Sarah Glesner and I took a spin around Lake County for most of the
day, saving the most unusual birds for our final stop.  At 1515, in
the backyard of 264 Skiff Landing Road, Knife River, we stumbled upon
a pair of warblers in a small lakeside apple orchard.  Surprisingly,
this unlikely duo consisted of a Northern Parula and an "Audubon's"
Yellow-rumped Warbler, the first warblers I'd seen in a week's time.
We obtained great looks at the "Audubon's," clearly showing its trim,
bright yellow throat and plain face, with only white eye-arcs (and no
pale supercilium) surrounding the eye.  The bird called multiple times
prior to and during a short flight, it's call distinctly different
than the "Myrtle's" familiar chip.

Otherwise, the main highlights were certainly a pair of Northern Hawk
Owls (NHOW).  The first was seen at 730 along County Road 2, 3.8 miles
south of its intersection with County Road 15 / Forest Road 11 (north
of the railroad tracks).  Later in the day (1400), presumably the same
bird was located slightly farther south, on the other side of the
railroad tracks, hunting the roadside edge.  The other individual was
located along Whyte Road - the site of the first NHOW of the season
(back on 17 October) - 4.7 miles east of its intersection with Stony
River Forest Road.  Otherwise, a slow coursing of County Road 2, Stony
River Forest Road, and Whyte Road proved a bit underwhelming (only 12
species, few individuals):

Ruffed Grouse - 9 (one with ruff and tail fully fanned)
Gray Jay - 11
Snow Bunting - 4
Pine Grosbeak - 12
Common Redpoll - 10-15

   Good Birding,
      Cameron Rutt
      Duluth,
      St. Louis County

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