On Sunday morning I got out to Old Cedar Bridge in Bloomington to join Craig Mandel's bird hike. Quite enjoyable with good birds, but not much that was unexpected or new for the season for me. The best birds were the small groups of Fox Sparrows that were seen in several locations. Song Sparrows were singing everywhere.
I found a Great Horned Owl on a nest along I-494, NW of Dodd Road in Mendota Heights. The owl was easily seen driving by on I-494 and can safely be observed at a distance from the Dodd Road bridge over I-494. I know there has been some controversy about posting owl locations. This one is on private land and visible, but not approachable. I am interested in any owl nesting sightings for the Breeding Bird Atlas that are not going to be posted. This is a critical year for the Breeding Bird Atlas and we need surveyors for the out state areas. If you live or bird outside the big cities, please consider adopting a priority block nearby. I would rather have a new birder finding robin nests and red-wing blackbirds and chickadees, than nobody reporting birds from that block. If you can lay down a base, it will be easier to come in and finish off the block. And, there are probably lots of birders who wouldn't mind checking out that strange bird you might find. By the way, digital cameras are excellant ID tools. Send me your images and I will help your ID. I will be spending the summer out in western Minnesota concentrating on Pipestone and Murray counties and would welcome company, if you want to come out and spend a couple of days birding. Flowers are blooming in the yard including crocus, siberian squill, forcithia, and snowdrops. With the crocus in bloom in my yard, I would expect pasque flower (also called crocus) are blooming in the grasslands. In the woods I found marsh marigold and skunk cabbage in bloom. Steve Weston On Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN [email protected] ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
