From jclaus13@msn.com Sun Apr 1 03:46:45 2007
From: jclaus13@msn.com (Joel Claus)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 21:46:45 -0500
Subject: [mou] Birding Western Minnesota Today
Message-ID:
Mark Junghans and I headed west today to look for geese despite the rain.
We ended up with 53 species and found decent numbers of geese in Grant and
Traverse counties.
Highlights:
We found Snow and Greater White-fronted geese along Hwy 27 in Grant Cty on
both sides of the town of Herman. We encountered 4 nice flocks in Traverse
county along cty 10 w of 75, and along Hwy 75 between cty rd 10 and the
Wilkin county border.
We found a huge flock of Tundra swans along Hwy 75 just south of Traverse
County 97 that we estimated at 1200 birds plus.
2 Ross's geese mixed in with Snow Geese in Traverse Cty.
Large numbers of Canadas with a sprinkling of Cackling geese around the
Spink WPA on Hwy 54 in Grant County.
White Pelican at Mud Lake
Good numbers of ducks all over Grant and Traverse counties.
From BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM Sun Apr 1 04:31:29 2007
From: BXWilliams@CBBURNET.COM (Williams, Bob)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 22:31:29 -0500
Subject: [mou] Short-eared Owls in Mahnomen County
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I braved the weather on Friday and drove up to Mahnomen County. The =
highlight was a trip to Rush WMA at around 7PM. I got great looks at 3 =
Short-eared Owls. 2 were on the south side of the WMA and one was a =
little north of it. This area is just NE of the town of Mahnomen and is =
shown on my Delorme Map. =20
Bob Williams, Bloomington =20
=20
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=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
I braved the weather on =
Friday and drove up to Mahnomen County. The highlight was a trip =
to Rush WMA at around 7PM. I got great looks at 3 Short-eared =
Owls. 2 were on the south side of the WMA and one was a =
little north of it. This area is just NE of the town of Mahnomen and is =
shown on my Delorme Map.
=0A=
Bob Williams, =
Bloomington
=0A=
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From bgraves@usfamily.net Sun Apr 1 05:14:08 2007
From: bgraves@usfamily.net (bgraves@usfamily.net)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:14:08 -0500
Subject: [mou] Great Blue Heron 3
Message-ID: <000c01c77414$330ebbc0$4c188340@buzz4ujmfx9uxz>
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We all feel if the birds are well fed and their feathers are in good =
shape, they should stand up to this weather just fine. Well Thursday =
afternoon it was cold and raining. Mary and I found our first Heron of =
this year. He just doesn't look all that happy. We watched for a while =
and never even seen him catch a fish. I guess we are all hoping better =
weather. This was near Treasure Island Casino.We saw several eagles, =
northern shovelers, hooded mergansers, common mergansers, wood =
ducks,pelicans, common mergansers and a few shore birds (no identity =
made).
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l52/buzz_graves/Birds/GreatBlueHeron3.j=
pg
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We all feel if the birds are well fed =
and their=20
feathers are in good shape, they should stand up to this weather just =
fine. Well=20
Thursday afternoon it was cold and raining. Mary and I found our first =
Heron of=20
this year. He just doesn't look all that happy. We watched for a while =
and never=20
even seen him catch a fish. I guess we are all hoping better weather. =
This was=20
near Treasure Island Casino.We saw =
several=20
eagles, northern shovelers, hooded mergansers, common mergansers, wood=20
ducks,pelicans, common mergansers and a few shore birds (no identity=20
made).
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From jquinn@technicaltoolproducts.com Sun Apr 1 00:57:31 2007
From: jquinn@technicaltoolproducts.com (John Quinn)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:57:31 -0500
Subject: [mou] Listing Questions
Message-ID: <00a701c773f8$bc36f370$1300000a@ttp.net>
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To all:
As a casual question from a casual birder, and so as not to incite ardent
ABA members, is there an official rule for sighting location listing. I
understand the County Line or State Line bird segregation, i.e. I saw the
Black-legged Kittiwake a couple of years ago in Dakota County, where I was
standing, even as it circled from Hennepin to Dakota and back, but is this a
universal rule that should be applied to ever smaller areas? I don't guess
at bird identification so why should I guess about where I saw them?
Here are my examples:
1. Today I was birding around Theodore Wirth Lake. As I left my house
and was walking down the driveway a flock of about 35 Tundra Swans flew by
north of me over Theodore Wirth Park. Does this count as a yard bird or as
Theodore Wirth Park bird or none of the above since they were certainly not
from here nor planning to stay.
2. Along the same thought process; warblers frequent the tree line
between my home and Theodore Wirth Park. I would like to count them as
Theodore Wirth birds for political reasons, preservation of natural spaces
being the motivator, but technically they are outside the park. The same
with the GHO's that are nesting outside the park but certainly would not be
there if it weren't for the natural space.
3. If I am birding in a specific area, say Rothsay NWR, and a Prairie
Falcon flies by do I count it as a Rothsay NWR bird or no? Sometimes I can't
calculate the exact boundaries or do linear calculations as to latitude and
longitude while tripping over my scope? What is the realm of certainty one
should strive for when listing.
4. What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow? OK this is the
only non-serious question.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
John Quinn
Technical Tool Products, Inc.
7600 W 27th Street
Suite B11
St. Louis Park MN 55427
Office: 952-974-3042
Mobile: 612-518-0663
Website:
www.technicaltoolproducts.com
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To all:
As a casual question from a casual birder, and so as =
not to
incite ardent ABA
members, is there an official rule for sighting location listing. I =
understand
the County Line or State Line bird segregation, i.e. I saw the =
Black-legged
Kittiwake a couple of years ago in Dakota County, where I was standing, =
even as
it circled from Hennepin to Dakota and back, but is this a universal =
rule that
should be applied to ever smaller areas? I don’t guess at bird
identification so why should I guess about where I saw them? =
Here are my examples:
- Today I was birding =
around Theodore =
Wirth Lake.
As I left my house and was walking down the driveway a flock of =
about 35
Tundra Swans flew by north of me over Theodore Wirth Park. Does =
this count
as a yard bird or as Theodore
Wirth Park
bird or none of the above since they were certainly not from here =
nor
planning to stay.
- Along the same thought =
process;
warblers frequent the tree line between my home and Theodore Wirth
Park. I =
would like
to count them as Theodore Wirth birds for political reasons, =
preservation
of natural spaces being the motivator, but technically they are =
outside
the park. The same with the GHO’s that are nesting outside =
the park
but certainly would not be there if it weren’t for the =
natural
space.
- If I am birding in a =
specific area,
say Rothsay NWR, and a Prairie Falcon flies by do I count it as a =
Rothsay
NWR bird or no? Sometimes I can’t calculate the exact =
boundaries or do
linear calculations as to latitude and longitude while tripping =
over my
scope? What is the realm of certainty one should strive for when =
listing.
- What is the air speed =
velocity
of an unladen swallow? OK this is the only non-serious =
question.
Thanks in advance for your comments. =
John Quinn
Technical Tool Products, =
Inc.
7600 W =
27th
Street
Suite =
B11
St. =
Louis Park MN 55427=
p>
Office: 952-974-3042
Mobile:
612-518-0663
Website: www.technicaltoolproducts.co=
m
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From jquinn@technicaltoolproducts.com Sun Apr 1 00:57:31 2007
From: jquinn@technicaltoolproducts.com (John Quinn)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:57:31 -0500
Subject: [mou] Hennepin Cty, Theodore Wirth Park and Lake
In-Reply-To: <4603FE3A.24323.3CF50B9@localhost>
References: <4603FE3A.24323.3CF50B9@localhost>
Message-ID: <00ac01c773f8$bc7757d0$1300000a@ttp.net>
Birded around Theo Wirth Lake today at about 10:00 am.
Found the following around the lake:
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Pileated Woodpecker - Carving out a football sized hole in one of the pines.
Possible nest hole?
On the lake:
Common Loon (1)
Pied Billed Grebe (2)
Lesser Scaup (~7-10) Out in the middle of the lake. Flew up and around then
southwest.
Possible Red-necked or Horned Grebe - Not a positive I.D. I caught a glimpse
of the bird across the lake and chased him all around the lake. It would
surface with just the head above water then slip back under. I must have
spent 45 minutes trying - no scope with me today - but never got a good
view. Will go early AM tomorrow to try again with a scope.
