5/12/2007 Led a beginning bird watching class out at Carver Park on Saturday, followed by some stops in Hennepin & Dakota Counties. I was also doing my Birdathon for the Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter and ended the day with 118 species for the day. I'd like to thank everyone that gave me tips of where to search for birds yesterday and also those that donated to the Birdathon. Steve, if you'll send me your address. I can send you a receipt and update on how we did. Sorry for the late posting, just don't have the energy to run on my usual 4 hours of sleep.
Carver Park Reserve - 6:00 - 12:45 pm - There were lots of birds at Carver early in the day, but numbers dropped off some by noon. But I was able to see or hear 85 species there, which was better than I had expected. Eden Prairie - City Park by the fitness club on Prairie Center Drive - Good sized mud flats, but no shorebirds. Just lots of Ring-billed Gulls and Caspian Terns. Wood Lake Nature Center - Entrance at Oak Grove and Bryant Ave S. Black-throated Blue Warbler - singing just West of the entrance. Diamond Lake - 2:30 - 3:15 pm - Tried without success for the Neotropic Cormorant Old Cedar Avenue Bridge - Great looks at at least 4 Virginia Rails at the end of the board walk, just west of the parking lot. Lake Byllesby - 6:00 - 7:00 pm - nice mist of shorebirds - with Short-billed Dowitchers and single Black-bellied Plover. Also present was a single Bonaparte's Gull and Forster's and Caspian Terns. Craig Mandel, Minnetonka, MN EgretCMan at msn.com
