Found an interesting hawk this evening in Eagan in Lebanon Hills, visible in one of the small swamps on the south side of Cliff Road between the Holland Lake and the entrance to Shultz Lake. I believe it was the swamp by the old entrance. This beauty was clean white below with only faint banding on its tail and blond head markings. From its long tail, fluffy white under tail coverets, and slim appearance, I believe this is an unusual light morph Coopers Hawk. I assume it is a juvenile. Tail feathers were in molt with only two feathers at full length. I don't know that I have ever seen a picture of bird with this coloration.
A friend inquired if I had seen any Nighthawks this summer, and I have not. I have not been driving through any of the small towns with my windows open, so I may have missed them. Is anybody finding them in eastern Minnesota? Got a call from a co-worker today asking what birds were building mud nests on his deck and how he might be able to discourage them. It seems that these birds, which we determined were Barn Swallows, were terrorizing his kids. After determining that the nests were empty, he washed them away with his hose. I suggested that he could hang plastic sheeting from hsi deck to discourage the swallows, but that removing the nests was technically illegal, and especially illegal if the birds had started to lay eggs. Then I told him, that he was really missing a show that would really excite his kids. I guaranteed him that if he left them to nest, the kids would be watching through the window everyday. The Barn Swallow is an insect feeder and will scarf down more than its weight in mosquitos everyday. (Well, that may be a lie. They may not eat as many mosquitos as larger bugs.) And, while the birds will dive bomb anyone approaching their nests to protect their young, as time continues they will probably become accustom to the kids and be less threatened by them. In any case, they may dive at them, but they will not attack, and they wouldn't even draw blood if they were in hand. (Oh, well that maybe another slight exaggeration.) I hope I convinced him to welcome the birds. We are going through a lot of grape jelly. Cherie had to refill the dish that I filled yesterday. She reported at least seven orioles today. Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN [email protected]
