[mou] Rock County - 7/10 - 12/2005

EgretCMan@aol.com EgretCMan@aol.com
Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:25:12 EDT


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July 10 - 12, 2005
 
Spent the last 3 days birding with a group from my Audubon Chapter in Rock  
and Pipestone Counties.  Was warm, but very enjoyable.  We encountered  lots of 
singing birds on the Prairie, plus a good number of early migrating  
shorebirds at the city treatment ponds in Luverne.  If you plan to  bird these ponds, 
you should note that while the manager of the Golden  Plump processing plant 
does not seem to care where you walk on there property,  he does not want you 
park on the plants property.  So you should park  on the road that goes to the 
two western ponds.  I also talked with  the Luverne (city manager?, not 
totally sure of her title) and she did not have  a problem with us birding there.  
But did request if we were spending much  time there to contact the city and 
let them know.  The number for the city  is 507-449-2388 and I was connected 
with a woman named Jill.  If you  have any questions, please feel free to email 
or call me.  Also  note that the plant is running a 24 security guard.  Our 
initial  contact was with him at about 8:30pm on Sunday night.
 
Here are some of the species we were able to observe during our stay.
 
Gray Partridge - CR 11, 1/2 mile North of CR 20.
Swainson's Hawk - CR 6, 1 mile North of CR 8.
13 species of shorebirds, most of them were at the City ponds in  Luverne.
Willet - 2 birds were at the Hills Sewage Ponds, along CR 6, 1 mile S. of  
Hwy 270.
American Woodcock - This bird was seen actively feeding at 10:00am on 131st  
St., just past where the road becomes a minimum maintenance road, past the  
gravel pits.
Black-billed Cuckoo - One was heard and seen along 144th Av at 81st  St.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Two or Three birds were heard and seen at Blue  Mounds 
State Park.
Eastern Screech-Owl - Nesting pair with 3 or 4 young.
Great Horned Owl - Heard calling at Blue Mounds State Park.
Common Nighthawk 
Loggerhead Shrike - One bird was observed on the power lines at the  
intersection of CR 4 and CR 6.
Warbling Vireo - Found a pair and there nest at the state park.
Grasshopper Sparrow - fairly common with nice looks at the new National  
Wildlife Refuge on 171 St Street, 3 miles West of Hwy. 75.
Henslow's Sparrow - observed one in Carver county on our return trip at he  
Rapid's Lake Unit of the Minnesota Valley NWR.
Northern Cardinal - Family at Blue Mounds State Park.
Blue Grosbeak - Seen or heard at 5 locations including the Interpretive  
center for Blue Mounds State Park.  
Dickcissel - This is there year, with large numbers throughout the  county.
Great-tailed Grackle - Female carrying food at the marsh behind the Hills  
Sewage Ponds.
Orchard Oriole - near the swimming beach at Blue Mounds State Park and the  
parking area for the picnic grounds at Split Rock Creek State Park in Pipestone 
 County.

Craig Mandel  - EgretCMan@aol.com - Minnetonka, MN 

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<DIV>July 10 - 12, 2005</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Spent the last 3 days birding with a group from my Audubon Chapter in R=
ock=20
and Pipestone Counties.&nbsp; Was warm, but very enjoyable.&nbsp; We encount=
ered=20
lots of singing birds on the Prairie, plus a good number of early migrating=20
shorebirds at the city treatment ponds in Luverne.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you plan to=
=20
bird these ponds, you should note that while the&nbsp;manager of the Golden=20
Plump processing plant does not seem to care where you walk on there propert=
y,=20
he does not want you park on the plants property.&nbsp; So you should&nbsp;p=
ark=20
on the road that goes to the&nbsp;two western ponds.&nbsp; I also talked wit=
h=20
the Luverne (city manager?, not totally sure of her title) and she did not h=
ave=20
a problem with us birding there.&nbsp; But did request if we were spending m=
uch=20
time there to contact the city and let them know.&nbsp; The number for the c=
ity=20
is 507-449-2388 and I was connected with&nbsp;a woman named Jill.&nbsp; If y=
ou=20
have any questions, please feel free to email or call&nbsp;me.&nbsp;&nbsp;Al=
so=20
note that&nbsp;the plant is running a 24 security guard.&nbsp; Our initial=20
contact was with him&nbsp;at about 8:30pm on Sunday night.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Here are some of the species we were able to observe during our stay.</=
DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Gray Partridge - CR 11, 1/2 mile North of CR 20.</DIV>
<DIV>Swainson's Hawk - CR 6, 1 mile North of CR 8.</DIV>
<DIV>13 species of shorebirds, most of them were at the City ponds in=20
Luverne.</DIV>
<DIV>Willet - 2 birds were at the Hills Sewage Ponds, along CR 6, 1 mile S.=20=
of=20
Hwy 270.</DIV>
<DIV>American Woodcock - This bird was seen actively feeding at 10:00am on 1=
31st=20
St., just past&nbsp;where the road becomes a minimum maintenance road, past=20=
the=20
gravel pits.</DIV>
<DIV>Black-billed Cuckoo - One was heard and seen along 144th Av at 81st=20
St.</DIV>
<DIV>Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Two or Three birds were heard and seen at Blue=20
Mounds State Park.</DIV>
<DIV>Eastern Screech-Owl - Nesting pair with 3 or 4 young.</DIV>
<DIV>Great Horned Owl - Heard calling&nbsp;at Blue Mounds State Park.</DIV>
<DIV>Common Nighthawk&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Loggerhead Shrike -&nbsp;One bird was observed on the power lines at th=
e=20
intersection of CR 4 and CR 6.</DIV>
<DIV>Warbling Vireo - Found a pair and there nest at the state park.</DIV>
<DIV>Grasshopper Sparrow - fairly common with nice looks at the new National=
=20
Wildlife Refuge on 171 St Street, 3 miles West of Hwy. 75.</DIV>
<DIV>Henslow's Sparrow - observed one in Carver county on our return trip at=
 he=20
Rapid's Lake Unit of the Minnesota Valley NWR.</DIV>
<DIV>Northern Cardinal - Family at Blue Mounds State Park.</DIV>
<DIV>Blue Grosbeak - Seen or heard at 5 locations including the Interpretive=
=20
center for Blue Mounds State Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Dickcissel&nbsp;- This is there year, with large numbers throughout the=
=20
county.</DIV>
<DIV>Great-tailed Grackle - Female carrying food at the marsh behind the Hil=
ls=20
Sewage Ponds.</DIV>
<DIV>Orchard Oriole - near the swimming beach at Blue Mounds State Park and=20=
the=20
parking area for the picnic grounds at Split Rock Creek State Park in Pipest=
one=20
County.</DIV>
<DIV></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"10"=
>Craig Mandel=20
- EgretCMan@aol.com - Minnetonka, MN </FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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