Re: [mou-net] Red-bellied Woodpecker with rodent, Hennepin County

Interesting question about the drought, Linda... It made me think about a Flicker I saw back in a bad drought year who pecked a small garter snake to death, and then flew off with it into a grove. Later that same winter I saw Downy Woodpeckers and Chickadees picking scraps from the ribs of a froze

[mou-net] Ortonville Area CBC, Sat. Dec. 17

town in Ortonville right now, and I’ve had a few Purple Finches at my feeders in the past few weeks. If you’re interested in participating, or if you know anyone who is, please forward this to them, and/or let us know! You can email either myself or Brandon: Jason Frank jmfran...@gmail.com

[mou-net] 45th Salt Lake Birding Weekend, April 28-29

appreciated, to help us with the planning. To register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f48a9ac2fa5ffce9-salt#/ Any questions can be sent to Jason Frank, event coordinator, at jmfran...@gmail.com. Lodging information, an area map, and the latest event details can be found online

[mou-net] RV/Camping Options for Salt Lake Weekend

camping with a dropbox for payment. Along the Whetstone River at the foot of Big Stone Lake. Happy birding, Jason Frank Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions

week. -Jason Frank General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Update #2

own to typical levels. Marsh Lake remains high, but is drawing in lots of waterfowl. Friday is expected to be cool, cloudy and windy, while Saturday is forecast to stay cool (high of 50) with partly sunny conditions and light to moderate winds for most of the day. Jason Frank General infor

[mou-net] The Great Lac qui Parle Ibis Irruption of 2023

one place, and has proved to be one of our highlights for the Salt Lake count this year. I'll post more observations and a final tally on Monday. Jason Frank General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-n

[mou-net] 45th Salt Lake Birding Weekend - 139 Species!

state. Shorebird migration has just begun to pick up steam, so I’d expect the area to remain productive in the days to come. -Jason Frank, Ortonville MN *SALT LAKE BIRDING WEEKEND, APRIL 28-30, 2023, Total 139* Snow Goose Ross’s Goose Greater White-fronted Goose Canada Goose Trumpeter

[mou-net] Ortonville CBC, Saturday Dec 16

#x27;re interested in participating, contact either myself or co-leader of the count, Brandon Semel, at either of the addresses below: jmfran...@gmail.com brandon_se...@fws.gov We will divide the circle before the count and keep in touch with interested parties via email. Happy Holidays and Go

[mou-net] Long-eared Owl, Big Stone NWR (hiking trail)

mething more interesting flies through, Jason Frank Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Salt Lake Birding Weekend, April 27, 2024

browser; the KML file can be downloaded to view offline). Any questions can be sent to Jason Frank, event coordinator, at jmfran...@gmail.com. NEW INFORMATION FOR 2024: -Please note that we are starting the Saturday evening supper half an hour earlier, at 7:00 PM instead of 7:30 PM. -For

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area ADA Accessible Sites

rained. LARGE INTERACTIVE REFUGE MAP: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big-stone/map Hope this helps, Jason Frank Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the

Re: [mou-net] Be on the lookout

reports nearly every day through Migration Season, and they are two of the area’s best birders. I’ll be posting regular updates on migratory and nesting species, road and habitat conditions, and noteworthy numbers or concentrations of birds here on MOU-net. Jason Frank Ortonville On Fri

Re: [mou-net] Sandhill Cranes, Rachel Lilly Preserve, Dakota C

I just heard a lone Sandhill Crane call from a very high altitude over Ortonville, around 10:00 this morning. Jason Frank On Sun, Mar 3, 2024 at 9:46 AM linda whyte < 004e7b0e779a-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > Currently feeding in NE corner of the lake, and seen from the do

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions, Migrant Arrivals, March 5

this year. The forecast is calling for warm temps and south winds again by the weekend, so I'd expect another big wave of movement. Jason Frank Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mo

