Hey birders,
I went out looking for shorebirds in Blue Earth County on Sunday. Habitat is
typically sparse but I was able to find some interesting areas.
Area 1: A small wetland on CR168. Take CR10 east from Beauford. Turn south on
CR16 and east on CR168. Shorebirds present: Wilson's Snipe, Solitary
Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper.
Area 2: Roberts WPA west of Mapleton. Take Highway 30 west from Mapleton.
Turn north on CR18. This WPA has a large pond that you can hike to which held
quite a few shorebirds (I did not hike to it), but there is also a smaller
wetland on the west side. Shorebirds present: Solitary Sandpiper, Least
Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Killdeer, Red-necked Phalarope (2), Pectoral
Sandpiper. Maple River WMA north of here also has good shorebird habitat, but
you will need a scope.
There were no Buff-breasted Sandpipers at the sod farms east of Mapleton but
there were about a dozen Killdeer.
Happy Birding!
Chad Heins
Mankato, MN
