A July
Visit to the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
(Sherburne County, Minnesota)
This NWR
is mostly Oak Savanna with wetland impoundments.
American
White Pelicans (50 or more) were present on the refuge.
Perhaps
refugees from the abandoned nesting site in North Dakota.
They were
sharing these impoundments with Black Terns,
and being
put to flight by a family of Bald Eagles.
Raptorially
speaking, the four Northern Harrier juves
were more
fun to watch.
Also prominent
on the refuge were Sandhill Cranes,
Upland
Sandpipers,
and Eastern
Meadowlarks
in the
tall grass prairie (along with lots of Grasshopper, Vesper, Savannah,
etc. sparrows).
Nearby,
we saw several other Bald Eagles, including this family group
The cuteness
award may have to go to 13-lined Ground Squirrels, though.
Return
to Birding
in Massachusetts