I was out guiding a woman from North Carolina today. We birded Sax-Zim Bog, Hawk Ridge, North Shore Drive and Park Point. We found some terrific birds and I was able to show her 7 lifers to add to her growing list.
Highlights: Sax-Zim Bog: - Great Gray Owl. A very cooperative owl that allowed us to witness the owl make several plunges in the grass with hopes of nailing a vole. During the 30 minutes of watching this owl actively hunt within 60 feet of us it was successful once. - Boreal Chickadee was found among a small flock of Black-capped Chickadees. Its always a treat to find a Boreal Chickadee! - Gray Jay - Sharp-tailed Grouse. We found 8 grouse at the traditional lek south of CR 52 (Arkola Rd). Take Arkola Rd to Poplar Rd and head south on Poplar Rd and look west for a small shack that looks like a out house. The grouse were feeding on both sides of the road. The farmer is a great guy and he is also the owner of Wilbert's Cafe in Cotton. I met him a few times and its okay to park along the Poplar Road to view the grouse. Please park on the shoulder and do not block the road. We found 6 other grouse along CR 29 on the east side near the intersection of the Rasek Rd. This is another traditional spot and also another lek location. -Barred Owl was seen along the Kolu Rd. Hawk Ridge: -Northern Goshawk adult flew over us. -Common Redpolls migrating over head and stopping to feed on a Birch tree where I parked my car! Two Harbors: -Northern Shrike down by the tug boat area on Agate Bay. Park Point: - 2 Bohemian Waxwings been coming to a crab apple tree with a Robin and a Cedar Waxwing for nearly a week. The crab apple tree is located in the large parking lot near the tall pines. Not a bad day! Mike Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota MikeHendricksonGuiding.com Sax-ZimBog.com ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
