A female-plumaged Lazuli Bunting was found about noon today, 26 Oct, in Cook Co along U S Hwy 61 at mile marker 121, which is about 11 mi E of Grand Marais, or 2 mi W of Paradise Beach. I first spotted it while with 10 other birders, and it was in view for a total of a couple minutes before flying W along the lake shore and out of sight. Denny Martin managed to take some photos of it, but it is not yet known how they will turn out. Female-plumaged Lazuli / Indigo Buntings can be tricky to identify, so our documentation will have to be reviewed by the MOU Records Committee before this record is confirmed.
Other significant species up the North Shore which our group heard about or saw this weekend; note that some of this is second-hand information, and there were probably other sightings of interest I did not hear about: Pacific Loon / 25 Oct, Paradise Beach and Grand Marais (same individual?) Harlequin Duck (3) / 25-26 Oct, Paradise Beach Long-eared Owl / 26 Oct, Artists Point, Grand Marais Red-bellied Woodpecker / 25 Oct, still in Two Harbors, and another at Molly & Ken Hoffman's feeder ner Grand Marais Townsend's Solitaire / 26 Oct, near campground office, Grand Marais Veery (late) / 25 Oct, Two Harbors Sage Thrasher / 26 Oct, still present at same Grand Marais location Nashville W, N Parula, Cape May W, Blackpoll W, and Am Redstart (all late) / 25 Oct, Two Harbors Kim Eckert