John Quinn
Technical Tool Products, Inc.
7600 W 27th Street
Suite B11
St. Louis Park MN 55427
Office: 952-974-3042
Mobile: 612-518-0663
Website: www.technicaltoolproducts.com
From a_molson@unidial.com Sun Apr 1 15:32:03 2007
From: a_molson@unidial.com (Ann and Manley Olson)
Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2007 09:32:03 -0500
Subject: [mou] Jean McIntosh
Message-ID: <460FC263.1040900@unidial.com>
Jean McIntosh,long-time MOU member died Jan 16. Memorial service on
April 4. Obit in April 1 Star-Tribune. Jean was employed in the Botany
dept at the U of Minnesota and was active in the Minnesota Bird Club
which met at the Bell Museum.
Manley Olson
From connellyka@earthlink.net Sun Apr 1 17:03:33 2007
From: connellyka@earthlink.net (Kathleen Connelly)
Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2007 11:03:33 -0500
Subject: [mou] Am. Goldfinches at Eloise Butler
Message-ID:
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American goldfinches seen at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird
Sanctuary Sunday morning. Hordes of other birds as well, but I am lousy at
bird song IDs and the lighting was poor at 8am.
Kathy Connelly
Golden Valley
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Am. Goldfinches at Eloise Butler
American goldfi=
nches seen at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary Sunday morn=
ing. Hordes of other birds as well, but I am lousy at bird song IDs an=
d the lighting was poor at 8am.
Kathy Connelly
Golden Valley
--B_3258270215_107448--
From krvail@myclearwave.net Sun Apr 1 16:20:19 2007
From: krvail@myclearwave.net (Ken or Rebecca Vail)
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 10:20:19 -0500
Subject: [mou] Trumpeter/Tundra- Steele Co.
Message-ID: <7C9EA79E9F6B46D08C71686C94CC58CA@KenVailPC>
Life was sweet when you saw a flock of swans and you could default them as
Tundra (or Whistling). The reintroduction of Trumpeters in our area has
complicated matters, albeit more fun.
A friend alerted me to the presence of 12 swans Saturday. He ID'd them as
Tundra based on two that he scoped. I stopped there a couple hours later
and thought they were Trumpeters. I then checked the others and determined
both species were present. I called my friend back and reported my
findings. He stopped later; scoped each one and determined 8 Trumpeters and
4 Tundra Swans.
I'm wondering how often mixed flocks of swans have been encountered by
others.
Their location: southern Steele Co.; MN Hwy 30 east of I-35, one mile east
of CR 45, then north on SE 14th Ave (gravel) 3/4 mile in a WPA area on the
west side of the road.
Ken Vail
Blooming Prairie
From JELLISBIRD@aol.com Sun Apr 1 23:35:07 2007
From: JELLISBIRD@aol.com (JELLISBIRD@aol.com)
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 18:35:07 EDT
Subject: [mou] Odd & Sundry birds (Sharptails, Bonaparte's, GYLegs, Snows & Ross's)
Message-ID:
Ten SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were singing and dancing on the lek E side of
Kestral Avenue .4 Miles S. of Tamarack MN, on Saturday Am 6:45 to when I left at
7:30.
TUNDRA SWANS, one SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, a RUFFED GROUSE, 2 ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWKS, a MERLIN, SANDHILLS and several B. Eagles were at Rice Lake NWR on Sat.
AM.
As others noted, Many SNOW GEESE (white and blue) and many ROSS'S GEESE
were at Traverse County (Try county 9 NW of Wheaton from 4:30 PM on til
Sunset.) Studied a smallish juvenile plumaged BLUE GOOSE with a whitish eye-ring and
head highlights for a long time. Oh well. Also many GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE were mixed in.
Douglas County had COMMON LOONS in three places, singing EASTERN and
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, most duck species and lots of rain and snow today (Sunday).
The Albany sewage ponds had many ducks but more interesting was ONE Very
Carefully Studied and Identified BONAPARTE'S GULL out eating on the last
shards of green ice with a GREATER YELLOW-LEGS.
Had a run-in with a White-tailed deer on Saturday on the way from Duluth
to Tamarack. The wages of early morning birding. The car is drivable but the
deer died.
John Ellis-St. Paul
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