[mou] Four Day MN tour

[Mike Hendrickson]

Terry Brashear made a good point on his posting about rarities being buried 
in postings and this is a good example.

*BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER is a tough bird to find migrating along the 
northshore of Duluth and it should of been highlighted in this posting by 
Al.
*KENTUCKY WARBLER should of been highlighted even though it has nested in 
Williams Nature Center but other listserv subscribers would probably like to 
know about recent sightings and also direction on where the bird was found 
singing.
*TWO EARED GREBES & WESTERN GREBE along Park Pt!!  That is a incredible 
sighting and I would of love to see these birds plus a Western Grebe!  Also 
I am sure the birdathon folks would of liked to know about these sightings 
and also resident birders in Duluth.
*A FURRUGINOUS HAWK at Big Stone Refuge. WHERE exactly was the bird and what 
was the date? This is a casual raptor that even I have yet to see in 
Minnesota. I am sure birders from all over Minnesota would of like to know 
of this raptor rather seeing it listed days ago in this posting.
*CLARK'S GREBE should of been highlighted.

I been following Craig Mandel's example by telling readers where I birded 
and then highlighted at the TOP of posting the rare/casual sightings, 
followed by locations/directions.  For example where on Park Pt. did you see 
these grebes? Park Pt. is several miles long! There are several places to 
bird along here and where were these birds? On the lake? In the bay?  Where 
was the Black-throated Blue Warbler found in Stoney Pt? Near the stone wall? 
Near the old cabins?

Also birders should be contacting local birders when they find something 
good in their county or city.  I would never spot a curve-billed thrasher at 
Wood Lake then report on the listserv when I got home.  I call Tony Hertzel, 
Denny Martin and others to spread the word. I would call Jeanne Joppru if I 
was in NW Minnesota, I would call John Hockema or Dedrick Benz if I was in 
SE Minn., I always call Jim Lind, Kim Eckert and Peder S. when I spot 
something good in Duluth or in NE Minnesota.  There is always someone to 
call and I notice this isn't happening very much and birders are not 
reporting these type of birds till they get back home.

Take time to understand the range of birds and if you are not sure if it's 
rare or not, call someone and use the MOU directory and spread the word.

Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Lake Superior Boat Trips
http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pastor Al Schirmacher" <pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net>
To: <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>; <mou-net at moumn.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:24 AM
Subject: [mou] Four Day MN tour


> Took four vacation days to target needed birds and enjoy different 
> environs in Minnesota, traveled Wednesday through Saturday (latter on the 
> MOU trip). 181 species seen and heard, including 29 year and five state 
> birds. Highlights included:
>
> * 24 warbler species.  Highlights were Kentucky (Williams Nature Center), 
> Black-throated Blue (Wood Lake & Stoney Point, north of Duluth), Louisiana 
> Waterthrush (Minneopa), four Hooded and three Cerulean (Murphy Hanrahan). 
> Also interesting were the misses:  Orange-crowned, Northern Waterthrush, 
> Connecticut, Bay-breasted and Blackpoll (latter three have not been 
> personally seen or heard all spring).
>
> * 23 shorebird species.  Enjoyed 13 Hudsonian Godwits, 4-6 Marbled Godwits 
> and 12 American Avocets in Lac Qui Parle, Big Stone and adjoining 
> counties; Ruddy Turnstones (Purgatory Creek & Mille Lacs Lake) and 
> Sanderlings (also lakefront), Red-necked & Wilson's Phalaropes (Lac Qui 
> Parle).  Missed Solitary Sandpiper all week; had no shorebirds in Duluth, 
> Two Harbors and along 61.
>
> * 15 waterfowl, nothing unusual.
>
> * Five grebes - thought the mix of two Eared, one Western and one 
> Red-necked was unique on Park Point.  Nice but distant looks at the 
> Clark's on Thielke (Big Stone).
>
> * Nine hawks - far & away the highlight was the Ferruginous in Big Stone 
> Refuge.
>
> * Eight flycatchers, only the Olive-sided (Sherburne NWR) was of interest. 
> Missed Western Kingbird in Lac Qui Parle & Big Stone, Acadian in Murphy 
> Hanrahan.
>
> * Four vireos, including Philadelphia at Murphy.
>
> * 12 sparrows, including Lark at Sherburne NWR.
>
> * 10 blackbirds - the Bobolinks, Yellow-headed and Western Meadowlarks are 
> incredibly numerous in Lac Qui Parle and Big Stone.
>
> * Probable Neotropic Cormorant at Diamond Lake.  Not questioning the 
> posting, rather, my own abilities to discern.
>
> Happy to share locations on any specific birds or species.  However, Bill 
> Unzen may be a better source for the western portion of the trip.  Thanks 
> to Mark Junghans, Bill Unzen, Nathan and all those who helped or 
> accompanied.
>
> Back to "reality".
>
> Al Schirmacher
> Princeton, MN
> Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
>