Singing male White-winged Crossbills have become quite conspicuous in the Sax-Zim Bog during the last month. At least 5 males have been singing and squabbling along McDavitt Road bog stretch recently.
They have been seen in at least 6 locations in the Bog and I've also heard them flying over my land in Carlton County. Crossbills have been recorded nesting in every month of the year and I think they will be soon nesting in Minnesota (August?). They nest any time their little crossbill brains register that there will be enough cone seeds to raise a family. I have not seen any females yet. The last two winters have been essentially White-winged "Crossbill-less." This is no surprise, as Black Spruce and Tamarack cone crops have been sparse. This year there are many Tamaracks literally drooping with a heavy load of cones. I predict that this will be a fantastic White-winged Crossbill winter. Fingers crossed! Sparky Stensaas 2515 Garthus Road Wrenshall MN 55797 218.341.3350 sparkystens...@hotmail.com www.ThePhotoNaturalist.com www.KollathStensaas.com www.SaxZim.org ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
