Apparently my directions for the Great-tailed Grackle in West Duluth needed to be more precise. Go down Grand Avenue all the way to Gary New Duluth. Just before Boy Scout Landing take a left on Highway 39, as if you were following the signs to cross the bridge to Wisconsin. The road will go downhill, cross a railroad tracks, then climb to the bridge but instead, at the bottom of the hill take a left into the small dirt parking area, just past the tracks, that is beneath a train trestle. Go to the railroad tracks and walk north (to the right). Mud Lake is ahead of you, and the railroad crosses it on a causeway, but you dont need to go that far.
On the tracks, about 30-50 yards before the lake, look to your right (east, towards Wisconsin), and there is a medium height dead tree something like 30-50 yards away from the railroad tracks. The Great-tailed Grackle was perched high there this morning, and there were a bunch of Mourning Doves hanging around in the vicinity as well. For comparison, on the west side of the tracks along the near edge of Mud Lake there were ten or so Common Grackles (also a family of six River Otters at about 5:30 this morning!). Hopefully the bird will hang around in the vicinity for a while. Dan Amerman Duluth, MN __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
