[mou] 2005 Pine County CBC

[Alt, Mark]

The Pine County CBC was done on December 28th, 2005, on icy roads and =
temps in the twenties. 33 species were seen. The top ten by quantity =
were:
1.	Common Redpoll - 383
2.	Black-capped Chickadee - 284
3.	European Starling - 218
4.	Evening Grosbeak - 212
5.	Blue Jay - 122
6.	Rock Pigeon - 108
7.	American Crow - 80
8.	Pine Siskin - 71
9.	House Sparrow - 68
10.	American Goldfinch - 55

The mixed habitat in Pine County gives rise to great diversity, where =
true boreal forest and bogs exist in the same areas as agricultural =
farms and small towns.  Redpolls were staged up in large flocks in =
speckled alder and willow swampy brushy areas. Evening and Pine =
grosbeaks were numerous at most feeder arrays, as were Pine Siskins and =
Purple Finches. Downy Woodpeckers were very hard to find this year, as =
were Snow Buntings. No Crossbills seen, but inspections of local =
conifers showed no cones of any kind. A Boreal Chickadee was called in =
by Kim Risen on Jean Duluth Road; =BD mile north of County Line Road =
(County Hwy 10) that separates Carlton and Pine Counties. Jean Duluth is =
the first road to the north as you head on County Line Road (County Hwy =
10) west from State Hwy 23 from the town of Nickerson. A Black-backed =
Woodpecker was found foraging in a stand of Red Pine further west along =
County Line Road, Between Pine County Rd 48 and Pine County Rd 49. The =
orange glow of freshly gleaned Red Pines was called to our attention by =
Cyndi Risen; these Pines are immediately adjacent to the roadway on the =
Carlton County side.  Another feeding area was found another mile west. =
Why on the Carlton side and not the Pine County side? Perhaps one county =
sprays and the other doesn't?  I don't know, but it intrigues me to =
think about it.  Steve Johnson led a group to the Nickerson Bog and was =
treated to clear views of a large Timber Wolf. This is some wild =
country.  No northern owls seen, but many hours logged and the locals =
were as welcoming and as pleasant as ever. 33 birds seen, with a new =
species added - Northern Cardinal, seen in Bruno at a feeder. Evening =
Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Red-breasted Nuthatches all were counted in =
record numbers. 5 Golden Crowned Kinglets were a good find as well. I =
was concerned the early cold snap we had may have caused these =
insectivorous northerners to move south. We have only had them in one =
other winter, in 2003.

Mark Alt
Brooklyn Center
Hennepin County