[mou-net] More Red Crossbills, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

On September 18, a flock of about 25 noisy Red Crossbills flew south over
Park Rapids.  These sounded like the local song type.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Cerulean Warbler, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

This afternoon a female cerulean warbler joined a small mixed flock of
warblers attracted to our water feature near Dorset.  Great views!  I
believe this is the first I've seen in the state, let alone Hubbard
County.  The water is a real attraction during this hot drought.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Fwd: Crossbills, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

The message below was sent to the wrong email.  So, two weeks+ old but
still of interest.

Marshall Howe

-- Forwarded message -
From: marshall or janet howe/mcmillen 
Date: Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 6:09 PM
Subject: Crossbills, Hubbard County
To: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union 


On August 14th a flock of 10-12 crossbills landed briefly in our conifers
near Dorset.  I was attracted by the calls, which were not of the red
crossbill local (e.g., Itasca State Park) song type.  They were more like
white-winged but not quite.  The light was so poor I couldn't discern
discern which species they were.  But I believe they were likely red
crossbills of one of the western song types.  Recall that western
crossbills showed up in numbers several years ago in August, after a series
of fires in the Northwest.  Maybe the extensive Canadian fires this year
are precipitating another movement of crossbills east or in multiple
directions.  I will be interested to know if others are finding crossbills
"out of place" this August.

Marshall Howe


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Re: [mou-net] Worm-eating Warbler (Hennepin Co.)

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

As a former bird biologist I agree with Alyssa in general on the impact of
playback.  This is especially true with local rarities that attract a lot
of birder attention.  This Worm-eating Warbler or the Swainson's in
Minnesota are cases in point.  But playback is a crucial and legitimate
technique in many field studies of birds.  Its occasional use by lone
birders seeking out local species isn't a problem either because it isn't
repetitive.  It's the constant repetition that is the problem.  T

That point hit home with me on a recent guided birding trip in the
neotropics. Playback was almost essential for luring out many secretive
species, of which there are many in the tropics. Some guides used it
constantly.  In reflecting on this trip I realized that these guides almost
certainly go to the same locations every day with different clients and
play back to the same individual birds.  That has to have an impact on
those particular birds.  A more experienced guide we had was able to locate
some difficult species without playback.  I made this point to the lodges
we stayed at.  In the future, for guided trips, I will ask for minimal or
no use of playbacks, even though that will almost certainly deny me some
species I would love to add to my life list.  I encourage all birders to
consider these thoughts.

Marshall Howe


On Wed, May 3, 2023 at 5:54 PM Alyssa DeRubeis  wrote:

> May 3 update: No one has seen it (per Facebook and eBird), although I have
> a third-hand report of someone playing a tape and getting it to sing a
> little.
>
> Friendly reminder that using playback is widely regarded as unethical, as
> the bird diverts its energy from feeding on a cool spring morning (or
> keeping an eye out for real predators) to seek out a nonexistent
> territorial male. Additionally, using playback tapes is prohibited in
> national wildlife refuges (among other places, but note that Bass Ponds is
> part of the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge).
>
> Here’s a nice article that goes into detail about the negative impacts of
> playback, including results from studies:
> https://www.audubon.org/news/why-photographers-should-reconsider-using-playback-field
> .
>
> You can also check out the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics,
> part 1b: https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/
>
> I hope this can be a good learning lesson for us, and I also hope that
> this tape didn’t scare off the Worm-eating Warbler for good (a real
> possibility).
>
> Good birding!
>
> Alyssa DeRubeis
> Montreal, Quebec (where I’m still waiting on those warblers you said you’d
> send me…)
>
> > On May 2, 2023, at 5:59 PM, Alyssa DeRubeis 
> wrote:
> >
> > Yesterday Tim Stuck observed a Worm-eating Warbler at Bass Ponds
> (Bloomington), which wasn’t relocated until around 11am today by Wendy
> Pepin. At least a couple folks saw and/or photographed it an hour ago at
> these coordinates, which is “down trail E of lower lot…on log in pond,
> towards marker 4”: 44.8475247, -93.2301360.
> >
> > I got this info from a couple places: eBird and the Minnesota County
> Listers Facebook group. These two spots are usually where I get all my
> rarity updates.
> >
> > Good luck and good birding!
> >
> > Alyssa DeRubeis
> > Montreal, Quebec (feel free to send any of your warbler rarities to us
> once you’re bored of them!)
>
> 
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>
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> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


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Re: [mou-net] Top2040: Top 40 Songs About Birds

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

OK, maybe enough of this

On Thu, Sep 1, 2022 at 8:16 PM MJH  wrote:

> Maybe I'm the only metalhead here... I'll add these before this thread gets
> yanked:
>
> Where Eagles Dare - Iron Maiden
> Blackbird - Alter Bridge
> The Sparrow - Mastodon
>
> Also, this scholarly study...
> https://jgeekstudies.org/2019/09/01/bird-biodiversity-in-heavy-metal-songs/
>
> -Michael Hurben
> https://legallyblindbirding.net/
>
> On Thu, Sep 1, 2022 at 7:46 PM Knopick, Alex <
> alex.d.knop...@craig-hallum.com> wrote:
>
> > Learn to Fly, Foo Fighters
> >
> > Alex Knopick
> > Managing Director - Investment Banking
> > Craig-Hallum Capital Group
> > c: 612-237-5281
> > o: 612-334-6341
> > a...@craighallum.com
> >
> > On Sep 1, 2022, at 5:59 PM, Missy Bowen  wrote:
> >
> >  Anybody added these yet?
> > The Cuckoo (She's a Pretty Bird) - traditional; I know the versions by
> Bob
> > Dylan, Jerry Garcia and by Doc Watson
> > Bird on a Wire - the Neville Brothers
> > Nightbird - The Radiators
> > Mockingbird - Taj Mahal
> > Bluebird - Bonnie Raitt
> > A Little Bird Told Me - Maria Muldaur
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Sep 1, 2022 at 2:23 PM Steven Chesney <
> steven.ches...@outlook.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > "Phoebe" by Minneapolis' own folk blues legend (Spider) John Koerner.
> > > Phoebe | Spider John Koerner (bandcamp.com)<
> > > https://spiderjohnkoerner.bandcamp.com/track/phoebe<
> > https://spiderjohnkoerner.bandcamp.com/track/phoebe>>
> > >
> > > Phoebes are fly catching birds that have been coming back to nest on my
> > > cabin up in the woods for the last 30 years. We're old friends now.
> They
> > > put up with me and I put up with them. Phoebes were the first birds
> that
> > > Audubon banded to study their migration habits.
> > > credits
> > > from What's Left Of Spider John<
> > > https://spiderjohnkoerner.bandcamp.com/album/whats-left-of-spider-john
> <
> > https://spiderjohnkoerner.bandcamp.com/album/whats-left-of-spider-john
> >>,
> > > released April 28, 2013
> > > Spider John Koerner (vocal & guitar)
> > >
> > > -
> > > Steve Chesney
> > > 8172 Zenith Court North
> > > Brooklyn Park, MN 55443-2749
> > > 1-763-242-9730 - mobile
> > > https://pumphouse.myportfolio.com/
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> > > General information and guidelines for posting:
> > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html<
> > http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html>
> > >
> > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> social
> > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> > >
> >
> > 
> > General information and guidelines for posting:
> > https://moumn.org/listservice.html
> > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html<
> > http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html>
> >
> > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >
> >
> ---
> >  This email has been scanned for email related threats and delivered
> > safely by Mimecast.
> >  For more information please visit http://www.mimecast.com
> >
> >
> ---
> >
> > 
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> > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
> >
> > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social
> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >
>
> 
> General information and guidelines for posting:
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>
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> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
>


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[mou-net] Neotrop fallout in Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A very nice fallout of warblers and other neotropical migrants today near
Park Rapids.  I recorded 11 species of warblers in my yard, including
Tennessee, Cape May, and Blackpoll (singles of each).  Most species were
silent but actively feeding.  The only singing species were Black and
White, Palm, American Redstart and Ovenbird.  Nashvilles, Orange-crowns,
and possibly Yellows were nectaring on diamond willow flowers.  Other
migrants of note were FOY Veeries, Swainson's Thrushes and Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds, and more Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Baltimore Orioles (which
had arrived the day before).  Nothing like spring migration in the eastern
U.S.!

