At 6:30 today, as I was leaving Hole-in-the-Mountain County Park in Lincoln County, approximately 10 Red Crossbills flew by me on their way out of the park, calling loudly. About 15 minutes later I returned, and the Crossbills also apparently did as I heard them briefly but didn't spot them in a White Spruce tree just outside the park entrance. I did not find Crossbills in either Lyon or Pipestone counties earlier in the day, although I checked a couple of cemeteries just in case. So they don't appear to be everywhere, but I would have to agree with Howard Towle that an irruption is taking place.
I also found a single Buff-breasted Sandpiper at the Cottonwood WTP in Lyon County, and another single at the Edgerton WTP in Pipestone County. There were also Red-necked Phalaropes at both the Edgerton and Pipestone WTP, and a pair of Swainson's Hawks at the Edgerton WTP calling overhead. Oh, one other cool bird at the Edgerton WTP - an albino Cliff Swallow. The ID is based on the shape and size, which seemed to match the many Cliff Swallows that were there, but definitely not the Bank or Barn Swallows that were also there. Herb Dingmann St. Cloud ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
