[mou] IMBD-Mankato-long

[Chad Heins]

Hey birders!

Ben Inniger and I attempted a big day to celebrate
IMBD on Saturday.  I was amazed at the number of new
arrivals, or at least birds new to my list for the
year.  I added 46 species to my 2003 list!  

Here's the day in a nutshell:  135 species seen
between 2 a.m. and 9 p.m.  All species seen in
Nicollet, Le Sueur, and Blue Earth Counties except for
a lone Green Heron seen in the Henderson backwaters.

4 grebes
5 herons
9 ducks
4 hawks
8 shorebirds
6 woodpeckers
6 swallows
6 thrushes
4 vireos
19 warblers
10 sparrows
9 blackbirds

Here are the highlights:

The 2nd bird of the day was the first surprise of the
day. Two Whip-poor-will's were calling near the
Stonehenge subdivision north of Mankato.  This species
is very uncommon in this part of Minnesota.

Swan Lake in Nicollet County was great for
Pied-billed, Eared, Red-necked, and Western Grebes. 
In the late afternoon we watched while literally 100
Black-crowned Night-Herons soared in circles over the
middle of the lake in the rain.  This is a behavior I
had never seen before. 

Seven-mile Creek County Park off of 169 had a
wonderful assortment of warblers including a Cerulean.
 There were also Least and Great Crested Flycatchers,
tanager, and Baltimore Oriole.

Our second surprise came around 3pm when we
encountered a single Cattle Egret in breeding plumage
hunting earthworms on a lawn on Blue Earth CR 186 just
south of Hwy 26.  This bird did flush to a nearby tree
when we stopped to take its picture and was not there
when we checked back later.

The third surprise came shortly after that.  Just east
of the boat landing on the north side of Eagle Lake
(on Hwy 26) there is a flooded farm field on the south
side of the road.  A single Willet was holding court
there with a small flock of Least Sandpipers.  This
bird was very cooperative and even flushed briefly to
show off its wing pattern before landing and giving
its distinctive call.

There were a few notable misses including Indigo
Bunting and Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It was a great
day for birding though, albeit a bit cold and wet at
the end.

Happy Birding!

Chad Heins
Mankato, MN



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