[mou] Trick or Treat? Black-Backed Woodpecker (Sherburn County)

[premierpets at aol.com]

Happy Halloween,? Well Friday around 2:30pm I went over to the Sherburn National Wildlife Refuge.? Trick or Treat was I going to find the reported Black-Backed Woodpeckers or come away with the usual birds.?I started at the entrance to the Conifer trail and headed south going around the perimeter of the spruce forest.? I went along the south then the west and then cut though to the trail that goes through the middle of the spruce, walking the trail from south to north.? Up to this point I had seen?Downy, Hairy, Pileated, and Red-Bellied woodpeckers, I am thinking to myself I have spent over?1 hour in this spruce forest and haven't?heard or seen?any Black-Backed woodpeckers. I was nearing the end of the trail and thought to my self, well not this time. ?THEN?about A 100 yards from the end of the trail on the Northeast side I heard the dullest thump, thump, thump. as I left the trail?about 30-40 feet north there were some spruce that had fallen onto other spruce right along the north edge of the forest. That is when I spotted her and was able to get?within?40-50 feet of her.? Absolutely awesome!? I will always remember this Halloween because I seen my first Black-Backed Woodpecker and It was 20 miles from my house.? Thanks to Al Schirmachir and others that keep there eyes and ears open and let us know where the birds are.

Good Birding to all!? 
Nowthen (Anoka County)

Chris Brown
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