First of years in Sherburne/Mille Lacs County * 4/30, Eared Grebe, Milaca Sewage Ponds & Hiking Trails (good bins looks from 50 feet, nice surprise in this county); Winter Wren (finally)
* 4/29, Spotted Sandpiper, Princeton Sewage Ponds; Blue-headed Vireo, Sherburne NWR (Blue Hill Trail) * 4/28, Wilson's Phalarope. Princeton Sewage Ponds Interesting migration year here in central MN! Year totals are just about normal (walking & birding daily around work & family schedule), but missing: Greater White-fronted, Snow, Cackling (and Ross') Geese - Black Duck - Great Egret - Osprey (something wrong there) - Merlin - Screech Owl - NRW, Bank, Cliff Swallows - all but three warblers (no Pine or Palm yet) - Lark Sparrow - and Yellow-headed Blackbird. (As Jim Williams has pointed out, gas prices are a concern this year - less trips overall - birding more locally.) Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
