[mou-net] Savaloja Grant Proposals Due Jan 31
It's not too late to submit a Savaloja Grant proposal to The Minnesota Ornithologist’s Union for projects occurring in 2015. MOU is soliciting grant proposals for projects in Minnesota that increase our understanding of birds, promote preservation of birds and their natural habitats, or increase public interest in birds, including in minorities currently underrepresented in Minnesota’s birding community. Grants typically range from several hundred dollars to as much as $5000. Last year, a little over $11,000 total was awarded. For next year, we have at least $12,000 available for grants. Applications are due January 31, 2015. More information and the application material can be found at http://moumn.org/grants.html. Steve Wilson MOU Savaloja Committee Chair Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
Re: [mou-net] trails at Old Cedar Ave Bridge (and Lebanon Hills Regional Park)
Thanks for your message Bernie. I will fwd the latest update from Wilderness in the City to Liz Stanley and Steve Boyd. Some of you might remember this issue from 2013 when Dakota Co Parks proposed to develop many parts of LHRP including a major new paved E-W bike corridor through some of the largest intact areas of the park and another N-S corridor on the East side. As you know, this park is one of the largest and most natural remaining in the metro area, with a variety of habitats and a big bird species count (133 as I remember). This update of January 07 includes the Final Report to the Dakota County Board of the Lebanon Hills Regional Park Master Plan Citizen Panel. There are upcoming public meetings in the update. If any of you want to stay informed or get involved in this issue, let me know (by personal email) and I will fwd it to you also. GAndersson -Original Message- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Bernard P. Friel Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2015 6:03 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: Re: [mou-net] trails at Old Cedar Ave Bridge While MORC appears to be interested in keeping wild places wild in the MN River Valley their members, or at least some of them are supporting paved bike trails in Lebanon Hills Regional Park, which if constructed, will have serious adverse impact on the wild spaces and birding there. Perhaps Steve Boyd should be encouraged to assist in keeping the wild places in Lebanon Hills Park, wild as well. There is a lot of birding done each year in the wild places in Lebanon Hills. -- Bernard P. Friel From: Liz Stanley mailto:l...@lizstanley.com l...@lizstanley.com Reply-To: mailto:l...@lizstanley.com l...@lizstanley.com Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:33:09 -0600 To: mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: [mou-net] trails at Old Cedar Ave Bridge There has been some recent discussion about the plan for paved trails around the Old Cedar Avenue bridge area. Turns out there is a group of off-road bicycle enthusiasts who have been actively opposing this for a while. Even though they have different goals, perhaps we share some common ground. They have a petition and a Facebook page. I found out about this group through another list and responded, they have been looking to connect with the birding community so I offered to pass this info along. From: Stephen Boyd mailto:tandsb...@gmail.com tandsb...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2015 8:28 AM Cc: mailto:savetheriverbott...@morcmtb.org savetheriverbott...@morcmtb.org Subject: Looking for some help! Good morning! I am a board member with the Minnesota Off Road Cyclists (MORC) which is the local International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) chapter covering the Twin Cities Metro. Last Fall we began an organized campaign to prevent a 20+ year old plan to put a paved bicycle trail in the Minnesota River Valley between the Bloomington Ferry Bridge and the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge. It is an outdated plan that no longer serves the needs most of the people using this area today. We are cyclists. We aren't opposed to bike trails, but we are opposed to spending millions and millions of dollars to put them in a flood plain that is part of one of the few remaining truly wild and natural areas in the Twin Cities. By contacting you I'm hoping to accomplish two things: 1) Get some help spreading the word on this effort. 