Randy Frederickson: Thank you for your concern. It is not to late to submit comment to the city of Mendota Heights about the proposed housing development on Pilot Knob. I've compiled a summary of information about birding on Pilot Knob that might be of help for you and others in writing to the City of Mendota Heights about the proposed housing development. Included here are excerpts from web postings as well as passages from two e-mails sent to the City of Mendota Heights by birders. We really appreciate their contributions and hope that others will write.
Comments have to get to the City of Mendota Heights by tomorrow, Oct. 29, at 4:30 PM. E-mails and faxes are OK and given the short time are the best way to go. Comments should be addressed to Cari Lindberg, City Administrator, City of Mendota Heights, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118, 651-452-1850 Fax 651-452-8940. E-mails can be sent to [email protected]. As noted earlier, the proposal before the city of Mendota Heights is to build 157 units of medium and high density townhomes in the 25 acres north and east of the cemetery, an area now covered with woods and open fields. We think that the effect will be devastating on many facets of Pilot Knob's importance, historic, sacred, and natural. Our short-term goal is to get the City of Mendota Heights to order an Environmental Impact Statement, to examine the effects of the development and consider whether any mitigation for effects is possible. Our long-term goal is to stop the project entirely and insure that this area continues to be compatible with history, spirituality, and birds. Bruce M. White Pilot Knob Preservation Association P.O. Box 50823 Mendota, MN 55150-0823 651-310-0601 [email protected] [email protected] wrote: > Bruce- > > I'm merely trying to be of assistance. I get most frustrated by all the > birders that have been to this area (it is lots) but they are all too busy > to help preserve this spot. > > Randy > > Pilot Knob as a birding area Acacia Cemetery in its most recent advertising leaflet states: The Audubon Society recognized Acacia Park for its bird sanctuary which attracts thousands of birds each year, including bright red Cardinals who are especially splendid against the white and evergreen blanket of winter. The cemetery is also home to deer, wild turkeys, fox, and albino squirrels. Comment letters from birders to Mendota Heights City Council Rev. Forest Strnad of Faribault ([email protected]), Faribaut, MN: I have a personal concern about the Acacia Cemetery area for it is an important place to see unusual, even rare, birds in Minnesota. I personally have seen the TOWNSEND SOLITAIRE, ROCK WREN, and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS here. Also many other unusual birds are seen in this area. I would hope that this area might be protected from development by business or housing. It is important that we remember the importance of wild and natural areas and preserve them for future generations. Dr. Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, Asst. Professor of Musical Theory, University of Minnesota ([email protected]): As an avid birder I am worried that one of the Twin Cities best spots for seeing rare and interesting birds during migration will be compromised. While research has focused on the dangers to birds posed by destruction of their breeding and wintering grounds, healthy stop-over points are equally critical to the survival of many species. The effect of the proposed development has not been considered by the developer and it is my feeling that a full Environmental Impact Statement or EIS should be done to examine such effects. Rock Wren in Acacia Cemetery, April-May 2003 Mnbird: [email protected] wrote on April 29, 2003: This morning, 4/29, about 10:30 am I refound the Rock Wren at Acacia Cemetery. The bird was about 100 yards to the right (North) of the entrance to the cemetery. The bird was calling from the pine trees and then flew across the road to the east. I did not search for the bird after it flew into the field to the east of the cemetery. Conny Brunell, Richfield ([email protected]) writes on April 29, 2003: This afternoon from 3-4 I watched the Rock Wren with Terry Brashear at the Acacia Cemetery. The bird was observed from the main parking lot facing the buildings. The Rock Wren would come to the edge of the building roof then disappear quickly. It flew across to the other building roof, and would pop up sporadically in full view for brief spurts, then disappear again. The bird never vocalized while we were there, but would show himself often. It was still there when I left at 4, and I was very happy it stuck around all day. Jim Ryan ([email protected]) wrote on April 30, 2003: With the help of Carol . . . Jim Mattson and I saw the Rock wren hanging out bobbing around the main building at Acacia between 7:00 and 7:15am. It seems to like the north side by the Biffs portable facilities. Other birders arrived as I was leaving. The bird was not visible at that time. Steve Weston, Eagan, ([email protected]) wrote on May 3, 2003: Went to Acacia Cemetery about 7:15pm and found Walt Pop (from Hastings) looking for the Rock Wren. We searched the brush piles by the mattress unsuccessfully for the wren. We headed back to the buildings by the gate where Walt spotted our bird. We were treated to excellent views of he bird on and around the buildings from about 8pm to 8:25pm when we left. Chris Fagyal [email protected] Sat May 3 17:21:05 2003 I was there between 8am and 9:50am and did not refind the rock wren in any of the places it has been seen. I checked the rock and wood piles in the woods near the mattresses, the wall across from the loop, and the building near the parking lot. The cemetery was rather active for other bird life though, with the following being conspicuous Brown Thrasher (many singing from tree tops) Yellow Rumped Warblers (all over the place) Black and White Warbler (1 working a tree in the woods near the wood piles) White-Throated Sparrow (many in the woods) Broad Winged Hawk (A kettle of 10 flew over and another set of 4 flew over a few minutes later) Osprey (2 with the kettle of 10 Broad Winged's) Least Flycatcher (Briefly stopped by the wood piles where the Rock Wren had been seen.) Chris Other Bird Reports from Acacia Cemetery March 2001 North American Rarity Round-Up (www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/usmarch01.html) Another Townsends Solitaire was still present mid month at Acacia Cemetery in Mendota Heights, Dakota County, MN. Bird Chat Digest, July 2001 (birdingonthe.net) Sue Levy gives a report of a birding trip from her new home in Texas to her old home in Minnesota. Nesting Yellow-Throated Warblers had been reported at Acacia Cemetery in the Twin Cities. (Mendota Heights) I wasnt able to relocated them. Im guessing that the young had fledged by the time I got there. . . I would appreciate it if someone would clarify for me whether the excitement about this years sighting was because they were nesting? Ive been off-line for a couple months and missed all the posts. Acacia Cemetery in MnBird bird count circle in 1995 http://linux.winona.msus.edu/mnbird/digest/v01.n025.htm mnbird-digest, Tuesday, 12 December 1995, Volume 01 : Number 025 From: "Paul E. Budde 962-5536" Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 21:48:04 -0600 (CST) Subject: Bloomington & Dakota Cty Saturday 12/16 is the Bloomington CBC. We are soliciting information on birds seen recently in or near the count circle (Sunfish Lake, Mpls airport, Acacia Cemetery, L. Nokomis, Edina Realty ponds in Edina, Izaak Walton, the NE tip of Murphy-Hanrehan, or anywhere in between. If you found something this wekend, or encounter a good bird during the week, please e-mail either [email protected] (Paul Budde), or [email protected] (Dave Cahlander) or call me at 824-9505. Thanks! Short biographies of MnBird members with references to Acacia Cemetery (linux.winona.msus.edu/mnbird/biographies.html) Stephen L. Ewing writes that he and his wife have been birders in the Twin Cities since the late 70s. We have been slowed down in our birding since kids arrived in 1986. Now that [our] kids are 5 & 7 we are hoping that we can bird more. Our kids really enjoyed the good look at the Long-eared Owl at Acacia Cemetery. Kevin Healy writes that after getting his oldest son started at Macalester for his frenshman year was time consuming consequently our only stop was at Acacia Park Cemetery this afternoon. There was very little activity; the big thrill was an eight-point buck running out of the brush on the north side of the cemetery and down the hill toward the highway.
