[mou] Four Day MN tour

[Mike Hendrickson]

MOU:

This is nonsense that I am "shouting" or have an "ax to grind"  This is also 
nonsense that this type of email has anything to do with some people not 
sharing their sightings  to the listserv.  If people do not want to share 
their sightings to this listserv or any other listserv that is their choice 
to do so.  I guided many people from other states that do not share their 
sightings to their own state listservs because they do not have the time or 
because they rather call their friends about their sightings. Many of 
birders I guided to not even belong to any listservs.  I still do not 
understand Al's poll nor what his intentions of the results of poll will be 
used for.

I read Terry Brashear's email and I agree with him. I talked to others about 
this in the past. I also many times have snipped these sightings and shared 
them with hot line editors and MOURC members to let them know these type of 
birds are being seen or reported in Minnesota.  For example I just got hired 
in 2006 to lead bird trips in Colorado and during that time I been studying 
the ranges of the birds of Colorado to figure out what birds are considered 
out of range or just plain rare in the state, so I can report them if I do 
see any birds that might be considered rare.  So if you are new to 
Minnesota, buy Kim Eckert's book, buy Bob Janssen's book and subscribe to 
the MOU and learn about birds in Minnesota.  Al S. has lived in Minnesota 
for 4-5 years and I thought he would know now that Eared Grebes or Western 
Grebes on Lake Superior is rare since he used to live in Wisconsin.

I agree Terry's comments were suggestions not regulations and again Al's 
email was a perfect example about how certain birds are buried in postings. 
I am not enforcing a regulation nor flaming Al's posting!!  I deliberately 
emailed Al and the MOU to SHARE (shouting) my thoughts and back up Terry's 
suggestions, because this sort of stuff has been going on for sometime and 
it needs to be addressed publicly. Back in the day we were asked to add 
"ALERT" as part of the subject line to announce a "rare" bird and that is 
not being used anymore on this listserv. I wonder why that is?

I do carry a lot of birders cell phone numbers and home phone numbers on my 
cell phone. I also keep a MOU directory in my suv. That is just me. All I 
did was used the MOU directory and added names and phone numbers. Birders in 
Minnesota are not going to bothered or annoyed you called them about a rare 
bird. If you are not sure if it's rare than email this listserv and ask. 
Many of us would be very happy to share our knowledge of birds in Minnesota.


Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Lake Superior Boat Trips
http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pastor Al Schirmacher" <pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net>
To: "Mike Hendrickson" <smithville4 at charter.net>; <mou-net at cbs.umn.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 12:03 PM
Subject: Re: [mou] Four Day MN tour


