[mou] Salt Lake-Prairie Chicken

[Dennis/Barbara Martin]

Early this AM there was a female Prairie Chicken on the south side of Salt
Lake in Lac Qui Parle County.  The bird walked out of the reeds onto the mud
flat for several minutes, never venturing far from the reeds.  We had good
looks from the overlook deck.

One has to wonder how it happens to be here.  I have heard of no releases in
this area but I believe there have been releases in the Big Stone NWR/Lac
Qui WMA area in past years.  I'm not sure of the exact release location but
it is probably 25 or 30 miles from Salt Lake.  What do you western MN
birders think of this sighting?

The wet field in Traverse County, off 117, is nearly dry with just a handful
of normal shorebirds present early this PM.

Saw four juvenile moorhens at St Johns marsh this evening with no adult
present.

Dennis and Barbara Martin
dbmartin@skypoint.com