[mou] Mille Lacs & Sherburne report this week; Any suggestions?

[Pastor Al Schirmacher]

103 species this week between Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties - from Mille
Lacs Lake south to Sherburne NWR (primarily morning walks & drives before
work).  Highlights included:

* Pelicans in both counties - in the lake on the west side of 169 along
Vineland Road (south of the town of Vineland) & also Orreck Lake in
Sherburne Refuge - none seen on Auto Tour.

* Red-shouldered Hawk in Pioneer Park, Princeton.

* Eight species of shorebirds (nothing terribly unusual, one Baird's and
couple of White-rumpeds in Sherburne County) - still a little slow

* Seven species of woodpeckers

* Willow Flycatcher in Mille Lacs County (Kunkel WMA, which is admittedly
just north of Sherburne County).  Does anyone else experience the "Now was
that Free Beer/Fitzbew or Whe-bew" syndrome?  Some are easy to call, but
others....

* Possible Philadelphia Vireo, Sherburne Refuge (the refuge lists it as a
nester, the MOU website doesn't expect to have them in the county, causing
me to second guess my quick visual ID)

* Thousands of swallows (primarily Tree with substantial numbers of Purple
Martins) along Mille Lacs Lake - power lines near Eddy's Restaurant on 35
are packed

* Eight species of warblers, including the previously reported Hooded and a
couple of early Nashvilles.  Black-and-Whites are numerous at Kathio.

* Little touch of winter at Kathio's Interpretive Center - Purple Finches,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, last week had a Siskin.

Am contemplating where to take my son tomorrow morning - any suggestions on
areas relatively near central MN that have a few interesting birds?  Still
learning this most interesting state.

Good birding to all!

Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN