4/20/2007 While leading a Minnesota Birding Weekend trip in Watonwan county, we found a couple pairs of Great-tailed Grackles in a new location in the county. The birds were observed at the Rosendale WMA, which is about 2 miles SE of the town of St. James. The birds were seen and heard in the marsh and sitting on the road. We also found a few locations that may be good for shorebirds for at least a while. There is a flooded field along Highway 15, about a mile West of Highway 60 near the town of Madelia. There were also flooded fields along 320th street, about one mile East of Highway 60 and in Martin county along Highway 27. Just South of CR 38. Numbers of shorebirds were low, but the areas should remain good for shorebirds for some time.
Watonwan county, sightings: Horned Grebe - Case Lake Red-necked Grebe - Case Lake Virginia Rail - Bergdahl Lake Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper and American Pipit - Highway 15 location Purple Martin - Case Lake Great-tailed Grackle - Rosendale WMA Craig Mandel, Minnetonka, MN EgretCMan at msn.com
