May 26, 2008 Spent the afternoon birding in Southern Minnesota today.
Noon to 1:15pm - Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Black Dog unit - Cliff Fen Park trailhead. There were several Bell's Vireo's singing at several locations along the main trail, that crosses under the power lines. There were also a number of Willow Flycatchers in the area as well. 2:00 - 3:00pm - Steele County - CR 45, approx. 1.5 miles North of Highway 30. Unsuccessful search for the White-faced Ibis. Shorebird location, just SE of Ibis location. There about 100 shorebirds present around 3:00pm with Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted, Semipalmated, White-rumped, Baird's and Pectoral Sandpipers, Dunlin and about a dozen Wilson's Phalaropes. Blue Earth County - 4:00pm - Indian Lake - 500+ Black Terns, Western Grebe, Ruddy Duck and American White Pelican. Louisville Swamp - 6:00 - 7:00 pm - Missed on the Kentucky Warbler. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-winged Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow. Craig Mandel EgretCMan at msn.com Minnetonka, MN Hennepin County
