Yesterday we drove to Finland, then went east on Lake Co. #7, which follows the Baptism River for several miles. Along this stretch we found one Common Loon, about a dozen Ring-necked ducks, 2 male Common Mergansers, one male Wood Duck, one male Kingfisher, and along the road numerous Com. Flickers, Black-cap. Chickadees, Juncos and a few Grackles. (Grackles invaded our feeders Saturday, although we had seen one or two the previous week) Further east along Nine Mile Creek, then on small Cramer Lake were more Ring-necks, especially at Cramer L., which had at least 30, plus two pair of Buffleheads and two pair of Com. Goldeneyes, 25 Canada Geese. The west end of this lake still had some ice. We turned right on Lake Co. 8 at Cramer (just a few cabins at this corner) and headed home. All along this road were Flickers, juncos, a few Robins, occasional Song Sparrow, but no other land birds. Lake Co. 8 becomes Cook Co. 1 at the county line, and becomes darn near impassable a mile or so further on - lots of frost boils and a place where a truck got stuck trying to dodge one of these, and everything is rutted and torn up. No problem with a pickup or other higher vehicle, but we scraped bottom with our van. From Hansen's gravel pit eastward the road is fine. We came south on Sugarloaf Rd. which goes past a couple wetlands, where we had 3 male Mallards, lots of moose tracks, and one Ruffed Grouse along the road. When we got home, we found 3 Purple Finches at the feeder, plus lots of juncos, one very feisty Tree Sparrow who chases any junco who it thinks is too close, one male Red-winged Blackbird, assorted Grackles, and one Flicker. So far we have seen only one Fox Sparrow - in our yard on April 4, but at least he sang for us! And still no White-throats. Pine Siskins still here. Big lake is very rough, hard to spot any ducks there, although we had a few Red-breasted Mergansers last week.
Jim & Carol Tveekrem
