------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
This morning from 11:45 am - 12:30pm I enjoyed nice close looks at the Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Purgatory Creek Wetlands off of PrairieCenter Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County. The wetlands to the east of the foot bridge are mostly frozen over with slivers of open water hear and there. The Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 70 other Gulls were sitting on the ice north of the central mudflat. There were 5 Bald Eagles on the southeast section of the ice and occasionally one of them would get up and fly over and the Gulls would flush then circle back and land close to the same spot on the ice again. The nice thing about having the Bald Eagles scare up the Gulls was the opportunity to see the Lesser Black-backed stand up and walk a few steps before taking off affording the chance to see those yellow legs and feet well. While there a flock of 50 or so vocalizing Tundra Swans flew over head, and there were 18 Northern Shovelers and 3 Green-winged Teal in the open water close to the bridge. It was cold and windy with some blowing flakes, and there was an icicle hanging from the tip of the Lesser Blacked-backed's upper mandible - probally from mine to after standing still out there for 45 minutes... Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Co. ------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII <HTML><HEAD> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>This morning from 11:45 am - 12:30pm I enjoyed nice close looks at the Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Purgatory Creek Wetlands off of PrairieCenter Drive in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County. The wetlands to the east of the foot bridge are mostly frozen over with slivers of open water hear and there.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>The Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 70 other Gulls were sitting on the ice north of the central mudflat. There were 5 Bald Eagles on the southeast section of the ice and occasionally one of them would get up and fly over and the Gulls would flush then circle back and land close to the same spot on the ice again. The nice thing about having the Bald Eagles scare up the Gulls was the opportunity to see the Lesser Black-backed stand up and walk a few steps before taking off affording the chance to see those yellow legs and feet well. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>While there a flock of 50 or so vocalizing Tundra Swans flew over head, and there were 18 Northern Shovelers and 3 Green-winged Teal in the open water close to the bridge. It was cold and windy with some blowing flakes, and there was an icicle hanging from the tip of the Lesser Blacked-backed's upper mandible - probally from mine to after standing still out there for 45 minutes...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Conny Brunell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Richfield, Hennepin Co.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_2826111276222071840--
