By reading all the reports, one could surmise snowy owls can be found throughout the state but there is a significant line of east west demarcation. Eight of the best birders in Kandiyohi county have logged in at least 34 hours of owling the past 6 days, concentrating on cloudy, windless days and optimal owl times. For our efforts, the FIRST snowy of the winter season was finally found at dusk last night. Reports of a probable second county bird also came in last night, and was also found yesterday evening. Both birds were in extreme eastern Kandiyohi county, consistent with Meeker county, just to our east, as being a hotbed of snowy activity. There are very few reports in Minnesota south of highway 12 and west of hwy 71. I know the invasion began as an east coast event, but it is intriguing the same phenomena is occurring here in a single state. Equally intriguing is the high density of birds in some locations, since snowies often set up large Minnesota winter ranges in open agricultural areas with relatively low food densities.
The snowy I found yesterday in Kandiyohi county was at the intersection of cty #4 and 105 ave SE. Josh Wallestad may have a more specific location of the probable second county bird. Even by Minnesota standards, these next few days will be brutally cold. I encourage all my MOU friends to keep their feeders full and if enjoying our snowy visitors, do your best to minimize disturbing them. Respectfully, Randy Frederickson Willmar Middle School ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
