[mou] Monday Owls, Sharptails

[JELLISBIRD@aol.com]

This failed to post last night and I am re-sending it for my son, Jesse and I.

    A family owling trip to Sax-Zim bog area today (Monday) turned up many 
Great Grey Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, Sharp-tailed Grouse and Pine Grosbeaks. 
Prime Great Grey Owl locations were Co. Rd 7, McDavitt Rd (St. Louis #213) near 
St. Louis 27 and Kolu Road, which also produced multiple Northern Hawk Owls.
    Totals for owls were 45 Great Grey Owls and 14 Hawk Owls. A single Barred 
Owl (acting just like a Great Grey) rounded out the owls with an even 60 
birds. We also had the good fortune to find Sharp-tailed Grouse at 4 different 
locations. On Owl Avenue at Mottinen Road we found 2 individuals close to the 
road. A single bird foraging high in a birch was approx. 2 mi. south of Kelsey on 
St. Louis 7. Late in the day two Sharp-tails were feeding high in trees on 
Arkola Rd 1 mile E of 7 and another single bird was 4.5 mi. E of 7 on Arkola.
    Pine Grosbeaks were seen in multiple locations, and Redpolls were fairly 
common but we only had one Rough-legged Hawk, and no shrikes of magpies. We 
missed Boreal Chickadees as well, but didn't spend much time in appropriate 
habitat for these. Contact me or my dad for specific locations, although St. Louis 
7 will probably net a large number of the birds we saw.
    
Good owling to you all,
Jesse Ellis (and John Ellis, St. Paul)