[mou] Big Stone NWR update

Hagsela@aol.com Hagsela@aol.com
Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:07:35 EDT


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I sensed I was following in someone's footsteps yesterday as I birded the Big 
Stone NWR.   The Common Moorhen is decidedly not as cooperative as his 
cousins in Rochester.   He called twice in response to my tape.   If he showed 
himself, I didn't see it.   I'm short and the open channel referred to by tall Phil 
and the tall Mr. Fritchman is mostly obscured by very tall cattails.   I'm 
guessing Dennis had to hoist Barb on his shoulders.   Be careful on the gate 
count.   There is one gate on the right side as you drive down the road from the 
headquarters.   Stop at the second gate to the left (you can see in the 
distance the quarry).   I also saw two American Bitterns and two Least Bitterns 
flying from one side of the road to the other.   I also heard and saw a YB Cuckoo 
while on the Auto Tour.

The mudflats off County 21 are accessible from an unmarked entrance.   Turn 
south off Hwy 7 on Cty. 21, pass the marked entrance to the NWR fishing pier 
and proceed to an entrance that isn't marked.   The mudflats were not as 
extensive, I think, as when Phil 1st reported them.   I saw Marbled Godwits, Lesser 
Yellowlegs and Killdeer.   If the Piping Plover is still present I did not 
locate it.   But there were smaller shorebirds present.   The light and distance 
made it hard to make good IDs.   IF anyone refinds the Piping Plover, please be 
sure to post it -- it will be a life bird for me.

Linda Sparling
Hennepin County

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Gen=
eva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">I sensed I was following in someone's f=
ootsteps yesterday as I birded the Big Stone NWR.&nbsp;  The Common Moorhen=20=
is decidedly not as cooperative as his cousins in Rochester.&nbsp;  He calle=
d twice in response to my tape.&nbsp;  If he showed himself, I didn't see it=
.&nbsp;  I'm short and the open channel referred to by tall Phil and the tal=
l Mr. Fritchman is mostly obscured by very tall cattails.&nbsp;  I'm guessin=
g Dennis had to hoist Barb on his shoulders.&nbsp;  Be careful on the gate c=
ount.&nbsp;  There is one gate on the right side as you drive down the road=20=
from the headquarters.&nbsp;  Stop at the second gate to the left (you can s=
ee in the distance the quarry).&nbsp;  I also saw two American Bitterns and=20=
two Least Bitterns flying from one side of the road to the other.&nbsp;  I a=
lso heard and saw a YB Cuckoo while on the Auto Tour.<BR>
<BR>
The mudflats off County 21 are accessible from an unmarked entrance.&nbsp; =20=
Turn south off Hwy 7 on Cty. 21, pass the marked entrance to the NWR fishing=
 pier and proceed to an entrance that isn't marked.&nbsp;  The mudflats were=
 not as extensive, I think, as when Phil 1st reported them.&nbsp;  I saw Mar=
bled Godwits, Lesser Yellowlegs and Killdeer.&nbsp;  If the Piping Plover is=
 still present I did not locate it.&nbsp;  But there were smaller shorebirds=
 present.&nbsp;  The light and distance made it hard to make good IDs.&nbsp;=
  IF anyone refinds the Piping Plover, please be sure to post it -- it will=20=
be a life bird for me.<BR>
<BR>
Linda Sparling<BR>
Hennepin County</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANS=
SERIF" SIZE=3D"2"></FONT></HTML>

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