I have been birding in Minnesota now for about 4 years and this seems to be by
far the worst warbler migration I've seen here. It's strange because I've
actually seem tons of Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats. I have also
seen some Redstarts and heard some Tennessees and other than that a few
Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers and that's it! I don't think I've seen a single
Nashville, Black and White, Waterthrush, or Ovenbird, not to mention all of the
less common species that should still be around in smaller numbers. I have been
out several times in the last few weeks and don't know where the warblers are.
Also went to Lake Byllesby tonight and saw more shorebirds in one spot than
ever before in Minnesota (probably over 200). They were pretty far out so a bit
difficult to ID and we probably missed some species but from what I was able to
observe there were:
Dunlin- Many
Least- Tons
Short-billed Dowitcher- A beautiful flock
Pectoral- Many
Lesser Yellowlegs- Many
Semipalmated Plover- Many
Spotted Sandpiper- Some
I also swear that I saw a Hudsonian Godwit flyover with other medium sized
shorebirds just as I was leaving. It had the definitive black and white
underwing pattern. It is possible that the bird was a Willet but the other
characteristics looked more like a godwit (it was getting dark and was flying
so it wasn't the perfect view). This bird obviously won't go on my life list
but I think I now have a new "nemesis" species. Both times I have gone for the
Hudsonian Godwit at Byllesby this year it was seen the day before and I also
missed them at the Salt Lake Bird Festival (no one saw them there this year).
Good Birding,
Jason Caddy
Minneapolis
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