This report is late because I live in what my neighbor affectionately terms “third world Plymouth”. We have been “off the grid” since Thursday night/Friday morning and we just got internet back last evening - but still no actual power. There are at least 7 generators humming on our block including my own. You have to shout to communicate with your neighbor. I am considering a petition to the City of Plymouth for a wind farm in my back yard. However, none of this is unexpected because we are always the last neighborhood to have power restored – which is why I have had a generator for 10 years.
We spent the week of June 16 – 21 in Pope County, 18 – 21 doing MBBA surveys, between rain showers. I spent most of the night of June 20 helping the staff evacuate residents of the assisted living facility my mom lives in (in Glenwood). There were some 40 folks that needed help moving to the basement after the tornado siren went off. About a third of the residents were connected to some device; oxygen, CPAP, whatever. So I developed quite a respect for the 20 something young woman charged with this responsibility – it is a very big job. I am sure most of us do not appreciate what these people do. There was literally water everywhere in Pope County on Friday. I had anecdotal reports of anywhere between 5 and 9 inches of rain at Starbuck. A small tornado was reported (but unconfirmed) near Swift Falls and Gilchrist. Once again, many trees were down and a small lake formed on the Pope County fairgrounds in Glenwood (not an uncommon occurrence). My 12 year old assistant and I covered all six of my MBBA blocks over 4 days. Amazingly, my assistant hung in with me on one 8 hour birding marathon. But the birds were interesting, nevertheless. Most interesting and surprising to me was the diversity we found in our most agricultural block, in Walden Township. Here is the list from that block: Marsh Wren – many calling from the wetland Swamp Sparrow – some calling but maybe not as many as last year Alder Flycatcher – quite surprising, calling from a brushy area in a WPA Warbling Vireo Black Tern – first one on a nest. She looked very uncomfortable in the rain on a nest only inches above the water in the wetland – hope she does not get “swamped”. Others circling and feeding. Common Yellowthroat – well, common Red-winged Blackbirds – ubiquitous Yellow-headed blackbirds – 15 Least Bittern – THE BIRD OF THE DAY! Ring-necked Ducks – 3 pair Red-headed Duck – 2 pair Canvasback Duck – 1 pair Hooded Merganser – 1 female Mallard – several males Red-necked Grebe – 1 male Common Loon – 1 bird landed in the WPA pond as we were observing Tree Swallow – 1 bird tending to a hole in a dead tree – assuming young Eastern Kingbird – several pair Song Sparrow – A dozen birds around the block Yellow Warbler – many Bobolinks – at least 2 males calling Barn Swallows – many Canada Goose – several pairs Blue-winged Teal – 3 pairs Wood ducks – 3 birds Ruddy Duck – 1 male bird on a small farm pond Killdeer – several birds flopping around American Robins – many Gray Catbird – 2 birds Mourning Doves – Everywhere we went we found them at the roads Elsewhere, in addition to above: Black Terns: 25 individual birds – 4 sitting on nests American Coot: One on a nest – eggs apparently hatching with baby birds peeking out from under the hen. Bobolinks: At least 15 birds – found in nearly every block. Least Bittern: LIFE BIRD FOR ME! Spotted by my sharp eyed assistant. Clay-Colored Sparrows – Pretty much as expected in most grassy areas Field Sparrows – A few of these around – mostly in Langhei Tsp. Vesper Sparrows - Savannah Sparrows - Pied-billed Grebes – 8 birds on various small ponds – no young yet Red-tailed Hawk 5 or 6 birds around Bald Eagle – 1 circling in Langhei, one pair with fledged young on the nest in Nora Tsp. Great Egrets – singles scattered around – many at one pond in Langhei Orchard Orioles – 3 or 4 birds scattered around Baltimore Orioles – scattered around Great-crested Flycatchers – scattered around Eastern Pewee – also scattered around American White Pelicans – some individuals on ponds – a bunch in White Bear Tsp – possible rookery House Wrens - Chipping sparrows – all over the place Am. goldfinches – scattered around Common Grackles American Robins - Least Flycatchers – a few Kingfisher House Finches Yellow-throated Vireo – one bird Cedar Waxwing – carrying nesting material Another Tree Swallow feeding young Wood Ducks – 13 birds in one pond Pied-billed Grebe - on nest Red-necked Grebes – 2 pair on the same lake as last summer Turkey Vultures – 2 pairs, 1 apparent pair in Nora and 1 in Ben Wade Eastern Bluebirds - Rose-breasted Grosbeak – male Ring-billed Gull – fly-over Ring-necked Pheasant – a few males seen, many calling. Flickers – many Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Blue Jay American Crow Northern Harrier Cliff Swallow Double-crested Cormorant – a few around We also checked on 4 known Purple Martin colonies around the county. All were very active with many birds, both male and female, apparently tending young. Two were quite large with at least 22 nest “gourds” in the colony. One was smaller with only 10 nest openings – but was very active. This was very encouraging, although we will check again in July and also check with the colony owners to get a better assessment of nesting success. Notable misses: Dickcissel – none so far in any of habitats from last summer. We did find them at Prairie Horizon Farm in Langhei Tsp. Sedge Wrens – none anywhere Indigo Buntings Grasshopper Sparrow – my assistant heard one bird – but very uncommon Western Meadowlarks – found only at Prairie Horizon Farm Sandhill Cranes Wild Turkey American Kestrel One last item from Douglas County. There is a nesting platform on Lake Latoka with a Loon apparently on a nest. Sid Stivland “Third World” Plymouth (and Pope County) ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
