[mou] Field trip report:Louisville Swamp, Scott County - 2 sandhill cranes
Anne Hanley
anne_hanley90@hotmail.com
Sun, 21 Aug 2005 21:35:33 -0500
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Trip report: Scott County - Louisville Swamp, Minnesota Valley National =
Wildlife Refuge
Outing sponsored by Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and =
Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter (MRVAC)
August 20, 2005 (Saturday morning)
5 participants, lovely weather - clear, slightly cool, no bugs
54 species
Highlights of the morning were=20
80 American white pelicans soaring overhead
2 sandhill cranes feeding with the canada geese around the impoundment =
where the Mazomani Trail crosses Sand Creek
Also by the impoundment:
14 Caspian terns standing and preening next to a ringbilled gull, for =
scale
and at least 5 spotted sandpipers,=20
Further away, but still by the impoundment, a couple yellow legs =
(greater, based on size relative to the nearby killdeer)
3 other species of shorebirds - too far away for us to ID even with a =
scope
On the bluff, in the woods,=20
Many, many blue-grey gnatcatchers - many more than we saw a month ago
Quite a good number of bluebirds, many immature
Several young or female rose-breasted grosbeaks
Several orioles, mostly young or female, often seen in the grape vines
Indigo buntings were not singing - only saw one
posted by Anne Hanley, Hennepin County
The other Refuge events for August are listed below.
For directions to the refuge units, see : =
http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/MinnesotaValley
Click on Visitor Information and then Refuge Lands
Wildlife Walk
Walk refuge trails to search for birds and other wildlife as night =
settles over the valley. Dress for the weather, bring a water bottle and =
bug spray if needed. Bring your favorite field guide, binoculars and a =
spotting scope if you have one. A few extra binoculars will be available =
to loan if needed. There will also be an opportunity to learn to =
identify bird and frog calls. Those staying until dusk will have a =
chance to view planets and stars. George Skinner, Refuge Naturalist.
Date: Wednesday, August 24
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Bass Ponds
A Prairie in Bloom
Join us for a walk through the prairie at one of the most dramatic =
periods of bloom. The start of the goldenrods and asters will give us =
some wonderful challenges in identification of the wild flowers. Bring =
along your favorite field guide and join us for a walk through the Black =
Dog Unit. Craig Mandel, Refuge Naturalist.=20
Date: Thursday, August 25
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Place: Black Dog Unit - Cliff Fen Park Trailhead
Wild Flower Walk
Join us a walk at the Rapids Lake Unit. We will be searching for some of =
the plants that grow on the hill sides of this unit. The pasque flower =
is one of the first harbingers of spring in the plant community and this =
is one of the best places to search for them on the Refuge. Prairie =
smoke, Canterbury bells, kitten tails, Virginia ground cherry and lead =
plant are a few of the other species of wild flowers we will be learning =
to identify on these walks. Craig Mandel, Refuge Naturalist.
Date: Saturday, August 27
Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Place: Rapids Lake Unit
Beginning Bird Walk
Our focus for these bird watching walks will be to develop our =
observation skills. We will learn about the key features and behavior to =
look for when trying to identify a bird. Bring along your favorite bird =
book, binoculars and all your questions about birds and bird watching. =
Craig Mandel, Refuge Naturalist.=20
Date: Sunday, August 28
Time: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Place: Old Cedar Avenue Bridge
Take the Tour - Wildlife in the Shadows of Skyscrapers
Ride along in a van on a 90 minute guided introduction to the refuge. =
Look for Bald Eagles and other wildlife and learn about natural and =
cultural history from the Ice Age to present day. Call for reservations =
and fee information. 952-858-0740.
Dates and Times: Thursday August 25, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday August 27, 9:30 a.m.
