The 2012 Sax-Zim Winter Birding Festival is in the books... and boy, did we have a great two days. Thanks to our great guides (Looking at you, Stark!), and a wealth of friendly, knowledgable birders, we were able to add 22 new birds to the official Flickr photostream. Highlights included Great Gray Owl, White-winged Crossbill, Golden Eagle, Hoary Redpoll, Boreal Chickadee, Pine Grosbeak and Gray Jay. The only common target bird that we missed was Evening Grosbeak. We also dipped on the Snowy Owl at the Duluth Port Terminal. We did however meet up with some excellent new friends.
Several 'Big Year' birders were at Sax-Zim! I'm hopeful our paths will cross again, but we wanted to get this meeting documented just in case it doesn't.
While the festival is over, we still have a half-day in Duluth. We're planning to head up the lake in the morning to try for the Northern Hawk-Owl at Gooseberry Falls State Park. He has been cooperative over the past few days, so we're hopeful we can bag him. If that goes according to plan, we may just head back to Meadowlands for one last crack at the Evening Grosbeaks!
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| L to R: John Hargrove, Eric Malbone, Clare Malbone, Holly Wright, Blake Wright, Liam Ehrman, and Eddie Ehrman |
While the festival is over, we still have a half-day in Duluth. We're planning to head up the lake in the morning to try for the Northern Hawk-Owl at Gooseberry Falls State Park. He has been cooperative over the past few days, so we're hopeful we can bag him. If that goes according to plan, we may just head back to Meadowlands for one last crack at the Evening Grosbeaks!
That is a nice set of birds! Hope you get the Hawk-Owl and Grosbeak. Which will be first to tip you over to 200? :) If you miss Snowy on your trip, you may be able to get the one in Texas. I went up yesterday to see him with some friends.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to see two blogs that you are following end up meeting.
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