I flirted with the rain gods again this morning, and the Quad 30 guy won again. Looking at the weather forecasts last night, I was more apprehensive than I've been to-date. However, after putting up with some heavy mist for a couple of stops and a light mist for another 10 or so, made it through all 50 stops.
I'm in the North Woods of MN today, north of Bemidji. Within the first 5 stops had such species as Nashville Warbler, loon, and Winter Wren. Although I haven't tallied up the count, I'm guessing it was below average for the route just because of the miserable weather and more than hoped for wind. The route went through one open area where I was able to pick up a few field birds - like Horned Lark, which I've had by the dozens on most other routes so far.
"Nicest" species was a couple of goldeneye on a small lake. Only personal encounter of interest was at a road construction site where the Indian flagman wanted to know what I was doing and then asked if I had tribal permission. I told him I wasn't going off the road to the survey, and he let me pass.
I'm planning a great week-end, birding of course, and I hope yours is too.
