Its been a while since my last post, mainly due to the lack of shorebirds at the impoundments during migration this spring. I’ve switched to nest surveys with the following nests found this week.
Marshal County: Canada Goose (1 eggs hatched or predated) Off Channel Storage Site 6/11/13 Sora (12 eggs) Off Channel Storage Site 6/11/13 Red-winged Blackbird (2 eggs) Off Channel Storage Site 6/11/13 Marsh Wren Off Channel Storage Site 6/11/13 Canada Goose (6 Type 1 fledglings, 8 Type 1 fledglings) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 American Coot (on nest) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Black Tern (4+ on nest) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Cliff Swallow (large colony) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Yellow-headed Blackbird (6+ nests) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Polk County: Canada Goose (4 Type 1 fledglings) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Mallard (6 Type 1 fledglings) Parnell Impoundment 6/7/13 Canvasback (6 eggs) Agassiz Valley Project 6/6/13 Bald Eagle (1+ young) Agassiz Valley Project 6/6/13 Sandhill Crane (2 eggs, 2 eggs) Agassiz Valley Project 6/6/13 American Coot (on nest) Euclid East 6/6/13 Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Killdeer (distraction display) Angus 6/6/13 Black Tern (1+ on nest) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Tree Swallow (on nest) Agassiz Valley Project 6/11/13 Cliff Swallow (large colony) Agassiz Valley Project 6/5/13 Marsh Wren (on nest) Euclid East, AVP 6/6/13 Savannah Sparrow (distraction display) Agassiz Valley Project 6/5/13 Clay-colored Sparrow (on nest) Agassiz Valley Project 6/6/13 Bobolink (6 eggs) Agassiz Valley Project 6/5/13 Red-winged Blackbird (2, 3, 4 eggs) EE, EE, AVP 6/6/13 Yellow-headed Blackbird (on nest ) Euclid East 6/6/13 Red Lake County: Black Tern (2+ on nest) Goose Lake IBA 6/7/13 Marsh Wren (on nest) Goose Lake IBA 6/7/13 Swamp Sparrow (on nest) Goose Lake IBA 6/7/13 Red-winged Blackbird (6+ on nest) Goose Lake IBA 6/7/13 Yellow-headed Blackbird (8+ on nest) Goose Lake IBA 6/7/13 Loggerhead Shrike continues in Polk County on Polk 68 Sora RFI: On 6/6 at Euclid East I twice flared what I identified at the time as fledgling Soras. I’m trying to figure out at what point Sora fledglings become capable of flight. The birds both appeared downy on the chest and back, but had fully developed flight feathers. I saw no evidence of black on the face and no yellow on the bill. Is it still too early in the season to have juvenile Soras? Forster’s Tern RFI: On 6/11 at the Agassiz Valley Project I saw what I had previously ID’d as a first year Forster’s Tern being fed by an adult. At what point does parental care stop? Some of the literature that I have found online says that parental care can continue “into migration” but I am assuming this means fall migration, not spring. Will Forster’s Terns feed last year’s young during spring migration, or was the bird hatched this year? There was a significant amount of orange at the base of the bill, but no ginger-brown markings, the primaries were nearly black, and there was a decent amount of black on the back of the head. I did get some pictures, but am having trouble uploading them atm. I’ll post them if the above isn't enoughinfo. Bill Blackburn Minnesota Audubon Warren, MN Sent from Windows Mail
