[mou] Odd & Sundry birds (Sharptails, Bonaparte's, GYLegs, Snows & Ross's)

[JELLISBIRD@aol.com]

    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<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> 
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