Hi All, The Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive, Blue Hill and Mahnomen Hiking Trails are all open during daylight hours, 7 days a week now. Only burn left might be one in the Blue Hill Trail area, but not sure when that might occur. As always, I will post to mou-net as soon as I have information from the burn crews. I was out on the refuge for a while today late morning, and really only two birds of note. One - a singing lark sparrow that gave me great views for several minutes. This bird was in an oak tree across the road from Hope Lutheran Church that's on the Orrock Town Hall Road (a dead end). From the intersection of CRs 5 and 4 at the north end of Orrock, travel east on CR 4 for about .3 or .4 miles. Turn north on the town hall road (there's a sign). The church is near the end of the road. Lots of vesper and field sparrows singing in the area too. Second - a pine warbler was singing from high in the red pines at the end of the driveway (18265 - two rock and mortar pillars on either side of the drive) on CR 4, just east of the CR 5 and 4 intersection at Orrock. This spot is just 2 miles south from the wildlife drive entrance. If you're in the area, I'd suggest checking the roads and trails in Sand Dunes State Forest (just a little farther east along CR 4) where there are lots of pines and mixed woods. Lots of yellow-rumped warblers around, and one palm warbler seen on Monday morning from the parking lot at the old school house. Sparrows are plentiful - vesper, chipping & field; also song, swamp, white-throated. Brown thrashers and eastern towhees are both singing along the wildlife drive. No gallinules yet, that I know of. Ducks have thinned out in the last week or two, but still lots of ring-necked as well as mallards, both teal, gadwall, wigeon and shoveler. Stickney Pool had greater yellowlegs on Monday too. No new migrants - we need a big south wind! Betsy Beneke Sherburne NWR
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