Yesterday evening (5/15) I observed a piping plover in SE Kandiyohi county. Directions: look at a map and find Lake Lillian as a frame of reference The wetlands are 2.6 miles east of the intersection of hwy 7 and cty rd 8. Look for mile marker 118, or Sue's Metal Works if coming from the east. The driveway has a fire number at the highway: 16001.
The area is a new DNR acquisition, but no signs have been put up yet; this is public land. Go down the driveway to the south and park in the open area west of the old bldg site (currently a big hole). Please do NOT drive further into the area, although there are not barriers preventing it, vehicles beyond this are inappropriate. Walk down the field road ESE into last year's corn field (worked but not plowed). Proceed walking ESE unto the rise and you will see several small wetlands. The bird could be in any of these but we saw it in the wetland farthest SE. Also present, 9 other species of shorebirds including 3 black bellied plovers- how can black and white be so beautiful? The piping plover is very difficult to see if facing away from you as the color of the back and corn residue is almost identical. Also, it did occasionally walk back into the corn stubble. A scope is highly recommended. Incidentally, this is the same location the Smith's longspur was seen about 9 days ago and it holds promise for water pipits or maybe even a Sprague's. Randy Frederickson Willmar
