Birded Itasca & Koochiching counties 2/18-2/20 w/John & Chris Hockema, Ben Fritchman, Jeff Stephenson, and Dedrick Benz. We found 36 species including:
Itasca County: Common Redpoll - Grand Rapids, Effie, & CR 5 Pine Grosbeak - Cohasset, Effie, & CR 7 Pine Siskin - Grand Rapids, Effie, & Scenic SP Northern Goshawk - CR 7, .2 mile N of CR 337 Northern Shrike - CR 434 Bohemian Waxwings - Cohasset Ruffed Grouse - Alder Rd, Horseshoe Drive in Grand Rapids Boreal Chickadee - at least 5 on Alder Rd, .1 mile N of Middle Creek Northern Hawk Owl - 6 miles N of Deer River on Hwy 6 Gray Jay - CR 128 Northern Cardinal - Grand Rapids Evening Grosbeak - Effie Purple Finch - Effie, Cohasset, Grand Rapids Koochiching County: Three-toed Woodpecker - CR 13, 8 miles N of 71 Black-backed Woodpecker - CR 13, 9.5 miles N of 71 Spruce Grouse - CR 13, 6 miles N of 71 Boreal Chickadee - CR 13 10.7 miles N of 71, Toumey-Williams Rd 6 miles N of CR 30 Northern Shrike - CR 13 Gray Jay - CR 13, CR 32 Ruffed Grouse - Toumey-Williams Rd Pine Grosbeak - several locations, most notably some huge feeder setups in Big Falls Evening Grosbeak - feeders in Big Falls Northern Hawk Owl - intersection of CR 22 & 71, a second on CR 32 6 miles W of 11 Common Redpoll - Toumey-Williams Rd, feeders in Big Falls Hoary Redpoll - at least one at feeders in Big Falls Red Crossbill - at least 12 in the pine plantation on Toumey-Williams Rd .2 miles from where it intersects Pine Island Forest Rd Northern Goshawk - Toumey-Williams Rd 5 miles N of 30 Pine Siskin - feeders in Big Falls Black-billed Magpie - several locations including CR 13, CR 11, and International Falls Great Gray Owl - on CR 30, 6.5 miles W of 71 and 2 near Hwy 6 south of Big Falls The usual suspects were out in both counties including many Common Ravens and several Bald Eagles. White-winged Crossbills seem to be nearly impossible this winter. Shawn Conrad B.B.B. Bovey
