I spent yesterday (6/27) birding out west. Grant County: Cattle Egrets-9 of them in amongst and on top of the cattle in the normal pasture south of Pelican Lake on Ashby Estate Rd. E.
Traverse County: Eurasian Collared Doves-2 of them still present in Wheaton near the grain elevator. Marbled Godwit-1 very vocal and perturbed individual at Miller Prairie. Upland Sandpiper-1 also at Miller Prairie. Lac Qui Parle: Yellow-billed Cuckoo-1 at Lac Qui Parle County Park. Loggerhead Shrike-1 at the intersection just north of the county park. Willet-1 bird still present off of CR 21 at the dam area in Big Stone NWR. Marbled Godwit-29(!) individuals at the same place as the Willet. Common Moorhen-Same bird as reported before, 2 gates south of headquarters in the open channel. I was there for 20 minutes before it came out of the reeds, so be patient. Least Bittern-1 bird flew up from the reeds bordering the channel that the moorhen is in. American Bittern-1 bird flew over as I sat waiting for the moorhen to show itself. I could not find the Piping Plover or Semipalmated Plover. But as Denny said, they could have been out of view, so they could still be around. Oh, and I was zero for one million on marshes I checked for King Rails. Ben Fritchman