> Mike & MOU,
>
> Black-throated Blue Warbler was singing at the southern entrance to Stoney 
> Point on Thursday.  Kentucky Warbler was on the right hand trail of 
> Williams near the open area after the dense oaks - just as Craig Mandel 
> had previously posted.  The Eared Grebes and Western were behind the 
> boathouse (or whatever it exactly is) on the lake side on Thursday (this 
> was my first spring Duluth visit, and I was unaware of how unusual the 
> Eared & Western were - have seen Western in Superior before in September). 
> Ferruginous Hawk was on the southernmost road of Big Stone Refuge on 
> Wednesday, I don't have specific directions (not being intimately familiar 
> with the area) - this was actually it's second sighting in the area in 
> three days.  The Clark's Grebe was in its typical area on Thielke Lake 
> Wednesday.
>
> While appreciating the feedback, this post should have been privately sent 
> rather than to MOU as a whole.  Terry's excellent points were suggestions, 
> not regulations - and flexibility is allowed in one's posting style.  I 
> was away from my work system until this morning, so this was posted at my 
> earliest normal opportunity.  I do not carry a lot of birders' numbers on 
> my cell phone, but would if someone wants to hear about area sightings.  I 
> would not presume to call someone that I'm not in regular contact with 
> about birds.  In addition, capitalizing on emails is considered 
> "shouting" - effective once or twice, ignored if done too often (IMHO).
>
> Let's be careful with our posts - using someone's sharing to "grind an 
> axe" doesn't generally lead to positive results - frankly has already led 
> to polarizing emails from others.  This became evident on last week's 
> unoffical survey - there are a number of people who do not post anymore 
> because they have felt attacked.
>
> However, I will continue to post - and if some of the suggestions become 
> rules, will be happy to follow them.
>
> Good birding to all!
>
> Al Schirmacher
> Princeton, MN
> Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Hendrickson" <smithville4 at charter.net>
> To: "MOU-Net" <mou-net at cbs.umn.edu>
> Cc: "Pastor Al" <PastorAl at PrincetonFreeChurch.net>
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 12:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [mou] Four Day MN tour
>
>
>> Terry Brashear made a good point on his posting about rarities being 
>> buried in postings and this is a good example.
>>
>> *BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER is a tough bird to find migrating along the 
>> northshore of Duluth and it should of been highlighted in this posting by 
>> Al.
>> *KENTUCKY WARBLER should of been highlighted even though it has nested in 
>> Williams Nature Center but other listserv subscribers would probably like 
>> to know about recent sightings and also direction on where the bird was 
>> found singing.
>> *TWO EARED GREBES & WESTERN GREBE along Park Pt!!  That is a incredible 
>> sighting and I would of love to see these birds plus a Western Grebe! 
>> Also I am sure the birdathon folks would of liked to know about these 
>> sightings and also resident birders in Duluth.
>> *A FURRUGINOUS HAWK at Big Stone Refuge. WHERE exactly was the bird and 
>> what was the date? This is a casual raptor that even I have yet to see in 
>> Minnesota. I am sure birders from all over Minnesota would of like to 
>> know of this raptor rather seeing it listed days ago in this posting.
>> *CLARK'S GREBE should of been highlighted.
>>
>> I been following Craig Mandel's example by telling readers where I birded 
>> and then highlighted at the TOP of posting the rare/casual sightings, 
>> followed by locations/directions.  For example where on Park Pt. did you 
>> see these grebes? Park Pt. is several miles long! There are several 
>> places to bird along here and where were these birds? On the lake? In the 
>> bay? Where was the Black-throated Blue Warbler found in Stoney Pt? Near 
>> the stone wall? Near the old cabins?
>>
>> Also birders should be contacting local birders when they find something 
>> good in their county or city.  I would never spot a curve-billed thrasher 
>> at Wood Lake then report on the listserv when I got home.  I call Tony 
>> Hertzel, Denny Martin and others to spread the word. I would call Jeanne 
>> Joppru if I was in NW Minnesota, I would call John Hockema or Dedrick 
>> Benz if I was in SE Minn., I always call Jim Lind, Kim Eckert and Peder 
>> S. when I spot something good in Duluth or in NE Minnesota.  There is 
>> always someone to call and I notice this isn't happening very much and 
>> birders are not reporting these type of birds till they get back home.
>>
>> Take time to understand the range of birds and if you are not sure if 
>> it's rare or not, call someone and use the MOU directory and spread the 
>> word.
>>
>> Michael Hendrickson
>> Duluth, Minnesota
>> Lake Superior Boat Trips
>> http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Pastor Al Schirmacher" <pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net>
>> To: <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>; <mou-net at moumn.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:24 AM
>> Subject: [mou] Four Day MN tour
>>
>>
>>> Took four vacation days to target needed birds and enjoy different 
>>> environs in Minnesota, traveled Wednesday through Saturday (latter on 
>>> the MOU trip). 181 species seen and heard, including 29 year and five 
>>> state birds. Highlights included:
>>>
>>> * 24 warbler species.  Highlights were Kentucky (Williams Nature 
>>> Center), Black-throated Blue (Wood Lake & Stoney Point, north of 
>>> Duluth), Louisiana Waterthrush (Minneopa), four Hooded and three 
>>> Cerulean (Murphy Hanrahan). Also interesting were the misses: 
>>> Orange-crowned, Northern Waterthrush, Connecticut, Bay-breasted and 
>>> Blackpoll (latter three have not been personally seen or heard all 
>>> spring).
>>>
>>> * 23 shorebird species.  Enjoyed 13 Hudsonian Godwits, 4-6 Marbled 
>>> Godwits and 12 American Avocets in Lac Qui Parle, Big Stone and 
>>> adjoining counties; Ruddy Turnstones (Purgatory Creek & Mille Lacs Lake) 
>>> and Sanderlings (also lakefront), Red-necked & Wilson's Phalaropes (Lac 
>>> Qui Parle).  Missed Solitary Sandpiper all week; had no shorebirds in 
>>> Duluth, Two Harbors and along 61.
>>>
>>> * 15 waterfowl, nothing unusual.
>>>
>>> * Five grebes - thought the mix of two Eared, one Western and one 
>>> Red-necked was unique on Park Point.  Nice but distant looks at the 
>>> Clark's on Thielke (Big Stone).
>>>
>>> * Nine hawks - far & away the highlight was the Ferruginous in Big Stone 
>>> Refuge.
>>>
>>> * Eight flycatchers, only the Olive-sided (Sherburne NWR) was of 
>>> interest. Missed Western Kingbird in Lac Qui Parle & Big Stone, Acadian 
>>> in Murphy Hanrahan.
>>>
>>> * Four vireos, including Philadelphia at Murphy.
>>>
>>> * 12 sparrows, including Lark at Sherburne NWR.
>>>
>>> * 10 blackbirds - the Bobolinks, Yellow-headed and Western Meadowlarks 
>>> are incredibly numerous in Lac Qui Parle and Big Stone.
>>>
>>> * Probable Neotropic Cormorant at Diamond Lake.  Not questioning the 
>>> posting, rather, my own abilities to discern.
>>>
>>> Happy to share locations on any specific birds or species.  However, 
>>> Bill Unzen may be a better source for the western portion of the trip. 
>>> Thanks to Mark Junghans, Bill Unzen, Nathan and all those who helped or 
>>> accompanied.
>>>
>>> Back to "reality".
>>>
>>> Al Schirmacher
>>> Princeton, MN
>>> Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
>>>
>>
>>
>