[mou] Marbled Godwits, Wilkin County...

[Conny Brunell]

Spring migration in the metro this last week was like a shot of adrenaline for me filled with new arrivals that kindled enough energy to illuminate a stadium.  Leslie Marcus and I headed up to Rothsay in Wilkin County today in search of the eagerly anticipated appearance of the prairie birds, and we were not disappointed.

Leslie, Doug, Jim, and I enjoyed the pleasure of seeing "20" Marbled Godwits across from the traditional Greater Prairie-chicken lek in Rothsay on 190th St; CR 176 about 1.5 miles east of its intersection with CR 15 on the south side of the road.  They were feeding in the wet fields slowly probing with those long orange bi-colored bills vocalizing amongst each other like they had all the time in the world.  Several times they all got up up together and circled overhead so that the warm tones of the cinnamon wing linings were visible.  The wind was fierce out there this afternoon, and I was wishing that I had a couple of bricks in my pocket to anchor me down!

Conny Brunell
Richfield, Hennepin Cty.
connyb@mycidco.com