[mou] St Louis, Lake Counties, Wed/Thurs

[Dedrick Benz]

In an attempt to get very lucky and catch a Mississippi Kite at Hawk Ridge, 
I spent 2 days up north this week.  Since it is hard to sit still for too 
long (especially when there aren't too many hawks flying), I did some other 
birding.  Some highlights:

Wednesday:

St Louis County - Park Point - 1 Black-bellied & 1 Golden Plover providing 
side by side comparisons on the ball fields.  Probably a dozen or so warbler 
species in the woods around the bath house.  Decent numbers, too.

Lake County - Two Harbors Lighthouse - 1 Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding in 
the grass behind the lighthouse.  It was pointed out to me by a photographer 
who gave me a tip for a Lake County shorebird spot that turned out to be 
better than the Beaver Bay Sewage Ponds.  If you park at the Flood Bay 
wayside, and walk the beach back towards Superior Shores resort, there will 
be a small wetland that had Least, Semipalmated, Baird's and Pectoral 
Sandpipers.  My guess is that most years there is too much water, but this 
year is dry enough for some good mudflats.

Thursday:

St Louis County - Indian Point Campground - Black-throated Blue Warbler - 
adult male seen below the east part of the campground along the Western 
Waterfront Trail.  There were about 6 Semipalmated Plovers, a pec, and an 
unidentified peep as well.


News from Hawk Ridge - I guess the first sighting of a Black-backed 
Woodpecker at the pine plantation was Monday.  The Red Crossbill show seems 
to have ceased.

Dedrick Benz
Winona, MN