We spent most of yesterday afternoon with Jerry and Carol Dirks walking the
Platte River Trail at Crane Meadows NWR near Little Falls. The walk produced
24 species, about half of which were first of the year birds for us. Sightings
included a resting flock of about 300 greater white-fronted geese as well as
about 75 swan scattered in smaller groups (including mostly trumpeters and some
tundras), all near the observation deck on Rice Lake. Scattered across the far
side of Rice Lake were at least a dozen bald eagles, apparently resting and/or
scavenging on the clumps of mud and vegetation. Other birds of interest were a
few northern pintail, bufflehead and lesser scaup; as well as an eastern
phoebe, pied billed grebe, northern harrier, brown creeper, turkey vulture and
an over flight of about 50 snow geese.
It was nice to see the migration ramping up with so much more to come!
Scott and Connie Jo Dirks
Scott M. Dirks
320-732-8008 (home)
612-600-1795 (cell)
----
Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
