[mou] Maple Grove high lights (long - what else)

[Thomas Maiello]

Had another remarkable day birding by Eagle Lake in Maple Grove.  Two  
life birds today - one walked by my home office window and still shows  
up throughout the day and the other was branch hopping in a tree a few  
hundred feet from my door.  Birded with Lynne from New Hope and we had  
a ball seeing many warblers and other fancy stuff.

Birds and noticings of note

Looked out my window this morning and saw little action until a small  
little yellow fluffball walked by, nose (beak) to the ground.  Scoured  
the book for a yellow bird with black marking around it's neck and  
after casting aside Kentucky Warbler - I figured that the black  
markings on yellow breast and neck were the indicator of the Canada  
Warbler - a lifer

Then after a fruitful day of birding with Lynne taking pictures (and  
you would have to ask her of her experience), we started heading back  
and noticed a solo bird in a bare tree.  First glance said Cape May  
but something was missing and the bird was too plain.  Then realized  
it was missing a brownish patch on the eye and seemed to have a  
whitish chin with black beneath it and nearly a Cape May eye but  
fainter.  Scour book.  Scour book.  Scour book.  Yes, yes, no, no, Oh  
My Goodness it is a Black-Throated Green Warbler without  hint of  
green on it!  Yeehaw another lifer.

Earlier we danced with a Bay-breasted Warbler for several minutes  
along some pines in full sun.  Man is that something to behold!

Also earlier we were blessed with visiting the area of the Cooper's  
Hawk nest and got to watch one of the birds chase and almost catch a  
Catbird.  Then a little bit away from that action we spotted the other  
mate Cooper's who had caught a red squirrel and feasted while Lynne  
shot digital pic after digital pic.

Many other joys including a White-breasted Nuthatch protesting the  
presence of a Red-bellied Woodpecker pounding the wood nest to the  
entrance of its crevice nest.  A Common Yellowthroat and Cape May  
Warbler dancing outside my office window.  Several Ovenbirds showing  
their boldness to eat overcoming their secreted lifestyle.  And very  
cooperative Chestnut-sided Warblers.

Another glorious day in paradise.  Whew!  Time for a nap.

Thomas Maiello
Angel Environmental Management, Inc.
Maple Grove, MN



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