Bob Williams and I spent some time birding in the southwest corner of
the state yesterday and today. Perhaps what was most interesting to us
was the number of Blue Grosbeaks that we found (this has to be one of
the best years for this species in MN). All of the birds were males
either heard singing or seen perched in the following locations:
Jackson County - one singing yesterday along CR 23, 2 miles south of
Jackson (second county record)
Nobles County - at least one, maybe two birds yesterday on the power
lines along CR 6 a half mile west of CR 4
Rock County - two singing at Blue Mounds State Park this morning south
and east of the lake/picnic area on the north side of the park,
another singing at the intersection of 90th Ave. and 171st St.
Pipestone County - one on the power lines this morning along CR 2 a
half mile east of Ihlen, another singing north of the Edgerton sewage
ponds
Also of interest in Rock County were two Henslow's Sparrows on the
north side of Blue Mounds State Park. Both were heard singing this
morning; one can be heard from the park road near the bison viewing
platform, and the other can be heard about 100 yards south of the
lake/picnic area parking lot along the prairie trail that parallels
the bison fence. This species has shown up in an impressive number of
southwest counties this year.
Yesterday there was also an early Red-necked Phalarope in the
western-most pond (which is apparently being drawn down) of the Hills
sewage ponds in Rock County.
Bob Dunlap
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