Since mid-January 2009, I have been exploring the possibilities for finding Black-backed Woodpeckers in Morrison and Stearns Counties. This began when I found a female in the St. Wendel Tamarack Bog SNA in north central Stearns County.
The last documented reports, at least the record of Minnesota Ornithological Union, had one sighting in 1987 and 1964. Frank Gosiak and I found a male and female in the Little Elk WMA tamarack bog on 1/17/09. And just the other day, we found another male on the Morrison-Stearns County line (450th-w of CR3 a a half mile---which is south of Bowlus).
We have been looking for bark scale strippings on Tamarack trees, indicative of the sideways pecking and flecking of the Black-backed Woodpecker. These are infected trees of the Eastern Larch Beetle larvae, found just under the bark scales.
Tamarack strippings have been located in the bog in Cushing (SW corner of intersection of CR11 and Hwy 10), 55th Ave bog NE of Upsala or WNW of Elmdale), in a tamarack hollow of the Avon Hills SNA (north unit) and a bog west of Holdingford, MN.

Because these southern records of this northern coniferous specie are rare, it may be due to a couple of reasons. Speculating, the presence of the Eastern Larch Beetle is bringing them down. It may be due as well to people not looking for them all these intervening years. It is quite a snowshoe hike to get back into these larch stands. One must work their way through shrub alder and will, deadfall, young tamarack succession stands, and the like. It is an enjoyable challenge. Much landscape of this nature is on private land, so please obtain permission to go look for this woodpecker.

Actually, it is possible to find and American Three-toed Woodpecker in these scenes as well, but even more rare. We would like to get as many records as possble this winter. Sincerely, Milt Blomberg