Sam Dotzler, Chris Hockema and I found no fewer than 6 Smith's Longspurs at Red Rock Prairie SNA on Sunday. This is the same location that many birders try for Smith's each fall. The birds were seen from the SE corner of the preserve where the grass is relatively short due to grazing. The birds spent most of their time out in the plowed fields surrounding the preserve, but were rather easily picked out when they took wing by their flight call and the fact that they were in beatiful alternate plumage. There were also a hundred or so Lapland Longspurs in area as well, which made for a nice study.
Red Rock Prairie is located in NE Cottonwood County, just a few miles east of Jeffer's Petroglyphs Historic Site. Colin Gjervold Eagan __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com
