schirmacher
Princeton,=20 MN
Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties

(Marveling over the = YB Loon=20 sighting by an excellent birding couple in
central Wisconsin this=20 afternoon) =

_______________________________________________
mou-net=20 mailing list
mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
http://cbs.umn.edu/m= ailman/listinfo/mou-net

------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C708E3.65C0C8C0-- From lleb4923@comcast.net Thu Nov 16 02:09:42 2006 From: lleb4923@comcast.net (E Bell) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:09:42 -0600 Subject: [mou] MOU Board Meeting Date Information Message-ID: <001801c70924$52e1a260$6401a8c0@dimension8250> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C708F1.FD130090 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The MOU Board Meeting previously scheduled at Wood Lake Nature Center, = 6710 Lake Shore Drive, Richfield, for Wednesday, November 29, 6:00-9:00 = p.m., has been rescheduled for Friday, December 1, 6:00-9:00 p.m. All = MOU members are invited and welcome.=20 Wood Lake Nature Center is located one block south of 66th Street and = Lyndale Avenue. The telephone number is 612-861-9365. From I-494, exit = on Lyndale Avenue and drive north. Go left on Lake Shore Drive and left = into the driveway for the nature center. A map and directions can be obtained from the nature center website = www.woodlakenaturecenter.com. Go to the left side of the page and select = Location & Map. The link will take you to Mapquest. Keep in mind that traffic is heavy in the Cities during the afternoon = and early evening rush hour. An agenda for the meeting will be posted shortly. Elizabeth Bell on Grey Cloud Island 5868 Pioneer Road South Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143 651 459-4150 ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C708F1.FD130090 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The MOU Board Meeting previously scheduled at = Wood Lake=20 Nature Center, 6710 Lake Shore Drive, Richfield, for Wednesday, = November=20 29, 6:00-9:00 p.m., has been rescheduled for Friday, December 1, = 6:00-9:00 p.m. All MOU members are invited and welcome. =

Wood Lake Nature Center is located one block = south of=20 66th Street and Lyndale Avenue. The telephone number is 612-861-9365. = From=20 I-494, exit on Lyndale Avenue and drive north. Go left on Lake Shore = Drive and=20 left into the driveway for the nature center.

A map and directions can be obtained from the = nature=20 center website www.woodlakenaturecenter.com= . Go=20 to the left side of the page and select Location &=20 Map. The link will take you to Mapquest.

Keep in mind that traffic is heavy in the = Cities during=20 the afternoon and early evening rush hour.

An agenda for the meeting will be posted = shortly.

Elizabeth Bell
on Grey Cloud = Island
5868=20 Pioneer Road South
Saint Paul Park MN 55071-1143
651=20 459-4150

------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C708F1.FD130090-- From northernflights@charter.net Thu Nov 16 02:32:35 2006 From: northernflights@charter.net (Larson Kelly) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:32:35 -0600 Subject: [mou] Fwd: [wisb] NOVEMBER ???????? References: Message-ID: <96D073F0-A12F-4A56-A7C3-52B6E92F90AB@charter.net> --Apple-Mail-1-653562257 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Is anyone else feeling even slightly JEALOUS? I used to live in Milwaukee. Of course I wasn't into birding then, just into the great art and music scene. Kelly Larson Bemidji Minnesota Northern Flights Wild Bird Store Just 96 miles from the Canadian border! Or visit us on the Web at... http://www.northern-flights.com Eschew Obfuscation! The middle of Nowhere is Somewhere! Begin forwarded message: > From: June M Schwartz > Date: November 15, 2006 4:45:33 PM CST > To: "Wisconsin Birding Network" > Subject: [wisb] NOVEMBER ???????? > > > > > I had 9 warbler species this week [Magnolia, Orange-Crowned, Palm, > Nashville and Yellow-Rumped on the 8th and Prairie, Blackpoll, Capemay > and Pine on the 14th. Also had Bluebirds, Robins, Songsparrow and > Kingfisher on the 8th. What month is this. I did miss tne Townsends > warbler though, but I did see one three weeks ago when one flew > into our > boat on a palagic trip 8 miles out of Monteray California. > > > Dennis Schwartz > Milwaukee > > ############################## > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . > To UNSUBSCRIBE, E-mail to > To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to > Send administrative QUERIES, E-mail to request@lawrence.edu> > --Apple-Mail-1-653562257 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Is anyone else feeling even = slightly JEALOUS?

I used to live in Milwaukee. Of course I wasn't = into birding then, just into the great art and music = scene.

Kelly = Larson

Bemidji Minnesota

Northern Flights Wild Bird = Store

Just 96 miles from the Canadian border!

Or = visit us on the Web at...

http://www.northern-flights.com

Eschew = Obfuscation!

The middle of Nowhere = = Somewhere!<= /DIV>

Begin forwarded message:

From: = June M Schwartz <jmts@juno.com>
Date: = November 15, 2006 4:45:33 PM CST
To: "Wisconsin Birding Network" <wisbirdn@lawrence.edu>=
Subject: [wisb] NOVEMBER = ????????

I had 9 = warbler species this week [Magnolia, Orange-Crowned, Palm,
Nashville and Yellow-Rumped on the 8th and Prairie, = Blackpoll, Capemay
and Pine on the 14th. Also = had Bluebirds, Robins, Songsparrow and
warbler though, but I did see = one three weeks ago when one flew into our
boat on = a palagic trip 8 miles out of Monteray California.

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 = =A0 =A0 Dennis Schwartz
=A0=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0= =A0 =A0 Milwaukee

This message = is sent to you because you are subscribed to
=A0 the = mailing list <wisbirdn@lawrence.edu>.
=
To UNSUBSCRIBE, E-mail to <wisbirdn-off@lawrence.edu>= ;
To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <wisbirdn-digest@lawrence.edu<= /A>>
Send administrative QUERIES, = E-mail to=A0 <wisbirdn-request@lawrence.ed= u>

= --Apple-Mail-1-653562257-- From wbruins@earthlink.net Thu Nov 16 14:56:01 2006 From: wbruins@earthlink.net (Bill Bruins) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 08:56:01 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carolina Wren(S), next chapter Message-ID: About 15 minutes ago my wife said to me, "Isn't that the Carolina Wren on the feeder by the shed?" I grabbed the bins and sure enough it was. She suggested getting he meal worms out and filling the bowls. First, I grabbed my PDA with bird songs and went outside and played the Carolina Wren songs and calls. Soon, the bird landed six feet from me on the chimes hanging by the deck door. Then it flew to the burr oak and started singing. I turned off the player and listened to it chatter away. Then .... a second wren showed up. They both began calling. I played some more and they responded. THERE ARE TWO CAROLINA WRENS HANGING AROUND MY BACK YARD!!!! I put out worms in five places. I hope they get some before the chickadees find them. Bill O. William Bruins 1538 11th Avenue NE Rochester, MN 55906-4213 wbruins@earthlink.net 507-281-1607 - home 507-261-6837 - cell (not always turned on) From birdchick@gmail.com Thu Nov 16 15:07:37 2006 From: birdchick@gmail.com (Sharon Stiteler) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:07:37 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carolina Wren(S), next chapter In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: --Apple-Mail-8-698863880 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Julie Zickefoose has an awesome suet recipe that her Carolina wrens love to eat if you want to give it a try. Cardinals, bluebirds, song sparrows, brown thrashers and tufted titmice. Here's a link to the recipe and photos of birds eating it: http://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/2006/01/suets-big-deal.html Sharon Stiteler www.birdchick.com Minneapolis, MN On Nov 16, 2006, at 8:56 AM, Bill Bruins wrote: > About 15 minutes ago my wife said to me, "Isn't that the Carolina > Wren on the feeder by the shed?" I grabbed the bins and sure enough > it was. She suggested getting he meal worms out and filling the bowls. > > First, I grabbed my PDA with bird songs and went outside and played > the Carolina Wren songs and calls. Soon, the bird landed six feet > from me on the chimes hanging by the deck door. Then it flew to the > burr oak and started singing. I turned off the player and listened > to it chatter away. > > Then .... a second wren showed up. They both began calling. I > played some more and they responded. > > THERE ARE TWO CAROLINA WRENS HANGING AROUND MY BACK YARD!!!! > > I put out worms in five places. I hope they get some before the > chickadees find them. > > Bill > > > > O. William Bruins > 1538 11th Avenue NE > Rochester, MN 55906-4213 > wbruins@earthlink.net > 507-281-1607 - home > 507-261-6837 - cell (not always turned on) > > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net --Apple-Mail-8-698863880 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1

Julie = Zickefoose has an awesome suet recipe that her Carolina wrens love to = eat if you want to give it a try.=A0 Cardinals, bluebirds, song = sparrows, brown thrashers and tufted titmice.=A0 Here's a link to the = recipe and photos of birds eating it:

h= ttp://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/2006/01/suets-big-deal.html

Sharon = Stiteler

www.birdchick.com

Minneapolis, = MN

On Nov = 16, 2006, at 8:56 AM, Bill Bruins wrote:

About 15 minutes ago my wife said to me, "Isn't that = the Carolina Wren on the feeder by the shed?" I grabbed the bins and = sure enough it was. She suggested getting he meal worms out and filling = the bowls.

First, I grabbed my PDA with bird songs and went = outside and played the Carolina Wren songs and calls. Soon, the bird = landed six feet from me on the chimes hanging by the deck door. Then it = flew to the burr oak and started singing. I turned off the player and = listened to it chatter away.

Then .... a second wren showed = up. They both began calling. I played some more and they = responded.

THERE ARE TWO CAROLINA WRENS HANGING AROUND MY BACK = YARD!!!!

I put out worms in five places. I hope they get some = before the chickadees find them.

Bill

O. William Bruins
1538 11th Avenue NE
wbruins@earthlink.net
507-281-1607 - home

mou-net mailing list
mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
http://cbs.umn.edu/ma= ilman/listinfo/mou-net

= --Apple-Mail-8-698863880-- From kreckert@cpinternet.com Thu Nov 16 19:01:06 2006 From: kreckert@cpinternet.com (Kim R Eckert) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:01:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] Harlequins, Gr Black-b Gull, T Solitaire, etc still present Message-ID: <308295d6d10af418f627c8acfa1e9e0d@cpinternet.com> The birding this morning in Duluth at Canal Park & Park Point was pretty eventful. The 2 previously-reported female-plumaged Harlequin Ducks were still present at Canal Park, swimming on the lake ~100 yards out from the south breakwall. Standing on the south breakwall was a first-winter Great Black-backed Gull, which flew off in the direction of the Superior Entry about 8:45 am (where presumably this same individual had been reported earlier). Also on this same breakwall was a first-winter Glaucous Gull and an adult Thayer's Gull. Farther out on Park Point, a Townsend's Solitaire was relocated as it fed in the crabapple trees along the road ~150 yards S of the 43rd Street bus turn-around, near the entrance to the Recreation Area. Also present on the bay side of the Recreation Area were 2 White-winged Scoters, along with a small flock of Tundra Swans, a lone Canvasback, one Bonaparte's Gull, plus a few hundred diving ducks (mostly Com Goldeneyes). Kim Eckert From connybrunell@earthlink.net Thu Nov 16 22:00:29 2006 From: connybrunell@earthlink.net (Conny Brunell) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 16:00:29 -0600 Subject: [mou] Western Grebe ~ Hennepin County Message-ID: <380-220061141622029774@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_271881116761822029774 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII This afternoon at 3:00 pm on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Hennepin County there was a Western Grebe, 5 Horned Grebes, 2 Pied-billed Grebes and a Common Loon. Conny Brunell Rochfield, Hennepin Co. connybrunell@earthlink.net ------=_NextPart_271881116761822029774 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

This afternoon at 3:00 pm on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Hennepin County

there was a Western Grebe, 5 Horned Grebes, 2 Pied-billed Grebes and a

Common Loon.

Conny Brunell

Rochfield, Hennepin Co.

connybrunell@earthlink.net

------=_NextPart_271881116761822029774-- From axhertzel@sihope.com Fri Nov 17 01:34:17 2006 From: axhertzel@sihope.com (Anthony Hertzel) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:34:17 -0800 Subject: [mou] MOU RBA 16 November 2006 Message-ID: <20061117013727.E9F63103E5@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163727257==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *November 16, 2006 *MNST0611.16 -Birds mentioned Harlequin Duck Western Grebe Sandhill Crane Black-bellied Plover American Golden-Plover Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Wilson's Snipe Thayer's Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Northern Hawk Owl Carolina Wren Townsend's Solitaire Varied Thrush Baltimore Oriole -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: November 16, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday November 16th 2006. A late WESTERN GREBE was on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, on the 16th. At Canal Park in Duluth, the two previously-reported HARLEQUIN DUCKS were still present on the 16th near the south breakwall. Also present was a first-winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL, and an adult THAYER'S GULL. Warren Nelson reports a SNOWY OWL was seen on the 14th about eight miles north of Aitkin along Aitkin County Road 1. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was also along Aitkin County Road 1 on the 12th. On the 14th, Jim Mattsson found BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, DUNLIN, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and WILSON'S SNIPE, all at the western end of Lake Byllesby in Goodhue County. On the 16th, Bill Buins reported two CAROLINA WRENS at his feeder in Rochester, Olmsted County. Another was on the western shore of Lotus Lake in Chanhassen, Carver County on the 12th and again on the 16th. Check especially along Hopi Road. At Park Point in Duluth, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was in the crabapple trees about 150 yards south of 43rd Street. Another was still in Two Harbors, Lake County, on the 11th near the lighthouse. A male VARIED THRUSH was in Bob Ekblad's yard in Byron, Olmsted County on the 15th. On the 12th, Bruce Perry had a Varied Thrush at his home in Andover, along Anoka County Road 7 just north of 173rd Avenue. Finally, a KRIDER'S RED-TAILED HAWK has been reported by several observers at the Black Dog Road exit off of 35W in Burnsville. A few SANDHILL CRANES were in the Weaver Bottoms in Wabasha County on the 11th. And a very late BALTIMORE ORIOLE was at Bill Kass's feeder in Rochester on the 13th. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 23rd 2006. --====1163727257==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*November 16, 2006
*MNST0611.16

-Birds mentioned

Harlequin Duck
Western Grebe
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover
Pectoral Sandpiper
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Snowy Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Carolina Wren
Townsend's Solitaire
Varied Thrush
Baltimore Oriole

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: November 16, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday November 16th 2006.

A late WESTERN GREBE was on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, on the 16th.

At Canal Park in Duluth, the two previously-reported HARLEQUIN DUCKS were still present on the 16th near the south breakwall. Also present was a first-winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL, and an adult THAYER'S GULL.

Warren Nelson reports a SNOWY OWL was seen on the 14th about eight miles north of Aitkin along Aitkin County Road 1. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was also along Aitkin County Road 1 on the 12th.

On the 14th, Jim Mattsson found BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, DUNLIN, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and WILSON'S SNIPE, all at the western end of Lake Byllesby in Goodhue County.

On the 16th, Bill Buins reported two CAROLINA WRENS at his feeder in Rochester, Olmsted County. Another was on the western shore of Lotus Lake in Chanhassen, Carver County on the 12th and again on the 16th. Check especially along Hopi Road.

At Park Point in Duluth, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was in the crabapple trees about 150 yards south of 43rd Street. Another was still in Two Harbors, Lake County, on the 11th near the lighthouse.

A male VARIED THRUSH was in Bob Ekblad's yard in Byron, Olmsted County on the 15th. On the 12th, Bruce Perry had a Varied Thrush at his home in Andover, along Anoka County Road 7 just north of 173rd Avenue.

Finally, a KRIDER'S RED-TAILED HAWK has been reported by several observers at the Black Dog Road exit off of 35W in Burnsville. A few SANDHILL CRANES were in the Weaver Bottoms in Wabasha County on the 11th. And a very late BALTIMORE ORIOLE was at Bill Kass's feeder in Rochester on the 13th.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 23rd 2006. --====1163727257====-- From ajjoppru@wiktel.com Fri Nov 17 02:30:07 2006 From: ajjoppru@wiktel.com (Jeanie Joppru) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 18:30:07 -0800 Subject: [mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Thursday, November 16, 2006 Message-ID: <20061117023258.424551022A@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163730607==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *November 16, 2006 *MNDL0611.16 -Birds mentioned Snow Goose Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Ruffed Grouse Spruce Grouse Sharp-tailed Grouse Bald Eagle Golden Eagle Merlin American Coot Great Horned Owl Snowy Owl Northern Hawk Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Northern Shrike Gray Jay Townsend's Solitaire Bohemian Waxwing Snow Bunting Red Crossbill Common Redpoll Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes Date: November 16, 2006 Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours) Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com) This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 17, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888. Another mild week has gone by, but soon we can look for the real winter weather to begin. Migration is about over, and now we are starting to see the normal year round residents, and the winter visitors are starting to be reported. Gray Jays continue to be reported, owls and woodpeckers are getting noticed now that the excitement of migration is over. Dan and Sandy Thimgan in Otter Tail County reported a recent interaction between a MERLIN and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Glendalough State Park. Jeff and Amy Drake observed a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS at Richville on November 15. Clay County sightings at Felton Prairie on November 12 included CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER, and NORTHERN SHRIKE. Ben Fritchman found a GOLDEN EAGLE and a GREAT HORNED OWL in Norman County on November 10. On the 12th, I saw a MERLIN near Syre, a PILEATED WOODPECKER along CR 41, and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at the Twin Valley Community Park. In Polk County, Ben Fritchman found a GREAT HORNED OWL along MN32 south of US 2, and another at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on November 10. At least one of the GRAY JAYS at the sanctuary was also present that day. Five BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Red Lake Falls by Ben on November 10. Shelley Steva reported that a pair of GRAY JAYS are still coming to a feeder at the Bachand residence along the Lost River in Red Lake County and one flew by the Oklee High School on November 16. On November 14, she observed 12 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along CR 5 near the Clearwater River. About 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Oklee on November 16. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were also found east of Thief River Falls, Pennington County, on November 10. At the Warren wastewater treatment ponds, Ben Fritchman found 450 to 500 SNOW BUNTINGS. Linda Johnson observed two BALD EAGLES along the Snake River north of Warren on November 13. Maggie Anderson at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge reported that there are GRAY JAYS in many locations in the refuge, and also several BALD EAGLES. John Braastad observed 30 EVENING GROSBEAKS in the northeast corner of the refuge on November 15. About 10 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS arrived at the headquarters on November 16. Gary Huschle observed a GRAY JAY at his residence near Viking. Scot Wockenfuss reported a SNOWY OWL flying over CR 7 near the west Farmes Pool gate on November 16. Doug Johnson in Beltrami County reported two SNOW GEESE at the waterfront in downtown Bemidji on November 15. On the 12th, he found a male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER near Debs, two miles north of CR 24 on Roughrider Road. On November 15, Pat Rice found CANVASBACK, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYE , BUFFLEHEAD, and AMERICAN COOTS on Lake Bemidji. Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported BALD EAGLE, GREAT HORNED OWL, GRAY JAY, NORTHERN SHRIKE, PINE SISKIN, and COMMON REDPOLL on his property north of Lancaster this week. In Roseau County, Shelley Steva and Zeann Linder reported 4 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES at Hayes Lake State Park on November 11. Other sightings at the park included 3 immature BALD EAGLES, 12 RUFFED GROUSE, and 4 RED CROSSBILLS. Gretchen Mehmel reported that the SAW-WHET OWL was still calling near Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County on November 8. A second NORTHERN HAWK OWL has been seen in the southern part of the WMA, and both SPRUCE GROUSE and RUFFED GROUSE are seen regularly there. GRAY JAYS are coming daily to the Norris Camp feeders. Thanks to Ben Fritchman, Doug Johnson, Gretchen Mehmel, Jeff and Amy Drake, Larry Wilebski, Linda Johnson, Maggie Anderson, Pat Rice, Shelley Steva, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, November 24, 2006. --====1163730607==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*November 16, 2006
*MNDL0611.16

-Birds mentioned

Snow Goose
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Ruffed Grouse
Spruce Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Merlin
American Coot
Great Horned Owl
Snowy Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Gray Jay
Townsend's Solitaire
Bohemian Waxwing
Snow Bunting
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: November 16, 2006
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 17, 2006 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Another mild week has gone by, but soon we can look for the real winter weather to begin. Migration is about over, and now we are starting to see the normal year round residents, and the winter visitors are starting to be reported. Gray Jays continue to be reported, owls and woodpeckers are getting noticed now that the excitement of migration is over.

Dan and Sandy Thimgan in Otter Tail County reported a recent interaction between a MERLIN and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Glendalough State Park. Jeff and Amy Drake observed a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS at Richville on November 15.

Clay County sightings at Felton Prairie on November 12 included CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER, and NORTHERN SHRIKE.

Ben Fritchman found a GOLDEN EAGLE and a GREAT HORNED OWL in Norman County on November 10. On the 12th, I saw a MERLIN near Syre, a PILEATED WOODPECKER along CR 41, and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at the Twin Valley Community Park.

In Polk County, Ben Fritchman found a GREAT HORNED OWL along MN32 south of US 2, and another at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary on November 10. At least one of the GRAY JAYS at the sanctuary was also present that day.

Five BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Red Lake Falls by Ben on November 10. Shelley Steva reported that a pair of GRAY JAYS are still coming to a feeder at the Bachand residence along the Lost River in Red Lake County and one flew by the Oklee High School on November 16. On November 14, she observed 12 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along CR 5 near the Clearwater River. About 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Oklee on November 16.

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were also found east of Thief River Falls, Pennington County, on November 10.

At the Warren wastewater treatment ponds, Ben Fritchman found 450 to 500 SNOW BUNTINGS. Linda Johnson observed two BALD EAGLES along the Snake River north of Warren on November 13. Maggie Anderson at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge reported that there are GRAY JAYS in many locations in the refuge, and also several BALD EAGLES. John Braastad observed 30 EVENING GROSBEAKS in the northeast corner of the refuge on November 15. About 10 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS arrived at the headquarters on November 16. Gary Huschle observed a GRAY JAY at his residence near Viking. Scot Wockenfuss reported a SNOWY OWL flying over CR 7 near the west Farmes Pool gate on November 16.

Doug Johnson in Beltrami County reported two SNOW GEESE at the waterfront in downtown Bemidji on November 15. On the 12th, he found a male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER near Debs, two miles north of CR 24 on Roughrider Road. On November 15, Pat Rice found CANVASBACK, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYE , BUFFLEHEAD, and AMERICAN COOTS on Lake Bemidji.

Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported BALD EAGLE, GREAT HORNED OWL, GRAY JAY, NORTHERN SHRIKE, PINE SISKIN, and COMMON REDPOLL on his property north of Lancaster this week.

In Roseau County, Shelley Steva and Zeann Linder reported 4 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES at Hayes Lake State Park on November 11. Other sightings at the park included 3 immature BALD EAGLES, 12 RUFFED GROUSE, and 4 RED CROSSBILLS.

Gretchen Mehmel reported that the SAW-WHET OWL was still calling near Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County on November 8. A second NORTHERN HAWK OWL has been seen in the southern part of the WMA, and both SPRUCE GROUSE and RUFFED GROUSE are seen regularly there. GRAY JAYS are coming daily to the Norris Camp feeders.

Thanks to Ben Fritchman, Doug Johnson, Gretchen Mehmel, Jeff and Amy Drake, Larry Wilebski, Linda Johnson, Maggie Anderson, Pat Rice, Shelley Steva, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, November 24, 2006. --====1163730607====-- From jslind@frontiernet.net Fri Nov 17 04:59:17 2006 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:59:17 -0800 Subject: [mou] Duluth RBA 11/16/06 Message-ID: <20061117050215.D679B1022A@atp.cbs.umn.edu> --====1163739557==== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" -RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *November 16, 2006 *MNDU0611.16 -Birds mentioned Tundra Swan Canvasback Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Spruce Grouse Thayer's Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Northern Hawk Owl American Three-toed Woodpecker Townsend's Solitaire Evening Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: November 16, 2006 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net) This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 16th, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. Two female HARLEQUIN DUCKS are still being seen as of today at Canal Park in Duluth. Kim Eckert relocated the birds on the lake about 100 yards out from the south breakwall. Kim also saw the first-winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on the south breakwall, along with a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL and an adult THAYER'S GULL. On Park Point, Kim relocated a TOWNSEND�S SOLITAIRE about 150 yards south of the 43rd Street bus turn-around, and two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, a CANVASBACK, a BONAPARTE�S GULL, and a small flock of TUNDRA SWANS on the bayside of the recreational area. Dedrick Benz and John Hockema also saw the GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on the 13th on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry. They found a SURF SCOTER in the harbor at Park Point near the rowing club, and nine WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and a BLACK SCOTER at 33rd Street. Mike Hendrickson found an adult GLAUCOUS GULL on the south breakwall at Canal Park on the 11th. TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen over the weekend at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, and on the West Knife River Road (CR 231), a half mile west of the north end of the Homestead Road (CR 44) in Duluth Township. Two AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were relocated by Paul Budde and Mark Ochs on the 11th along the snowmobile trail south of the Holiday gas station on the west side of Two Harbors. Steve and Deb Falkowski found one in the Sax-Zim bog on the 10th on the west side of the McDavitt Road (CR 213), 2.5 miles north of the Sax Road (CR 28). Karen Sussman found a SPRUCE GROUSE on the 12th in northeast St. Louis County along CR 25, about a mile south of CR 82. Warren Nelson reported a SNOWY OWL on the 14th in Aitkin County along CR 1, about eight miles north of Aitkin. Warren also received a reliable second-hand report of a NORTHERN HAWK OWL north of Aitkin along CR 1. EVENING GROSBEAKS are visiting feeders near Gun Lake, south of Palisade. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 23rd. The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message. The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at mou@moumn.org, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. --====1163739557==== Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*November 16, 2006
*MNDU0611.16

-Birds mentioned

Tundra Swan
Canvasback
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Spruce Grouse
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Snowy Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Townsend's Solitaire
Evening Grosbeak

-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: November 16, 2006
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 16th, 2006 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Two female HARLEQUIN DUCKS are still being seen as of today at Canal Park in Duluth. Kim Eckert relocated the birds on the lake about 100 yards out from the south breakwall. Kim also saw the first-winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on the south breakwall, along with a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL and an adult THAYER'S GULL. On Park Point, Kim relocated a TOWNSEND�S SOLITAIRE about 150 yards south of the 43rd Street bus turn-around, and two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, a CANVASBACK, a BONAPARTE�S GULL, and a small flock of TUNDRA SWANS on the bayside of the recreational area.

Dedrick Benz and John Hockema also saw the GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on the 13th on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry. They found a SURF SCOTER in the harbor at Park Point near the rowing club, and nine WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and a BLACK SCOTER at 33rd Street. Mike Hendrickson found an adult GLAUCOUS GULL on the south breakwall at Canal Park on the 11th.

TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen over the weekend at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, and on the West Knife River Road (CR 231), a half mile west of the north end of the Homestead Road (CR 44) in Duluth Township.

Two AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were relocated by Paul Budde and Mark Ochs on the 11th along the snowmobile trail south of the Holiday gas station on the west side of Two Harbors. Steve and Deb Falkowski found one in the Sax-Zim bog on the 10th on the west side of the McDavitt Road (CR 213), 2.5 miles north of the Sax Road (CR 28).

Karen Sussman found a SPRUCE GROUSE on the 12th in northeast St. Louis County along CR 25, about a mile south of CR 82.

Warren Nelson reported a SNOWY OWL on the 14th in Aitkin County along CR 1, about eight miles north of Aitkin. Warren also received a reliable second-hand report of a NORTHERN HAWK OWL north of Aitkin along CR 1. EVENING GROSBEAKS are visiting feeders near Gun Lake, south of Palisade.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, November 23rd.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at mou@moumn.org, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. --====1163739557====-- From jclaus13@msn.com Fri Nov 17 05:06:45 2006 From: jclaus13@msn.com (Joel Claus) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 23:06:45 -0600 Subject: [mou] Three-toed Woodpecker - St Louis Cty Message-ID: Sorry about the belated report - just got back to my computer today! On Tuesday the 14th, I saw an American Three-toed Woodpecker from my deer stand in Northern St Louis Cty. The bird spent the most of the afternoon working at flaking away the bark from a dying Balsam Fir 10 yards from where my stand was located. The location of the brid was east of Cty Rd 361 and north of Hwy 1 in Northern St Lousi Cty approximatlely 12 miles west of Tower. The GPS coordinates were N47 46.864, W092 29.394. This is about a 30 minute hike in from 361. Several trees in the area had quite a bit of bark missing so this bird could have been present for some time. The trees were on an upland ridge of mature aspen and balsams with a large spruce bog a few hundred yards away. I've seen Black-backed Woodpeckers many times over the years in the area but this was the first Three-toed. I also saw the bird again briefly on Wednesday the 15th. Small numbers of Pine Grosbeaks were in the area and Grey Jays seemed to be present in their usual numbers around our camp. Joel Claus Eden Prairie From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Fri Nov 17 16:29:06 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:29:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] Sherburne/Princeton area Message-ID: <000901c70a65$82532450$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Sherburne/Princeton area this morning: * Townsend's Solitaire, Ann Lake * Common Raven, Auto Tour * Cackling Goose, 169 ponds (just north of Sherburne County line, west side of highway, among numerous Canadas) Still had 19 Sandhills on Sherburne CR 3 (very gray); Trumpeters & Tundras present in small numbers. Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Fri Nov 17 20:18:00 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:18:00 -0600 Subject: [mou] Yellow-billed Loons, Iowa & Wisconsin Message-ID: <011c01c70a85$7b0ebcc0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Important note: Yellow-billed Loons have been seen this week in Wisconsin & Iowa - latter on Big Spirit Lake near Minnesota border - let's keep our eyes open this weekend! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties From corax6330@yahoo.com Fri Nov 17 20:22:41 2006 From: corax6330@yahoo.com (fred lesher) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:22:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] USFWS Aerial Survey Waterfowl Counts, Nov. 14/15 Message-ID: <890811.82683.qm@web56012.mail.re3.yahoo.com> As best I can read the spread sheets across multiple screens, there were on these dates 33,710 Tundra Swans on Pools 4-13 of the Upper Miss. R. Refuge. The largest concentration, 18,300 on Pool 8, was mostly in Wis., but some in Minn. next to the riverbank. On Pool 7(Wis.) were 7000. On Pool 9(Iowa) were 2600. Pool 8 is a fine sight to see & sound to hear. Dozens of Bald Eagles, including "kettles" of 12 to 15 above the bluffs. 1,000s of Ring-n. Ducks on Pool 8 in Wis. Maybe a few stray into Minn. Fred Lesher, LaCrosse, Wis. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored Link Degrees online in as fast as 1 Yr MBA, Bachelor's, Master's, Assoc http://yahoo.degrees.info From d.buria-falkowski@mr.mnscu.edu Fri Nov 17 20:27:59 2006 From: d.buria-falkowski@mr.mnscu.edu (Deb Buria-Falkowski) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:27:59 -0600 Subject: [mou] Lesser black-backed and Glaucous Gull Message-ID: --=__Part3713215F.0__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable There is a first winter Glaucous Gull and a Lesser black-backed Gull on Bailey's Lake (Virginia Lake) downtown Virginia near Silver Lake in St. Louis County. The Glaucous has been there for a couple of days, the Lesser showed up today. =20 (Thanks Conny!) Deb and Steven Falkowski =20 =20 --=__Part3713215F.0__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Description: HTML

There is a first winter Glaucous Gull and a Lesser black-backed = Gull

on Bailey's Lake (Virginia Lake) downtown Virginia near Silver = Lake=20 in

St. Louis County.

The Glaucous has been there for a couple of days, the Lesser = showed=20 up

today.

(Thanks Conny!)

Deb and Steven Falkowski

--=__Part3713215F.0__=-- From wieber64@comcast.net Fri Nov 17 21:18:20 2006 From: wieber64@comcast.net (Gail Wieberdink) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 15:18:20 -0600 Subject: [mou] rough-legged hawks Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01C70A5B.9DC05DC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We saw at least 9 rough-legged hawks at Carlos Avery today. Very few ducks but a family of 5 trumpeter swans. The road past the big pool was closed again today. There were a lot of ducks on Lake Vadnais, a lot of ring necks and mallards and a couple common goldeneye. Yesterday there were two red heads there but we didn't see those today. There were still a few coots and one cormorant. Gail Wieberdink wieber64@comcast.net ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01C70A5B.9DC05DC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

We saw at=20 least 9 rough-legged hawks at Carlos Avery today. Very few ducks = but a=20 family of 5 trumpeter swans. The road past the big pool was closed = again=20 today. There were a lot of ducks on Lake Vadnais, a lot of ring = necks and=20 mallards and a couple common goldeneye. Yesterday there were = two red=20 heads there but we didn't see those today. There were still a few = coots=20 and one cormorant.

Gail Wieberdink

wieber64@comcast.net=

------=_NextPart_000_000C_01C70A5B.9DC05DC0-- From jslind@frontiernet.net Fri Nov 17 22:20:15 2006 From: jslind@frontiernet.net (Jim Lind) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 16:20:15 -0600 Subject: [mou] Slaty-backed Gull at Superior, WI Message-ID: <455DE13F.10861.5FDBD92@localhost> I just saw this posting on the Wisconsin listserve. Maybe this bird will wander into Minnesota. Jim Lind Subject: Alert-Slaty-backed Gull From: "Korducki" Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:45:59 -0600 I just received word that Robbye Johnson and Larry Semo found an adult Slaty-backed gull at the dump on Wisconsin Point earlier this afternoon. They were able to obtain photos. The birds were flushed out onto the lake by a bulldozer but it is probably still in the area. Larry is a Wisconsin native who now lives in Colorado. He always returns home for deer hunting. Larry and Robbye are both dynamite birders so I have no doubt about their sighting. Good luck everyone! Mark Korducki, New Berlin From mattjim@earthlink.net Fri Nov 17 23:08:23 2006 From: mattjim@earthlink.net (James Mattsson) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:08:23 -0600 Subject: [mou] WW Scoters, Dakota Co. Message-ID: <410-220061151723823703@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Nov. 17, 2006 2:00pm Spring Lake Regional Park, near Hastings, Dakota County An imm. male and female White-winged Scoter present on Spring Lake...visible from walking north from the Fahey Ave. parking lot. Jim Eagan ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

Nov. 17, 2006

2:00pm

Spring Lake Regional Park, near Hastings, Dakota County

An imm. male and female White-winged Scoter present on Spring Lake...visible from walking north from the Fahey Ave. parking lot.

Jim

Eagan

------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8-- From connybrunell@earthlink.net Fri Nov 17 23:44:51 2006 From: connybrunell@earthlink.net (Conny Brunell) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:44:51 -0600 Subject: [mou] Canal Park/Park Point, St. Louis County Message-ID: <380-2200611517234451477@earthlink.net> ------=_NextPart_8840131715492234451477 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII There was a nice mix of birds today in and around Park Point in Duluth, St. Louis County. A 8:00am start at the breakwall in Canal Park provided nice looks at two of the previously reported large highly visible Gulls , the first-winter Glaucous, and the first-winter Great Black-backed. On the bayside of Park Point spread out from the Recreation Area to 33rd St; were 3 Black Scoters, 2 White-winged Scoters, and 13 Tundra Swans. There were 3 Northern Cardinals at 36th St, a female Pine Grosbeak singing treetop across from Layfayette Square, and Pine Siskens in several locations. While on the Lakewalk East walking path starting out from 23rd Ave East and Water Street I encountered 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler traveling together down the shoreline. There were also 2 Red-necked Grebes out on the lake. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_8840131715492234451477 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII

There was a nice mix of birds today in and around Park Point in Duluth, St. Louis County.

A 8:00am start at the breakwall in Canal Park provided nice looks at two of the previously

reported large highly visible Gulls , the first-winter Glaucous, and the first-winter Great

Black-backed. On the bayside of Park Point spread out from the Recreation Area to 33rd St;

were 3 Black Scoters, 2 White-winged Scoters, and 13 Tundra Swans.

There were 3 Northern Cardinals at 36th St, a female Pine Grosbeak singing treetop across

from Layfayette Square, and Pine Siskens in several locations. While on the Lakewalk East

walking path starting out from 23rd Ave East and Water Street I encountered 1 Ruby-crowned

Kinglet and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler traveling together down the shoreline. There were also

2 Red-necked Grebes out on the lake.

Conny Brunell

Richfield, Hennepin Co.

------=_NextPart_8840131715492234451477-- From psvingen@d.umn.edu Sat Nov 18 01:03:36 2006 From: psvingen@d.umn.edu (Peder Svingen) Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:03:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Slaty-backed Gull at Superior, WI In-Reply-To: <455DE13F.10861.5FDBD92@localhost> References: <455DE13F.10861.5FDBD92@localhost> Message-ID: <9E5C54DC-76A0-11DB-8198-000D93521292@d.umn.edu> For those considering looking for this bird, here is some important information posted to the Wisconsin listserve: Subject: Slaty-backed Gull info From: Daryl Tessen Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:57:15 -0600 Robbye Johnson called me late this afternoon about her and Larry Semo finding the adult Slaty-backed Gull (winter plumage) at the dump by Wisconsin Pt. As Mark has already indicated it is an adult and they got photos of it. Seen about 1:45 it disappeared and they could not relocate it for some time. When they eventually returned to the dump it had returned but only for a brief period of time. All the key id points were seen clearly. This is only the 2nd record for the state. If you are going up to try for the bird Robbye asked that you keep several things in mind. The dump is closed to the public. Do not try to climb the fence or enter any other way. The dump, when open for garbage, can be very busy. Do not park so you make it difficult for the trucks to enter and leave. Also remember that gun deer hunting season starts on Saturday. The dump and Wis Pt are in the city so deer cannot be hunted (gun) here. However everything to the east and south is county and is open for hunting. This includes the bluff. If you decide to look for the bird from the bluff it is probably best to bird only from your vehicle, or possibly???? stand right next to it???? Be careful and use common sense. And obviously good luck. Post your success or (hopefully not) failure. Daryl Tessen Appleton, WI On Nov 17, 2006, at 4:20 PM, Jim Lind wrote: > I just saw this posting on the Wisconsin listserve. Maybe this bird > will wander into Minnesota. > > Jim Lind > > > > Subject: Alert-Slaty-backed Gull > From: "Korducki" > Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:45:59 -0600 > > I just received word that Robbye Johnson and Larry Semo found an > adult Slaty-backed gull at the dump on Wisconsin Point earlier this > afternoon. They were able to obtain photos. The birds were flushed > out onto the lake by a bulldozer but it is probably still in the > area. Larry is a Wisconsin native who now lives in Colorado. He > always returns home for deer hunting. Larry and Robbye are both > dynamite birders so I have no doubt about their sighting. > > Good luck everyone! > > Mark Korducki, New Berlin > > _______________________________________________ > mou-net mailing list > mou-net@cbs.umn.edu > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net From ekblad@frontiernet.net Sat Nov 18 17:40:38 2006 From: ekblad@frontiernet.net (Bob Ekblad) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 11:40:38 -0600 Subject: [mou] Spring Lake Regional Park - White-winged Scoter spot Message-ID: <006101c70b38$a950fe00$6501a8c0@BobLaptop> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C70B06.5EB814A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Be aware that the section of the Spring Lake Regional Park (Fahey Ave entrance) where Jim Mattsson found the two White-winged Scoters yesterday (Friday the 17th) is closed today, Sunday and Monday for a Deer hunt. The Scharr's Bluff section is open but there was hardly anything there. I also checked out the public access landing and only found one loon and no ducks or scoters. PS - The Varied Thrush is still hanging around at my home and spending most of the time in the crab apple tree out in front of the house. Bob Ekblad Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com ------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C70B06.5EB814A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Be aware that the section of the Spring Lake Regional = Park (Fahey Ave entrance) where Jim Mattsson found the two White-winged Scoters = yesterday (Friday the 17^th) is closed today, Sunday and Monday for a = Deer hunt. The Scharr’s = Bluff section is open but there was hardly anything there. I also checked out the public = access landing and only found one loon and no ducks or = scoters.

PS – The Varied Thrush is still hanging around = at my home and spending most of the time in the crab apple tree out in front = of the house.

Bob = Ekblad

Olmsted County in Southeast = Minnesota

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C70B06.5EB814A0-- From ekblad@frontiernet.net Sat Nov 18 18:38:36 2006 From: ekblad@frontiernet.net (Bob Ekblad) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 12:38:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Summer Tanager in Olmsted County Message-ID: <007201c70b40$c2cd5ec0$6501a8c0@BobLaptop> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0073_01C70B0E.7832EEC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There is a Summer Tanager regularly coming to a feeder south-southwest of Rochester. The home with the feeder is located in a sub-development west of the Willow Creek Golf Course that is located on 48th Street SW (which is south of the Hwy 52 and Hwy 63 interchange). I have communicated with the home owner and received permission to pass on the information, To get there go south on Hwy 63 to the 48th Street off-ramp. Go west on 48th past 11th Ave and past the golf course on your left. When you see a sign for the road narrowing, turn left on Scenic View Drive (it is not too far past the golf course). Continue a short distance down that road and then turn left onto Teak Wood Lane (a dead end street). When you get to the highest point of this road there will be a vacant lot on the left. Park near the group of mailboxes just before the vacant lot (note that there is no parking on the north/west side of the street). The bird can be seen coming to the feeders on the post behind the house just after the vacant lot. You can look across the vacant lot to view the feeders from inside your car. It has been seen in the square open-top hanging feeder and also has been feeding from the wire mesh nut feeder hanging to the right. Please be respectful of the home owner and the neighbors in the area. If you have any questions you can contact me. Bob Ekblad 507-775-6949 Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com ------=_NextPart_000_0073_01C70B0E.7832EEC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

There is a Summer Tanager regularly coming to a = feeder south-southwest of Rochester. The home = with the feeder is located in a sub-development west of the Willow Creek Golf = Course that is located on 48^th Street SW (which is south of the Hwy = 52 and Hwy 63 interchange). I have communicated with the = home owner and received permission to pass on the = information,

To get there go south on Hwy 63 to the = 48^th Street off-ramp. Go west on = 48^th past 11^th Ave and past the golf course on your left. When you see a sign for the = road narrowing, turn left on Scenic View Drive (it is not too far past the = golf course). Continue a short = distance down that road and then turn left onto Teak Wood Lane (a dead end = street). When you get to the highest = point of this road there will be a vacant lot on the left. Park near = the group of mailboxes just before the vacant lot (note that there is no parking on = the north/west side of the street). = The bird can be seen coming to the feeders on the post behind the house just = after the vacant lot. You can = look across the vacant lot to view the feeders from inside your car. It has been seen in the square = open-top hanging feeder and also has been feeding from the wire mesh nut feeder = hanging to the right.

Please be respectful of the home owner and the = neighbors in the area.

If you have any questions you can contact = me.

Bob = Ekblad

507-775-6949=

Olmsted County in Southeast = Minnesota

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /font>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_0073_01C70B0E.7832EEC0-- From two-jays@att.net Sat Nov 18 18:56:12 2006 From: two-jays@att.net (Jim Williams) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 12:56:12 -0600 Subject: [mou] moving north Message-ID: <51ed7607fca79499a81f3ca8196ceaf5@att.net> A recent study by Dr. Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution at=20 Stanford University has determined that "to keep pace with the present=20= rate of temperature change plants and animals would have to migrate=20 poleward by 30 feet a day." =97 Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, Nov. 20, 2006 Jim Williams Wayzata, Minnesota= From dkienholz@hotmail.com Sat Nov 18 19:36:10 2006 From: dkienholz@hotmail.com (Don Kienholz) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:36:10 -0600 Subject: [mou] late YB Sapsucker- Duluth, St Louis Cty Message-ID: There was a juvenile Yellow- Bellied Sapsucker this moring in the River Birches across the street from the DeWitt Seitz Bldg., Canal Park. It was in the small trees above the now empty fountain on the corner. "Birds of Minnesota" - Janssen, states Nov 10th as a late record North. Did not check out the many gulls on the breakwall as was working with no binoculars. Regards, Don Kienholz _________________________________________________________________ Stay up-to-date with your friends through the Windows Live Spaces friends list. http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mk From tiger150@comcast.net Sat Nov 18 20:46:20 2006 From: tiger150@comcast.net (alyssa) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 14:46:20 -0600 Subject: [mou] No Long eared Owl (Hennepin Co.) Message-ID: <001601c70b52$9aa33700$6401a8c0@A2400T2482> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0013_01C70B20.4F66BAA0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I just got back from the French Regional Park in Plymouth, with no luck = of spotting the Long eared Owl reported last Saturday. The people there = said that they had looked for it after the report, but couldn't relocate = it. It must have been migrating through. Other birds seen: @ Red-tailed Hawks (2) @ American Coots (several on the ponds, 100+ near the swim area) @ C. Goldeneye (swim area, 15+) @ Bufflehead (4) @ Golden-crowned Kinglets (2, by beach) @ 3 Muskrats were out and about =DC Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_000_0013_01C70B20.4F66BAA0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I just got back from the French = Regional Park in=20 Plymouth, with no luck of spotting the Long eared Owl reported last = Saturday.=20 The people there said that they had looked for it after the report, but = couldn't=20 relocate it. It must have been migrating through. Other birds=20 seen:

@ Red-tailed Hawks (2)

@ American Coots (several on the ponds, = 100+ near=20 the swim area)

@ C. Goldeneye (swim area, = 15+)

@ Bufflehead (4)

@ Golden-crowned Kinglets (2, by=20 beach)

@ 3 Muskrats were out and about = =DC

Alyssa DeRubeis

Golden Valley, Hennepin=20 Co.

------=_NextPart_000_0013_01C70B20.4F66BAA0-- From herbdingmann@charter.net Sun Nov 19 00:05:05 2006 From: herbdingmann@charter.net (Herb Dingmann) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:05:05 -0600 Subject: [mou] Pine and Evening Grosbeaks - Mille Lacs County Message-ID: <001f01c70b6e$5e495200$6401a8c0@D452T311> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C70B3C.13AEE200 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I was fortunate enough to come across a mixed flock of Pine and Evening Grosbeaks in Mille Lacs County today. There were at least a dozen Pine Grosbeaks and at least 5 Evening Grosbeaks in the flock. The location is along the south shore of Mille Lacs Lake. Take CR142 north off of Hwy 27 (about 1.5 or 2.0 miles west of Wahkon). When CR142 comes to a "T", take a right. I don't know the exact distance from there (about a mile I would guess). Look for the blue house number sign 40664. This is where I first saw the birds. They then moved a couple of houses further down and were feeding on a large crab apple tree in the yard. I also found (heard) Red Crossbills and Common Redpolls in Kathio State Park today. Herb Dingmann St. Cloud ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C70B3C.13AEE200 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I was fortunate enough to come across a mixed flock = of Pine and Evening Grosbeaks in Mille = Lacs = County today. There were at least a dozen Pine Grosbeaks and at least 5 Evening Grosbeaks in the = flock.

The location is along the south shore of = Mille = Lacs = Lake. Take CR142 north off of Hwy 27 = (about 1.5 or 2.0 miles west of Wahkon). When CR142 comes to a = “T”, take a right. I = don’t know the exact distance from there (about a mile I would guess). Look for the blue house number = sign 40664. This is where I = first saw the birds. They then moved = a couple of houses further down and were feeding on a large crab apple tree in = the yard.

I also found (heard) Red Crossbills and Common = Redpolls in Kathio = State = Park = today.

Herb = Dingmann

St. = Cloud

------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C70B3C.13AEE200-- From psvingen@d.umn.edu Sun Nov 19 01:00:56 2006 From: psvingen@d.umn.edu (Peder Svingen) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 19:00:56 -0600 Subject: [mou] gull census at Superior Entry and Superior landill Message-ID: <6998E46E-7769-11DB-A3D2-000D93521292@d.umn.edu> More than 3,000 gulls were counted in the Duluth-Superior area today; the vast majority were at the landfill and on Alouez Bay in Wisconsin. All birds at the landfill were observed from the public road outside of the fenced-in area. Ring-billed Gull -- 8 (plus 50 more at Canal Park, Duluth); Herring Gull -- 2,850 (plus 400 more at Canal Park, Duluth); Thayer's Gull -- 2 adults, one third-cycle, and two first-cycle (plus one more adult at Canal Park, Duluth); Iceland Gull -- adult "Kumlien's" on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry at 0930; Slaty-backed Gull -- adult at Superior landfill 1053 to 1057 and from 1310 to 1333; Glaucous Gull -- 2 adults at Superior Entry, one second-cycle and one first-cycle at landfill (plus one adult at Canal Park, Duluth); Great Black-backed Gull -- first-cycle on Alouez Bay at 1145 and subsequently refound at landfill. -- Peder H. Svingen Duluth, MN From Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com Sun Nov 19 02:05:11 2006 From: Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com (Paul Budde) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 20:05:11 -0600 Subject: [mou] Gulls on Lake Calhoun, Mpls Message-ID: <244BB0A2242EF0489D8FFB420E3F3C5A01A213FD@MINSCEXM01A.americas.benfieldglobal.net> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70B7F.2548AC07 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 QW1vbmcgdGhlIDQ2ODAgb3Igc28gcHJlc2VudCB3ZXJlIGFuIGFkdWx0IFRoYXllcidzIGFuZCBh IExlc3NlciBCbGFjay1iYWNrZWQuIFdlJ3JlIHN0aWxsIHdhaXRpbmcgZm9yIG91ciBmaXJzdCB3 aGl0ZS13b25nZWQgZ3VsbCBpbiB0aGUgbWV0cm8sIGFuZCBob3BpaW5nIHRoYXQgdGhlIEdyZWF0 IEJsYWNrLWJhY2tlZCBhbmQgU2xhdHktYmFja2VkIHdpbGwgZ3JhY2UgdXMgd2l0aCBhIHN0b3Bv dmVyIHdoZW4gdGhleSBnZXQgY29sZCB1cCBub3J0aCENCg0KUGF1bA0K ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70B7F.2548AC07 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 PCFET0NUWVBFIEhUTUwgUFVCTElDICItLy9XM0MvL0RURCBIVE1MIDMuMi8vRU4iPg0KPEhUTUw+ DQo8SEVBRD4NCjxNRVRBIEhUVFAtRVFVSVY9IkNvbnRlbnQtVHlwZSIgQ09OVEVOVD0idGV4dC9o dG1sOyBjaGFyc2V0PXV0Zi04Ij4NCjxNRVRBIE5BTUU9IkdlbmVyYXRvciIgQ09OVEVOVD0iTVMg RXhjaGFuZ2UgU2VydmVyIHZlcnNpb24gNi41Ljc2NTAuMjgiPg0KPFRJVExFPkd1bGxzIG9uIExh a2UgQ2FsaG91biwgTXBsczwvVElUTEU+DQo8L0hFQUQ+DQo8Qk9EWT4NCjwhLS0gQ29udmVydGVk IGZyb20gdGV4dC9wbGFpbiBmb3JtYXQgLS0+DQoNCjxQPjxGT05UIFNJWkU9Mj5BbW9uZyB0aGUg NDY4MCBvciBzbyBwcmVzZW50IHdlcmUgYW4gYWR1bHQgVGhheWVyJ3MgYW5kIGEgTGVzc2VyIEJs YWNrLWJhY2tlZC4gV2UncmUgc3RpbGwgd2FpdGluZyBmb3Igb3VyIGZpcnN0IHdoaXRlLXdvbmdl ZCBndWxsIGluIHRoZSBtZXRybywgYW5kIGhvcGlpbmcgdGhhdCB0aGUgR3JlYXQgQmxhY2stYmFj a2VkIGFuZCBTbGF0eS1iYWNrZWQgd2lsbCBncmFjZSB1cyB3aXRoIGEgc3RvcG92ZXIgd2hlbiB0 aGV5IGdldCBjb2xkIHVwIG5vcnRoITxCUj4NCjxCUj4NClBhdWw8L0ZPTlQ+DQo8L1A+DQoNCjwv Qk9EWT4NCjwvSFRNTD4= ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70B7F.2548AC07-- From voguedog@earthlink.net Sun Nov 19 03:57:36 2006 From: voguedog@earthlink.net (voguedog@earthlink.net) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:57:36 -0600 Subject: [mou] Cranes Message-ID: <003201c70b8e$da9dba60$dbcc9e04@yourb27fb1c401> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C70B5C.8EE07540 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi- All summer I have been watching a pair of sandhill cranes raise a single = youngster at Lake Rebecca PR near Delano, MN. I haven't seen them for a = couple of weeks and assumed that they have left for parts south. I was = surprised to see them again today in the usual spot- when do cranes = usually leave?? =20 On a different note, I went down to see the swans and eagles south of = Brownsville yesterday- TOTALLY amazing!!! I have never seen anything = like it - the eagles talon touching, playing and all the swans and = other waterfowl was sooo cool. I stopped and scanned the river = frequently on the way down and was happy to see see 6 horned grebes = close by catching little silver fish around Lake City. Robin LaFortune ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C70B5C.8EE07540 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hi-

All summer I have been watching a pair = of sandhill=20 cranes raise a single youngster at Lake Rebecca PR near Delano, = MN. I=20 haven't seen them for a couple of weeks and assumed that they have left = for=20 parts south. I was surprised to see them again today in the = usual=20 spot- when do cranes usually leave??

On a different note, I went down to see = the swans=20 and eagles south of Brownsville yesterday- TOTALLY amazing!!! = I have=20 never seen anything like it - the eagles talon touching, playing = and all=20 the swans and other waterfowl was sooo cool. I stopped and = scanned=20 the river frequently on the way down and was happy to see see 6 horned = grebes=20 close by catching little silver fish around Lake City.

Robin = LaFortune

------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C70B5C.8EE07540-- From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Sun Nov 19 14:10:06 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 08:10:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] Winter Finches Wondering Message-ID: <000f01c70be4$6a61c5b0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Nathan & I also had a chance to see the Evening & Pine Grosbeaks in Mille Lacs County yesterday (thanks for sharing, Herb - although those crossbills continue to elude us in the area!). Wonder how far south these winter finches will wander this year? Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties From birderguy@comcast.net Sun Nov 19 22:31:37 2006 From: birderguy@comcast.net (birderguy) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 16:31:37 -0600 Subject: [mou] Pine Siskin today Message-ID: <000001c70c2a$7edbc400$0201a8c0@andrewhome> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70BF8.34476E80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I just had a Pine Siskin on one of my thistle feeders tonight for PFW.. -- Andrew Longtin Corcoran (Hennepin Co.) Minnesota See My WEB pages at: http://birderguy.home.comcast.net Email: BirderGuy@comcast.net Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory Supporter http://www.hawkridge.org/ Minnesota Ornithologists Union Member http://www.moumn.org/ Cornell Lab Member (PFW) http://birds.cornell.edu/pfw/ Support a Soldier: http://www.operationminnesotanice.com/contact.html ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70BF8.34476E80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I just had=20 a Pine Siskin on one of my thistle feeders tonight for = PFW..

