[mou] Aitkin County

[Paul and JoAnn Gunderson]

Greetings Birders,

My wife and I left the Elk River area yesterday morning and entered=20
Aitkin County on Hwy 47 on the east side of Mille Lacs Lake. We saw our=20=

first Great Gray Owl just south of Malmo and sighted 16 more between=20
Malmo and Aitkin.

After breakfast in Aitkin, we drove east on 169 to where it begins to=20
curve to the northeast. We turned south and east on a little winding=20
road with no number that eventually hooks up with County 5 at Rossburg.=20=

(The DeLorme atlas was really handy here). =46rom there we followed=20
County 5 to County 53. In the ten mile stretch from 169 to 53 we added=20=

another 20 Great Grays and a Shrike. We met only 2 cars on this stretch=20=

and were able to drive slowly and really scan the woods and fields.

Turned south on County 53--nothing there.

Picked up County 4 at Dam Lake--took it and Hwy 65 to RLNWR where our=20
total had reached 55 Great Grays. Thanks to information provided by the=20=

naturalist at the Refuge headquarters, we were able to add the Northern=20=

Hawk Owl to our life lists.

Traveled north on 73 (just northeast of McGregor)--two Great Grays, a=20
Common Raven and another Shrike. My wife at this point made the comment=20=

that she hoped we wouldn=92t see any more Shrikes. I asked why and she=20=

replied that if we get three Shrikes we're out, and maybe we wouldn't=20
see any more owls.

Followed County 6 to Tamarack--1 Horned Lark

Followed County 16 to Lawler, County 27 to State 27 to State 65 south=20
to County 2. Continued to add Great Grays at a regular rate all along=20
this route. At this point we had a total of 90 Great Grays. Also added=20=

a Barred Owl just south of Lawler. They seem so small after seeing all=20=

those GG=92s!

County Road 2 =46rom Hwy 65 to Malmo was a very productive. We added 11=20=

more GG=92s in the 11 mile stretch.

Stopped in Malmo for a break. The store/gas station in the northeast=20
corner of the intersection of 2 and 47 will make you a very large ice=20
cream cone for a buck and a half. Try the French silk pie ice cream.

We backtracked a mile on County 2 and took County 38  south to hook=20
back up with 47. Added 3 more GG=92s, a flock of about 20 Snow Buntings=20=

and another Shrike on 38. We saw 2 GG's after the third Shrike so it=20
looks as if the three Shrike rule doesn't apply in Aitkin County.=20
Headed home. Unbelievable.

Totals:

104 Great Gray Owls

1 Barred Owl

1 Northern Hawk Owl

20 Snow Buntings (life lister for my wife)

3 Northern Shrikes

1 Common Raven

1 Horned Lark

Expenses: gas at Malmo--$15.20, Treats at Malmo--$3.00, Breakfast at=20
Aitkin--$12.30

Total $30.50

Paul and JoAnn Gunderson
Big Lake Township, Sherburne County=



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