On the spur of the moment I went up to Sax-Zim Bog just after sunrise this morning. I was not looking for owls (too windy). In fact I was not looking for anything in particular … just looking for an enjoyable morning. Man alive, did I hit the jackpot.

My first find was a pair of Black-Billed Cuckoos about 400 yards south of the RR tracks on McDavitt Road. I can count on one had the number of cuckoos I have seen in northeastern Minnesota. I suspect these two have a nest near my sighting.

Black-Billed Cuckoos

After the cuckoos it was on to Admiral Road. The number of swallows was dumbfounding, and I quickly determined the Barn Swallows young had just fledged. It is amazing what happens in 1.5 seconds (the duration of this 15 set sequence of images). My favorite is #5.

Just Fledged Barn Swallows Demand to be Fed!