Andrew = Longtin
Corcoran=20 (Hennepin Co.) Minnesota

See My WEB pages at: http://birderguy.home.comcast= .net
Email:=20 BirderGuy@comcast.net

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory=20 Supporter

http://www.hawkridge.org/
Minnesota=20 Ornithologists Union Member
http://www.moumn.org/

Cornell Lab = Member=20 (PFW)
http://birds.cornell.edu/pfw/<= /FONT>

Support a = Soldier:

http://www.op= erationminnesotanice.com/contact.html

------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C70BF8.34476E80-- From dingermcduff@hotmail.com Mon Nov 20 00:01:18 2006 From: dingermcduff@hotmail.com (shawn conrad) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:01:18 -0600 Subject: [mou] Itasca County Black-backed Woodpecker In-Reply-To: <000001c70c2a$7edbc400$0201a8c0@andrewhome> Message-ID: Today, Earl Orf and I saw a female Black-backed Woodpecker on CR 19, in the tamarack bog 1/2 mile east of CR 142. Birding was slow otherwise. Other finds included a number of Gray Jays and Pine Grosbeaks, and 2 Rough-legged Hawks on Alder Road near Marcell. No other winter finches seemed to be around. Shawn Conrad Bovey _________________________________________________________________ All-in-one security and maintenance for your PC.� Get a free 90-day trial! http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwlo0050000002msn/direct/01/?href=http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwlo0050000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://www.windowsonecare.com/?sc_cid=msn_hotmail From esitz@goldengate.net Mon Nov 20 02:05:00 2006 From: esitz@goldengate.net (Erika Sitz) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 20:05:00 -0600 Subject: [mou] Migrating Sandhill Cranes and 23 Rough-legged Hawks, Carlos Avery Message-ID: <00a201c70c48$49a0ebd0$6501a8c0@dirac4> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00A3_01C70C15.FF067BD0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >From noon to 12:50pm we watched four separate groups of Sandhill Cranes fly over the north side of Carlos Avery, first one, at least 250, over at the gated road between Pools 1 and 3, the second, 500-600, over about at the road east of Pool 5 , the other two, 75-100 each, east of there. Those numbers are conservative estimates - they were hard to count because they kept breaking up into skeins of 30 to 50 then reforming. They were all moving in a NW to SE direction and all circling repeatedly, using thermals, until they flew out of sight. All were very noisy. We also saw a total of 23 Rough-legged Hawks, all light morphs (again a conservative count to avoid duplicates). Six were at the same gated area as the first Sandhills, two of these interacted several times. Two more on the north road, one perched and eating. Then five in the Pool 8/6 area, two perched, and one each by Pool 9 and Pool 10. Except where noted all were hunting, soaring and hovering, and put on a grand show. After a lunch break in Forest Lake, from about 3pm onward we drove the unit south of Broadway and saw eight more scattered along the drive. All of these were perched in trees and flew only to shift position. Erika Sitz, Ramsey, north Anoka County ------=_NextPart_000_00A3_01C70C15.FF067BD0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

From noon to 12:50pm we watched four separate groups of Sandhill = Cranes fly=20 over the north side of Carlos Avery, first one, at least 250, over at = the =20 gated road between Pools 1 and 3, the second, 500-600, over about = at the=20 road east of Pool 5 , the other two, 75-100 each, east of = there. =20 Those numbers are conservative estimates - they were hard to count = because they=20 kept breaking up into skeins of 30 to 50 then reforming. They = were=20 all moving in a NW to SE direction and all circling repeatedly, using=20 thermals, until they flew out of sight. All were very=20 noisy.

We also saw a total of 23 Rough-legged Hawks, all light = morphs (again a=20 conservative count to avoid duplicates). Six were at the same = gated area=20 as the first Sandhills, two of these interacted several times. Two = more on=20 the north road, one perched and eating. Then five in the Pool 8/6 = area,=20 two perched, and one each by Pool 9 and Pool 10. Except where = noted all=20 were hunting, soaring and hovering, and put on a grand show. After = a lunch=20 break in Forest Lake, from about 3pm onward we drove the unit south of = Broadway=20 and saw eight more scattered along the drive. All of these were = perched in=20 trees and flew only to shift position.

Erika Sitz, Ramsey, north Anoka County

------=_NextPart_000_00A3_01C70C15.FF067BD0-- From dbmartin@skypoint.com Mon Nov 20 05:08:11 2006 From: dbmartin@skypoint.com (Dennis/Barbara Martin) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 23:08:11 -0600 Subject: [mou] Articles for MN Birding Message-ID: <002301c70c61$e39803e0$b62e56c7@oemcomputer> This is just a reminder that the deadline for the January-February 2007 issues of Minnesota Birding is November 25, 2006. Please send your articles to newsletter@moumn.org Thank you Barb Martin Interim Editor From bradgail@lakenet.com Mon Nov 20 06:01:52 2006 From: bradgail@lakenet.com (bradgail) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:01:52 -0600 Subject: [mou] white throated sparrows Message-ID: I am looking for white throated sparrows. Has anyone seen any? And if you have, where? Thanks Gail Buhl From wieber64@comcast.net Mon Nov 20 21:40:06 2006 From: wieber64@comcast.net (Gail Wieberdink) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:40:06 -0600 Subject: [mou] green heron Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C70CBA.28D2EA30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We saw a green heron today in Roseville Central Park. It was sitting on a culvert grate in the ditch right by Victoria St. (east side of Victoria) and appeared to be fishing. It seems awfully late for a green heron, isn't it? We were thinking it was probably injured but it looked all right. However, they are usually pretty jumpy and it didn't seem to even notice us as we walked by with our two dogs. We'll look for it when we go down there tomorrow. Gail ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C70CBA.28D2EA30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

We saw a=20 green heron today in Roseville Central Park. It was sitting on a = culvert=20 grate in the ditch right by Victoria St. (east side of Victoria) and = appeared to=20 be fishing. It seems awfully late for a green heron, isn't = it? We=20 were thinking it was probably injured but it looked all right. = However,=20 they are usually pretty jumpy and it didn't seem to even notice us as we = walked=20 by with our two dogs. We'll look for it when we go down there=20 tomorrow.

Gail

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C70CBA.28D2EA30-- From RBJanssen@aol.com Tue Nov 21 00:35:12 2006 From: RBJanssen@aol.com (RBJanssen@aol.com) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:35:12 EST Subject: [mou] Geese Message-ID: -------------------------------1164069312 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Today I sorted through 1000's of Canada Geese in numerous locations in Sherburne and Mille Lacs counties. I could not find a single Cackling Goose in any of these groups. This is most interesting as we are trying to learn the migratory pattern of Cackling Geese in Minnesota. In previous weeks and in late October it was relatively easy to find Cackling Geese in many locations were there were large numbers of Canada Geese. Is this a possible indication that Cackling Geese are gone from the state by early to mid-November or was it just a local situation that I ran into today? Your thoughts, comments and observations on the migration of Cackling Geese would be most interesting. Bob Janssen -------------------------------1164069312 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Today I sorted through 1000's of Canada Geese in numerous locations in=20 Sherburne and Mille Lacs counties. I could not find a single Cackling=20 Goose in any of these groups. This is most interesting as we are tryin= g to=20 learn the migratory pattern of Cackling Geese in Minnesota. In previous week= s=20 and in late October it was relatively easy to find Cackling Geese in many=20 locations were there were large numbers of Canada Geese. Is this=20= a=20 possible indication that Cackling Geese are gone from the state by early to=20 mid-November or was it just a local situation that I ran into=20 today? Your thoughts, comments and observations on the migra= tion=20 of Cackling Geese would be most interesting.

Bob Janssen

-------------------------------1164069312-- From crossbill7200@yahoo.com Tue Nov 21 03:07:20 2006 From: crossbill7200@yahoo.com (Shelley Steva) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:07:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: [mou] Gray Jays and Global Warming Message-ID: <392600.71666.qm@web31001.mail.mud.yahoo.com> In the most recent issue of Natural History, I read about a study done on the distribution of gray jays in Southern Ontario. It said that the gray jay numbers have dropped by half in the last twenty years or so and that the gray jay nests now produce fewer offspring. The reason? The falls are now warmer. All the foods that the gray jays would cache to help keep them fed in the fall and winter are now rotting because of the warm falls (it is an average of 5 degrees warmer in the fall than it used to be). The gray jays no longer have the food supply they need for their nesting habit. (they prefer to nest in the late winter). I have no idea if this is related to the recent irruption or not, but it is both interesting and sad. Shelley Steva Thief River Falls ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored Link Online degrees - find the right program to advance your career. Www.nextag.com From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Tue Nov 21 15:16:26 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:16:26 -0600 Subject: [mou] Geese References: Message-ID: <007c01c70d80$03e1e7a0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Bob & MOU listers, As I think back over the last 2-3 years birding heavily in Sherburne & Mille Lacs Counties (4-5 times per week, but this includes trail walks), have only had five Cackling Geese (one in early January along the Mississippi River, two October, two early to mid-November). So my first guess would be that these counties are not generally within the migration pattern. Other options certainly exist - small Lessers being ID'd as Cackling elsewhere (suggesting that the migrating population in the state is less than we believe) - or the converse (numerous Cackling being dismissed as Lessers in central MN) - or, as you speculate, they move out before mid-November. I look forward to others' thoughts. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties ----- Original Message ----- From: RBJanssen@aol.com To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 6:35 PM Subject: [mou] Geese Today I sorted through 1000's of Canada Geese in numerous locations in Sherburne and Mille Lacs counties. I could not find a single Cackling Goose in any of these groups. This is most interesting as we are trying to learn the migratory pattern of Cackling Geese in Minnesota. In previous weeks and in late October it was relatively easy to find Cackling Geese in many locations were there were large numbers of Canada Geese. Is this a possible indication that Cackling Geese are gone from the state by early to mid-November or was it just a local situation that I ran into today? Your thoughts, comments and observations on the migration of Cackling Geese would be most interesting. Bob Janssen From Chris Benson" Message-ID: <017f01c70d81$08fcdc80$6d78a8c0@station22> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_017C_01C70D4E.BE2E8B40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I saw the Summer Tanager yesterday (11/20) at 10AM. It was sitting in the lone small deciduous tree on the side of the yard. I saw no hint of red or orange tones on the bird, suggesting it is a female. Chris Benson Rochester ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Bob Ekblad=20 To: MnBirdNet ; MOUnet=20 Cc: Tony Hertzel=20 Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2006 12:38 PM Subject: [mou] Summer Tanager in Olmsted County There is a Summer Tanager regularly coming to a feeder south-southwest = of Rochester. The home with the feeder is located in a sub-development = west of the Willow Creek Golf Course that is located on 48th Street SW = (which is south of the Hwy 52 and Hwy 63 interchange). I have = communicated with the home owner and received permission to pass on the = information, =20 To get there go south on Hwy 63 to the 48th Street off-ramp. Go west = on 48th past 11th Ave and past the golf course on your left. When you = see a sign for the road narrowing, turn left on Scenic View Drive (it is = not too far past the golf course). Continue a short distance down that = road and then turn left onto Teak Wood Lane (a dead end street). When = you get to the highest point of this road there will be a vacant lot on = the left. Park near the group of mailboxes just before the vacant lot = (note that there is no parking on the north/west side of the street). = The bird can be seen coming to the feeders on the post behind the house = just after the vacant lot. You can look across the vacant lot to view = the feeders from inside your car. It has been seen in the square = open-top hanging feeder and also has been feeding from the wire mesh nut = feeder hanging to the right. =20 Please be respectful of the home owner and the neighbors in the area. =20 If you have any questions you can contact me. =20 Bob Ekblad 507-775-6949 Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota ekblad@frontiernet.net http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com =20 ------=_NextPart_000_017C_01C70D4E.BE2E8B40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I saw the Summer Tanager = yesterday (11/20) at=20 10AM.

It was sitting in the lone small = deciduous tree=20 on

the side of the yard.

I saw no hint of red or orange tones on = the=20 bird,

suggesting it is a female.

