[mou] Red Crossbills, Nicollet County

[rdunlap@gac.edu]

Around 4:00 this afternoon I found a flock of about 15 Red Crossbills  
feeding on cones among the spruce and pine trees on campus here at  
Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. I first saw the flock fly, and  
immediately I heard the "jip jip" calls that I have heard up north. I  
followed the flock to its next stop, and had decent views of the birds  
feeding. I know there have been a few reports of this species south of  
Duluth already, but I don't know if any have been seen south of the  
Twins Cities yet. Pretty cool...can't recall a Red Crossbill invasion  
in southern MN in recent years.

Hmm. With a Bohemian Waxwing yesterday and Red Crossbills today, it's  
beginning to feel a bit like northern Minnesota down here...

Bob Dunlap, Nicollet County