John Hockema has been faithfully keeping my idiotic goal alive, of trying to add at least one bird to each of my 87 Minnesota County lists. Nervous about adding to my already semirespectable totals in Lake and Cook, we decided to head north for a 3-day extravaganza along the shore. My personal county ticks (House Finch in Cook and Redhead in Lake) are much less interesting than all the other birds we saw:
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - On MN breakwall at Superior Entry (Fri) - Adult WHITE-WINGED SCOTER - At least 3 at rowing club at MN Point (Sat)/3 at Taconite Harbor (Sun)/1 in Grand Marais Harbor (Sun) BLACK SCOTER - One flyby from bathhouse at MN Point (Sat) SURF SCOTER - 4 at Taconite Harbor (Sun) BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER - At least 5 at various spots along the shore 3-TOED WOODPECKER - Silver Bay Marina Parking Lot (Mon) - adult male seen well in island of 4 spruce trees - then flew towards Hwy to 61 to who knows where - I believe this is several days earlier than last years 'irruption.' Is this the beginning of another influx? NORTHERN GOSHAWK - Beaver Bay Sewage Ponds (Mon) - imm. seeking a Green-winged Teal for lunch BOREAL CHICKADEE - One bird calling at Sugarloaf Cove (Sun) - On nature trail between markers 7 & 8 BOHEMIAN WAXWING - One flock of 50 (?) in Grand Marais (Sun) - small numbers of Cedar Waxwing all along the shore, but only the one flock of Bohemians GRAY JAY - Various spots along the shore AM GOLDEN PLOVER - Probably at 5 or spots along the shore - usually 1 to 3 birds BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER - Two Harbors Golf Course (Mon) - 3 birds Miscellania: 5 Warbs (Cape May, TN, Nashville, Palm, Yellow-rumped), Sanderling, Harris's Sparrow, 100 White-crowneds per 1 White-throated Sparrow, Cackling Geese, Numerous Horned Grebes 3-day total in St Louis, Lake, and Cook Counties: 88 Dedrick Benz Winona, MN _________________________________________________________________ Climb to the top of the charts!? Play Star Shuffle:? the word scramble challenge with star power. http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_oct
