I decided to check out a few spots in Cass County this morning. The birdin=
g was pretty slow=2C but there were a few highlights:
=20
- A beautiful=2C lone Hoary Redpoll flew up out of a plowed field (I immedi=
ately assumed Snow Bunting) and flew overhead. A couple of pishes got it t=
o sit in a small balsam poplar near where I was standing. After about a mi=
nute=2C it was joined by a couple of Common Redpolls. This observation occ=
urred along the access road to Goose Lake of the Mud-Goose WMA. The road i=
s straight across 65 from 52. =20
=20
- A Golden-crowned Kinglet was hanging out with a flock of chickadees and n=
uthatches in a conifer bog along CR 158=2C 1.3 miles south of CR 3.
=20
- An unusual sighting was the lone Rusty Blackbird that popped out of the w=
eeds along gravel 139 in the Mud-Goose WMA=2C just south of the dam. I tho=
ught it must be injured=2C but it energetically flew away when I approached=
.
=20
- At the dam=2C most water was frozen. The only waterfowl I found were 2 R=
ing-necked Ducks and a Canada Goose that appeared injured. =20
=20
- Small flocks of White-winged Crossbills were present pretty much anywhere=
I exited the vehicle near spruces. =20
=20
- A Rough-legged Hawk was perched in a tree at the corner of CR 3 and 139.
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- A Pileated Woodpecker and 2 Ruffed Grouse were a funny sight foraging tog=
ether in a small crabapple tree north of Spruce Street in Remer.
=20
Almost all water is frozen in Cass and Itasca Counties. Even the spots I h=
ave been to on Leech and Winnie were frozen too far out to see. A few spot=
s along the Mississippi=2C Prairie=2C and Leech Rivers are open=2C and Trou=
t Lake near my home in Bovey is open. That's pretty much it. Shawn Conrad=
=20
http://users.2z.net/itasca_chippewa_birding/ =20
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