This evening I visited Goodhue Lake Byllesby Park, hoping to find Common Loons, as I have in the last several years, but didn't find one. Small flocks of migrant ducks and White Pelicans were present.
About 6:30 pm, I drove into Randolph Industrial Park, car windows open, enjoying the songs of Eastern and Western Meadowlarks. As I turned left toward the pond behind the church, a Loggerhead Shrike landed on a post about 10 feet from the car. It stayed perched for some time, until it saw prey and dove into the grass. I saw its shorter black bill and broader black mask than the Northern's easily, and it was the highlight of my day.
Other sightings today and earlier this week were:
FOY Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1 at my feeder this am, and 1 at Goodhue Boat Landing on Lake Byllesby this evening
Small flocks of Ring-necked Duck, Scaup, Bufflehead, Redhead, Canvasback, Pied-billed Grebe, DC Cormorant, C. Goldeneye, C. Merganser, and A. Coot are still present at Lake Byllesby in both Dakota and Goodhue Cty, and also in Industrial Park ponds.
White Pelicans (15): viewed from Lakeside Cemetery (I had seen a larger flock, 31, at Lakeside on Sunday).
An Osprey flew over the dam at Goodhue Cty Park on Sunday, and I had my FOY White Pelicans (7) flying overhead, soon after that.
There are some mudflats beginning to appear on the northwest side of Lake Byllesby now, as high waters from the snowmelt subside.
As almost always, a male N. Cardinal at Lakeside Cemetery flew down from a tree, and began to attack his image in my car's side mirrors as soon as I walked away from the car. He waits for any vehicle to enter the area, so he can begin defense against his reflection in the side mirror . He also fights his image as it is reflected on a nearby dark gravestone with a polished "mirror" finish.
Laura Coble
Cannon Falls
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