Although things have slowed down a bit in northern Sherburne & southern Mille Lacs counties this midweek (Monday through Wednesday), have a few to report:
* Whip-poor-wills (two seen at 8:40 AM this morning flying from tree to tree along the eagle nest road side of Sherburne NWR's Prairie Wildlife auto tour). They have also been singing on Blue Hill Trail and at Ann Lake/Sand Dunes campground. * Henslow's Sparrow (first right hand corner on the auto tour - third "hearing" since 5/1) * Red-headed Woodpecker along Sherburne CR 9 yesterday (surprisingly, first of season) * Eleven sparrows total in area, including Larks on Mahnomen Trail (not singing, but still quite visibly flying about; twelve if you include towhees) * Philadelphia Vireo (first of season at Pioneer Park Monday). * Only ten warbler species, eight resident and two migrant. I would concur with the observation that this has been a slower warbler migration, very few waves to speak of - many of my sightings/hearings have been of 1-3 birds. Currently at 23 species, 26-27 consistently migrate through here (missing Bay-breasted, Mourning & Canada, as well as the southern rarities as a whole - remember the Hooded last year and Chat in 2004 on Blue Hill Trail). * Only seven shorebird species, 80+ Dunlins on the auto tour this morning (Bergeson Pool, scoping at 60X), couple of W. Phalaropes on CR2 ponds. Would love to see a few of the larger shorebirds move through (Willet, Stilt et al). Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
