The first snowfall of the season couldn't keep me away as it was my first opportunity to go see the bird in daylight since it was first sighted. Thanks, Craig Mandel for reporting it today.
It was coming down pretty hard when we arrived about 2:50pm. We watched the feeder area to the East of the bat house building for quite a while and had no luck. As I pulled around to go, I noticed through the snowy window what I thought was another female cardinal. I stopped and glassed it and low and behold: there it was!! Diane and I both got good looks at her from about 20 ft as she sat sheltered in a large yew. The dark green background and snowflakes falling in front of her highlighted her subtle palette of reds, oranges, yellows and tans. Her beak looked somewhat deformed to me. After posing for us for about 30 seconds, she flew off to the pines to the south of the property. It was a lifer for me - my 295th Minnesota bird. I hope she stays well! Also seen (of note) today: *Northern Shrike* - on the road near Carpenter Nature Center *Northern Shoveler* - a pair of females in pickerel lake (*Dakota County*) -on the way home from work! -- Sincerely, Jim Ryan Saint Paul's Westside ---- One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken. -* Leo Tolstoy* A well governed appetite is the greater part of liberty. - *Lucius Annaeus Seneca* ---- ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html