I checked Deer Creek, in Wild River State Park, for Wilson's Snipes today and found 6 over-wintering birds. Deer Creek is larger, longer, wider, and more open habitat as compared to Spring Creek, which I reported on last Thursday. It is spring-fed, shallow, a muddy bottom, and stays ice-free during the winter. As such it is home to other birds, including 14 Trumpeter Swans today (plus geese, robins,...). Last winter I reported 7 over-wintering snipes in Deer Creek. With 6 in Deer Creek and 3 in Spring Creek, I have seen 9 over-wintering snipes in the Park in the past 4 days.
Today's photos at: (In one photo, you can see 3 distant snipes) http://web.stcloudstate.edu/rjstenseng/Photos/WISN03.jpg http://web.stcloudstate.edu/rjstenseng/Photos/WISN04.jpg Wild River State Park is located north of Taylors Falls, MN, on the St. Croix River. Rubin Stenseng Wild River State Park Volunteer Chisago County, 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
