After viewing the White-tailed Kite in Ortonville on Friday morning (Nate has details from three observations, I was wrestling with the car & only viewed for ~15 seconds), we were towed back and changed our Saturday northwestern MN birding plans (my apologies, Jeanie) to a relaxed area Big Day on Saturday. We covered Sherburne NWR, Princeton Sewage Ponds, Foley Sewage Ponds, Milaca Sewage Ponds, Mille Lacs Lake, Aitkin CR 15, Aitkin CR 18 & 5, and Palisade.
We saw and/or heard 120 species, including 22 warblers (good movement on Sherburne's Blue Hill Trail & Aitkin CR 18). However, we only found 9 shorebird and 7 sparrow species, despite visiting four potential shorebird locations. Notable misses included Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Common Tern, Solitary Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Eastern Meadowlark, Clay-colored and White-throated Sparrow - lack of song hurt the effort. We extend much respect to the team that owns the August MOU record (134 species, I believe) and also to Peder's single person August ABA record - which I believe was in one county (148?). Good birding to all! Al & Nate Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
