[mou] Northeast Minnesota update

[Peder Svingen]

The unbanded Piping Plover posted by Michelle McDowell in Aitkin County
was still present this afternoon, along with 3 Black-bellied Plovers, 46
Semipalmated Plovers, 6 Killdeer, 2 Greater and 24 Lesser Yellowlegs, 4
Hudsonian Godwits, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, 10 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4 Least
Sandpipers, 1 White-rumped Sandipiper, 89 Dunlin, 9 Short-billed
Dowitchers, and 4 Wilson's Phalaropes (14 species). Thanks, Michelle!

Dennis Martin called to report that most of the shorebirds found this
morning at Knife River, Lake County, had departed by afternoon, though 5
Whimbrels and 1 Ruddy Turnstone were still present at about 6:30 PM. He
found an adult Black-crowned Night-Heron at the mouth of the Knife River
(very rare in Lake County). Dennis was also able to refind two Northern
Mockingbirds originally found by Bob Janssen at Split Rock Lighthouse
State Park. Check near the picnic area.

No shorebirds were at Hearding Island in Duluth this evening; others may
have had better luck this morning. Two Marbled Godwits, up to 50 Caspian
Terns, and an adult Ross's Goose were at Interstate Island this evening.

-- Peder H. Svingen - psvingen@d.umn.edu - Duluth, MN


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 13:39:02 -0500
From: Michelle_McDowell@fws.gov
To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: [mou] Piping Plover, Aitkin Co.

This morning, one piping plover was in a wild rice paddy north of Aitkin.
I was appreciative of the really good look it gave me, orangish-yellow legs
and much paler than the numerous semipalmated plovers surrounding it.
Other birds on the mudflat included a trumpeter swan, dunlin, semipalmated
sandpiper and black-bellied plover.

Directions from Aitkin:  North on Hwy 169, left on Co. Rd. 21 (the Great
River Road), take the first gravel road to the right (due west) towards Co.
Rd. 1.  These birds were in the first paddy on the south side of the road.

Good Birding,

Michelle McDowell