Re: [mou-net] Barred Owl behavior this morning

stuff right now; a first-year bird who's still on the fence about whom to pair up with. Jason Frank Ortonville On Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 7:43 AM Kyle Te Poel wrote: > This morning I saw two Barred Owls on the ground. From a distance of a few > hundred feet, even with binoculars, I co

[mou-net] Massive Snow Goose Movement May Be Underway

Yesterday morning at Salt Lake in Lac qui Parle County, I estimated up to 10,000 Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese gathered together in a mixed flock. This morning around 10:30 AM, I drove around the lake twice, and estimated 30,000 mixed Snows and White-fronted, with Snows being a bit mo

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions Report

or cash can be sent to Bernice at the following address: Bernice Oellien 2570 280th St Madison MN 56256 oel...@farmerstel.net (507) 829-0676 Full info for the Salt Lake Birding Weekend can be found here: https://moumn.org/saltlake/ Jason Frank Ortonville MN General information and guideli

[mou-net] Husdonian Godwit, Dunlin in Big Stone Co.

ny town of Barry. Jason Frank Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Garganey at Long Lake WPA, Cottonwood Co.

w to find the bird, where to view, where to park, etc. Coordinates I've been given are: 43.9635603, -95.3770522 If anyone who uses Facebook notices that there are sustained sightings of this bird leading up to the weekend, please keep me informed via email! Thanks, Jason Frank Ortonville

Re: [mou-net] Garganey at Long Lake WPA, Cottonwood Co.

; of this bird leading up to the weekend, please keep me informed via > email! > > Thanks, > > Jason Frank > Ortonville General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.

[mou-net] Salt Lake Viewing Platform

t corner of the lake from the roadside. Thank you! Jason Frank Salt Lake Birding Weekend Coordinator Ortonville, MN General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages y

[mou-net] Salt Lake Weekend 2024 - Final Tally - 130 species

Lodge for hosting and feeding us. Jason Frank Ortonville MN General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and

[mou-net] Little Blue Heron at Salt Lake

report.html?id=WMA0091101 Also note: the easiest approach to this location would be from the south, taking the border road (111th) north from Hwy 212. The roads around the NW corner of Salt Lake could be difficult for low-riding 2-wheel drive vehicles right now. Jason Frank Ortonville MN ---

Re: [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population

uld spread to hummers if their feeders are in close proximity to seed and suet feeders. All those storms and heavy rain during nesting season probably didn't help, either. Jason Frank On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 8:36 PM Nancy Steinhauser wrote: > Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go d

Re: [mou-net] Dickcissel Irruption

, and Prairie Marsh Farm in Lac qui Parle Co. Jason Frank Lac qui Parle On 6/17/17, Steve Wilson wrote: > Are others seeing evidence of a major dickcissel irruption into NE MN this > summer? I just returned from a mined area 8 miles north of Hoyt Lakes, now a > restored grassland, and los

Re: [mou-net] Lack of Birds at Bird Feeders

the country, I'm wondering if this summer's slash-and-burn pesticide offensive may have something to do with it. Circumstantially, the timing works out: peak wild fruit time, and also about the time when Goldfinches are nesting and eating wild thistle seeds. Jason Frank Lac qui Parle

Re: [mou-net] Tufted Duck (Goodhue Co.)

prove it's mine. I'd imagine pretty much every hobbyist would feel the same way. If anyone is keeping a Tufted Duck, they're keeping it as a pet. Farmers hurt their animals. Pet-owners do not. I'd lay 95% odds its a wild Tufted Duck. Jason Frank Lac qui Parle On 1/7/18, Alyssa De

Re: [mou-net] Evening Grosbeak in Chippewa County

I realized this morning that I forgot to include the Evening Grosbeak in my report on the CBCs back in December! My sincerest apologies!!! Jason Frank On 2/28/18, Herb Dingmann wrote: > Ron Erpelding just called me and confirmed that there is an Evening Grosbeak > at the Lac Qui Parle

Re: [mou-net] Three-toed Woodpecker Country Western Song?

He has my sympathy. Well, I got three-toed woodpecker sawdust in my eye. I got yellow-bellied sapsucker sap stuck in my ear. If ya think that's bad, well lemme tell ya somethin' on the sly: I got double-crested cormorant fish poop in my beer. On 3/3/18, Steve Wilson wrote: > Yesterday I and tw

Re: [mou-net] Explosion of redpolls

Here on the border in Gary SD, we have had anywhere from 50 to 100+ daily now since the last week in January. I'm going through 40 pounds of seed in 3 weeks- bankrupted by Redpolls! They are still in the area as of this morning- I see flocks of the same size in WMAs feeding on weed and forb seeds a

[mou-net] Killdeer - Yellow Medicine County

Spotted one at Mound Spring SNA just a few minutes ago. And a foot of snow is expected here by Saturday. -- Jason M. Frank Founder and Vice President, Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/ "The Universe does not have laws. It has habits. And habits can be

[mou-net] Sharp Tailed Grouse - Yellow Med Co - Mound Spring Prairie

At 4:30 this afternoon, I spotted 5 Sharp-Tailed Grouse in a stubble field on the west side of Yellow Medicine County Rd 15, rough estimate of 200 yards south of 250th St, one of the east-west minimum maintenance roads that cut through Mound Spring Prairie SNA/WMA. The birds were on fenced-in priv

[mou-net] Salt Lake Weekend: 13 Day Forecast

Verdict: Post-Apocalyptic Mordor Tundra Hellscape. Recommended Gear: Snowshoes, Lifejacket, Waders, Wool. Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties have been hit hard. Snow-depths of 16-20 inches are being reported around the birding zone, with higher amounts to the south. Drifts are ranging from

[mou-net] Semipalmated Plovers - Yellow Medicine Co

5 Semipalmated Plovers just showed up in a flooded field along Yellow Medicine County Road 4, between the intersection with CR 15 and the Gary SD city limits. There are quite a few flocks of Pelicans passing overhead as well. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs are also present in flooded fields, and B

[mou-net] Sharp Tailed Grouse - Back on the Lek - Mound Spiring SNA

Just a few minutes ago while driving through Mound Spring SNA along 240th Ave in Yellow Medicine County, 3 female Sharp Tailed Grouse flushed from the ditch- at which point I noticed 2 males having a dance-off on the lek. This is the southernmost (and hilliest) portion of the SNA, coordinates here:

[mou-net] Salt Lake Preview - Conditions + EVENING GROSBEAK!!

Setting out early this morning, the major lakes and sloughs are still mostly covered in ice. Edges tend to be open, but due to the recent snows, there are no mudflats for shorebirds. As was anticipated, the best sites will be flooded fields. And there are plenty. Snow is pretty much gone. Montevid

[mou-net] Marsh Hawk vs. Yellowlegs - First-o'-Life Observation

3 miles south of Madison MN this afternoon, at 5:43PM, along Hwy 75 (due west of the spooky dead elm swamp) a female Marsh Hawk* crossed the road in front of me, as fast and furious as any falcon, and snatched a Lesser Yellowleg from the edge of a flooded field. Never seen that before! *It was a h

[mou-net] Upland Sandpiper, Kingbirds, Purple Martins, Chimney Swifts

Chimney Swifts have returned to Canby, as of this afternoon! I found a lone Upland Sandpiper at Mound Spring SNA this afternoon. There were 3 more over the border in SoDak, around the Nature Conservancy fens between Gary and Clear Lake. Western and Eastern Kingbirds have also returned, along with

[mou-net] Unbelievable: Bobolinks and Redpolls at the Same Time

So, the Bobolinks just showed up around Mound Spring SNA/WMA. Birds have a fascinating historical association with auguries and omens, and I imagine a lot of you may have been thinking lately that "Reality" seems a bit... um, well... broken, what with Trump being president, kids eating laundry det

[mou-net] Cinnamon Teal, RH WPs in Lac qui Parle County

There's a male Cinnamon Teal in a flooded field right now just east of Sweetwater WMA (north side of the road) along County Road 12 in Lac qui Parle County. There was a lone Common Loon on Sweetwater yesterday. The Red-Headed Woodpeckers have returned to their nest sites around Florida Creek WMA,

[mou-net] Yellow Medicine Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird reported by Gregory Jahner III via eBird is still present, and was singing this afternoon around 3:00, along 250th Ave (aka 33) which is one of the gravel roads that cuts through the Mound Spring SNA/WMA complex. Map/Coordinates here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/44%

[mou-net] Mound Spring SNA Sharp Tailed Grouse Update

I'm happy to report that at least one of the Sharp-Tailed Grouse that bred and nested at Mound Spring SNA is Yellow Medicine County has successfully hatched a brood. They crossed the road as I was driving by at 11:30 this morning. There are also quite a few Hungarian Partridges there this year, th

[mou-net] Blue Grosbeaks - Big Stone

Blue Grosbeaks have returned to Big Stone NWR. Look/listen for them in the parking lot near the train tracks/entry to the auto tour, and the rocky field where they're grazing the goats. -- Jason M. Frank Founder and Vice President, Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) jmfran...@gmail.com >From th

[mou-net] MOU Field Trip - Lac qui Parle & Big Stone - Sat. Sept 1

Greetings Friends, On Saturday, September 1, I'll be leading a free MOU Field Trip in Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, and Chippewa Counties. This will be our first organized shorebird excursion covering the Salt Lake route during the fall season. Right now, I'm planning to meet and assemble into a cara

[mou-net] Sept 1 Western MN Field Trip Results

Here are the results from our September 1 Western Minnesota MOU Field Trip, focusing primarily on Lone Tree Lake just outside of Cottonwood, and Swedes Forest SNA near the Yellow Medicine/Redwood County lines. High water and lack of shoreline in Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Counties forced me to res

[mou-net] Big Stone Co. Merlin, Pileated WP, Barred Owl, & More

Egret in the backwater on the west side of the Milan Bridge, Hwy 40, in Lac qui Parle County. -- Jason Frank Ortonville, MN. Founder and Vice President, Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) https://turnstonecreations.smugmug.com/ Sent from my invisible blue Homing Pigeon Join or Leave mou

[mou-net] FOS Juncos, Big Stone/Lac qui Parle

3 Spotted Sandpipers lingering in Big Stone NWR, along the river in the NW corner of the refuge, seen from the bridge at the end of the trail that starts in the parking lot where hunting is allowed. Also had 3 Wilson's Snipe, a pair of Great Egrets, an Osprey, and a Kingfisher back there.

[mou-net] Klages WMA Drawdown - Species List 10/10

Had an Eagle fly by, with a good 3 feet of intestine dangling from its talons. That spooked the shorebirds. Then it started to snow. Will check again tomorrow afternoon, and post if there's a noteworthy update. -- Jason Frank Ortonville, MN Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/c

[mou-net] Surf Scoter, Big Stone Lake

after noon) would be from the playground/beach in Big Stone City, just across the lake on the SoDak side. -- Jason Frank Ortonville, MN Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html

[mou-net] Seeking Info on Vole Cycle, Winter Owl Potential

with a Nino winter ahead of us, so it seems reasonable to expect they might take their time getting here. I'm curious because it might be fun to do a western MN/borderland winter owl field trip. Thanks, -- Jason Frank Ortonville, MN Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin

Re: [mou-net] Northern Raven/Number Winter Robins

It would be interesting to compare the data of outstate CBCs as well. I haven't lived in Minneapolis during winter since 1997, and it seemed noteworthy to me to see large numbers of robins in the winter. A few years ago I visited Minnehaha Falls around Christmas and couldn't believe how many there

[mou-net] Waubay NWR CDC - Dec 18

I'll be doing the CBC at Waubay National Wildlife Refuge in Waubay, SD, on Tuesday, December 18, morning meetup 7:45 at the Refuge Headquarters. This is about 45 miles west of Ortonville. I've never done the Christmas Count there before, but I have birded the area during the summer and it's a beaut

[mou-net] Red Headed Woodpeckers Still Around, Lac qui Parle Co

Ortonville is getting the worst of it right now, and I'm looking at a pair of Flickers eating hackberries in the front yard. Around 20 Purple Finches are holding tight around the feeders this afternoon. I still have a male Sharp-Shinned Hawk who takes a few Juncos in the yard every day. Both Barred

[mou-net] Screech Owl

This morning just before dawn I awoke to the sound of an Eastern Screech Owl trilling in a locust tree just 20 feet from my window. I haven't heard one calling in the spring since 2009. It's a bold move, as there is also a pair of Barred Owls nesting in Ortonville's Central Park, barely 200 yards a

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Conditions, New Arrivals

Flooding is set to peak in Big Stone, Lac qui Parle, and Chippewa Counties. Most of Big Stone Lake still has up to 12 inches of ice, so there will be more melting to come. Hwy 12 is covered with water at the CR 21 intersection 6 miles east of Ortonville. Travel will be highly restricted in centra

[mou-net] Yellow-Headed Blackbirds Visiting Feeders

This morning a flock of around 100 blackbirds (mostly Grackles) descended on the feeders, clearing the platforms of sunflower seeds and emptying the suet cages. Among them were 2 pairs of Yellow-Headed Blackbirds, marking the first time I've ever seen that species come to a feeding station. I had

[mou-net] Thick Billed (CA Fox Sparrow), Olive-Sided Flycatcher

On Thursday morning while walking the ravine in Central Park (Ortonville) I got a good look through binoculars of an Olive-Sided Flycatcher. Later in the afternoon, it made an appearance in my yard but I haven't seen it since. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I noticed a large, mostly grayish,

[mou-net] Do You Have Hair? Do You Brush It? Donate It To The Birds!

My Mother has this thing that she does: she saves the head-hair which she (gradually) loses as she brushes it, and hangs it out on limbs around the feeders for nesting birds to glean. Last year, she had a Chipping Sparrow construct a nest entirely out of her own hair. Today, she hung a clump of i

[mou-net] correction... ROSE-BREASTED Grosbeaks... Ortonville

E-Gad!... Grosbeaks, evening sighting reports... I meant Rose-Breasted! -- Jason M. Frank Ortonville Public Library Founder & Vice President Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) Big Stone County, Minnesota Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http:/

[mou-net] FOY Upland Sandpiper - Perry WMA, LqP Co

At 6:00 this evening, I found an Upland Sandpiper in a wet ditch on the west side of LqP CR 13 (also marked 171st St), about 100 yards south of its intersection with CR 28, aka 300th Ave. That's a quarter-mile south of Perry WMA, 2 miles SW of Bellingham. Spotted 5 FOS Canada Goose goslings on Flo

[mou-net] FOS Bobolinks - Big Stone Co

A few have showed up in Big Stone NWR as of Tuesday evening. -- Jason M. Frank Ortonville Public Library Founder & Vice President Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) Big Stone County, Minnesota Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.

[mou-net] Warblers, Orioles Taking Suet - Big Stone Co

In the past 24 hours, the feeders have been overrun by hungry birds. Anywhere from 10-20 Orioles at a time (Baltimore outnumbering Orchard roughly 3-1), RB Grosbeaks (3 pairs), Catbirds, Cardinals, Grackles, House Finches, Goldfinches, 2 late Siskins, Both Nuthatches, Chipping Sparrows, Woodpeckers

Re: [mou-net] Scarlet Ibis Report

This evening, I met Robert Freeman and Dan Orr near the original site and arrived 7 minutes too late to get a look before it flew off. The Ibis flew high, north/northwestish, after a noisy vehicle passed. Did some criss-crossing through flooded fields and marshes around Graceville on the way home,

[mou-net] Scarlet Ibis - Initial GPS Coordinates

I see that the initial coordinates for the Big Stone Co Scarlet Ibis have yet to be posted here. They were: 45.556687, -9320851 Again, the bird flew N/NWish... the site is: from Graceville, drive 4 miles east on 28, turn south on 71, take the first dirt road east (240th) and it was in the ditch

[mou-net] New Trumpeter Swan Nest - Lac qui Parle Co

Just found a Trumpeter Swan nesting in Lac qui Parle County, 2.5 miles south of Bellingham, in a marsh on the west side of Hwy 75. Just south of the CR 28 crossroads, where the highway curves between Bellingham and Madison. I spotted a pair of Trumpeters 4 miles west of this site on April 20, alon

Re: [mou-net] Junco in Edina

Just had my FOS yard flock in Ortonville this morning. On 10/10/19, ericaforman79 wrote: > I know they've been spotted already, but I have one at my office feeder > right now in western Edina.Erica Forman Hopkins, MNSent from my T-Mobile 4G > LTE Device > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://li

[mou-net] Big Stone/Lac qui Parle FOS Arrivals

This past weekend around Big Stone, Marsh, and Lac qui Parle Lakes, I noted my first FOS arrivals: Trumpeter Swans Snow Geese Greater White-Fronted Geese Common Mergansers Mallards Lesser Scaup Common Goldeneye (courting and mating like there's no tomorrow) Redheads Pintails Ruddy Ducks Bufflehead

[mou-net] Went Looking for Mtn Bluebird, Piping Plover - No Luck

For what it's worth- Today I went searching for the Mountain Bluebird near Echo and the Piping Plover at Green Valley WMA, and I struck out at both locations (arrived at Green Valley circa Noon). Lots of Least Sandpipers at Green Valley, though. I spent around 40 minutes at the Mountain Bluebird

Re: [mou-net] No mockingbird???

The Mockingbird is currently still on the MOU homepage, in the pic column, far right. It seems that a lot of the birds featured there recently haven't been accompanied by email reports. I can't stand the eBird interface and have no intention of carrying a smartphone, but I do check the MOU homepa

[mou-net] Chimney Swifts - In Western MN Towns

In the past few years, I've noticed a lot of chatter about the abrupt decline of Chimney Swifts in the Metro, and in Metro-adjacent towns. I know that a lot of Metro-area birders regularly flock to the Lac qui Parle/Big Stone, Yellow Medicine County region, so I'm just throwing this out there for

[mou-net] Buff-Breasted Sandpiper - Marsh Lake - Lac qui Parle Co

At Marsh Lake this morning with Kathy Mattsson, I spotted a single Buff-Breasted Sandpaper on the Marsh Lake mudflats, between Louisburg and Correll. This was along the Minnesota River Scenic Byway route. The road has 3 names: if you're north of the lake, it'll either be listed as T-156 or 615th A

[mou-net] Mississippi Kite - Over Ortonville/BIg Stone Lake

At 9:00 this morning I was sitting on the deck when an adult Mississippi Kite passed overhead, just above the treetops. Sleek, pewter-gray color, darker primaries/secondaries, could see the black around the eyes, short dark hooked bill only visible through binoculars; the dark triangular tail reall

Re: [mou-net] Siskin Irruption Maps

I noticed around 20 Pine Siskins in my yard in Ortonville on the morning of Sept 28. By October 1 they were joined by Juncos, Kinglets, and a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, all of which are historically early for me. On 9/29/20, Tami Vogel wrote: > Pretty interesting: > > https://finchnetwork.org/irrupti

Re: [mou-net] SMLO at Park Point.

For what it's worth, there was a flock of around 20 Smith's Longspurs (for what it's also worth, it only took 1.8 seconds to type the full name "SMITH'S LONGSPURS," and I'm doing this on the klickity-klackity brickety-brackety keyboard of a stationary interior-dwelling computer machine) at the Heli

[mou-net] Greenwood Lake Location: COOK COUNTY

Sorry, I forgot to mention Greenwood Lake, site of Smith's Longspurs, is in far northern Cook County, at the south border of the BWCA. The helibase overlooking its north shore is off a narrow, rough forest road which will be marked as 313, but nobody up there goes by road numbers. Helibase coordi

[mou-net] Carolina Wren, Oregon Junco in Ortonville, Big Stone Co

Yesterday morning while working in the yard, I spotted a Carolina Wren in the brush along my fence line, which runs along the "Ortonville Ravine," which is technically part of Central Park. This is along 5th St SW in the middle of Ortonville, half a block north of St John's Catholic Church and the

Re: [mou-net] How do birds care for their feet especially during these cold winter months?

This is very interesting; just this morning I was having a conversation with someone who's had a tail-featherless Blue Jay regularly visiting his feeders this winter. He was surprised that it could still fly relatively well, but it piqued his interest and he started doing some research and told me

Re: [mou-net] Bluebird Winter Mortality

For what it's worth, I had a lone male Eastern Bluebird on the auto tour route of Big Stone NWR last Saturday morning. That was the first and only one I've seen this year. On 5/2/21, Tami Vogel wrote: > > They don't cite any references but saw this a couple days a

Re: [mou-net] Duluth Lighthouse could belong to MOU?

Agreed that this would be brilliant, we could easily bird-proof the glass, and also I would volunteer to be the keeper. Jason Frank On 5/20/21, Sue Keator wrote: > I never saw any response to this but I also think it could be a great > opportunity for MOU, depending on costs to maint

[mou-net] Loons with Fledgling on Big Stone Lake - Ortonville

A week ago, a friend who lives on Big Stone Lake near the area called Lagoona Beach about 7 miles north of Ortonville off Big Stone Co Hwy 7 told me that a pair of Common Loons with 1 chick had been spending a lot of time in front of their dock. I tried a few times to canvass the area when I was o

[mou-net] Salt Lake has Mudflats! Also, Rough-Legged Hawk in Meeker Co.

The drought has brought the mudflats back to Salt Lake in Lac qui Parle County, with some extending about 30 feet out. Viewing (and photography opportunities) on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning were excellent along the west shore road and around the peninsula/inlet, with big flocks of Lesser

[mou-net] Semipalmated Plover - Salt Lake

Sorry- it's been brought to my attention that I mentioned "Semipalmated Sandpiper" twice in my Salt Lake report. The second mention of the bird was meant to be "Semipalmated "PLOVER." -- Jason M. Frank Ortonville Public Library Founder & Vice President Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) Big Sto

Re: [mou-net] Gryfalcon at Two Fishhouse bay?

I've got relatives who live near the bay and they haven't seen/heard of it. Please note: The Two Fish House Bay/Red Rock Beach site on the Grand Portage Reservation is owned by the tribe and NOT open to the general public. There is a barricade there with signage stating "Local Residents Only." It

[mou-net] Snowy Owls + Rough Legged Hawks in Big Stone/LQP Counties

I found one Snowy Owl this morning in southwestern Big Stone County and another near the Minnesota River in northern Lac qui Parle County. One was on a fencepost along the roadside and the other was further out in a field on a big round hay bale. I've heard from 2 other people in the Ortonville are

[mou-net] First Flocks of Common Goldeneyes, Upper MN River Valley

This morning there were small northbound flocks of Common Goldeneyes, between 6 and 14 individuals, at the following Upper Minnesota River Valley locations: -Minnesota River Headwaters Dam, Ortonville (Big Stone Co) -Whetstone River, south end of Big Stone Lake, MN/SD border (Big Stone Co) -Lac qu

[mou-net] Peregrine Falcons, NE MPLS

Visiting Minneapolis this weekend, I took a walk over to Marshall Terrace Park, along Marshall St NE and next to the NSP power plant, to check out the heron rookery on the island there. The herons are back and perching on their nests, but I also got to see the pair of Peregrines who nest on the pow

[mou-net] Pelicans, plus Recent Spring Observations, Big Stone/Lac qui Parle

Small flocks of Pelicans have returned to Big Stone Lake-- on Friday morning there were 3 soaring over the south end of the lake in Ortonville, and on Saturday afternoon there were 6 soaring over Big Stone NWR near Hwy 7. The south end of the lake is open, but elsewhere there is still quite a bit o

[mou-net] Salt Lake Area Lodging FYI

Since there are inquiries coming in, here are some tips: Madison: Madison's Hometown Lodge (Formerly Lou's Lodge) Dawson: Picket Fence Motel Ortonville: Econo Lodge Idle Spurs Inn Lingonberry Lodge https://lingonberrys-pastry-and-coffee-shop.business.site/ (attached to Lingonberrys Pastry

Re: [mou-net] Common Redpolls Eating Suet

During especially cold and snowy winters (Jan-Feb 2017 and Jan-Feb 2011) out here, I've had large flocks of Redpolls clear out a dozen suet cages in two days. This was a mixture of plain beef suet from a local butcher shop and "High Energy" suet cakes which have some seeds and cracked corn but are

Re: [mou-net] First Chipping Sparrow while still Redpolls!

I'm sitting here with Chipping Sparrows, Juncos, both Shrikes, ticks, and frogs, and the Pasque flowers don't know what to do. The multiverse has been breached by an interdimensional herniation in the spacetime continuum. On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 9:52 AM Laura Erickson wrote: > I often see my fi

Re: [mou-net] Ruff (Pine Co.)

I just received word from Ken Larson that it left this morning; he and friends stuck around for awhile but it didn't return. On Tue, May 3, 2022 at 10:43 AM Steve Weston wrote: > Any reports today? > > Steve Weston > On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN > swesto...@gmail.com > > > < > http://www.avg.com

[mou-net] Upland Sandpiper, Orioles, Accipiters, etc. Big Stone/LQP

The Baltimore Orioles showed up in town in Ortonville this afternoon. Hummingbirds have been around since last Friday. Also had my first-of-the-year Upland Sandpiper at Plover Prairie this afternoon; it crossed the road in front of me and I watched it bob up and down through the ditch before it jum

[mou-net] Cattle Egrets in Ortonville, Big Stone Co.

6 Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage just showed up at the foot of Big Stone Lake in Ortonville. They are feeding in the grass beside the lake along Dike Road (just west of the grocery store parking lot, where the river comes out of the lake). They were somewhat tolerant of traffic and photography,

Re: [mou-net] Raptors, metro area.

I'll chime in here, from The Edge of the Realm (Ortonville) -Eagle numbers around here seem pretty average to me. There is a nest in Big Stone NWR, easily visible on the exit route of the auto tour through the woods by the river, where there's a strong/healthy-looking juvenile branching now and re

[mou-net] Announcement: On Ending the Salt Lake Birding Event

this little corner of the state has to offer. Fare thee well and Good Birding, *Jason Frank* *Big Stone County Librarian* *Ortonville and Graceville, Minnesota* General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou

[mou-net] 30 Avocets + Ibis and Say's Phoebe, Big Stone NWR

11. There might be a small lek down there; it would be worth staking out during earlier morning hours. *Jason Frank* *Big Stone County Librarian* *Ortonville and Graceville, Minnesota* General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html