[mou] White-faced Ibis- Lake Byllesby, Dakota Co.

[Conny Brunell]

This morning shortly after 9 Leslie Marcus and I found a White-faced Ibis at Lake Byllesby in Dakota Co.  We were scanning the mud flats from the west side of the shoreline behind the cemetery.  I was looking at a mudflat further east at the Forster's Terns, and Bonaparte's Gulls and there stood the Ibis in with all the American White Pelicans.  What a terrific surprise, even though the sun was making it difficult to see the side of the face and eye area well.  Bob Dunlap joined us and we decided to drive further down the road and see if a homeowner would give us permission to view from their shoreline.

We got permission from a homeowner and watched from behind their house on a sandy shoreline about a football field away looking straight at it standing on the edge of a sandbar.  The sun then worked to our advantage behind us, and we then had excellent looks at the red eye, and the red that extended from the bill up over the eye on the side of the face.  There was a thick white border that was outlined all above the bill and around the eye and extended completely down to under the bill.

Now the rich green luster of the back, wings, and even on the top of its head shimmered, and the deep rich rusty color of neck, upper back  sides and legs just glowed.  That long gray bill when turned at just the right angle glinted silver when the sunlight hit it.  We were in awe, and felt appreciative of the homeowners generosity that granted us the privilege of such a close view so that we could see all the field marks so well at such close range until 12:15. 

Also moving around the lake were Pectoral Sandpipers, Dunlin, and Purple Martins.  We also saw Savannah Sparrows, and the Yellow-rumped Warblers were singing along the shoreline.

Conny Brunell
Richfield, Hennepin Cty
connyb@mycidco.com