I relocated the Short-eared Owls reported by Connie and Cr=FC. As I came=20 around the corner to the road that runs by the lek I saw light-colored,=20 unbelievably long wings flapping to the north of the road, about directly op= posite the=20 open-sided hay shed. Sure enough, I saw the dark wrist patches on the wings= . =20 Another owl was perched on one of the low fence posts running into that fiel= d. =20 It cooperated to give me good scoped looks at the dark eye triangles. I had= =20 to catch the head in just the right position to see the yellow eyes. After=20= he=20 flew north, I scanned the lek for Prairie Chickens. Can you believe those=20 guys were so rude, they were nowhere to be found to greet their short eared=20 guests. Hmmm. Two more Shore-eared Owls came flying over the lek from the=20= south.=20 One looked like he was centering on my scope as he flew straight into my=20 view. Nice! I did see Greater Prairie Chickens, but at a distance or in fl= ight.=20 One group of five was located in a field off Cty. 15, north of Cty. 26. Th= e=20 other 2 groups I saw in flight were near the lek. I also saw Snow Buntings,= =20 Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks.
I finished the day by checking in on the Trumpeter Swans overwintering by=20 Rush Lake on the Otter Tail River (Otter Tail County just west of Hwys 78 &=20= 108=20 at the sign for Rush Lake). Linda Sparling Hennepin County
