[mou] Spring Is Coming! (NE Bird Sightings)

[M. Thomas Auer]

While out with some very nice folks from Nebraska today, we saw many
signs of spring in the boreal birds.

When we got to Sax-Zim we found a SHARP-TAILED GROUSE lek, with about
20 birds displaying, calling and dancing in the crisp morning sun.
This location is about 0.3 miles south of the interesection of Co. Rd.
7 and Sax Rd., on the west side, about 100 yards off in the open bog.

At the Woodpecker spot on McDavitt Rd., we found a female BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER drumming and got to watch it for about 5 minutes. There was
another bird responding to this bird's drums in the distance,
repeating the drumming pattern. It then flew off toward the other
bird.

Herring Gull numbers are WAY up in Two Harbors and Knife River.
Unfortunately, there were none of the rarer gulls around.

NORTHERN SHRIKE numbers seem to be increasing in the bog, with two
found today along HWY 133 between Co. Rd. 7 and Meadowlands. This was
actually the first time I'd seen the bird in the bog, after having
spent dozens of days there this winter.

A large flock of maybe 500-600 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was flying around
Knife River. They were very active, feeding whenever possible and
moving around town in dense flocks.

PINE GROSBEAK appears to be thinning out in the bog, as only one
female was seen, compared to the dozens that were easily findable two
weeks ago.

We also found a NORTHERN CARDINAL near 4th Ave & 2nd St. in Two
Harbors. The bird was in conifers near a small feeder in a backyard.

A BOREAL CHICKADEE was heard along Admiral Rd., about 2 miles north of Koju Rd.

I tend to call some of this shift in winter activity, "pre-spring."
Birds from other areas aren't exactly pouring into the region, but the
birds that were here are changing their behaviors and maybe leaving or
staging to leave our area.

Tom Auer
Duluth, MN

-- 
www.d.umn.edu/~auer0009