On 5/13 I counted 23 species of shorebird at the Olson Lake WPA drawdown in SW Kandiyohi county.
Highlights included: A single avocet, but awesome looks 11 hudsonian godwits 1 marbled godwit 5 willets 3 b.b. plovers 2 a.g. plovers- both sp. of large plover were still in transitional plumage Several hundred semi-palmated plovers Approx. 85 dowitchers, both species represented Approx. 120 wilson's phalarope 3 red necked phalarope Approx. 40 sanderling All expected peeps, including FOY white rumped s.p. There were easily 3000 birds here yesterday, but with the strong wind they were moving frequently and counting was difficult. I just scratched the surface on peep ID and could have *easily* overlooked something significant. Water levels here have dropped significantly with the complete lack of rain and large exposed mudflats are on the south and west edge of the wetland. For good looks it may be necessary to walk in from the N or NW and unfortunately that is where the shrubs and tree line are. Randy Frederickson Willmar ---- Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
