[mou] Duluth area yesterday

[Cindy Risen]

Hi all -
Yesterday, we had a great time showing off Minnesota birds to Mike M., a 
Jersey birder. Sax Zim provided great looks at Black-backed Woodpecker, 
Boreal Chickadee family groups in three spots, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, 
Gray Jay, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Osprey and more. Then after lunch we 
spent the afternoon at Park Point. The wind and gloom kept the warblers 
close to the ground where they put on quite a show. All together we had 22 
species of warblers. Highlights were many Parulas, Redstarts, Nashvilles, 
and Cape Mays. We enjoyed a male Canada, nice comparisons of the Pine, 
Blackpoll and Bay-breasted group. The only regular warblers for NE 
Minnesota that we missed were Black-throated Blue, Orange-crowned, 
Golden-winged and Connecticut. The Forster's Terns and Boneparte's Gulls 
put on quite a show on the bay.  Other goodies were Philadelphia Vireo, 
Least Flycatcher, Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrushs, Veery, more hunting 
Merlins, Catbird, Brown Thrasher and a family of Eastern Kingbirds. The 
young kingbirds were all in a row waiting patiently to be fed. When the 
parent flew near with lunch the three little ones would open wide, waiting 
for food.

Here in Aitkin County, things have been a little slower. Warblers haven't 
been as abundant as they were in Duluth yesterday, but I did get photos of 
Northern Waterthrush and Mourning Warbler in the back yard last week. 
Speaking of photos, Kim has put up a bunch more Alaska photos on our photo 
gallery. They all aren't captioned yet, but we do a little more each day. 
Look for galleries for several Mexican locations, Ecuador, Bolivia, 
Minnesota, flowers and butterflies coming soon. You can view our photo 
galleries at our website -

www.naturescapenews.com

Kim and Cindy Risen
Tamarack, Aitkin Co, MN