Hello, I got a chance to go out after work today with a co-volunteer at the Raptor Center and recheck a spot at Bass Ponds where I saw 7 species of shorebird Wednesday night. Today I saw 8 species (Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Semi Plover, White-Rumped Sandpiper, and Spotted Sandpiper). The great thing is that you can get within about 30 yards of the birds and get some great looks at them feeding.
To find the spot to view them, follow the interpretive trail and you will find a well worn foot path leading down towards Long Meadow Lake about halfway between markers number 6 and 7. The path is only about 30 yards long and you should be able to see the shallow water and mud (hopefully with birds in it) just in front of you. After that we headed down to 140th street marsh https://home.comcast.net/~derekbakken/birding/140th.jpg No shorebirds and nothing of interest at first except two Great Egrets. However, a few minutes later a much smaller white bird flew in and landed on a post in the water. Checked it with the scope and it was an obvious Cattle Egret in breeding plumage. It flew from the post and landed along the weeds just off 140th street. I was able to get some good photos from the road. The bird was still there when we left at 7:00pm http://www.flickr.com/photos/dobak/153381926/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dobak/153381927/ Derek Bakken St. Paul, MN
