The 46th Salt Lake Birding Weekend will take place in Lac qui Parle County over the last weekend in April, with the main count day being Saturday, April 27, 2024.
Last year’s highlights included 67 White-faced Ibises in one location, Black-necked Stilt, Cattle Egret, American Goshawk, Short-eared Owl, and the Grand Slam of Grebes (five species together) on one wetland. On the evening of Friday, April 26, beginning at 5:30 PM, birders are invited to stop by Madison Mercantile for a potluck dinner and live music. It is a coffee shop/art gallery with a wine and beer selection. Birders will meet at the American Legion in Marietta at 7:00 AM, Saturday, April 27, with breakfast and coffee, available for a modest fee. They will assemble with guides into caravans for the day. While most of the birding is centered around Lac qui Parle County, they also make their way to sites in Big Stone and/or Yellow Medicine counties. Maps and checklists will be provided. After returning to the Legion at Noon to buy lunch, birders will share their finds and then embark on the afternoon leg of the journey. At 7:00 PM they will meet at the Sons of Norway Lodge in Madison for supper and the final tally. Supper is roasted chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and pie for $15. Reservations are necessary for dinner with prepayment preferred; please contact: Bernice Oelien or Camey Maland, Sons of Norway Lodge, at oel...@farmerstel.net, (507) 829-0676, or (320) 752-4757. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available upon request via RSVP. Payment at the door without a reservation will be $20 per dinner (limited meal availability). The Salt Lake Birding Weekend is free and open to all, though advance registration is appreciated, to help us with the planning. To register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A9AC2FA5FFCE9-47207084-salt#/ Event venues, lodging options, and birding spots are provided on the linked map on MOU’s Salt Lake Page, accessible from the homepage header bar, or here: https://moumn.org/saltlake/ (The map is best viewed in a web browser; the KML file can be downloaded to view offline). Any questions can be sent to Jason Frank, event coordinator, at jmfran...@gmail.com. NEW INFORMATION FOR 2024: -Please note that we are starting the Saturday evening supper half an hour earlier, at 7:00 PM instead of 7:30 PM. -For those interested in dining venues for breakfast or lunch on the way home Sunday morning: there are limited options in the area. Many restaurants and cafes are not open on Sundays. Here are the options I’m aware of: The Sticks Bar and Grill, Madison Opens at Noon DeToy’s Restaurant, Madison Opens at 8:00 AM Ally Cat Bowling, Ortonville Opens at 8:00 AM Berkner Pizza, Ortonville Opens at 11:00 AM Peg’s Place Café, Appleton Opens at 7:00 AM The Rivers Family Restaurant, Montevideo Opens at 6:00 AM ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