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Great Gray Owl, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A great gray owl was found on private property north of Nevis on February 1
and beautifully photographed.   I will post any further sightings of this
bird.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] More Evening Grosbeaks, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A flock of 20 Evening Grosbeaks today at a feeder near Nevis.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Northern shrike, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Today I saw my first fall northern shrike, an adult, just north of Park
Rapids.

Marshall Howe


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Re: [mou-net] Where are the Rubythroats?

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Laura Erickson is right about the protein needs of the young.  It's pretty
normal during June for feeder attendance to drop way off for a few weeks,
as parents are collecting insects for their young and eating insects
themselves.  This goes for seed-eaters as well as nectar-feeders.  Action
should be picking up soon.

Marshall Howe

On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 1:21 PM Kathryn Rudd  wrote:

> Thanks for the info! I was afraid the terrible storms that have hit our
> area may have destroyed them or blown them miles away.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jul 13, 2020, at 1:18 PM, Lynn Cornell  wrote:
> >
> > We have had many in our yard in Rochester, including yesterday. Both at
> > feeders and at flowers.
> > Lynn Cornell
> >
> >> On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 1:16 PM  wrote:
> >>
> >> I live in south Eagan and have seen a hummingbird here and there.  But
> >> fewer
> >> than I am used to.  But my wife, who is the gardener in our house, says
> she
> >> has been seeing hummers occasionally amongst our plantings.
> >>
> >> Mike Koutnik
> >>
> >> -Original Message-
> >> From: Minnesota Birds  On Behalf Of
> >> jbaum...@usfamily.net
> >> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2020 1:20 PM
> >> To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU
> >> Subject: Re: [mou-net] Where are the Rubythroats?
> >>
> >> We don't get a lot of hummingbird activity in my neighborhood (West
> >> Como) but I
> >> did see one out my kitchen window just this morning . . . .first one
> since
> >> late spring.  A neighbor reported a sighting in his yard last week.
> >>
> >> Quoting Kathryn Rudd :
> >>
> >>> Could anyone tell me why we in the Eagan area have not seen any
> >>> Rubythroated Hummingbirds for weeks?? Several of my neighbors and I
> >>> have been putting out our fresh clean nectar feeders and have hanging
> >>> planters of flowers they love. We also have gardens full of flowers
> >>> that attract them. None of us have seen any sign of the hummers for
> >>> weeks. What has happened to them?
> >>> Thank you for any info,
> >>> Kathryn Rudd
> >>> Eagan
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my iPad
> >>> 
> >>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
> >>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
> >>>
> >>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> >>> social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >>>
> >>
> >> 
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> >>
> >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice
> social
> >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >>
> >> 
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> >>
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> social
> >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
> >>
> >
> > 
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> >
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> social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
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> 
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[mou-net] White-winged crossbill, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I found single female (or juvenile?) white-winged crossbill in Lake Alice
Bog this morning.  It was calling and foraging high in spruces.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Great Gray Owl, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I have a third-party report with photo documentation of a great gray owl
that has been seen daily near Dorset since January 25th.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Varied thrush, Nevis (Hubbard County)

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A varied thrush was seen and photographed yesterday on private property
north of Nevis.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Orchard Oriole -- Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I neglected to name the county in my last post.  Hubbard it is.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Orchard oriole

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

An adult male orchard oriole appeared in our yard today, singing and
showing territorial behavior.  Only the second we've seen in the county in
10 years.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Loggerhead shrike, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A loggerhead shrike was foraging from wires about 6 miles NE of Park Rapids
this afternoon.  This is the first I've seen in the county over the past 9
years.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Summer tanager, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Richard Hamilton Smith found a male summer tanager north of Park Rapids on
May 13th.  The front half of the bird was red, the rear half yellow.
Excellent photos were obtained.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] CORRECTION: No snowy egret in Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

My posting the other day of an observation of a snowy egret by an
acquaintance in Nevis, Hubbard County, turns out to be incorrect.  I have
now seen the photos, which are of a great egret.  The date of the
observation was April 11th.  My apologies to any of you, like Becca
Engdahl, who may have sought it out!

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Snowy Egret, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A snowy egret appeared in the Crow Wing River in Nevis in Hubbard County on
April 12th.  A couple of photos were obtained.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Eurasian Collared-Dove, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

At 12:30 today there was a Eurasian Collared-Dove at the corner of 4th
Street and Front Avenue, Park Rapids.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Hermit thrush scarcity?

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Normally we will have seen many hermit thrushes by this time in the fall
here in Hubbard County.  This year none so far.  This past April we had a
prolonged ice storm and hermit thrushes were on the roadsides everywhere by
the hundreds over several days.  I think it likely that perhaps many tens
of thousands or more may have perished in this part of Minnesota during
that storm.  Has anyone else noticed a dearth of hermit thrushes this fall,
or earlier during breeding bird surveys?

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Red crossbills, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

About 25 red crossbills in a tight flock flew south over downtown Park
Rapids this morning.  By the "gentler" call type, I think these may be from
the population(s) that are being seen in western and southwestern
Minnesota, rather than our resident crossbills.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Hubbard County migrants

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

The influx of neotropical migrants in the Twin Cities area has extended
north at least to Hubbard County (we are in the Park Rapids area).  This
morning, songs of Nashville warblers, black and white warblers, and
ovenbirds were prevalent.  Other FOYs included American redstart,
golden-winged warbler, blue-headed vireo, Baltimore oriole, rose-breasted
grosbeak, brown-headed cowbird, and red crossbill (which can occur here at
any time during the year).  FOY northern waterthrush yesterday.

Marshall Howe
Janet McMillen


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[mou-net] Stop black swan posts!

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I do not think this discussion is relevant to the purpose of the MOU
Listserve.  I'm very sorry about the swan's fate, but it has nothing to do
with the MOU site.  Please move the discussion to a list serve that deals
with animal humane issues.  My computer is shaking with the burden of
emails.  The responsibility for the fate of this bird belongs to whomever
released the bird there.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Greater white-fronted geese, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Perhaps the flock that Herb Dingman reported is the same flock that flew
low over Dorset about 12:30 today.  I had estimated the flock size at 75.
They were heading SSW and flying low, maybe 300 feet.  They were giving
their squealy calls continuously.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Weekly regional reports

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Did I miss something?  I used to get the weekly regional reports on MOU-NET
but now they are apparently being posted elsewhere.  How do I access them
now?  Thanks.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Bohemian waxwings -- Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

About 40 Bohemian waxwings feeding in our crabapples this morning near
Dorset.  First in the area this year.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Evening grosbeak, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I saw two evening grosbeaks briefly at my feeder near Dorset this morning
in southern Hubbard County.  These are the first I've seen here in probably
three years.  Also first-of-fall common redpolls, 4 flyovers.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Townsend's solitaire, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

This afternoon a Townsend's solitaire was feeding in our crab apples near
Dorset (ca. 10 miles NE of Park Rapids).

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Bird Photos

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Congratulations to David Brislance and Allan Meadows for  some of the best
bird photographs ever on the MOU or any other bird website!  I look forward
to all the future postings.

The downside is that I can't compete with these and will probably confine
my future photos to plants and family.  Or just take up the guitar.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Felton Prairie et al.

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

On Tony Hertzel's suggestion, I first went to Big Bluestem SNA south of 10
between Hawley and Glyndon.  I had a great time there.  The weather was
perfect.  I hadn't been to prairie habitats for quite some time.  Wilson's
snipes and upland sandpipers were very common and very active in aerial
displays.  A marbled godwit displayed overhead and passed on.  I don't
think I've ever seen such a density of bobolinks, noisy enough to obscure
other species.  Bobolinks are one of my favorites and I don't see them
often in my home Hubbard County.

