[mou] Aitkin Co.

[Benjamin Fritchman]

Ahhh...Aitkin County, where only hitchhikers outnumber deer along the road.

Just joking, anyway McGregor Marsh was really quiet this morning, yellow 
rails are winding down the "singing" process. I did however end up hearing 2 
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows, several Sedge Wrens and 1 LeConte's Sparrow. 
And after awhile I even got to hear 3 Yellow rails at the southern end of 
the big marsh, still ticking away.
Then after a quick nap waiting for daylight, I headed up to Pietz's Road. I 
got out by the snowmobile trail and hiked south.....well I tried to at 
least, the mosquitos gave me one choice, so I ended up running the trail. I 
heard a Connecticut Warbler, but I kept running, I then heard a 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, I stopped....bad mistake. The flycatcher got 
closer, but the swarm of mosquitos got even closer, I took off again, faster 
than ever. A Great Gray Owl flushed and I do admit, I jumped a little. It 
flew to a snag and turned to stare me down with its cold yellow eyes. I 
didn't stop running....I couldn't. Another Connecticut Warbler sang, pretty 
close, I didn't give it another thought. I decided the Owl wouldn't like me 
chasing it down the trail, so I turned back, now I noticed that the ticks 
had covered me from my ankles to my knees, with my pants being soaked up to 
my thighs. I started peeling the ticks off, but the mosquitos had different 
plans. A group of chickadees started calling, undoubtedly with a Boreal 
mixed in, but I had no blood left to check it out. A Gray Jay lit upon a 
spruce and just watched me as I sped by. 10 minutes, 4 Boreal species, 1 
pint of lost blood, 42 wood ticks, and not 1 ounce of regret......I'd do it 
again in a minute.

Waiting for the shorebirds....
Ben Fritchman
Long Prairie, MN

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