[mou] New Year's Hoary Redpoll and other Itasca County birds

[shawn conrad]

I went for a ride this morning to kick off a 2006 list and was pleasantly 
surprised with a lifer less than a half-mile from my home.  Mixed in with a 
flock of Common Redpolls feeding in the tansy near the Connor-Jasper Middle 
School in Bovey was at least one Hoary Redpoll.  I’ve seen several possible 
Hoarys in the past that I couldn’t say weren’t Commons with any certainty, 
but this bird was textbook.  It was clearly larger and puffier-looking, had 
a generally whiter appearance, had an unstreaked rump and undertail coverts, 
its bill was obviously stubbier, and its breast had only a feint hint of 
pink.

I also found about 40 Bohemian Waxwings in Coleraine and Pine Grosbeaks in 
Coleraine and Marble.

Yesterday, Earl Orf and I birded Itasca County.  Highlights included:

5 Boreal Chickadees on Alder Rd, .1 miles N of Middle Creek (~3.2 miles N of 
CR 48)
Bohemian Waxwings (>100) in Deer River
Evening Grosbeaks on CR 128 and in Deer River
Belted Kingfisher over a tiny, unfrozen creek on Eagle Nest Rd.  (I don’t 
know why this bird wouldn’t head for nearby areas with much more water 
available.)
Gray Jays on Alder Rd, CR 128, and CR 153
Northern Shrike on Alder Rd
Pine Siskins on Alder Rd
Common Redpolls on Alder Rd
Pine Grosbeaks in many locations
Bald Eagles in many locations
Northern Cardinal in Grand Rapids (we’re seeing more all the time)
Barred Owl in Grand Rapids

We haven't been seeing northern owls in Itasca County this year.

Shawn Conrad
Bovey