Though I wear hearing aids, I didn't hear any grasshopper or LeConte''s
sparrows.  Maybe I just can't get them anymore (also golden-winged warblers
are tough unless they're sitting on my shoulders).  Savannahs, though were
no problem.  Plenty of them.  Fun for me was finding both willow and alder
flycatchers in this area.  The former were in very low willows.  I also
found lark sparrow, yellow-headed blackbird and heard a sora rail.

I moved on late in the morning to Felton Prairie but created the cardinal
sin: not bringing Kim Eckert's guide.  I got very confused following
information from the web and ended up frustrated, trying to find good
birding locations.  Many of the SNA's are not well marked.  I did find
western kingbirds and nesting harriers but not the longspurs, shrikes, etc.
known to that area.  I did finally fins a grasshopper sparrow, but only
because it was on a wire carrying food for nestlings.  On returning I
checked Kim's guide and realized where I should have gone.  The time of day
was problematic, however. Eleven o'clock on is tough for singing birds.
Next time I'll be better prepared.

Thanks again for the many responses to my inquiry.  Good luck to the next
visitors.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Questions re Felton Prairie

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I'm planning a trip to Felton Prairie this week.  I haven't seen any recent
posts from there.  Does anyone know if (*and where*) the following species
are present:

Baird's sparrow
Henslow's sparrow
Sprague's pipit

And does anyone know how navigable the roads are after all this rain?
Thanks for any advice you might have!

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Felton Prairie

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Many thanks to all who provided input on my questions.  I suppose I should
have clarified that I wasn't specifically going to Felton for those 3
species.  I just want a dose of prairie birds for a change of pace and
Felton is the closest suitable habitat to me.  I thought, as long as I
would be there, I would ask if anyone had seen these species.  I would not
go to Felton if these were my target birds.

I had also considered Glacial Ridge NWR farther north, but I don't know
much about that area.  I will check it out eventually.  Thanks again, also
for suggestions on sites for Henslow's (which I have not seen for many
years).

Marshall


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[mou-net] Eurasian Collared-dove, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

This morning a Eurasian Collared-dove was singing from the top of a
telephone pole in downtown Park Rapids, Hubbard County.  This appears to be
the first record for the county.  It will not be the last.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Worm-eating warblers, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I have a belated and very credible report of two worm-eating warblers
sighted yesterday, May 10th, on Hubbard County 13, several miles south of
Nevis, at this highway's second crossing of the Crow Wing River.  The birds
were seen by John and Marlene Weber during a big day effort.  This would
appear to be the first record for Hubbard County for this species.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Hubbard County worm-eating warblers

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

This is a re-send of a note that was rejected at the time of the apparent
server malfunction on the 11th:

I have a belated and very credible report of two worm-eating warblers
sighted Saturday, May 10th, on Hubbard County 13, about 5 miles south of
Nevis, at this highway's second crossing of the Crow Wing River.  The birds
were seen by John and Marlene Weber during a Big Day effort on a day when
there was a huge influx of migrants.

If accepted, this would be the first record of worm-eating warbler for
Hubbard County.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Owl-luring

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I have the same question Chris West raised about the rationale for the
language in the bill.  Is this really about owl harassment or is it about
protecting owls from persons who might see them as predators/varmints, to
deter such people from taking them (to use the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
euphemism).  Regardless, why are owls being singled out here?  Is it OK,
then, to harass other bird species or to lure them for whatever purpose?

I have no idea if Mike Hendrickson has ulterior motives, but I thought his
post to be very reasonable and informative.  I personally believe that
there are lots of good reasons to try to lure birds closer (as others have
already stated).  When it becomes an ethical problem, in my opinion, is
when it is done repeatedly to an individual bird, as can happen in the case
of rare bird occurrences and birding selfishness overriding sound
judgment.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Warblers in southern Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A nice group of warblers was foraging in willow flowers this afternoon
behind our home near Dorset.  Flocks included Tennessee, orange-crowned,
and yellow (the 3 commonest species), but also yellow-rumped, magnolia,
black and white, Wilson's, and blackpoll.  Palm and pine warblers have also
been in the area.. Clearly a number of resident and migrant warblers have
non yet arrived, at least in numbers.

