[Mnbird] migrants, Crosby Farm Park, St. Paul

[linda whyte]

This promised be a "birdy" day, when a Red-tailed Hawk showed up in the
cottonwood tree two yards over from ours. A whining squirrel and a raucous
Crow circling the cottonwood, gave away its presence before it departed. I
decided to attempt a good look at the Townsend Solitaire in Resurrection
Cemetery (Mendota Heights). The effort yielded only another brief,
questionable view. It did result, however, in many Yellow-rumped and Palm
Warbler sightings. That prompted a check of Crosby Farm Park, which proved
very fruitful.

Rounding the south side of the smaller lake, I noticed two Great Blue
Herons sunning themselves in trees on the north side. A loud splash drew my
attention to an Osprey, lifting from the water a hefty fish, which he
brought to a tree to eat. It would have been no surprise to see an eagle
fishing there, because of the eagle nest on the adjacent lake, but I don't
recall ever seeing an Osprey there.

A look for any other pleasant surprises, yielded one: a flock of around 75
Pelicans was circling over the Highland area, with a Red-tailed Hawk
soaring above them. The hike eventually led through the woods, along the
river path, where warblers were combing the under-story: Tennessee,
Nashville, Orange-crowned, and possible Blackpoll. Among the Red-eyed
Vireos was at least one Yellow-throated Vireo and a possible Philadelphia.

A Belted Kingfisher put in an appearance on the river bank. Where the path
veered into the woods, the loud calls of a Northern Waterthrush could be
heard from a smal,l vine-covered tree. The bird crossed back and forth over
the trail, calling loudly for some minutes, and there may have been more of
its kind. While I was trying to find them, an Ovenbird showed itself in the
same vicinity.

Waterthrush appeared again in the stream outlet by the 35E bridge, where
two E. Phoebes were also hunting. Further upstream, a young Indigo Bunting
was feeding in the grape vines.  Everywhere, there were Goldfinches, some
of them still feeding begging young. Add to that all the Chickadees,
Nuthatches, Robins, and Woodpeckers seen, and it was well worth an exercise
walk.

Linda Whyte
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