Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Sunday 2011

Hope you all had a very happy Easter Sunday! We drove down to Mom & Dad's and celebrated with the rest of my family. My little nephew Ethan had an excellent Easter egg hunt.

After finishing our meal, stacking the dishes for Mom to fill the dishwasher and packing up some delicious leftovers to bring home, we headed for home with a short detour through rural Fillmore County to see if we could find the White Winged Scoter that had been spotted a week ago. Along the way, we saw this fox running across a field and heading for the road.

After turning the car around so I could take some better photos, the fox had the same idea -- turn around and run!

After turning down another gravel road, we finally spotted the pond where the scoter was supposed to be hanging out at. I first spotted this Lesser Yellowlegs scouting the muddy edge closest to the road.

And there he was! The White Winged Scoter! (click on the photo to enlarge it) The first ever recorded sighting of this bird in Fillmore County.

We first heard about this duck earlier last week when we were out birding and ran into Chris Hockema. Chris told us the duck's plumage was somewhat different than what's usually seen on an adult males scoter, but that the dark head and white eye "comma" were easily seen for a definitive ID. I was really glad this duck was still hanging around and we got a chance to see it. Thanks to John and Chris Hockema for locating the duck and sharing its location with other Minnesota birders.



8 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Great sighting of the Scoter, great bird. I enjoyed your post and photos.

Dawn Fine said...

Looks like you have had a super Easter! Glad you were able to see the Scoter.

Mama Pea said...

Congrats on your sighting! What a nice treat to encounter the Scoter on your way home. Sounds as if you had a really nice day.

Gaelyn said...

Lots of nice sightings, including your nephew. Very cool to have a new species sighting.

RuthieJ said...

Thanks everyone! It was really nice to enjoy a day with the family.

Taos Sunflower said...

Ruthie: You get the most amazing photographs. Those pics of the fox are just super. Good score.

RuthieJ said...

Thanks Martie. I like foxes and don't get to see them often enough. I think these are probably the only really close photos I've ever taken of a red fox.

Anonymous said...

I had never seen a fox until we moved to Minnesota. We had one that wandered through the neighborhood in broad daylight. I was horrified--wondered if it mustn't be rabid. The neighbors all said, "No--just old and crazy."

I may be getting there.

Ethan is a cutie! Love that soccer Easter basket!