2) Make a better connection with folks outside the cycling community who appreciate natural and wild places and might be interested in getting involved. Below are the links to our Facebook page and our Change.org petition. We are getting plenty of traction in the community but unfortunately we are experiencing politics as usual and getting little support from the Bloomington City Council or the politicians pushing for this trail. https://www.change.org/p/bloomington-mn-city-council-stop-the-plan-to- https://www.change.org/p/bloomington-mn-city-council-stop-the-plan-to- put-a-pa ved-trail-in-the-minnesota-river-valley-between-the-bloomington-ferry- bridge-a nd-the-old-cedar-avenue-bridge?recruiter=168826904 https://www.change.org/p/bloomington-mn-city-council-stop-the-plan-to -put-a-p aved-trail-in-the-minnesota-river-valley-between-the-bloomington-ferry -bridge- and-the-old-cedar-avenue-bridge?recruiter=168826904utm_campaign=mailt o_linku tm_medium=emailutm_source=share_petition utm_campaign=mailto_linkutm_medium=emailutm_source=share_petition https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheRiverBottoms?ref=bookmarks https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheRiverBottoms?ref=bookmarks Please let me know if this is something you would be willing to discuss further. Thanks much! Have a great day! Steve Steve Boyd Golden valley, MN mailto:tandsb...@gmail.com
[mou-net] [mou-rba] Duluth RBA 1/13/15
-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *January 13, 2015 *MNDU1501.13 -Birds mentioned Northern Pintail Greater Scaup Common Eider Thayer's Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Great Gray Owl Black-backed Woodpecker Boreal Chickadee Bohemian Waxwing Golden-crowned Sparrow Hoary Redpoll Evening Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: January 13, 2015 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind (jsl...@frontiernet.net) This is the Duluth Birding Report for January 13th, 2015 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW found by Jeff Newman at his backyard feeders at 44th Avenue East and Regent Street is still present as of the 11th. It is being seen sporadically in his yard and in the alley above his home, on both sides of 44th Avenue East. Birders are welcome to look for the bird but Jeff asks observers to stand by the corner of his front porch and not in his yard. The COMMON EIDER in Duluth was seen as recently as the 12th near the Aerial Lift Bridge at Canal Park, as well as four overwintering NORTHERN PINTAILS and a GREATER SCAUP. GLAUCOUS GULLS, THAYER'S GULLS, and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL continue to be seen at Canal Park. In the Sax-Zim Bog, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS have been seen along McDavitt Road, 3.2 miles north of the Sax Road, and along the Admiral Road, about 3.5 miles north of the Sax Road. BOREAL CHICKADEES are being seen mainly at the Admiral Road suet feeders, 3.8 miles north of the Sax Road. GREAT GRAY OWLS have been seen in these same areas along the Admiral Road and McDavitt Road. EVENING GROSBEAKS are coming to two feeders in Sax-Zim: Mary Lou's feeders on CR 444, 1 mile west and 0.5 mile north of the junction of CR 27 and CR 5, and the Morse feeders on the Blue Spruce Road, 1 mile north of CR 133. A flock of up to 80 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS has been seen in recent weeks northeast of Duluth along the West Knife River Road (CR 231), a half mile to a mile west of the northern end of the Homestead Road (CR 42). This is currently the only consistent location I'm aware of for this species in northeast Minnesota. The flock is usually in buckthorn and willow stands edging fields on the south side of the road. The birds can sometimes be seen from the road, but are often easiest to see from private property. Contact Jim Lind at jsl...@frontiernet.net for information about access. A HOARY REDPOLL has been seen consistently in this same area. Thank you to Kim Eckert for compiling most of the sightings for this report. The next scheduled update of this report will be on January 20th. Information about bird sightings may be sent to the Duluth Rare Bird Alert at duluth...@moumn.org The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at m...@moumn.org, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Red-shouldered Hawk/Rice Co.
