Note that there were just too many of us to fit within a single photo. Among others, Craig Mandel is missing here – but it doesn't really matter since he had just been fired!

MORRISON CO  /  DEEP PORTAGE, CASS CO  /  MBW REUNION SUMMARY

MAY 28-29-30-31, 2010

Needless to say, it was quite a memorable weekend! While I was surprised by the composite list of 151 birds found within Cass Co, since there were essentially no migrants or unexpected rarities, Ben says he was not at all surprised by this diversity in his home county during the breeding season. (Note there were also 7 Morrison County-only species on Friday, for a grand total of 158.)

I suppose our most unexpected find was that family group of Red Crossbills which provided a grand finale to the MBW on Monday. Two-thirds of our group was there to see them (Craig's group was birding elsewhere – grounds for immediate dismissal, of course!), including that nice adult male which eventually teed up nicely.

Both of our evening excursions provided special highlights as well – at least for those still awake enough to take advantage of them! I was especially impressed by the number of Nelson's Sparrows that Ben & Craig & company heard at the Boy River on Saturday. On both evenings at Deep Portage, visible Barred Owls certainly entertained us, while invisible but vocal Whip-poor-wills were easily heard. And our excursion Sunday evening to Swamp Lake turned up a Barred Owl posing on a highway sign, a visible Nelson's Sparrow, and calling Yellow Rails – including one which a few of us even glimpsed as it fluttered off into the dark.

There are so many I'd like to thank for contributing to the success of this special MBW Reunion, and I hesitate to do so since I'm sure I'll forget someone worthy of mention. Of course, Craig deserves special thanks for his co-leading skills – just as he has on 49 previous MBWs. And without Ben & Molly & Dale at Deep Portage, of course, none of the meals, lodging, and birding would have been possible. Certainly, nothing I could say here could adequately express how special these four people are. 

Many others also made special contributions: Dorothy (and her anonymous benefactor) for generously providing our MBW hats; Barb for compiling the unique album containing your thoughts and photos (if you still have prints to include post-MBW, contact her at bgakre@msn.com); Robin and "the girls" for the anniversary cake; Audrey for her efforts as staff photographer (a CD of images may be a possibility; contact her at alynneretired@yahoo.com); Rick and his "Wanted Poster"; Dan & Sandy and their puzzles (contact them at thimgan@digitaljam.com for the answers); Dick H, Bob B, and Bonnie & Charlie who contributed special evening anecdotes for the group), and those who presented me with gifts large and small....Audrey, Conny & Susan, Mary G, Steve/Julie/Bob (for the Garmin), and Ben/Molly/Dale (for the framed Golden-crowned Sparrow photo).

Again, my thanks to those I may have forgotten to acknowledge, to all of you who were able to be a part of this event, and to all 5,704 registrants who have been a part of the MBW community since 1986. And here's to our next 25 years!

- Kim

BIRD LIST

M = Morrison Co option, May 28 (105 species, incl 7 species not found in Cass Co)

C = Cass Co, May 29-30-31 (151 species)

Canada Goose     MC

Trumpeter Swan     C

Wood Duck     MC

Mallard     MC

Blue-winged Teal     MC

Ring-necked Duck     C

Common Goldeneye     C

Hooded Merganser     MC

Common Merganser     C

Red-breasted Merganser     C

Ruddy Duck     M only

Ring-necked Pheasant     MC

Ruffed Grouse     MC

Wild Turkey     MC

Common Loon     MC

Pied-billed Grebe     C

Red-necked Grebe     C

Eared Grebe     M only

American White Pelican     C

Double-crested Cormorant     MC

American Bittern     C

Great Blue Heron     MC

Great Egret     C

Green Heron     MC

Turkey Vulture     MC

Osprey     MC

Bald Eagle     MC

Northern Harrier     MC

Sharp-shinned Hawk     C

Red-shouldered Hawk     C

Broad-winged Hawk     MC

Red-tailed Hawk     MC

American Kestrel     MC

Merlin     C

Yellow Rail     C

Virginia Rail     C

Sora     MC

Sandhill Crane     MC

Killdeer     MC

Spotted Sandpiper     MC

Semipalmated Sandpiper     M only

Least Sandpiper     M only

Wilson's Snipe     C

American Woodcock     C

Wilson's Phalarope     M only

Franklin's Gull     C

Ring-billed Gull     C

Herring Gull     C

Caspian Tern     C

Common Tern     C

Forster's Tern     C

Rock Pigeon     MC

Mourning Dove     MC

Yellow-billed Cuckoo     MC

Black-billed Cuckoo     C

Barred Owl     MC

Whip-poor-will     C

Chimney Swift     MC

Ruby-throated Hummingbird     MC

Belted Kingfisher     C

Red-headed Woodpecker     M only

Red-bellied Woodpecker     MC

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     MC

Downy Woodpecker     MC

Hairy Woodpecker     MC

Northern Flicker     MC

Pileated Woodpecker     MC

Olive-sided Flycatcher     MC

Eastern Wood-Pewee     MC

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher     C

Alder Flycatcher     MC

Willow Flycatcher     M only

Least Flycatcher     MC

Eastern Phoebe     MC

Great Crested Flycatcher     MC

Eastern Kingbird     MC

Yellow-throated Vireo     MC

Blue-headed Vireo     C

Warbling Vireo     MC

Red-eyed Vireo     MC

Gray Jay     C

Blue Jay     MC

American Crow     MC

Common Raven     C

Horned Lark     C

Purple Martin     MC

Tree Swallow     MC

Northern Rough-winged Swallow     MC

Bank Swallow     MC

Cliff Swallow     MC

Barn Swallow     MC

Black-capped Chickadee     MC

Red-breasted Nuthatch     MC

White-breasted Nuthatch     MC

House Wren     MC

Winter Wren     C

Sedge Wren     MC

Marsh Wren     MC

Golden-crowned Kinglet     C

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     MC

Eastern Bluebird     MC

Veery     MC

Hermit Thrush     C

Wood Thrush     MC

American Robin     MC

Gray Catbird     MC

Brown Thrasher     C

European Starling     MC

Cedar Waxwing     MC

Golden-winged Warbler     MC

Nashville Warbler     C

Northern Parula     C

Yellow Warbler     MC

Chestnut-sided Warbler     MC

Magnolia Warbler     C

Yellow-rumped Warbler     MC

Black-throated Green Warbler     C

Blackburnian Warbler     C

Pine Warbler     MC

Palm Warbler     C

Black-and-white Warbler     MC

American Redstart     MC

Ovenbird     MC

Northern Waterthrush     C

Connecticut Warbler     C

Mourning Warbler     C

Common Yellowthroat     MC

Canada Warbler     C

Eastern Towhee     MC

Chipping Sparrow     MC

Clay-colored Sparrow     MC

Vesper Sparrow     MC

Savannah Sparrow     MC

Le Conte's Sparrow     C

Nelson's Sparrow     C

Song Sparrow     MC

Lincoln's Sparrow     C

Swamp Sparrow     MC

White-throated Sparrow     C

Scarlet Tanager     MC

Northern Cardinal     MC

Rose-breasted Grosbeak     MC

Indigo Bunting     MC

Bobolink     MC

Red-winged Blackbird     MC

Eastern Meadowlark     MC

Western Meadowlark     MC

Yellow-headed Blackbird     MC

Brewer's Blackbird     C

Common Grackle     MC

Brown-headed Cowbird     MC

Baltimore Oriole     MC

Purple Finch     C

House Finch     MC

Red Crossbill     C

Pine Siskin     C

American Goldfinch     MC

House Sparrow     MC