Marshall Howe
Park Rapids, MN


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[mou-net] Fwd: Mimics

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Starlings are incredible mimics but beware of blue jays too.  I nearly
recorded a late osprey in November last year but had doubts because it came
from the woods and was far too late in the year.  Later a blue jay in the
yard did a perfect imitation of both the standard kip-kip-kip call as
well as the call they give during display flights.  I was duly humbled.
Just when you think you're pretty good at calls

Marshall Howe

-- Forwarded message --
From: Rick Hoyme rho...@comcast.net
Date: Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: [mou-net] Mimic
To: MOU-NET@lists.umn.edu


That's a good point. Birder's need to be wary of the Starling's capability
to do really good imitations.

I've heard them do a perfect Killdeer, the scream of a Red-tailed Hawk,
Eastern Peewee and Red-bellied woodpecker.

If I hear a bird, especially out of season, out of range or out of normal
habitat, I want to see it as well as those sneaky Starlings can fool.

Rick Hoyme

Old birder's never die. They just pish their life away.


-Original Message-
From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Al
Schirmacher
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2013 4:14 PM
To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU
Subject: [mou-net] Mimic

Stopped at a gas station in nowhere WI, have listened to a Peewee, Robin 
House Sparrow - all from Starlings' mouths.  Wonder how many species they
can imitate?

My favorite was a Pine Siskin in Milwaukee 15+ years ago.

Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN

Sent from my iPhone

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[mou-net] Dickcissel challenge

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

No one seems tohave mentioned the breeding bird atlas database with regard
to dickcissel documentation.  I have reported dickissels from Clearwater
and Hubbard Counties to the MNBBA.  There may more records buried there
that haven't surfaced through other venues.  I've also found (but not
reported yet) dickcissels in Hubbard County in areas that aren't part of
the atlas program.  In fact I would say they are fairly common this year in
Hubbard County in suitable grassland, perhaps second only to vesper sparrow
in abundance of species that are obligate grassland users.

I don't normally submit seasonal reports to the MOU until after the season
is over and, being of retired age, I never got in the habit of using
eBird.  My take on the discussion just started about this is that it's a
good idea for the MOU to continue with its own observation database.  At
the very least it can serve as a safety net for Minnesota records in the
event that eBird does not persist in perpetuity.  But observers shouldn't
have to enter their data separately into both.  If the MOU databases aren't
already set up to feed automatically (or at least fairly simply) into
eBird, they probably should be.

Marshall Howe
Park Rapids


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[mou-net] Dickcissel. Clearwater County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

While conducting Breeding Bird Atlas work today, I found a male dickcissel
singing in southeastern Clearwater County on County Road 29 just east of
County Road 2, 2 miles from the Beltrami County line.  Also in the area was
a singing LeConte's sparrow, which I now know, from the MOU occurrence
maps, is a fairly common nester in this county.  Other species of interest
were 5 or more black-billed magpies, at least two bobolinks and a probable
red-headed woodpecker (by call but not seen).

Marshall Howe.


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[mou-net] Whimbrel migrations

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

When I found an interior whimbrel a couple of weeks ago, I recalled the
interesting research project on whimbrels based on the Eastern Shore of
Virginia.  Whimbrels are being trapped there in spring and some are being
equipped with satellite transmitters.  This area is a very important spring
stopover for whimbrels moving north from the Caribbean and South America.
The Nature Conservancy has played a major role in preserving this area and
supporting the whimbrel study.  The web site below has a wonderful 7-minute
video of this project which tracks the migration of one bird named Hope
over several seasons.  Radio-tracking results don't get any better than
this (nor do natural history videos), so I highly recommend you view this
at  http://littlenatureshow.org/

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Cowbird issues

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Mark Palas posed a comment that suggested cowbird control might be
considered more seriously than it has, because of how man's activities
exacerbate their negative effect on host species.  A classic case of how
this approach has been successful has been in the management of the
endangered Kirtland's warbler in Michigan.  Because of this warbler's tiny
population and the access cowbirds have to their habitat, cowbird
parasitism itself was deemed serious enough by experts that it could have
reduced the warbler's population below a sustainable level and could have
resulted in its extinction.

