We were in western LQP county over the weekend to open our farm house at Prairie Marsh Farm. On Friday there was 2 inches of snow on the ground with little open water except creeks and some flooded fields. There were numerous large flocks of White-fronted Geese with smaller flocks of Canada Geese and Mallards. From Montivideo westward along US 212 we found 8 Red-tailed Hawks, one Bald Eagle and four Kestrels. Walking across our prairie pasture towards a small spring fed pond we saw a cruising Red-tailed Hawk flush 200 Mallards followed by app. 700 more Mallards, 100 Canada Geese, 9 Ring-necked Ducks and a pair of B-W Teal. The Pond is less than 2000 sq. ft. so they must have been shoulder to shoulder on the open water. Quite an amazing sight. Later on Friday while driving around the SW corner of LQP county I saw; 30 Meadow Larks sp. 2 female and 3 male N Harrier one mature Bald Eagle chasing Mallards 6 Red-tailed Hawks including one Dark adult 30 A. Robins flying over the farm house Male R-W Black Birds in flocks and on breeding territories A Tree Sparrow C Grackle Horned Lark White-fronted Geese 1,000's Canada Geese 1,000's Mallard 1,000 B-W Teal Sunday was 62 degrees and sunny with wet lands and lakes starting to open up and most snow melted. Salt Lake at 10AM (2 miles north of US 212 and on the MN, South Dakota border) had some open water in the SW corner filled with ducks and geese app. 3000 White-fronted Geese with more arriving and some migrating app. 2000 Snow Geese migrating only app. 2000 Canada Geese 100+ Ring-billed Gull 450 Mallard 25 A Wigeon males 142 B-W Teal males 38 G-W Teal males 92 N Pintail males 14 N Shoveler males 57 Canvasback males 3 Hooded Merganser males 5 Bald Eagles 2 N Harrier 25 Meadow Lark sp. 3 Killdeer 2 A Kestrel 6 R-T Hawk Spring is on the way although slowly. Ken Larson
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