[mou] Polk County sightings

[Kim R Eckert]

In addition to Alyssa's posting last night of the Cinnamon Teal seen  
at the Crookston sewage ponds on 26 April (again, special arrangements  
are needed to bird this restricted location), a few other birds of  
note were seen by the Minn Birding Weekends group in Polk Co this past  
weekend (26-27 April).

As with other birders in Minnesota, we dealt with cold temperatures,  
very high winds, blowing snow, and icy/snow-packed roads. Some of the  
group were unable to get to Crookston at all or arrived a half day  
late, we were unable to get out and do any birding until late Saturday  
afternoon, and on Sunday morning some of the roads we intended to bird  
were drifted shut. But during our limited birding effort we saw:

Gr White-fronted and Cackling geese - large gravel pit pond 1.5 mi W  
of Glacial Ridge NWR office
Greater Scaup - several at Crookston sewage ponds; also at Ada sewage  
ponds (Norman Co)
Red-necked Grebe - Crookston and Ada sewage ponds
Western Grebe - 2 at gravel pit pond
Sharp-tailed Grouse - only 2 found: both along Co Rd 45, near jct with  
Co Rd 44
Gr Prairie-Chicken - many (along with Sandhill Cranes) at numerous  
locations along and near Co Rd 45; also in Norman Co along Co Rd 28  
along W side of Twin Valley Prairie SNA
Great Egret - gravel pit pond
Peregrine Falcon - adult flying W along Co Rd 45 by Pembina Trail SNA
Spotted Sandpiper - Crookston sewage ponds
Dunlin - 2 at gravel pit pond
(possible California Gull - partly obscured view of an adult that  
appeared to be this species, standing with other gulls on a levee at  
Crookston sewage ponds; its eye and leg colors were not visible, and  
it could not be relocated when we went closer for a better view)
Short-eared Owl - 2 just S of Co Rd 45, along the W side of Pembina  
Trail SNA
unidentified shrike - very brief view at the gravel pit pond
Lark Sparrow - just E of Crookston sewage ponds entrance gate
Lapland Longspur - probably a few thousand in all: flocks of 100 or  
more at several locations, with some grounded along roadsides for nice  
views of males in breeding plumage

Kim Eckert