This weekend I led an informal trip to southwest Minnesota consisting of 8 birders plus myself. While the weather was more characteristic of late November, the birds did not disappoint us. Our best find was 4 IBISES in the marsh behind the Hills sewage ponds in Rock County. We were able to see the white feathering surrounding pink facial skin and red eyes on one of the birds, but we were unable to see the faces of the other three. Here are some of the other highlights from the trip:
Jackson County -Willet in a wet spot along CR 9 a few miles south of CR 66 in Jackson County -refound Eurasian Collared-Dove at grain elevators in the town of Heron Lake -Great-tailed Grackle male at wetlands along CR 4 west of Hwy. 86 Rock County -6 Marbled Godwits at the sand pit ponds northeast of Luverne in Rock County -Long-billed Dowitchers and Wilson's Phalaropes in large numbers at the Luverne sewage ponds--this is a good shorebird spot right now and probably will be throughout May -Eastern Screech-Owl in traditional spot northeast of Luverne -Eared Grebes and Black-crowned Night-Heron at Hills sewage ponds -Great-tailed Grackles in marsh behind Hills sewage ponds -Osprey at sand pits northeast of Luverne The weather was quite unpleasant, but the birding was great! Bob Dunlap, Nicolett County
