[mou] The new place to go for Great Grays

[Alt, Mark]

The following are directions and GPS for 14 GGOW and a single NHOW seen =
in Northern Pine County on 1/8, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 pm. These sightings =
are all within an area defined on the south by Hwy 162, on the north by =
County Line Road, which runs from Moose Lake to Nickerson). From Duluth, =
take 23 S towards, you can turn onto County line rod at Nickerson and =
head west. From the south, get of at the Askov/Finlayson exit and take =
23 North; you can take 162 west from Duquette or go Zn to Nickerson.  =
Duquette general store is very friendly to birders and makes good =
sandwiches and pastries and has fresh coffee.  A great sit-down meal and =
some really good feeder arrays are to be found to the South at Banning =
Junction, near the intersection of 35 North and Hwy 23, north of =
Sandstone.  Pine Grosbeaks and redpolls are all over here, as well as =
deer at night. There is a caf=E9 and a dining room; the feeders are =
viewable from the dining room. Please tell the hostess you heard they =
cater to birders. You may find lodging at the Audubon Center of the =
Northwoods, in Sandstone, MN.  This is a wonderful facility dedicated to =
wildlife conservation and education. The number at the Nature Center is =
320-245-2648.
I was able to plan my own route when we set up the Owl Census Program, =
so I made sure my route started where I had staked out a NHOW on =
territory, and I made certain it ended in the Boreal forests of Net Lake =
Road, where I have gotten Boreal Chickadee and Gray Jay on my CBC (not =
this year).  I put little though into the rest of the route, =
serpentining it around in my CBC area to end up at 34.5 miles.  The =
middle 25 miles of the route is mixed deciduous and conifer mainly, with =
some farms and open areas along the Military Road. The Owls are being =
seen in mixed deciduous and conifer areas adjacent to farms. The Owls =
are everywhere after 3:30 pm.  If I were not on the route, I feel I =
could average an owl every .2 of a mile by driving County Line Road from =
Moose Lake to Nickerson and going north and south on the intersecting =
roads, but staying north of the 162, the East-west road from Duquette to =
the south end of Sturgeon Lake, staying east of Hwy 23.  I feel the =
birds in the next several weeks will move further south in Pine County. =
Pine County is the new Sax-Zim. We could use some birding activity her =
to explore the waves of owls and determine its extent.  Please use all =
the precautionary guidelines for behavior we have asked for in Sax-Zim.

For review, some of these are:
*	Stick to the uninhabited areas or to feeder homes where you know you =
are welcome.=20
*	Do not drive less than 45 mph when on the main roads, if you have to =
stop, pull off where there is a place to do so.  Walk to a better =
viewing area.
*	Use a scope when a closer proximity is not available
*	Go out of your way to be friendly. Wave and smile at all passing =
motorists.=20
*	If you have to stop and see birds at someone's home, please go knock =
and talk with the person first, this may flush the birds, but it is more =
important for you to gain permission than to see the birds.=20
*	Carry calling cards or business cards to give to people you meet or to =
leave at local businesses.
*	Show respect to EVERY ONE.  Trappers and people with aggressive =
trespassing signs should all be able to go on with their normal lives =
without us disrupting them in any way.

Enjoy and report back on your findings here. I love Pine County and they =
have always been very friendly to me as a birder. I hope each of you can =
have this wonderful experience here, as well.  Good Birding.


Pine County Owl Census Route Mark Alt. Steve Novatney 1/8/05. 3:30 - =
4:30 pm.				=09
Qty	Species	Long	Lat	Habitat	Notes
 1 	NHOW	N46=B022.220	W92=B043.286	3=3Dopen/agricultural	Perched atop a =
utility pole @ Old Military Rd .8 miles N of Hwy 46
 1 	GGOW	N46=B025.093	W92=B039.173	3=3Dopen/agricultural	East on County =
Line Rd .2 mi E of Willow Hay
 1 	GGOW	N46=B025.092	W92=B038.752	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	East on =
County Line Rd .3 mi E of Willow Hay
 1 	GGOW	N46=B025.090	W92=B037.805	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	East on =
County Line Rd 1.0 mi E of Willow Hay
 2 	GGOW	N46=B022.791	W92=B034.774	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	South 0.2 Mi =
on Oak Lake Rd from where it turns south to go on Oak Lake's Eastern =
Shore
 1 	GGOW	N46=B024.688	W92=B035.647	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	0.4 Mi E on =
Oak Lake Rd from where it turns to go on Oak Lake's N shore
 1 	GGOW	N46=B022.784	W92=B035.259	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	1.6 Mi E on =
Oak Lake Rd from where it turns to go on Oak Lake's N shore
 1 	GGOW	N46=B023.751	W92=B034.491	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	South 0.3 Mi =
on Oak Lake Rd from where it turns south to go on Oak Lake's Eastern =
Shore
 1 	GGOW	N46=B023.218	W92=B034.434	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	South 1.0 Mi =
on Oak Lake Rd from where it turns south to go on Oak Lake's Eastern =
Shore
 1 	GGOW	N46=B023.003	W92=B034.434	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	South 1.1 Mi =
on Oak Lake Rd from where it turns south to go on Oak Lake's Eastern =
Shore
 1 	GGOW	46=B024.725	W92=B030.249	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	Net Lake Road =
E from Nickerson past net Lake
 1 	GGOW	46=B024.633	W92=B030.030	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	Net Lake Road =
E at RR tracks
 1 	GGOW	46=B024.641	W92=B030.037	6=3Dpine/spruce/fir upland	Net Lake =
Road E 0.2 Mi E of RR tracks
 1 	GGOW	N46=B019.915	W92=B029.250	4=3Dmixed deciduous/pine	Intersection =
of 154 E of Townline Rd and Kerrick Rd (154), 5 miles E of Kerrick





Mark Alt=20
President,=20
Minnesota Ornithologists Union
J. F. Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota
10 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104
MOU.mn.org
mark.alt@bestbuy.com
Cell:  612-803-9085