Today, between 10:30 and 12:30, on the Lake Byllesby mudflats, west end: 1 Marbled Godwit (We did not find the previously seen Hudsonian Godwit today.) 1 Baird's Sandpiper 1 Long-billed Dowitcher
Also: Large flock of Bonaparte's Gulls Flock of Pectoral Sandpipers Flock of Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Greater Yellowlegs Flock of Red-breasted Mergansers, which flew over, going SW, and passed out of sight. 1 Belted Kingfisher Many Yellow-rumped Warblers\ 1 Swamp Sparrow 1 Brown Thrasher Earlier, near Lakeside Cemetery, 1/2 mile farther east on 88, there were close to 100 White Pelicans nearby, which were also reported by Gerald Hoekstra this evening. They flew east and settled down farther away. Kevin Smith, retired from the DNR, was also at Byllesby, and said the water is being drawn up now, so some of the extensive mud flats are already covered. Shoveler, Gadwall, American Coot and Blue-winged Teal were present at most birding locations today. Kevin Smith and Dwight Smith were a great help with finding the shorebirds. We found most of them in the cove, west of the main lookout on the lakes west end. Some were too far out to ID, and some may have been the Dunlins and Semipalmated Sandpipers Gerald Hoekstra spotted tonight. The cove is west of the main lookout on the lake's west end. The main west end lookout and cove are both accessed off Hwy 88 at a pull-out, less than 1/4 mile east of the 56/88 intersection. Your may park on the shoulder of 88, to the right of the entrance, or on the few parking spots found beyond the railroad tracks, but the train occasionally comes through. Just follow the "birder paths." Most paths curve to the west, down a hill to the lake, and the others lead farther west through brush, to other locations open to the lake. Laura Coble Cannon Falls ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
