[mou] Sax-Zim report

[Becky]

Hi folks, I'm posting the following for one of my co-workers.

Cheers,
Becky Hylton


Hello fellow Minnesota birders,
       Spent Sunday cruising around the Sax-Zim area and Duluth with some 
success.  Here's the run down for the Sax-Zim bog area:

Black-billed Magpies: 1 at Blue-Spruce Road/133 intersection
                            1 flyover on "Owl Ave"

Gray Jays:               A pair near Sax Rd/213 intersection

Bald Eagles:            About a dozen, allowing some good digi-scoping picts

Rough-legged hawks: 9 in total, throughout the area, 2 along County Highway 
7 near Sax Rd
                              intersection perched within 40 meters of road

Boreal Chickadees:    NONE!!!  Lots of Black-caps but no luck!

Snow Buntings:       Seemed like they were everywhere, especially along 
Admiral Rd and County
                            Highway 7.  In groups ranging from 6 to 30.

N. Hawk Owls:        4!!!  What a good day for hawk owls!  1 along field at 
end of Blue-Spruce Rd.
                            1 along the east side of Admiral Road, near 
where the giant power lines cross
                            the road.  2 along county road 7, between Stone 
Lake Road & Sax Rd.  All were
                            perched near the tops of trees, easy to spot 
when watching closely.

N. Shrikes:             1 perched in tree top on "Owl Ave".  1 perched in 
tree top on Admiral Rd.

Fisher:                  Martes pennanti!!  The mammal, not the kingfisher. 
It was an awesome look at
                          this large mammal, as it stood up in the road (OWL 
AVE) and watched me, before
                          ducking into the woods!

Lots of 'regular birds' about, but no Great Grays or other owls (I tried!), 
crossbills, redpolls, etc.  But I was mostly looking for owls so I could 
have easily missed them.  Was sorry I didn't travel east of county road 7 on 
Arkola, maybe I would have seen the GG Owl.  Searched many conifer stands at 
Hawk Ridge for Saw-whets and long-eared owls, but no luck.  400 miles of 
driving, and all-in-all, a pretty good day!

Happy Halloween and Good birding!

Jason Hill