Yesterday's highlight was the large flock of Lapland Longspurs, reported earlier by Laura Coble, in the Industrial Park at Randolph. They were foraging in the farthest field back from St. Mark's Church, and became easiest to see when the flock would rise up periodically to scout, it seemed, for better pickings. By simply parking the car on the road and waiting, we were able to get good views, as they soon landed very close. As a background voice to their sound, we enjoyed the song of the meadowlark we'd seen there earlier in the week.
At Nerstrand Woods SP we hiked most of the longest trail to the south. It was moist, though muddy in only a few spots, so it attracted lots of robins. That's nourishing the hope of more thrush varieties being there soon. It was pleasing to see fox sparrows, flickers, and 3 of the Red-headed Woodpeckers back there. It was more surprising to find 3 Great Blue Heron nests (just west of the deer exclosure), and 2 Great Blue Herons, one of them on a nest! It's just not where I expect them---another lesson in humility, delivered by the birds. Linda Whyte ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
