This afternoon I checked out several of the flood control impoundments that run between Crookston and Warren. There is finally some open water. None of them are open to drive around yet, so all sightings are from either one or two checkpoints up the dike. It was too cold and windy to do much hiking around further.
On my way out, I found a huge mixed flock of Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, and Horned Lark on Polk CR23 at about 290th Ave NW, and more as I traveled east down the county road. Agassiz Valley (closest to Warren) had a lot of Canada Geese, Mallards, and Northern Pintail in both counties. On the Marshall side, there was at least one pair of Am. Wigeon. On the Polk side, a few Gadwall and 1 Common Merganser (which ended up on the Marshall side eventually after an eagle came through). A few Sandhill Cranes and a Northern Harrier. The waterfowl here were viewed on the west side of the impoundment along 280th Ave NW by climbing the dike. Another area to check is along 190th St. NW near the kestrel box. Moving south and east to the Angus-Oslo impoundment (Polk), Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern harrier, Sandhill Cranes. I could see many geese flying around in the distance but the road is still closed so I could not get down further to see what was out there. South of Polk CR 23 at the Brandt-Angus impoundment (note I only checked the S/SE side, though I could tell there were at least Canada’s on the NW corner but that little road was a little too muddy for me today): Greater White-fronted geese, Canada geese, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Sandhill Cranes. Most of the waterfowl here were viewed by driving on 120th St. NW 0.4 miles west of 260th Ave. NW, then climbing the dike VERY SLOWLY so as not to spook them as you crest the top; otherwise if you sit on 260th Ave NW, just to the north of 120th St. NW, you could scope to the west from the car, but it is very, very distant. Nothing going on at Brandt (Polk CR19) but a few pairs of Canada geese. I did not check Euclid East. The Parnell Impoundment on Polk CR17 was pretty quiet. I could see a large patch of open water to the north but I didn’t hike all the way down there. On the south side of CR17, there is a corn stubble field that was loaded with Canada geese, Northern Pintail and Mallard. On the return trip home, I noted 30+ Tundra Swans in a corn stubble field north of Polk CR23 on 290th Ave SW. A list of these impoundments and their locations can be found here: http://grandcitiesbirdclub.weebly.com/mn-watershed-district-impoundments.html Sandy Aubol Polk County East Grand Forks