Chris Benson

Rochester

----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Bob=20 Ekblad

To: MnBirdNet ; MOUnet

Cc: Tony Hertzel

Sent: Saturday, November 18, = 2006 12:38=20 PM

Subject: [mou] Summer Tanager = in Olmsted=20 County

There is a Summer = Tanager=20 regularly coming to a feeder south-southwest of Rochester. The home with the feeder is = located in=20 a sub-development west of the Willow Creek Golf Course that is located = on=20 48^th Street SW (which is south of the Hwy 52 and Hwy 63 = interchange). =20 I have communicated with the home owner and received permission = to pass=20 on the information,

To get there go south on = Hwy 63 to=20 the 48^th Street off-ramp. =20 Go west on 48^th past 11^th Ave and past = the golf=20 course on your left. = When you see=20 a sign for the road narrowing, turn left on Scenic View Drive (it is = not too=20 far past the golf course). =20 Continue a short distance down that road and then turn left = onto Teak=20 Wood Lane (a dead end street). = When you get to the highest point of this road there will be a = vacant=20 lot on the left. Park near the group of mailboxes just before the vacant = lot (note=20 that there is no parking on the north/west side of the = street). The bird can be seen coming = to the=20 feeders on the post behind the house just after the vacant lot. You can look across the = vacant lot to=20 view the feeders from inside your car. =20 It has been seen in the square open-top hanging feeder and also = has=20 been feeding from the wire mesh nut feeder hanging to the=20 right.

Please be respectful of = the home=20 owner and the neighbors in the area.

If you have any = questions you can=20 contact me.

Bob=20 Ekblad

507-775-6949

Olmsted=20 County in Southeast Minnesota

ekblad@frontiernet.net<= /FONT>

http://www.Birding-Minnesota.co= m

------=_NextPart_000_017C_01C70D4E.BE2E8B40-- From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Tue Nov 21 17:17:31 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:17:31 -0600 Subject: [mou] Ivory-billed Woodpecker Message-ID: <00f201c70d90$ee4a58d0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Currently finishing "The Grail Bird" (Ivory-billed Woodpecker search) - find it both enjoyable & relatively convincing. So, now that the intensity of the emotional conflict over the existence of the woodpecker(s) seems to have abated a bit, would you describe yourself as convinced, contemplating, or skeptical? And why? Good birding to all, and a blessed Thanksgiving to many on this late November day (whether you're chasing the Ross' Gull in CA, seeking winter finches & owls in the northern Midwest, laboring in the office, or elsewhere). Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties (giving thanks for a strong birding year here in central/northern MN) From jbolish5565@comcast.net Sun Nov 19 20:20:24 2006 From: jbolish5565@comcast.net (Jason Bolish) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 14:20:24 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carlos Avery Raptors, Gray Jays Etc Message-ID: <001101c70c18$255eb2a0$6401a8c0@JBPrimary> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C70BE5.DA699F80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Very busy morning in Carlos Avery. Saw 2 possible Gray Jays in = different areas of the Refuge, moving too quickly to get a perfect view = or picture but exhibiting their characteristics, including flight style = & chatter. They were similar only in size & shape to the Blue Jays = around. Other sightings: -15 Rough Legged Hawks. 12 Within the refuge & 3 along Highway 35 south = of Forest Lake on my way out. These birds are everywhere! Among these = was a spectacular Dark-Morph variety on the far west side of Carlos = Avery (close to Little Coon Lake). I'm grateful I don't have to go all = the way up to Meadowlands to watch RL Hawks soar & hover! -5 Northern Harriers (mostly juveniles.) -4 Bald Eagles. Includes a 3 year old I watched in a tree, that tookoff = & did wide circles low over my head. Can't wait to download the pics of = that one. -1 lone American Tree Sparrow -1 bird I couldn't positively identify. It was quite tame & the size = and color pattern of a Female Red-Winged Blackbird. But it's much too = late to be one of those, & it looked to big for a Sparrow. Here are = some pictures, I would appreciate help identifiying the species:) =20 http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown1111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown2111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown3111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown4111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown5111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown6111906.jpg If anyone has an online map of Carlos Avery they could send me, I'd = appreciate it. I was lost the whole time but I still had a blast. = Also, has anyone out there seen a Gray Jay in Carlos Avery? How long do = the Rough Legged Hawks stay there? If I get enough good pics from today = I'll post them on a website. Thanks, Jason Bolish ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C70BE5.DA699F80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Very busy morning in Carlos = Avery. Saw 2=20 possible Gray Jays in different areas of the Refuge, moving too quickly = to get a=20 perfect view or picture but exhibiting their characteristics, = including=20 flight style & chatter. They were similar only in size = &=20 shape to the Blue Jays around. Other sightings:

-15 Rough Legged Hawks. 12 Within = the refuge=20 & 3 along Highway 35 south of Forest Lake on my way out. These = birds=20 are everywhere! Among these was a spectacular Dark-Morph variety = on the=20 far west side of Carlos Avery (close to Little Coon Lake). = I'm=20 grateful I don't have to go all the way up to Meadowlands to watch = RL Hawks=20 soar & hover!

-5 Northern Harriers (mostly=20 juveniles.)

-4 Bald Eagles. Includes a 3 year = old I=20 watched in a tree, that tookoff & did wide circles low over my = head. =20 Can't wait to download the pics of that one.

-1 lone American Tree = Sparrow

-1 bird I couldn't positively = identify. It=20 was quite tame & the size and color pattern of a = Female=20 Red-Winged Blackbird. But it's much too = late to be one of=20 those, & it looked to big for a Sparrow. Here are some=20 pictures, I would appreciate help identifiying the = species:) =20

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown1111906.jpg

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown2111906.jpg

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown3111906.jpg

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown4111906.jpg

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown5111906.jpg

http://www.= bolioshot.com/images/caunknown6111906.jpg

If anyone has an online map of Carlos = Avery they=20 could send me, I'd appreciate it. I was lost the whole time but I = still=20 had a blast. Also, has anyone out there seen a Gray Jay in Carlos=20 Avery? How long do the Rough Legged Hawks stay there? = If I get=20 enough good pics from today I'll post them on a website.

Thanks,

Jason Bolish

------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C70BE5.DA699F80-- From jbolish5565@comcast.net Mon Nov 20 01:34:22 2006 From: jbolish5565@comcast.net (Jason Bolish) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:34:22 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carlos Avery correction Message-ID: <008c01c70c44$018b3c00$6401a8c0@JBPrimary> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0089_01C70C11.B6A6CAB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable What I thought could be Gray Jays turned out to be Townsends Solitaires. = Was able to ID them with a pic I took clearly showing the = characteristic white stripe (under wing) & notched tail. Jason Bolish ------=_NextPart_000_0089_01C70C11.B6A6CAB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

What I thought could be Gray Jays = turned out to be=20 Townsends Solitaires. Was able to ID them with a pic I took = clearly=20 showing the characteristic white stripe (under wing) & notched=20 tail.

Jason Bolish

------=_NextPart_000_0089_01C70C11.B6A6CAB0-- From Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com Tue Nov 21 16:02:20 2006 From: Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com (Alt, Mark) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:02:20 -0600 Subject: [mou] FW: December Waterfowl in MN Message-ID: <53C2BE278DA0704BA0CC0F271E0158CBC1CFD7@dsp65mail.na.bestbuy.com> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70D86.6C7AA9B8 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MOU member Jim Rataczak set this to a birder from out of state who wished to see ducks in the winter. It is such a great source of information, I wanted to share it with the Minnesota Birding community. Thanks, Jim, great job. =20 ________________________________ From: JAMES RATACZAK [mailto:jimrataczak@msn.com]=20 Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 5:58 PM To: jm77@charter.net Cc: Alt, Mark Subject: December Waterfowl in MN =20 Jack, =20 Mallards should be no problem, they are usually around at any Mpls-St. Paul area water that is open in early December. Usually, they're pretty tame in those places, too, and you could probably fill up on great Mallard photos without too much trouble But I suspect you can get Mallards anywhere out in Maryland pretty easily, so I'll try to direct to some places that may hold some opportunities for other species. Most of the wintering ducks here are Mallards and Goldeneyes, but anything is possible. A caveat is that getting close can be tough for non-Mallards at this time of year. One possible tactic would be to find a place that birds are using, and then set up some decoys, maybe do some calling. I enjoy doing this kind of thing, and would be happy to help you depending on our respective schedules. At the very least I can loan you some (Mallard) decoys while you're here. The duck season closes Nov 28th, so hunting will not be an issue for any of these spots. As far as areas where people feed the ducks, I don't have any great recommendations. I know people do it, but the practice has been discouraged lately because the ducks, and esp geese, have become a bit of a nuisance. All in all, the rivers (esp the Mississippi) will be your best choices for non-Mallards. =20 Mpls-St. Paul Metro area:=20 1. Black Dog lake just south of the MSP airport. This is usually a good winter spot for many different birds, but particularly waterfowl and gulls. Depending on what kind, if any, ice formation there is, ducks sometimes hug the shore as they move up and down the river. =20 2. Mississippi River, especially in south St. Paul where Hwy 494 crosses over it. This area is near Pig's Eye Lake and Holman Field, and there are usually Goldeneyes holed up in there throughout the winter.=20 3. Point of France Hotel at France Ave and Crosstown Highway 62. I haven't been here in years, but the pond behind this hotel/condo complex used to be crazy with Mallards, Canada Geese, and the odd interloper. Many folks, myself included, saw a hen Oldsquaw...er Long-tailed Duck there about ten years ago. This is a small pond, and any duck that's using the pond will be easily within range of the camera. People used to feed the ducks here a lot, but I think that practice has been discouraged in recent years.=20 4. Moore Lake, the part in the NE quadrant of the intersection of Hwy 65 and Hwy 694. This little lake has an aerator or something that keeps a portion of it open through the winter, and it's always got ducks (mostly Mallards, but I have seen Buffleheads there, too) on it. Depending on where the ducks are sitting, getting close to them may involve getting a little close to speeding traffic as well. But the east side of the lake has places where you could set up. 45-50 Miles of M-SP: 1. Mississippi River in Monticello, in Wright County NW of MSP. There is a (nuke) power plan there that keeps the water open, and this stretch of the river can be loaded with Trumpeter Swans at this time of year. Other ducks cruise around randomly, too, and the occasional Bald Eagle will wing by. The swans are beautiful, usually pretty tame, and reliably present all winter. Mornings, when the mist is coming up off the water can yield some really dramatic shots of groups of swans. You can sit on the shore, maybe cover up with a bedsheet or whatever camo the conditions dictate, and probably have some good shooting.=20 2. Weaver Bottoms SE of MSP in Wabasha County near town of Weaver, along the MN-Wisconsin border. In November, especially, this place can be loaded with 1000's of Tundra Swans and usually good numbers of Canvasbacks and other ducks. Most of the waterfowl have moved on by early December, but this year has not been particularly cold yet, and so some could linger until you're in town. There are usually lots of eagles around the river along Hwy 61 at this time of year, too. If you go down this way, Lake Pepin in Lake City, along Hwy 61 has lots of places to view, and could offer some chances at various ducks, possibly some rarities. 150 Miles north of M-SP: 1. Canal Park/Duluth Harbor in Duluth. The north shore of Lake Superior is THE place to find cool winter waterfowl. Getting close enough for good photos may be tough, but it just depends on luck and where the ice has formd.=20 2. Grand Marais Harbor in Grand Marais. Further up Hwy 61 from Duluth, along the north shore of L. Superior. Same deal as Duluth, and the drive between these two great towns is well worth the price of admission at any time of year. Check along the lake shore at every place you can poke your nose into on this drive, one never knows what will be in store! There's just some great birding to be had in this region of Minnesota in the winter, and so if you're not limited to ducks, you won't be sorry to choose this area. Some real possibilities for things like Great Gray Owls (which are absurdly photograph-able if you find one), winter finches, and maybe a Black-backed Woodpecker or some Spruce Grouse. This should get you started, and you'll want to pick up a map and, possibly, two very worthwhile books: Kim Eckert's "A Birder's Guide to Minnesota" is loaded with good directions and maps, and Carrol Henderson's "Traveler's Guide to Watching Wildlife in Minnesota" is a good easy-to-use reference. Both of these books have all the spots I listed and will direct you to the places pretty easily. =20 Good luck, and let me know if I can be of any other help. In the meantime, I'll keep my ear to the ground for any reports of birds that may be of help to you. =20 JIM ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70D86.6C7AA9B8 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

MOU member Jim Rataczak set this to a birder from out of state who = wished to see ducks in the winter. It is such a great source of information, I = wanted to share it with the Minnesota Birding community. Thanks, Jim, great = job.

