[mou] Brown County Today

[Brian Smith]

Eleven folks from the New Ulm Birders went on a field trip today around Brown County and had a great time.  We first birded Flandrau State Park and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Some of the birds we saw or heard here were:
Cooper's Hawk; Barred Owl; Fox, Song and Field Sparrows; Wild Turkey, Great Blue Heron & several large flocks of geese flying over that included Canada, Snow & Greater White-fronted. 

After that we traveled to Lake Hanska and saw the highlight of the day which was an adult Golden Eagle.  We first saw it soaring along the southern shoreline of Lake Hanska right off of 230th Ave.  The sun was behind us at the time and we had excellent views of it as it circled.  I couldn't make out the golden nape but the silver/blue primaries and secondaries were evident on both sides of the wings.  The slightly bulging secondaries was evident as well.   At this same location we enjoyed watching several Common Loons diving in Lake Hanska.  One of the loons caught a bullhead and we were amused as it took awhile for it to get it turned around in its bill so it could swallow it.  For the day we had a total of 66 species.  
  
Good birding,

Brian Smith
Sleepy Eye







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