As a follow up to Kim Eckert's MBW weekend, Doug Kieser and I spent another day in western Minnesota. We had a total of 16 shorebird species. Highlights included:
Buff-breasted Sandpipers (4): No Ottawa Impoundment (nw corner) - Grant Co Am Golden-Plover (5): mown hayfield in Traverse Co just west of No Ottawa Impt Am Golden-Plover (1): Pelican Creek Wetland Project - Grant Co (see below) Black-bellied Plover (3): No Ottawa Impt & (3) Pelican Creek Upland Sandpiper (3): Plowed field just west of Miller Prairie West Unit - Traverse Co Red-necked Phalarope (52): Wheaton WTP - Traverse Co & (15): Elbow Lake WTP - Grant Co Other highlights from Traverse Co included Le Conte's Sparrow (Miller Prairie East Unit), Gray Partridge, and Black-and-white Warbler (our only non-breeding migrant passerine). The Pelican Creek Wetland Project area looks to be an excellent spot for shorebirds over the next few weeks with extensive mudflats and accessible viewing. This area is just east of Co 4 & north of I-94 about 2 miles west and 1 mile south of Ashby (there is no I-94 exit at Co Rd 4). Howard Towle Golden Valley, MN ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
