[mou] Lazuli Bunting in Cook Co

[Kim R. Eckert]

A female-plumaged Lazuli Bunting was found about noon today, 26 Oct, in
Cook Co along U S Hwy 61 at mile marker 121, which is about 11 mi E of
Grand Marais, or 2 mi W of Paradise Beach. I first spotted it while with 10
other birders, and it was in view for a total of a couple minutes before
flying W along the lake shore and out of sight. Denny Martin managed to
take some photos of it, but it is not yet known how they will turn out.
Female-plumaged Lazuli / Indigo Buntings can be tricky to identify, so our
documentation will have to be reviewed by the MOU Records Committee before
this record is confirmed.

Other significant species up the North Shore which our group heard about or
saw this weekend; note that some of this is second-hand information, and
there were probably other sightings of interest I did not hear about:

Pacific Loon / 25 Oct, Paradise Beach and Grand Marais (same individual?)
Harlequin Duck (3) / 25-26 Oct, Paradise Beach
Long-eared Owl / 26 Oct, Artists Point, Grand Marais
Red-bellied Woodpecker / 25 Oct, still in Two Harbors, and another at Molly
& Ken Hoffman's feeder ner Grand Marais
Townsend's Solitaire / 26 Oct, near campground office, Grand Marais
Veery (late) / 25 Oct, Two Harbors
Sage Thrasher / 26 Oct, still present at same Grand Marais location
Nashville W, N Parula, Cape May W, Blackpoll W, and Am Redstart (all late)
/ 25 Oct, Two Harbors

Kim Eckert