[mou] Plegadis ibises in west-central Minnesota

[Peder Svingen]

While conducting shorebird surveys this past weekend, Jeanie Joppru and 
I encountered a total of 25 Plegadis ibises in 5 west-central Minnesota 
locations. Except for one individual, all were juveniles and thus not 
identified as to species. An adult-looking bird at location #1 showed 
reddish irides, but the color of its facial skin could not be 
determined; therefore, the remote possibility of a hybrid Glossy x 
White-faced Ibis could not be ruled out.
The 5 locations are as follows:
1) state highway 28, just west of Big Stone County Road 61 (16 
juveniles and one adult photographed Saturday afternoon);
2) Big Stone County Road 61, about 4 and 1/2 miles south of state 
highway 28 (one juvenile seen Saturday afternoon);
3) Big Stone County Road 64, about a mile east of US 75 and across the 
road from Munnwyler Lake (one juvenile photographed Saturday evening);
4) Big Stone NWR, west side of road to Low Flow area off Big Stone 
County Road 21 (one bird found at sunrise--it was subsequently seen 
flying south into Lac Qui Parle County--towards Bellingham);
5) Big Stone NWR, east end of Auto Tour Route (five juveniles 
photographed at about 4:30 PM Sunday).
--
Peder H. Svingen
Duluth, MN