[mou] "12" Willets Lake Byllesby Dakota Co.

[Conny Brunell]

This morning at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County Leslie Marcus and I enjoyed the spectacular sight of 12 Willets, and a Marbled Godwit in close proximity feeding.  The Willets were very vocal and called constantly, and showed off their beautiful wing pattern in short flights.  A large flock of striking breeding Lapland Longspurs skimmed the mudflats several times, to alight briefly, then off they went.

There were 25 Semipalmated Plovers in one section of the mudflat, Dunlins, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, Pectorals, Bairds, and a very striking female Wilson's Phalarope spinning.  Both Yellowlegs continue to make a big showing.  

In the surrounding trees were many singing Palm Warblers.  Also seen and heard singing were Yellow Rumped and Yellow Warblers, House Wrens, Brown Thrasher, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

At 140th St Marsh in Rosemount, Dakota County on the western edge mudflats were 35 shorebirds mostly Pectoral.

Conny Brunell
Richfield, Hennepin Cty
connyb@mycidco.com