I've lived in southern Dakota County for five years and this is the first time I've seen pelicans here. There's a flock of about two dozen that I've seen around sunset, circling around the Cannon River, about three miles upstream of Lake Byllesby. There have also been 1 or 2 on the river in the mornings. Does anyone have a theory about why there seem to be so many pelican reports this year?
Also, Steve Weston commented about seeing more kingfishers that usual. I saw three on Wednesday: one by the 280th street ditch at the turf farm at 280th and Hwy. 3 (southern Dakota County), and two in separate trees overhanging the Cannon River. Jill Trescott Randolph > [Original Message] > From: eckma001 <[email protected]> > To: Kelly Larson <[email protected]>; MOU-net <[email protected]>; MN Bird <[email protected]> > Date: 4/13/2004 11:24:08 AM > Subject: [mnbird] Re: [mou] Amazing Pelicans > > On Sunday I saw a small flock of about thirty White Pelicans just to the > south of Forest Lake. One had a fish cross-ways in its bill. They were > flying low, right up and over I 35, toward the lake on the opposite side of > the road. There is also an active Bald Eagle nest just east of I-35 a mile > or two north of the I-35 split. It is visible from the freeway. If you > are in the Rush City area you can see hundreds of Common Mergansers on > north end of East Rush Lake (around LaBelle Isle). > Karlyn Eckman > > On 12 Apr 2004, Kelly Larson wrote: > > Easter Sunday trip excerpt, Dakota Cty > > I followed cty hwy 18 to Ravenna Trail (cty hwy 54) stopping > > occasionally to scope more teal and a whole lot of Wood Ducks. I hit pay > > dirt just SE of Hastings at Lake Isabelle. Three quarters of the visible > > lake edge was packed with American White Pelicans. I pulled to the > > shoulder and set up a scope. For about twenty minutes I watched. While > > half of them were actively feeding on the south end, the rest were > > either preening or sleeping on the north end. I tried to count. Getting > > to a hundred I estimated the size of this group in relation to the whole > > and came up with between 800-900 birds! Lots of people stopped to ask > > questions and some got out to look through the scope. Everyone was > > simple amazed! 10 Turkey Vultures circled over head and were the focus > > of more questions from passers-by. > > > > Kelly Larson > > Feathered Friend Wild Bird Store > > 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival > > 2nd Annual Great River Morel Festival > > 2nd Annual Great River Eagle Spot Festival > > Red Wing, MN > > 651-267-1001 > > > > The 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival Is Coming... > > Hosted by Wabasha, MN on May 14-15-16 2004. > > http://www.mississippi-river.org/birding/ > > > > Visit Our Website > > http://www.thefeatheredfriend.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > mou-net mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net > > > > > _______________________________________________ > mnbird mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird
