Birders looking for Rough-legged Hawks may want to try Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. I found four on the wildlife drive this afternoon--one on the last leg of the drive near the Bald Eagle nest flew just in front of my car at windshield level. I observed another six on the north side of Sherburne County Road 9 between County 5 and the Blue Hill Trail parking lot.
I headed east from County 5 on Ann Lake Campground Road to check for the Solitaire(s). Found another RL Hawk perched close to the road about a half mile east of 5. The road is closed for the winter about 1 mile in. No Solitaire found. Also observed two Northern Shrikes on the wildlife drive. Sherburne County lies northeast of the imaginary line connecting Collegeville, St. Michael, and St. Paul (all northern owl sites). Is it just a matter of time before we find one of the northern owls in Sherburne County? Has anyone spotted a GGO or NHO (Man, I love this birder code stuff!) in Sherburne County yet this season? Paul Gunderson Elk River--Big Lake --- http://USFamily.Net/dialup.html - $8.25/mo! -- http://www.usfamily.net/dsl.html - $19.99/mo! ---