In general, however, there is little evidence that cowbirds present such a
risk to most other species.  Brood parasitism is their natural *modus
operandi*.and evolved as an adaptation to their nomadic existence.  There
is nothing inherently insidious about this.  And, even though we may make
it easier for cowbirds by fragmenting forest habitats, there are many areas
now where forests are returning and making life more difficult for the
cowbirds.  I believe we should acknowledge their place in the system and
even marvel at the cleverness of this adaptation.  But, at the same time,
we also need to watch Breeding Bird Survey and atlas results carefully for
declines in the populations of potential host species, to be certain that
we are not caught by surprise by the next Kirtland's warbler calamity.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Whimbrel, Cass County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I found a whimbrel today feeding in an extensive short-grass area in
southwestern Cass County.  The site was just to the south of the short
stretch of MN 64 that jogs east-west between Hubbard and Cass Counties. The
bird was about 100 feet south of the Hubbard County line.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Great gray owl

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

On December 29th, while driving north for the Beltrami Island CBC, I
observed a great gray owl perched close to the road in a conifer.  The
location was on MN 72, 11 miles south of Waskish, Beltrami County.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Avian creationism

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

I have to take exception to a posting earlier today by Darrell Ayers.  He
referenced a very interesting, though not current, article about how
Japanese high-speed trains have been redesigned to emulate the aerodynamic
qualities of kingfisher bill morphology, and that this modification has
improved the aerodynamics of the trains and eliminated sonic boom effects.
Fascinating, yes, but the article concludes that the marvelous aerodynamic
adaptations of the kingfisher are a work of the hand of the Lord.  The
article was written by a champion of creationist explanations for natural
phenomena.  This interpretation is the traditional easy way out for those
not open to exploring alternate explanations, such as the view that
biological diversity might be explained in scientific terms grounded in the
overwhelming evidence for the theory of evolution.  In my view the MOU-NET
website is neither a place for promulgating religious dogmatism nor for
furthering the tiresome debate among creationists and evolutionists.  This
is a birding website. Let's keep it a place for reporting bird observations
untainted by philosophical interpretation.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Varied thrush, Hubbard County

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

A varied thrush appeared at a private property today, 7 miles ENE of Park
Rapids, Hubbard County.  It was feeding on sunflower seeds on the ground
and photographed identifiably.  I think this may be the first reported in
Minnesota this fall.

Marshall Howe


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[mou-net] Fwd: [mou-net] plain-tailed wren duet research--- from Science Now

[marshall or janet howe/mcmillen]

Two U.S. species I have heard duetting are Carolina wrens and great crested
flycatchers.  The latter is particularly interesting, because duetting
mainly occurs in non-migratory species with long-term pair bonds.  Great
crested flycatchers are highly migratory, though many other members of
their genus, *Myiarchus*, are tropical and sedentary.

Marshall Howe

-- Forwarded message --
From: G Andersson gpanders...@msn.com
Date: Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Subject: [mou-net] plain-tailed wren duet research--- from Science Now
To: MOU-NET@lists.umn.edu


This article reports research on the duet singing of this wren species from
Ecuador.  Given its name, could this be the only wren species without a
barred tail?   Anyway there are links in the text to listen to the duet and
the single song.. also a link to the original journal article for those who
like neurology.  I don't think there are any duetting bird species in N
America, but there are in Africa.  I would guess their finding apply to all
such species worldwide, but who knows?



Gordon Andersson

St Paul





http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/wrens-brains-are-wired-for-due
ts.html?ref=hp





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