--NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_23512_1128203658_0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
My wife and I drove north and then cycled 25 miles on the Munger Trail north out of Carlton today and saw an Osprey, two Sharp-shinned Hawks and an abundance of Yellow-rumped Warblers, whose colors at this time of year proves God paints in watercolors. We had a Fisher run in front of us on the trail just north of Kangas Road, I was not sure they are common this far south. I had never seen one south of teh BWCA before. A kettle of 8 Turkey vultures spiraled upwards north of Hinckley. A mature Bald Eagle sat in the fresh soil of sod farms along Hwy 35 north of Rush City, an immature Goshawk in a dead snag north of the Kettle River. South of Lindstrom, a flock of 20 White Pelicans soared overhead, pretty low, losing altitude, seeming to prepare for a landing nearby . The Munger Trail's soundscape resonated with the crystalline tseeps of Golden-crowned Kinglets that never visually appeared for me. What a great day, all this and exercise too. I am learning that birding at 14 mph is about optimum for me. I see many things very well as I approach them quickly and I get a great feel for the relative abundance of birds as I cover so much edge habitat. My wife can stand it since I am restricted to what I can see when I am still moving. I rely on my ears a lot an din spring the species list realy builds quick. I only stop when I think something great is around, like today to see what was eventually a Yellow-rump but caught my eye working a bridge abutment very like a Rock Wren. So it goes. Good birding. Mark Alt Brooklyn Center, MN --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_23512_1128203658_0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit <html><body> <DIV>My wife and I drove north and then cycled 25 miles on the Munger Trail north out of Carlton today and saw an Osprey, two Sharp-shinned Hawks and an abundance of Yellow-rumped Warblers, whose colors at this time of year proves God paints in watercolors. We had a Fisher run in front of us on the trail just north of Kangas Road, I was not sure they are common this far south. I had never seen one south of teh BWCA before. A kettle of 8 Turkey vultures spiraled upwards north of Hinckley. A mature Bald Eagle sat in the fresh soil of sod farms along Hwy 35 north of Rush City, an immature Goshawk in a dead snag north of the Kettle River. South of Lindstrom, a flock of 20 White Pelicans soared overhead, pretty low, losing altitude, seeming to prepare for a landing nearby . The Munger Trail's soundscape resonated with the crystalline tseeps of Golden-crowned Kinglets that never visually appeared for me. What a great day, all this and exercise too. I am le arning that birding at 14 mph is about optimum for me. I see many things very well as I approach them quickly and I get a great feel for the relative abundance of birds as I cover so much edge habitat. My wife can stand it since I am restricted to what I can see when I am still moving. I rely on my ears a lot an din spring the species list realy builds quick. I only stop when I think something great is around, like today to see what was eventually a Yellow-rump but caught my eye working a bridge abutment very like a Rock Wren. So it goes. Good birding.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mark Alt</DIV> <DIV>Brooklyn Center, MN</DIV></body></html> --NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_23512_1128203658_0--
