Hi All— I was also at the plover fields north of Rice Lake State Park in Steele Co. today around 1 pm. I agree with Dave’s estimate of about 800 birds. I took photos which convey the sheer numbers present, although the birds did not approach me closely. The flocks took wing two times, once in response to a Northern Harrier, and once because of a Peregrine Falcon.
I will post my plover photos on my blog tomorrow morning. dan On Sat, Sep 7, 2013 at 2:14 PM, Dave Bartkey <[email protected]>wrote: > As Gerry and I returned to Faribault from Rice Lake State Park, we stopped > again at the plover spot. While Gerry was taking pictures, I was attempting > to get a count of the plovers. My final tally, which was very conservative, > was of three groups. 307, 163 and 246 respectively. This totaled 716 birds! > Like I said, this was a very conservative count and realistically there > were probably over 800 plovers present! This morning on the way down, we > stopped and had a few Buff-breasted Sandpipers. There was one flock which > flew a little ways down that totaled between 10-12 birds. > > Also of note was a single Red-necked Phalarope and a Semipalmated Plover > at the state park, along with large groups of migrating Common Nighthawks. > Other shorebirds seen today included Stilt, Least, Semipalmated, Pectoral > and Baird's Sandpipers as well as both yellowlegs, and two Wilson's Snipe. > And of course, Killdeer. > > Good birding! > > Dave Bartkey > Faribault,MN > > > Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2013 09:35:57 -0500 > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [mou-net] Steele County shorebirds > > To: [email protected] > > > > Golden Plovers, Buff-breasted SPs, and other birds still here this > morning. > > > > Gerry > > > > On Saturday, September 7, 2013, Steven Chesney wrote: > > > > > They were there yesterday PM > > > Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Taff Roberts <[email protected] <javascript:;>> > > > Sender: Minnesota Birds <[email protected] <javascript:;>> > > > Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2013 22:54:58 > > > To: <[email protected] <javascript:;>> > > > Reply-To: Taff Roberts <[email protected] <javascript:;>> > > > Subject: Re: [mou-net] Steele County shorebirds > > > > > > Did anyone view the Golden Plovers at Rice Lake State Park today? > > > Wondering if they are still hanging around? > > > Taff Roberts > > > On Sep 4, 2013, at 2:22 PM, Bob Ekblad wrote: > > > > > > > Following up on a database report by Herb Dingmann of Golden Plovers > at > > > a spot north of Rice Lake State Park I was able to find the plovers (I > > > counted at least 400 of them!!!). I also refound some Sanderlings that > > > Diane Anderson had found earlier today. I also found 4 Red-necked > > > Phalaropes as well. > > > > > > > > To get to the spot go east from the park entrance and go north on > CR37 > > > for 2.6 mi and then turn right (N) on 84th Ave and go 1 mile to the two > > > bare fields on your left. The plovers are in the fields (difficult to > find > > > if they are away from the water puddles). The phalaropes were in the > > > ponds on the opposite side of the road and Sanderlings were on both > sides. > > > > > > > > Sent from Bob Ekblad's iPhone > > > > 507-269-7436 > > > > Byron, MN - Olmsted County > > > > http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com > > > > ---- > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > > > > -- > > Gerald R. Hoekstra > > Music Department > > St Olaf College > > Northfield, MN 55057 > > Office phone: 507-786-3181 > > > > ---- > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > -- Dan or Erika Tallman Northfield, Minnesota [email protected] http://sites.google.com/site/tallmanorum http://dantallmansbirdblog.blogspot.com http://picasaweb.google.com/danerika The White Album: Portraits of Minnesota Birds<http://www.blurb.com/b/3992062-the-white-album-portraits-of-minnesota-birds-dan-t> Two Years Among the Odonates <http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3467428> ".... the best shod travel with wet feet...Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ....”—H. D. Thoreau; "Back off, man. I'm a scientist."—Dr. Peter Venkman ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
