Run on 8 June. This "corn-desert" route runs north through the farmlands of Chippewa and Swift Counties. A windy day limited birds to 514 birds of 47 species, a bit below average. Chipping Sparrows were in low numbers (maybe hurt by the cold of late Apr-early May?) and Sedge Wrens absent as noted by many this year. Bobolinks barely hang on with 3 birds and Western Meadowlarks may be locally extirpated with none the past 3 years. On the plus side two new martin houses attracted the intended inhabitants (there's such a housing shortage nowadays that lake and farm residents have a good chance to attract this welcome bird if they provide and manage new houses) while a pair of Hungarian Partridge, the first in over a decade, show that this species can hang on in low numbers and not be noticed. Four harriers were surprising, Barn Swallows seem to be back at normal numbers after several years of low numbers while the continued invasion of the marshes at Hollenberg Lake by hybrid cattail seems to be eliminating the Y-H Blackbird colony there with none seen this year. Bob Russell, USFWS
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