[mou] Holiday Weekend Birding

[Pastor Al Schirmacher]

Nathan & I had some extra time over the holiday weekend to bird Sherburne,
Mille Lacs Counties and Rice Lake NWR.  Highlights among the 102 species
(see, July is not "Death Valley") included:

* Calling Whip-poor-wills at 8:00 AM (Kathio State Park near Interpretive
Center)
* Henslow's Sparrows in three counties (Sherburne NWR along CR 9/.2 mile
east of Blue Hill Trail, Kunkel WMA in Mille Lacs County/second 160th Street
entrance, Rice Lake Auto Tour - thanks, Herb D. for the first two)
* Acadian Flycatcher (still on Mahnomen Trail)
* Pelicans in both Mille Lacs (lake on west side of 169 just before
reservation) & Sherburne Counties (Auto Tour)
* Osprey on 169 (Aitkin)
* Black-billed Cuckoo in Mille Lacs County (just before reservation)
* Purple Finches in Sherburne NWR (first part of Mahnomen Trail) and Rice
Lake NWR (feeders)

We had ten sparrows, eight blackbirds & seven flycatchers - but only seven
warblers, four ducks, one shorebird and five woodpeckers.

Good birding to all!

Al & Nathan Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties