[mou] North Shore birding report

[Eckert K R]

This weekend, Nov 3-4, the Minn Birding Weekends group observed several 
species of interest between Duluth and Grand Marais, In addition to the 
Inca Dove in Two Harbors, the highlights were:

- only 2 scoter individuals: 1 Surf Scoter in Grand Marais harbor and 1 
Black Scoter in Hovland
- Long-tailed Duck - several between Five Mile Rock and Hovland
- late Double-crested Cormorant in Grand Marais harbor
- first-winter Thayer's Gull in Grand Marais harbor
- only 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers, both in Grand Marais campground area
- Am Three-toed Woodpecker not seen by MBW group, but seen at Hawk 
Ridge by Bob Ekblad, Diane Anderson, and others along the Pinewoods Tr, 
0.7 mi E of Main Overlook
- Boreal Chickadees at Hawk Ridge, Stoney Pt, and Grand Marais 
campground
- 2 Mountain Bluebirds still present around the main parking lot on the 
E side of the Grand Marais harbor
- modest numbers of Bohemian Waxwings at various locations, most of 
them in Grand Marais
- only 2-3 Yellow-rumped Warblers
- N Cardinal in Grand Marais
- a few groups of Red Crossbills migrating down the Shore at Stoney Pt
- 2 Hoary Redpolls carefully IDed among a small group of Com Redpolls 
in the Grand Marais campground

Note, however, that the birding overall was very quiet between Two 
Harbors and Grand Marais, with hardly any late-lingering migrants, low 
numbers of waterbirds on L Superior, almost no sparrows, and few winter 
finches.