[mou] Aitkin Co Curlew, etc

[Cindy Butler Risen]

Hi Birders,

What a great day we had in Aiktin County on Saturday with the Bee-Nay-She
bird group.  While we were enjoying a flock of 41 American White Pelicans,
Warren Nelson started his birthday (birdday, maybe?) out with finding a
Cattle Egret. This was along CR 15 west of Aitkin and is known as the Cedar
Brook area. It's the collection of flooded fields by the Mississippi River
about 2 miles west of Aitkin. Lots of waterfowl and a few shorebirds were
present for us to enjoy. 

Later, while we were eating lunch at the Palisade Cafe, Warren was served
cake with a candle to celebrate his birthday. We joked that he should wish
for a good bird! Earlier, while driving the back roads of Aitkin County, we
had been talking about the great birds that the Blanich's had seen in
Aitkin County that the rest of us were still waiting to see. One species
that was discussed was Long-billed Curlew. We even asked Steve & Jo where
they had seen theirs--way back before the rest of us were birding Aitkin
County! Warren blew out his single candle and told us he wished for a Long
Billed Curlew. (Can you say foreshadowing?!)

Immediately after lunch, while driving south on CR 5 from Palisade, as we
neared Hwy 210 Cindy and Warren yelled for me to stop! They said there was
something in the field that looked Long-billed Curlew-like. I thought they
were joking, but turned around. I hoped it might be a Marbled Godwit. But
we weren't disappointed when we saw there was a Long-billed Curlew feeding
in the field! The excitement level was off the charts as we took the
required field notes, some distant documentary photographs, and exchanged
animated high-fives among the remaining group members. We eventually
tracked down the rest of our scattered group and got them back to see the
bird. We took some better digiscope photos and enjoyed some nice long looks
at the bird before we said our good-byes. The Long-billed Curlew was a
county bird for all of us in the group and a lifer for some. Very exciting!

To find the Curlew, go West of McGregor on Hwy 210, north on CR 5 about
7/10th of a mile. On the west side of the road look for a blue house on the
corner, the bird was activly feeding in the field north of the house and
south of the Methodist Church. At one point it flew across the road, but
returned within a short time.

We'll send a complete birdlist later today.

Happy Birthday Warren!

Kim & Cindy Risen
Tamarack, MN