Dakota Co., Spring Lake Park, archery unit, on the river: dozens of eagles perched on limbs or sitting on ice, as well as airborne; among the gulls, Canadas, and mallards were a huge number of common mergansers and a handful of hoodies, plus a ruddy duck. Along the trail, near the parking lot, were two red-bellied woodpeckers, and there was a bluebird in the field to the west.
At the 140th St. marsh there were several gadwall. We checked the 180th St. marsh, where we heard, but did not see, a sandhill crane. However, we did get to view a great-horned owl on its nest, in a tree beyond the field just NW of the marsh. You can see it clearly from right below the rise to the west of the marsh. A drive along the various farm fields revealed many ephemeral wet spots, in one of which some widgeon were feeding. On a pond NW of the intersection of Fischer Ave. and 210th we spotted 6 trumpeter swans. From there we headed to UMORE Park (Rosemount), to the Lone Rock Trail. On the driveway up to the parking lot, a few horned larks showed up to feed. Then, as we drove east to the road that rises up toward the towers and the research station, we had a triple play: a redtail hawk, a harrier, and a stunning eagle. The eagle was something of a puzzle. In flight it appeared to be bi-colored, russet brown and gray brown, in a distinct symmetrical pattern, with russet on the center of the wings, and the dusty brown edging it in a wide border. Its outspread wings seemed to curl at the tips in the strong gusts of wind. When it dropped below some trees toward a field, I may have lost sight of it temporarily, but it seemed to be landing there. Indeed, when we turned at the intersection and pulled alongside the field, there was an eagle on the ground. This eagle had patches of white on or close to the body. There was white near the base of the tail, and white in the wings. I guess it was an immature bald eagle, but I've never seen one with such distinct concentrations of white, nor with such a russet color. Most of the youngsters seem to have a more random, splothchy pattern of white. I wish I knew for certain that these were sightings of the same bird. Linda Whyte (St. Paul)
