[mou] Dakota Co. Birding & Shorebirds

[Steve Weston]

Saturday

birded Schaar's Bluff in the am.  The birders were more numerous than the birds.  Found Least Flycatcher, Swainson's Thrush,
Lincolns Sparrow +11 warblers:
Yellow Rump, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Yellow, Palm, Bay-breasted (beautiful male), Blackpoll, Redstart,
Ovenbird, No. Waterthrush.

Sunday: Shorebird Report

Since I was unable to get to Lake Byllesby on Saturday, I headed out with lower expectations than Drew's report.

Castle Rock sod farm:  lots of habitat, should remain good for at least the week, longer if we have more rain.  A cursory
trip around found only 6 L. Yellowlegs.

Lake Byllesby:  I found the sand bars empty with only a few ducks and geese and a distant Pelican.  I headed down to get a
better look and walked around the point going upstream.  I found the shorebirds were along the shore by the cattails.
Shorebirds: L (several) & G (at least one) Yellowlegs, Spotted SP(6-10),
Solitary SP (2+), Wilsons Phalarope (1 female), Sora (2), Redwinged Blackbird,
No. Waterthrush (2-3).  I included the last three in with the shorebirds as they were foraging with them.  One treat was to
see the Soras flush into the reeds at full out speed with out disturbing a blade.  It was a treat to watch this group at
close range.  As I walked back I saw a large flock of 100-200+Bonaparts Gulls lift off the far side of the sand bar which
was not visible from my shore.  I quickly saw the reason for the reaction, as a Peregrine Falcon flew by.  I watched it take
after a  Yellowlegs from below, but it quickly broke off the flight.  Its next maneuver was interesting, as it slowed to
almost a hover, before it headed towards the cattails on the opposite shore.  The Peregrine had probably been patrolling
earlier and had cleared the sand banks of shorebirds.

Empire (Jrick's) Sod Farm
Again lots of good habitat.  I found the shorebirds along 200th Street.  At least one hundred and probably more Least
Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and L. Y ellowlegs plus a couple Killdeer.

Steve Weston on Quigley Lake in Eagan
sweston2@attbi.com