April 2005.Pmd
The Osprey April 2005 VOLUME 35, ISSUE 7 www.geocities.com/smdaudubon Newsletter of the Southern Maryland Audubon Society CHASING AN OWL IRRUPTION IN learned at 35 mph trying to stop for a suspected Spruce MINNESOTA Grouse). The other aspect of cold weather is that you can by Dean Newman die from hypothermia if not prepared. Dress warmly, in layers, and have plenty of clothes in the trunk in case of breakdowns. The exceptional owl irruption this year drew me out of the I recommend an outer garment of wind-proof material such comparatively sunny, temperate climate of southern as Wind-Stopper ® or Gore-Tex ® plus hats and gloves. Maryland in February to frozen northern Minnesota. While Now is not the time to be fashion conscious. You know, you were enjoying balmy temperatures in the mid-40s F., I dress like a birder. After all, not all birds are along major, was fighting single digits with daytime highs in the low 20s. well-traveled roads and it could be a long walk out. While you were experiencing three to four inches of snow, I was plowing through fields and woods waist-deep in the Second, Kim Eckert’s, “A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota, 4th white stuff; drifts were higher than my head. Edition”, (ABA Sales Code 290, $19.95) is an excellent resource if you have two or more days to find your own Was it worth it? I came home with eleven lifers, lots of birds. The spiral format and detailed maps make this the memories, two rental-car wrecks (no injuries, only bent best birder’s guide I’ve seen anywhere including the “Lane” metal), and several new friends including the highway guides from ABA.
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