While out with some very nice folks from Nebraska today, we saw many signs of spring in the boreal birds.
When we got to Sax-Zim we found a SHARP-TAILED GROUSE lek, with about 20 birds displaying, calling and dancing in the crisp morning sun. This location is about 0.3 miles south of the interesection of Co. Rd. 7 and Sax Rd., on the west side, about 100 yards off in the open bog. At the Woodpecker spot on McDavitt Rd., we found a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER drumming and got to watch it for about 5 minutes. There was another bird responding to this bird's drums in the distance, repeating the drumming pattern. It then flew off toward the other bird. Herring Gull numbers are WAY up in Two Harbors and Knife River. Unfortunately, there were none of the rarer gulls around. NORTHERN SHRIKE numbers seem to be increasing in the bog, with two found today along HWY 133 between Co. Rd. 7 and Meadowlands. This was actually the first time I'd seen the bird in the bog, after having spent dozens of days there this winter. A large flock of maybe 500-600 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was flying around Knife River. They were very active, feeding whenever possible and moving around town in dense flocks. PINE GROSBEAK appears to be thinning out in the bog, as only one female was seen, compared to the dozens that were easily findable two weeks ago. We also found a NORTHERN CARDINAL near 4th Ave & 2nd St. in Two Harbors. The bird was in conifers near a small feeder in a backyard. A BOREAL CHICKADEE was heard along Admiral Rd., about 2 miles north of Koju Rd. I tend to call some of this shift in winter activity, "pre-spring." Birds from other areas aren't exactly pouring into the region, but the birds that were here are changing their behaviors and maybe leaving or staging to leave our area. Tom Auer Duluth, MN -- www.d.umn.edu/~auer0009
