For the Birds

For the past four years I have subscribed to the Minnesota Ornithological Union (MOU) listserv.  Every day I get emails that explain where notable bird sightings have been observed.  Most people put the county in the topic line so I can delete messages from far away counties without bothering to read them.  You too can sign up for these notices at this website: http://moumn.org/listservice.html  I have found some amazing birds by reading this listserv.  I found my first snowy owl and my first white faced ibis and my first wood stork by going to the places described in these messages.  So I have fun reading them.  Today I noticed more excitement in the notices.  People are writing emails about the spring migration of birds back into Minnesota from the south.  Normally a gadwall, a horned lark, a scaup, or a common golden eye is not worth mentioning.  Birds you see all summer long are not a big deal unless they are a FOY (first of the year).  I, myself, saw a FOY Northern harrier hawk in Coon Rapids on my way to a meeting in Anoka at 2 o'clock.  Otherwise we normally read about unusual birds like wood storks, snowy owls, gallinules  or this gyrfalcon that has been hanging around the shipping docks in Superior, Wisconsin which isn't even in Minnesota.  I like reading this listserv because I like to hear about birds returning but I also enjoy the excitement in the messages when I read between the lines.  Bird watchers are excitable and passionate and I like those qualities.