[mou] Big Stone/Lac Qui Parle Ct.
Leodwm@aol.com
Leodwm@aol.com
Fri, 21 Apr 2006 10:44:41 EDT
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Hello all!
We spent the last two days (Wednesday and Thursday) birding Lac Qui Parle
and Big Stone county... It was raining and freezing winds were ripping across
the fields. We made our first stop by Salt Lake on the South Dakota border and
saw no shorebirds what-so-ever, only ducks. (Though there were alot of those)
Canvasback, Redhead and Pintail were all present.
After two shorebirds showed up, but flew away immediately, we circled the
lake to the Minnesota overlook side and spotted our first Eared Grebe in
non-breeding plumage mixed in with some Buffleheads on the freezing lake.
We then started going south from Salt Lake (We got rather lost...) and
stumbled across a road labeled "Road Closed, Bridge Out." We parked and walked
down the closed road. There were streams on both sides and Myrtles were flying
around everywhere. Then, just before the gap where the river went past, we
spotted a White-Throated Sparrow in the underbrush.
Pheasants were everywhere as we drove, scared and flying away. We eventually
got to Hwy. 75, not having seen a single shorebird since Salt Lake. We
decided to drive up to Big Stone County on 75, then swap to Hwy. 21 to lead us
north into the lakes above Odessa. On the way to Otrey Lake we spotted our first
shorebirds. Some Yellowlegs were in a swamp to our left as we headed north
on 21, just before a intersection. Three Snipe flew over us as we watched, a
ducks were everywhere.
At Otrey lake we spotted:
Least Sandpipers, maybe 10
Franklin's Gulls, quite a few, we didn't count though
Yellowlegs wandering around in the muck
Then, a Marbled Godwit flew over us, screeching and flying away.
We drove up to Thielke Lake after that and spotted 3 Western Grebes doing
the little neck-dance.
The next day was raining super hard, but we didn't stop. We drove up from
Ortonville on 75 and went west at Clinton's 6 Hwy. We then drove north again and
started driving through the swamps there. Shorebirds were here and there,
but in no numbers, and it was hard to see them. After awhile we headed west on
Hwy. 54 and had some good luck finally, spotting our first American Avocets.
A pair of them were in the lake at the 7 intersection of 54. Later, we drove
down 7 and spotted a swamp with a large group of Baird's Sandpipers in it. As
we were on 6, driving back to Clinton, we ran into a group of about 30
Lapland Longspurs in the pounding rain. We then headed east of Clinton and looked
around there, but didn't see anything. We then headed back to Otrey Lake and
spotted a Great Horned Owl nest in a tree nearby with a adult and baby in it.
With, that we drove back down 21 and spotted a few Yellowlegs and headed for
home.
It may have been freezing rain and wind, but we saw some great birds, so
were happy.
Good birdin'
- Leo WM
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<DIV>Hello all!</DIV>
<DIV>We spent the last two days (Wednesday and Thursday) birding Lac Qui Par=
le=20
and Big Stone county... It was raining and freezing winds were ripping acros=
s=20
the fields. We made our first stop by Salt Lake on the South Dakota border a=
nd=20
saw no shorebirds what-so-ever, only ducks. (Though there were alot of those=
)=20
Canvasback, Redhead and Pintail were all present.</DIV>
<DIV>After two shorebirds showed up, but flew away immediately, we circled t=
he=20
lake to the Minnesota overlook side and spotted our first Eared Grebe in=20
non-breeding plumage mixed in with some Buffleheads on the freezing lake.</D=
IV>
<DIV>We then started going south from Salt Lake (We got rather lost...) and=20
stumbled across a road labeled "Road Closed, Bridge Out." We parked and walk=
ed=20
down the closed road. There were streams on both sides and Myrtles were flyi=
ng=20
around everywhere. Then, just before the gap where the river went past, we=20
spotted a White-Throated Sparrow in the underbrush.</DIV>
<DIV>Pheasants were everywhere as we drove, scared and flying away. We=20
eventually got to Hwy. 75, not having seen a single shorebird since Salt Lak=
e.=20
We decided to drive up to Big Stone County on 75, then swap to Hwy. 21 to le=
ad=20
us north into the lakes above Odessa. On the way to Otrey Lake we spott=
ed=20
our first shorebirds. Some Yellowlegs were in a swamp to our left as we=
=20
headed north on 21, just before a intersection. Three Snipe f=
lew=20
over us as we watched, a ducks were everywhere. </DIV>
<DIV>At Otrey lake we spotted:</DIV>
<DIV>Least Sandpipers, maybe 10</DIV>
<DIV>Franklin's Gulls, quite a few, we didn't count though</DIV>
<DIV>Yellowlegs wandering around in the muck</DIV>
<DIV>Then, a Marbled Godwit flew over us, screeching and flying away.</DIV>
<DIV>We drove up to Thielke Lake after that and spotted 3 Western Grebes doi=
ng=20
the little neck-dance.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The next day was raining super hard, but we didn't stop. We drove up fr=
om=20
Ortonville on 75 and went west at Clinton's 6 Hwy. We then drove north again=
and=20
started driving through the swamps there. Shorebirds were here and there, bu=
t in=20
no numbers, and it was hard to see them. After awhile we headed west on Hwy.=
54=20
and had some good luck finally, spotting our first American Avocets. A pair=20=
of=20
them were in the lake at the 7 intersection of 54. Later, we drove down 7 an=
d=20
spotted a swamp with a large group of Baird's Sandpipers in it. As we were o=
n 6,=20
driving back to Clinton, we ran into a group of about 30 Lapland Longspurs i=
n=20
the pounding rain. We then headed east of Clinton and looked around there, b=
ut=20
didn't see anything. We then headed back to Otrey Lake and spotted a Great=20
Horned Owl nest in a tree nearby with a adult and baby in it. With, that we=20
drove back down 21 and spotted a few Yellowlegs and headed for home.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It may have been freezing rain and wind, but we saw some great birds, s=
o=20
were happy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Good birdin'</DIV>
<DIV>- Leo WM</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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