[mou] Iceland Gull, STGR Update

[Chad Aakre]

Hello all,

Dedrick Benz and I had an interesting weekend up North.   My target birds 
were the Iceland Gull that had been frequenting Agate Bay in Two Harbors and 
the Sharp-tailed Grouse in Sax- Zim.   We spent Saturday and Sunday birding 
both locations with no luck.   Not daunted (o.k. maybe a little daunted), we 
set out this morning before dawn for Sax - Zim and after a few loops around 
the bog, we lucked out and had a fun time watching the Sharp- Tailed Grouse 
dueling and dancing in the snow.   They were at the more recently active lek 
1.5 miles north of 133 on 29.   We checked the more traditional lek with no 
birds present.   Feeling optimistic, we zipped up to Two Harbors to check 
one last time for the gull and to our delight it was there showing us how 
different Iceland Gulls really do look compared to Herrings.   Anyways, It 
shows that persistence does pay off sometimes.

Other notable birds of the weekend:

Red - breasted Mergansers -  5 or 6 individuals at Burrlington Beach
Long - tailed Ducks - 3 individuals at Agate Bay, Two Harbors
Pine Siskins - Feeders in Two Harbors
Snow Buntings - Large flock in the bog
Common Redpolls - Large flock in the bog
Black- billed Magpies - Just north of Meadowlands in the bog
Rough - legged Hawk - Bog


Chad Aakre
Winona County

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