It's been a glorious week down on the farm in up-north Minnesota. Snow is making a hasty retreat and has been replaced by flooded ditches, muddy roads and newly opened creeks and rivers. Yesterday we collected about 90 gallons of sap from the 81 maple trees we helped some friends tap. It's looking like a great run. While out in the Sugar Bush we were serenaded by the drumming of Ruffed Grouse
Sunday (4/30) at 8 AM, the first A. Robin appeared. It flew to the top of a birch sapling stuck in the brush pile near the feeders and surveyed the yard for all of 40 seconds. It was not impressed and left. Happily, others finally arrived today and have found the sloppy, muddy mess that is our yard much to their liking. Last Sunday also brought the first returning Purple Finch of the season (2 dozen) and a single Junco. As of today Juncos have increased to about 4 dozen, P. Finch numbers are holding steady and the feeders continue to satisfy ravenous hordes of A. Goldfinch and C. Redpoll. A single Fox Sparrow foraged under the Lilac most of the morning. Owls!- Northern Saw Whet, Great Horned and Barred have all been calling here this week. The Saw Whet starts in at 8 PM and seems to be calling continuously, at least until 1 AM. Last night he moved from the wetland depression/balsam area on the neighbors property to somewhere near the site where I have offered a nest-box. Keeping my fingers crossed that he likes it and finds a mate who approves. Today there were many FYO birds found in Clearwater county. In Bagley, on the Clearwater River: Hooded Merganser-2 Common Goldeneye-3 Pied-billed Grebe-1 Great Blue Heron-1 Belted Kingfisher-1 In the Mosquito Creek WMA, south of Bagley, along Stockyard Road: Sandhill Crane-4 Kildeer-2 Raptors for today: Northern Harrier-9 Rough-legged-6 Red-tailed-3 Bald Eagle-3 Sharp-shinned-1 A. Kestrel-6 Kelly Larson Bagley/Bemidji Minnesota Eschew Obfuscation! The middle of Nowhere is Somewhere!
