[mou] Where to find Red Crossbills in Pine County

[Alt, Mark]

I have gotten some requests for Crossbills spots in Pine County.....Go up Hwy 23 from Banning Junction 20+ miles to Nickerson, turn right on "main street" and proceed through "town" till you approach the Railroad tracks. There are tall Red Pines on both sides of the road about 50 yards before the tracks. We had a flock of 26 feeding "small-billed" Red Crossbills in the tops of these trees. They fed there and also moved to the distant stand of Red Pines to the north along the ridge. After you cross over the tracks further east, turn left and proceed past the pond, then pasture, then cemetery on your right. Just past the cemetery on the right is the stand of Red Pine and Norway Spruce that we had the larger-billed Flock in. Familiarize yourself with their Kip-kip calls and get out and listen for these, as well as scan all trees for finch activity at their tops - Red Crossbills may appear much smaller than you may think they are if you have not seen them before. I was back further in the bog and found more flocks, to do so - focus on stands of Red Pines and Norway Spruce, and be mindful that some flocks were not calling much. Since there are no Purple Finches or Siskins being seen in Pine County right now, and few Redpolls, it would be likely that any finches smaller than Grosbeaks would prove to be Crossbills right now. Good Birding...

Mark Alt
Brooklyn Center

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Palas [mailto:markpalas at earthlink.net]
Sent: Sat 12/29/2007 7:03 PM
To: Alt, Mark
Subject: Re: [mou] FW: Pine CTY CBC
 
Mark,

I've  written you in the past.  My dad lives on Sturgeon lake, in  
Pine county.  The Red Crossbill are of interest as I've never seen  
one before.  Where did you find them?

Thanks

Mark Palas


On Dec 29, 2007, at 4:33 PM, Alt, Mark wrote:

>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alt, Mark
> Sent: Sat 12/29/2007 4:32 PM
> To: Alt, Mark
> Subject: Pine CTY CBC
>
> Bird Species seen on Pine County CBC 12/27/07
>
> Ruffed Grouse				13
>
> Wild Turkey					13
>
> Bald Eagle					12
>
> Northern Goshawk				1
>
> Rough-legged Hawk				13
>
> Rock Pigeon					113
>
> Mourning Dove				11
>
> Barred Owl					2
>
> Great Gray Owl				1
>
> Red-bellied Woodpecker			2
>
> Downy Woodpecker				14
>
> Hairy Woodpecker				19
>
> Pileated Woodpecker				8
>
> Northern Shrike				5
>
> Gray Jay					2
>
> Blue Jay					208
>
> American Crow				158
>
> Common Raven				73
>
> Black-capped Chickadee			521
>
> Red-breasted Nuthatch			19
>
> White-breasted Nuthatch			23
>
> Brown Creeper				1
>
> European Starling				181
>
> Bohemian Waxwing				8
>
> Dark-eyed Junco				3
>
> Snow Bunting					1
>
> Northern Cardinal				3
>
> Pine Grosbeak					204
>
> Red Crossbill					43
> 17 were of the large billed race
>
> White-winged Crossbill			2
>
> Common Redpoll				51
>
> American Goldfinch				28
>
> Evening Grosbeak				23
>
> House Sparrow				64
>
>
>
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