Many Raptors over the weekend. Friday saw 22 Bald Eagles (NO Golden), 64 Red-Tail of every description except Krider's, 24 N. Harriers (including several Females), 30 Kestrel, One Rough-Legged Hawk, 3 Coopers and had a Barred and Great Horned Owl calling at night. Had FOY Brewer's BB, Rusty BB, and Great Blue Heron. Had a single Redpoll at a feeder and several Purple Finch. On Saturday had only 10 Bald Eagles, 46 Red-Tails, 15 Harriers, 26 Kestrel, 1 Coopers, 1 Sharp-shin and 1 Northern Shrike. Had FOY Fox Sparrows, Woodcock and 3 Tree Swallows. The Heron Rookery at Osakis had 11 GBH on Saturday and 32 on Sunday. Also Saturday had a flock of Snow Buntings and Longspurs probably from 4500 to 5000 moving into and out of a large area of picked/harrowed soybeans and short hayfields. I watched for 2 1/2 hours trying to find a Smiths but the field was lumpy and the birds were moving constantly and often too far away to see well. (There may NOT have been any Smith's there but I'm not convinced.) Found low areas with water spread out and a flowing channel in the middle that held a couple thousand ducks and Canadas and flocks of 113 and 33 Tundra Swans. Also had Grouse Drumming, Turkeys vocalizing and Sandhill in several areas. NO SHOREBIRDS yet (except Killdeer and Woodcock) and NO Red-Shouldered Hawks that I could ID. John Ellis-St. Paul
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