One wonders what makes for a good field trip: Finding the expected birds? Numbers of species? An ID puzzle?
If so, this was not the best trip. However, if excellent cameraderie - beautiful weather and scenery - and unexpected species make a trip - it was a rousing success. Certainly the highlight of the trip was the unexpected Boreal Chickadee. No, make that two. Even better, they were found by sixth grader Ben Stubbs, a birding star in the making. Diagnostic looks were had by all, and their song was clearly heard as they moved south along the lake. A couple of photos can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10317865 at N02 Other birds of interest included Snow Buntings - Lapland Longspurs - American Pipit - Northern Pintails - single Pelican - Black-bellied Plover - Orange-crowned and Palm Warblers - and a single Rusty Blackbird. There may have been a Red-throated Loon present in Garrison, but no one had a definitive look. Good birding to all! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
