In addition to the Arctic Tern(s) at Park Point today (see today's earlier postings), there were at least 7 Red-throated Loons, an Eared Grebe, 13 Whimbrels (probably the same individuals seen yesterday at Hearding Island), plus a good wave of 17 warbler species. Unfortunately, yesterday's Piping Plover was not relocated today, unless someone else found it after I left about 2:30.
The Red-throated Loons were spotted on L Superior from the 31st Street/Lafayette Square access around 10:30, with a minimum of 7 individuals present, and at least one was still there at 2:30. It appeared that 6 of the 7 were in alternate/breeding plumage. The alternate-plumaged Eared Grebe (only a casual species in NE Minn) was also seen on the lake near the loons. The Whimbrels were first seen today from the 12th Street access as they flew south over L Superior St, and they eventually landed on the beach near 31st St, with some still there at 2:30. And at the Recreation Area, a total of 17 warbler species was seen, with 15 of these in a small area of trees near the restroom building. They included Cape May, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, and Mourning, and a Red-headed Woodpecker and 2 Scarlet Tanagers were present in the same area. The adult Arctic Tern I observed out from 12th Street was seen in the company of several Common Terns as it flew back and forth over the lake. Its ID was based on a combination of features which were especially visible with direct comparison with the Commons: more compact flight profile resulting from its shorter-necked appearance and somewhat "pot-bellied" shape; a whitish area consistently visible on the face between the black cap and the gray underparts; uniform medium gray upper wing surface with no hint of a dark gray/blackish wedge on the primaries; under wing pattern with narrower black line on trailing edge of primaries and no black line visible along the leading edge of the outermost primary; and the uniform pale translucence visible on the under surface of the primaries when the wings were back-lit by the sun. - Kim Eckert (Please note new e-mail address <eckertkr at gmail.com>) -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2195 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://moumn.org/pipermail/mou-net_moumn.org/attachments/20070522/c0e90ba4/attachment.bin
