[mou] Chaska Lake shorebirds, Carver County

[rdunlap@gac.edu]

Today at Chaska Lake there were around 200 shorebirds present. Most interesting
was an adult breeding-plumaged American Golden-Plover...I don't recall ever
seeing one in July...seems somewhat early. Other species present:

Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper

Several birders have asked if there is any closer viewing of the mudflats from
the trail. The answer is no. However, the ground surrounding the mudflats is
quite dry, so it is possible to walk out past the cattails in attempts to get
closer to the birds. This may cause some disturbance to the birds, but they
seem to just fly to another part of the lake. If you do walk out onto the
mudlfats, please be respectful to both the birds and other birders...use common
sense.

Bob Dunlap, Carver County