From: JAMES = RATACZAK [mailto:jimrataczak@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, November = 20, 2006 5:58 PM
To: jm77@charter.net
Cc: Alt, Mark
Subject: December = Waterfowl in MN

Jack,

Mallards = should be no problem, they are usually around at any Mpls-St. Paul area water that is = open in early December. Usually, they're pretty tame in those places, = too, and you could probably fill up on great Mallard photos without too much trouble But I suspect you can get Mallards anywhere out in = Maryland pretty easily, so I'll try to direct to some places that may hold some opportunities for other species. Most of the wintering ducks here = are Mallards and Goldeneyes, but anything is possible. A caveat is = that getting close can be tough for non-Mallards at this time of year. = One possible tactic would be to find a place that birds are using, = and then set up some decoys, maybe do some calling. I enjoy doing this kind = of thing, and would be happy to help you depending on our respective = schedules. At the very least I can loan you some (Mallard) decoys while you're = here. The duck season closes Nov 28th, so hunting will not be an issue for any of = these spots. As far as areas where people feed the ducks, I don't have = any great recommendations. I know people do it, but the practice has = been discouraged lately because the ducks, and esp geese, have become a bit = of a nuisance. All in all, the rivers (esp the Mississippi) will be your best = choices for non-Mallards.

Mpls-St. Paul = Metro area:

Black Dog = lake just south of the MSP airport. This is usually a good winter = spot for many different birds, but particularly waterfowl and = gulls. Depending on what kind, if any, ice formation there is, ducks sometimes hug = the shore as they move up and down the river. =
Mississippi = River, especially in south = St. Paul where Hwy 494 crosses over it. This area is near Pig's Eye = Lake and Holman Field, and there are usually Goldeneyes holed up = in there throughout the winter.
Point of France = Hotel at France = Ave and Crosstown Highway 62. I haven't been here in years, but the = pond behind this hotel/condo complex used to be crazy with Mallards, = Canada Geese, and the odd interloper. Many folks, myself included, = saw a hen Oldsquaw...er Long-tailed Duck there about ten years ago. = This is a small pond, and any duck that's using the pond will be easily = within range of the camera. People used to feed the ducks here a = lot, but I think that practice has been discouraged in recent years. =
Moore Lake, the part in the NE quadrant of the intersection of Hwy 65 and Hwy 694. This little lake has an aerator or = something that keeps a portion of it open through the winter, and it's always got = ducks (mostly Mallards, but I have seen Buffleheads there, too) on = it. Depending on where the ducks are sitting, getting close to them may involve getting a little close to speeding traffic as well. = But the east side of the lake has places where you could set = up.

45-50 Miles = of M-SP:

Mississippi River = in Monticello, in Wright County NW of = MSP. There is a (nuke) power plan there that keeps the water open, and = this stretch of the river can be loaded with Trumpeter Swans at this = time of year. Other ducks cruise around randomly, too, and the = occasional Bald Eagle will wing by. The swans are beautiful, usually = pretty tame, and reliably present all winter. Mornings, when the = mist is coming up off the water can yield some really dramatic shots of = groups of swans. You can sit on the shore, maybe cover up with a = bedsheet or whatever camo the conditions dictate, and probably have some good shooting.
Weaver Bottoms = SE of MSP in Wabasha = County near town of Weaver, along the MN-Wisconsin = border. In November, especially, this place can be loaded with 1000's of = Tundra Swans and usually good numbers of Canvasbacks and other = ducks. Most of the waterfowl have moved on by early December, but this year has = not been particularly cold yet, and so some could linger until you're = in town. There are usually lots of eagles around the river along = Hwy 61 at this time of year, too. If you go down this way, Lake = Pepin in Lake City, along Hwy 61 has lots of places to view, and could offer = some chances at various ducks, possibly some = rarities.

150 Miles = north of M-SP:

Canal Park/Duluth Harbor in Duluth. The north shore of Lake = Superior is THE place to find cool winter waterfowl. Getting close enough = for good photos may be tough, but it just depends on luck and where the = ice has formd.
Grand Marais Harbor in Grand Marais. Further up = Hwy 61 from Duluth, along the north = shore of = L. Superior. Same = deal as Duluth, = and the drive between these two great towns is well worth the price of = admission at any time of year. Check along the lake shore at every = place you can poke your nose into on this drive, one never knows what will be = in store! There's just some great birding to be had in this = region of Minnesota in the winter, and so if you're not limited to ducks, you won't be sorry = to choose this area. Some real possibilities for things like = Great Gray Owls (which are absurdly photograph-able if you find one), winter = finches, and maybe a Black-backed Woodpecker or some Spruce = Grouse.

This should = get you started, and you'll want to pick up a map and, possibly, two very = worthwhile books: Kim Eckert's "A Birder's Guide to Minnesota" is loaded with good directions and maps, and Carrol Henderson's "Traveler's Guide to Watching Wildlife in Minnesota" is a good = easy-to-use reference. Both of these books have all the spots I listed and will direct you to = the places pretty easily.

Good luck, = and let me know if I can be of any other help. In the meantime, I'll keep my = ear to the ground for any reports of birds that may be of help to = you.

JIM=

------_=_NextPart_001_01C70D86.6C7AA9B8-- From jbolish@vikingmagazine.com Tue Nov 21 17:59:48 2006 From: jbolish@vikingmagazine.com (Jason Bolish) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:59:48 -0600 Subject: [mou] Carlos Avery Weekend Message-ID: <139A3FFAB1981046853F8E3FD5A5DFFA27C643@mnviking05.vikingmag.com> I also spent some time in Carlos Avery, Sunday Morning. **15 Rough Legged Hawks. 3 outside of refuge & 1 dark morph in a pine = tree on the road that goes by Little Coon Lake. So awesome to see these = birds soaring & hovering in Anoka County! **5 Northern Harriers - all juveniles **4 Bald Eagles - including one curious 3rd year individual **1 Red Tailed Hawk ** (at least) 1 Townsend's Solitaire - I saw 2 gray birds in different = parts of the refuge that kept their distance, the 2nd flew up in the = tree & was flying away as I took a picture - the pic showed the distinct = bright white underwing stripes of the Solitaire. This was not far from = the DM RL hawk, close to Little Coon Lake. Here are some pics of Raptors from Sunday including the Dark Morph RL & = 3rd year Eagle. Also, pics of a bird I couldn't identify, thought it = most similar to a Female Red Winged Blackbird in size & color patterns, = but it's a bit too late for one of those. It was pretty tame, and = constantly flicked it's tail. I'd appreciate any help on that ID! = = = = = =20 http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown1111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown2111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown3111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown4111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown5111906.jpg http://www.bolioshot.com/images/caunknown6111906.jpg Jason Bolish Information Systems Viking Magazine Service Inc (952)885-0922 ext 4137 From PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net Tue Nov 21 19:41:55 2006 From: PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net (Pastor Al Schirmacher) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:41:55 -0600 Subject: [mou] Possible Thayer's Gull, Sherburne CR2 ponds Message-ID: <013e01c70da5$1a7700c0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Had a possible Thayer's Gull (or hybrid) at Princeton Sewage Ponds along Sherburne CR2 moments ago. Characteristics: * Classic dark eye (seen several times under good light) * Light upper chest, darker belly * Significantly taller than Ring-billed around it * Pink legs * However - belly seemed darker than Sibley's second winter gull (but nowhere near as dark or extensive as second winter Herring) - and dark spot on bill was clearly defined, with bit of yellow tip remaining (more like third winter). Do Thayer's and Herring's hybridize? If you happen to stop, it is viewable from the parking lot - but take your time, there are ~350 RB Gulls present. Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties From bluejay@lauraerickson.com Wed Nov 22 00:24:27 2006 From: bluejay@lauraerickson.com (Laura Erickson) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:24:27 -0600 (CST) Subject: [mou] Summer Tanager in Silver Bay In-Reply-To: <00f201c70d90$ee4a58d0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> References: <00f201c70d90$ee4a58d0$0b01a8c0@pastoral> Message-ID: <62440.71.83.47.182.1164155067.squirrel@71.83.47.182> I just got an email from a woman who has a Summer Tanager visiting her feeder. A few birders visiting her place would be fine, but for security, people should email me to get her address. She's not sure how long the bird will remain, of course. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN www.birderblog.com There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson From JulianSellers@msn.com Wed Nov 22 03:43:30 2006 From: JulianSellers@msn.com (Julian Sellers) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:43:30 -0600 Subject: [mou] Geese References: Message-ID: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C70DB6.1622D920 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I have found Cackling Geese at Loon Lake in Waseca the past three years = between 10/19/(06) and 11/26/(04). Numbers have ranged from a few to = dozens. Today, I picked out about 20 from the hundreds of small Canada = Geese there. The only Cackling Geese I have seen in spring migration = were a group of four in the outflow from Lake Elysian (Waseca Cty) on = 3/10/06. Julian ----- Original Message -----=20 From: RBJanssen@aol.com=20 To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20 Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 6:35 PM Subject: [mou] Geese Today I sorted through 1000's of Canada Geese in numerous locations in = Sherburne and Mille Lacs counties. I could not find a single Cackling = Goose in any of these groups. This is most interesting as we are trying = to learn the migratory pattern of Cackling Geese in Minnesota. In = previous weeks and in late October it was relatively easy to find = Cackling Geese in many locations were there were large numbers of Canada = Geese. Is this a possible indication that Cackling Geese are gone from = the state by early to mid-November or was it just a local situation that = I ran into today? Your thoughts, comments and observations on the = migration of Cackling Geese would be most interesting. Bob Janssen ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C70DB6.1622D920 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I have found Cackling Geese = at Loon=20 Lake in Waseca the past three years between 10/19/(06) and=20 11/26/(04). Numbers have ranged from a few to dozens. Today, = I=20 picked out about 20 from the hundreds of small Canada Geese there. = The=20 only Cackling Geese I have seen in spring migration were a group of four = in the=20 outflow from Lake Elysian (Waseca Cty) on 3/10/06.

Julian

----- Original Message -----
From:=20 RBJanssen@aol.com