Place: Visitor Center=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Trip report: Scott County - =
Louisville Swamp,=20
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Outing sponsored by Minnesota Valley =
National=20
Wildlife Refuge and Minnesota River Valley Audubon=20
Chapter (MRVAC)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>August 20, 2005 (Saturday =
morning)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>5 participants, lovely weather - clear, =
slightly=20
cool, no bugs</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>54 species</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Highlights of the morning were =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>80 American white pelicans soaring=20
overhead</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2 sandhill cranes feeding with the =
canada geese=20
around the impoundment where the Mazomani Trail crosses Sand =
Creek</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Also by the impoundment:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>14 Caspian terns standing and preening =
next to a=20
ringbilled gull, for scale</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and a</FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>t least 5=20
spotted sandpipers, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Further away, but still by the =
impoundment, a=20
couple yellow legs (greater, based on size relative to the nearby=20
killdeer)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3 other species of shorebirds - too far =
away for us=20
to ID even with a scope</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On the bluff, in the woods, =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many, many blue-grey gnatcatchers =
- many more=20
than we saw a month ago</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Quite a good number of bluebirds, many=20
immature</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Several young or female rose-breasted=20
grosbeaks</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Several orioles, mostly young or =
female, often seen=20
in the grape vines</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Indigo buntings were not singing - only =
saw=20
one</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>posted by Anne Hanley, Hennepin =
County</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The other Refuge events for August are =
listed=20
below.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>For directions to the refuge units, =
see : <A=20
href=3D"http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/MinnesotaValley">http://www.fws.gov/Mi=
dwest/MinnesotaValley</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Click on Visitor Information and then =
Refuge=20
Lands</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN=20
class=3Dtitle></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN =
class=3Dtitle>Wildlife=20
Walk</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG>Walk refuge trails to search for birds =
and other=20
wildlife as night settles over the valley. Dress for the weather, bring =
a water=20
bottle and bug spray if needed. Bring your favorite field guide, =
binoculars and=20
a spotting scope if you have one. A few extra binoculars will be =
available to=20
loan if needed. There will also be an opportunity to learn to identify =
bird and=20
frog calls. Those staying until dusk will have a chance to view planets =
and=20
stars. George Skinner, Refuge Naturalist.<BR><B>Date:</B> Wednesday, =
August=20
24<BR><B>Time:</B> 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.<BR><B>Place:</B> Bass=20
Ponds<BR><BR><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtitle>A Prairie in=20
Bloom</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG>Join us for a walk through the prairie =
at one of=20
the most dramatic periods of bloom. The start of the goldenrods and =
asters will=20
give us some wonderful challenges in identification of the wild flowers. =
Bring=20
along your favorite field guide and join us for a walk through the Black =
Dog=20
Unit. Craig Mandel, Refuge Naturalist. <BR><B>Date:</B> Thursday, August =
25<BR><B>Time:</B> 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.<BR><B>Place:</B> Black Dog Unit =
- Cliff=20
Fen Park Trailhead<BR><BR><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN =
class=3Dtitle>Wild Flower=20
Walk</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG>Join us a walk at the Rapids Lake Unit. =
We will=20
be searching for some of the plants that grow on the hill sides of this =
unit.=20
The pasque flower is one of the first harbingers of spring in the plant=20
community and this is one of the best places to search for them on the =
Refuge.=20
Prairie smoke, Canterbury bells, kitten tails, Virginia ground cherry =
and lead=20
plant are a few of the other species of wild flowers we will be learning =
to=20
identify on these walks. Craig Mandel, Refuge =
Naturalist.<BR><B>Date:</B>=20
Saturday, August 27<BR><B>Time:</B> 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 =
p.m.<BR><B>Place:</B>=20
Rapids Lake Unit<BR><BR><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN =
class=3Dtitle>Beginning Bird=20
Walk</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG>Our focus for these bird watching walks =
will be=20
to develop our observation skills. We will learn about the key features =
and=20
behavior to look for when trying to identify a bird. Bring along your =
favorite=20
bird book, binoculars and all your questions about birds and bird =
watching.=20
Craig Mandel, Refuge Naturalist. <BR><B>Date:</B> Sunday, August=20
28<BR><B>Time:</B> 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.<BR><B>Place:</B> Old Cedar =
Avenue=20
Bridge<BR><BR><STRONG><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtitle>Take the Tour - =
Wildlife in=20
the Shadows of Skyscrapers</SPAN><BR></FONT></STRONG>Ride along in a van =
on a 90=20
minute guided introduction to the refuge. Look for Bald Eagles and other =
wildlife and learn about natural and cultural history from the Ice Age =
to=20
present day. Call for reservations and fee information.=20
952-858-0740.<BR><B>Dates and Times:</B> Thursday August 25, 7:00=20
p.m.<BR>  =
; =
Saturday=20
August 27, 9:30 a.m.<BR><B>Place:</B> Visitor Center <BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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