[mou] Purgatory Creek

[Steve Weston]

Nine species of shorebirds seen at Purgatory Creek tonight (Wed).  On my way home I decided to check out Purgatory Creek (pond by Prairie Center Drive and Technology Drive) in Eden Prairie.  Water levels are quite low with extensive mud flats.  I checked out the pond looking from the "bridge" on the path in the northeast corner of the pond behind the Flagship office building.  I found eight species of shorebirds (Killdeer, semi-palmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and small numbers of Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, and Bairds Sandpiper.  I noticed another birder on the "blind", the platform on the west side of the pond.  I drove around and walked out to the pond and found Howard Towle, who greeted me with, "Steve, I think I have a couple of Whimbrels."  They had just flown in and dwarfed the Killdeer.  He started calling and several more birders showed up before it got dark.  As it got later, more shorebirds could be seen on the flats, but all eyes were on the Whimbrels at that moment.  I believe it was a county bird for all who came out.  I am glad I decided to detour out to check out the shorebirds rather than head home for dinner.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2 at comcast.net
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