[mou] Cook Co. mud season

[jotcat]

Past few days have made slush and mud out of the 8 or so inches of snow left 
on the ground near Hwy 61 in Schroeder.  Deeper slush inland.

Pine siskins at feeders in increasing numbers since Feb. 1.  Two on that 
date, 30 to 40 in past few days.

Common redpoll - mostly absent all winter here, saw one male Jan. 27, no 
more until March 7, also male, maybe same bird.              Different 
(paler breast) male on March 9, one very bright male today plus two unknown 
sex.

Amer. goldfinches in varying numbers, 40+ max. on Feb. 11.

Lone junco has been here all winter, last seen March 8.

Lone white-throated sparrow last seen March 7, but this rascal sometimes 
turns up at dusk so we've probably missed spotting it.

Female Cardinal which had been regular since Nov. 22 has not been seen since 
March 2, so we know she survived the blizzard anyway.  Another dusk feeder 
who finds empty feeders cleaned out by deer.  She hasn't figured out how to 
get into the deer proof one.  The red squirrels and a grackle manage to get 
inside just fine.  AHA!  went looking for a map, looked out to backyard, 
there was madame Cardinal.

Gray jays regular most days all this winter, 4 at most together, only 2 in 
past week.

Regulars all year:  Black-capped Chickadees (more this winter than usual, 
though), Red-breasted nuthatches, White-breasted nuthatches, Downy w., Hairy 
w., Ravens, a Crow or two, usually a Blue jay or two.

Took a walk on Gitchi-gammi bike trail between Schroeder and  Tofte this 
afternoon.  From the bridge over a nameless creek gorge just half a mile or 
so east of Temperance River,  we saw one male Black-backed woodpecker, 
peaceably foraging in same tree as a female Hairy woodpecker, also a female 
Downy in same area.  Returning on same trail later, Black-backed still 
there, and the Downy, plus two Ruffed Grouse nibbling birch buds high in a 
tree.  Numerous deer along the way, also wolf tracks and scat on trail.

Signs of spring:  longer days, singing Amer. goldfinches, courtship feeding 
by Pine siskins, territorial battles between both sexes of Downy woodpecker, 
more Bald eagles moving along the shore, more Herring gulls along shore 
instead of just in harbors, mud.

Jim & Carol Tveekrem