At 11:30 am today, I listened for the Hooded Warbler, which was recently reported by Drew Smith on June 27th at 140th St. Marsh.
Instead, I later viewed a cooperative Bell's Vireo as a "consolation" bird farther west, on the north side of the road. I first heard it singing close to the blacktop road, about a block east of the switch to the white cement road along the old marsh. This area, before you reach the marsh, has grass, scattered bushes and cedar trees. The vireo flew out, first into a bush, but quickly moved to a cedar tree beside the road, continuing to sing. (See Drew's post for directions to 140th Marsh.) At 180th St. Marsh: The water is much higher in all the ponds, due to recent heavy rains. Birds were very active, and the road wasn't flooded. 180th St. has been reconstructed, and the gravel road is very much improved! I saw at least 2 male, 2 female and 4 juvenile Yellow-headed Blackbirds, most in the pond farthest to the west, north side of the road, all making their loud, weird vocalizations. 180th St. Marsh is between Fischer Avenue and Cty 85 (Goodwin Ave.) in Dakota Cty, north of the town of Vermillion. 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
