We spent the last three days birding in 13 western and southwestern Minnesota counties. Highlights are as follows.
Sharp-tailed Grouse-County Road 7, Lac Qui Parle County, southwest side of Big Stone Refuge, 3:00 PM, 2/13/06, with a feeding flock of about 35 pheasants there were at least 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse and a few Prairie Chickens. The whole flock was flushed back into the refuge by traffic on the road. Didn't find the grouse in Yellow Medicine County but understand that others have done so in the last couple of days. Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs-were very common in large flocks south and east of Yellow Medicine County, north of there we somehow found none. Hawks-Red-tails were more common than usual in this part of the state in the winter. Found in most counties from Lincoln to Pope and Stevens. Even noted a pair working on a nest in Swift County. Rough-legs were not as common as past years. Only one in the south was at the Red Rock Prairie in Cottonwood County, while three were around Cty Rds 9 and 31 in eastern Swift County. Horned Larks-pairs and small groups were found nearly everywhere we looked, Exceptional was a flock of 300 birds (all larks) in western Lincoln. Northern Shrikes were less common than expected. Only birds were in Chippewa and Swift on large prairie areas. Although moderate winds and blowing snow on the first couple of days might have impacted this. 20,000 Canada Geese are overwintering at the outlet to Lac Qui Parle Lake. No Cackling Geese were found in the flock. Looking through the birds was especially challenging because of the significant percentage of Lesser subspecies of Canadas and they are only slightly larger. Interesting were 4 Wood Ducks (2 pair) below the dam at Granite Falls. Dennis and Barbara Martin [email protected]
