Blackbirds were on the move this morning at Chaska Lake MVNWR. I estimated
around 500 of mainly Red-winged in 2 large flocks flying low heading southwest.
It looked like the flocks were coming in for the morning, as small numbers
landed. 8 Rusty Blackbird landed near me, and I'm pretty sure I saw a few
Rusty in the more sparse rear of the blackbird flocks. Otherwise stragglers
this morning were 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3
Orange-crowned Warbler, 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Hermit Thrush. Some
more American Tree Sparrow were back around Chaska Lake, another sign of
winter. Other sparrows seen were Song, Swamp, Fox, White-throated,
White-crowned, and Junco. On the lake were 7 Trumpeter Swans and 11 Cackling
Geese(with Canada, no other ducks though)
I think a large chunk of the sparrows left between Tuesday and Thursday.
Spring Peeper Meadow and the North Star Trail were swarming with Junco,
White-throated, and Fox Sparrow on Tuesday, but Thursday they were hard to come
by even Junco. Similarly on Tuesday I counted at least 18 Golden-crowned
Kinglets in Spring Peeper Meadow and the forested edges, but on Thursday there
were only a couple. There was an adult Nashville Warbler in the meadow on
Thursday to my surprise following an Orange-crowned.
Bluebirds have been quite numerous this fall. In many cases these past few
weeks I have seen 5-10 wherever I go. Yesterday at Carver Park there was a
loose flock of around 32, and this morning there were 5 at Chaska Lake and 8 at
Chevalle wetlands. Otherwise there were a few lingering Tree Swallows at Lake
Hazeltine and still a couple Great Blue Herons at Chevalle.
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