Hi All— For the first time since 19 November, a Red-shouldered Hawk perched over our banding area near Dundas, Rice Co. (We have not been banding in the frigid weather.) Curiously, unlike during the previous visits, the local small birds repeatedly attacked the hawk. Photos are on my blog this morning…. http://dantallmansbirdblog.blogspot.com dan -- Dan or Erika Tallman Northfield, Minnesota daner...@gmail.com http://dantallmansbirdblog.blogspot.com the best shod travel with wet feet...Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ”—H. D. Thoreau Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Two CA Condors Evade Scientists, Produce a Secret Love Child
Two California Condors Evade Scientists, Produce a Secret Love Child By Kristina Bravo, TakePart 12 January 15 romantic getaway in the woods for a couple of California condors produced a thrilling surprise for scientists in Northern California: a carcass-loving bundle of joy. It’s only the third time a pair of mating condors eluded the prying eyes of researchers in the wild since they started releasing the endangered birds in Big Sur in 1997. The lovebirds, identified as Shadow and Wild 1, produced an egg and incubated it for two months. They raised the hatchling for six months before the scientists monitoring the Ventana wilderness region discovered it. According to Joe Burnett, a senior wildlife biologist with the Ventana Wildlife Society, the condors’ elaborate mating ritual is typically hard to miss. Suitors hang around a female every day for about a month, fighting each other off. “[Female condors] make the boys pay their dues,” Burnett told The San Francisco Chronicle . “And when they do finally mate, it’s nothing spectacular. He just mounts her and they copulate for less than a minute.” According to the group, 425 condors—captive and wild—survive. The birds feed on the carcasses of deer, pigs, and other animals targeted by hunters who use lead bullets . Lead poisoning nearly wiped out the species 30 years ago. In 1987, scientists captured the last 27 California condors in the wild and placed them in a breeding program. The Big Sur population came from that project. “This is truly exciting to witness as it offers another example of condors surviving on their own,” Kelly Sorenson, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society, said in a statement. Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] trails at Old Cedar Ave Bridge
There has been some recent discussion about the plan for paved trails around the Old Cedar Avenue bridge area. Turns out there is a group of off-road bicycle enthusiasts who have been actively opposing this for a while. Even though they have different goals, perhaps we share some common ground. They have a petition and a Facebook page. I found out about this group through another list and responded, they have been looking to connect with the birding community so I offered to pass this info along. From: Stephen Boyd tandsb...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2015 8:28 AM Cc: savetheriverbott...@morcmtb.org Subject: Looking for some help! Good morning! I am a board member with the Minnesota Off Road Cyclists (MORC) which is the local International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) chapter covering the Twin Cities Metro. Last Fall we began an organized campaign to prevent a 20+ year old plan to put a paved bicycle trail in the Minnesota River Valley between the Bloomington Ferry Bridge and the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge. It is an outdated plan that no longer serves the needs most of the people using this area today. We are cyclists. We aren't opposed to bike trails, but we are opposed to spending millions and millions of dollars to put them in a flood plain that is part of one of the few remaining truly wild and natural areas in the Twin Cities. By contacting you I'm hoping to accomplish two things: 1) Get some help spreading the word on this effort. 2) Make a better connection with folks outside the cycling community who appreciate natural and wild places and might be interested in getting involved. Below are the links to our Facebook page and our Change.org petition. We are getting plenty of traction in the community but unfortunately we are experiencing politics as usual and getting little support from the Bloomington City Council or the politicians pushing for this trail. https://www.change.org/p/bloomington-mn-city-council-stop-the-plan-to-put-a-paved-trail-in-the-minnesota-river-valley-between-the-bloomington-ferry-bridge-and-the-old-cedar-avenue-bridge?recruiter=168826904 https://www.change.org/p/bloomington-mn-city-council-stop-the-plan-to-put-a-paved-trail-in-the-minnesota-river-valley-between-the-bloomington-ferry-bridge-and-the-old-cedar-avenue-bridge?recruiter=168826904utm_campaign=mailto_linkutm_medium=emailutm_source=share_petition utm_campaign=mailto_linkutm_medium=emailutm_source=share_petition https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheRiverBottoms?ref=bookmarks Please let me know if this is something you would be willing to discuss further. Thanks much! Have a great day! Steve Steve Boyd Golden valley, MN tandsb...@gmail.com 507.206.1698 ~Sent from my iDevice Make your life a mission, not an intermission. ~ Arnold Glasgow -- Liz Stanley Bloomington, MN l...@lizstanley.com Backyard weather and feedercam: http://www.overlookcircle.org/ Photo gallery: http://www.pbase.com/gymell/liz_favorites Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lizmstanley Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Aitkin County Snowy Owl
Take Aitkin County Road 5 south out of Palisade for 3 miles then turn right on 450th St for 3 miles then turn left on 330th Ave South and the owl was first seen on the telephone poles on the east side of road. It then flew west over 330th Ave S and landed on the roof of a green shed located on a dike. The west side of the road is a series of cranberry paddies. Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
