Area Report, Sherburne & Mille Lacs Counties (but not lake), 4/19 - 4/25 (12 hours in field):
* 96 total species * 18 waterfowl species, nothing unusual * Ruffed Grouse actively drumming in Sherburne Refuge (Blue Hill & Mahnomen Trails) * Numerous Horned Grebes, no Red-necked or rarer yet * Green Heron just in last night. No egrets to date. * Seven raptor species, single Broad-winged * Only four shorebird species - many ag/temporary ponds available - most interesting were two sleeping snipe on Sherburne CR 70 (actually on roadway) * Bonaparte's and single Caspian Tern * Only two swallows (Tree & Barn, would guess that Purple Martins are back at the lake) * Single early Gray Catbird in Mille Lacs County * Only two warbler species (six million Yellow-rumped, single Orange-crowned - don't know about you but I'm ready for the waves of diversity!) * Eleven sparrow species - Clay-colored just in southern Mille Lacs County last night - have only seen one White-throated to date * Seven blackbirds, including Rusties, Brewers and Western Meadowlarks (latter in both counties) * Surprising Purple Finch in middle of Mahnomen Trail, Sherburne NWR (hunkered down in wood pile) today. Send your poor, your downtrodden, your rarities - we have room! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties