[mou] Clark's Nutcracker, Townsend's Solitaire

[Steve and Sherry Watson]

Hello all,

	Today was one of many spectacular birding trips this year,
fortunately I got a call from John Hockema last night and thanks to Sue
McDonnell for posting the directions I was able to chase the Clark's
Nutcracker in Silver Bay.  Though not without doubling my school
yesterday and begging my mom or dad to run me down their which is about
an hour one way from my house.  But another fortunate thing my mom
happened to already have a trip planned for Duluth today and allowed me
to come with and take however long of a detour altogether for the
Nutcracker.  We arrived at the spot about quarter after eight with
already more than a dozen birders their waiting.  The word was the bird
had been hanging around coming and going and was seen about ten minutes
before I arrived.  So the wait began...now doesn't this sound like
something that happened not so long ago with a black-headed gull, thank
goodness there wasn't a dairy queen in sight.  Anyway, it's cold while
I'm waiting watching juncos and a late Cape May Warbler.  After an hour
went by with the only word of it was that Denny briefly heard it down
the block but we didn't see it.  By now of course, my mom wants to get
back on the road fairly soon to do the things she originally planned,
but she decided to wait awhile longer and me with high hopes it would
arrive so I could at least get a glimpse of it.  Just after Connie and
Leslie arrived we briefly heard the bird off down the block in the
opposite direction Denny had last heard it.  I decided to walk around
the block with a radio not coming up with anything but a black-backed
woodpecker I heard for a moment.  So we kept on waiting a little while
when Denny discovered the bird down the same block I'd walked only I
walked in the opposite direction around the wrong block.  Everyone
charged on down to spy the bird perched on some power lines.  FINALLY!
Boy was I happy I don=92t know how I contained my excitement but man I =
was
boiling over on the inside as I surged with exhilaration while viewing
the bird through my spotting scope as it perched on the lines allowing
for and unbelievable view.  After a minute or two it floated down behind
a couple houses but when we walked down we were able to view it hopping
along the ground and a different feeding station but that didn't last
long and it again ended up behind some buildings so we re-stationed
again to view it back where we first discovered it where it again hopped
on the ground and then flew back up to the power line for a while.  It
then flew closer into a nearby shrub allowing everyone perfect photos
and great viewing...it was so exciting.  My last moment watching the
beautiful non caring bird of all the commotion over it was of it bellow
the shrub foraging in the grass on a hillside hopping along the ground
like jay's do and it vanished behind another building.  Well that right
their made the day but it was a bonus to then spend the rest of the
morning and afternoon birding with Bill Litkey around the area down to
Duluth.  It seemed like a great day to see some good things on and along
the lake but man I don't believe I've seen the shore so dead in all my
life.  Several stops revealed a couple horned grebes a c. loon or two
some chickadees, junco's a sparrow or two and five Lapland longspurs
until we got to Two Harbors where we found two surf scoters and a
red-necked grebe hanging out in the bay just East of Agate {I forget the
name}.  Agate bay after awhile we only watched a shrike fly by which was
interesting but we still weren't impressed.  Finally a bonus bird and
completely unexpected came along at Stony Point, a place I've been a
time or two and never experienced anything of interest but this time was
different and it happened to be the only bird we saw along the drive.
It happened while we started down the road from the East end and of
course I'm not thinking we are going to find anything of interest and
briefly glance out the window to see a medium, I suppose shrike sized
bird flying but take no note of it and stare back out the front
windshield until it occurs to me that a bird of that size could be
something decent and I holler stop while swinging back around to see it
alight atop a spruce tree.  I peer through my binoculars to see a
grayish bird with a white eye-ring, bluebird sized bill, darker wings,
and, a creamy wing patch....Solitaire I shouted climbing out of the car
and grabbing my scope.  We must have viewed the bird for a good
fifteen-twenty minutes with our binoculars and through my scope as the
bird flew down closer seemingly investigating our presents and ranging
within twenty feet from us.  It was amazing.  It came down into the
shrubs at eye level close and allowed me to snap several shots with my
camera through my scope...I hope they turn out.  It moved around but
stayed at a close range and didn't decide to leave until we did.  It
stretched its wings and we could see the dark primaries and secondaries
with the buffy, creamy patch on the upper and underwing.  We could also
see the white outer edges of the tail and darker inner edges of the
notched tail.  It had an otherwise grey body and bold white eye-ring
with the small bluebird like bill.  It as definitely my best view of one
of them and I hope it sticks in the area.  Bill told me it was also his
best view.  Coming from Duluth if you want to stop in go almost through
to where theirs a really open spot to view the Lake not far from
entering from the East it was in that area we saw the bird.  I know it
isn't the best directions but that's the best I know how to explain
where it was.  I suppose if you just drive the road it could very well
be in the area.  Well that topped of a great day.  I hope both good
birds stick around awhile for more people to see.  Good Birding to all,

Josh Watson
Grand Marais             =20

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