[mou] Tricolored Heron and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron in Lac Qui Parle.

[Bill Unzen]

Today, 7-11-07 at 4:30PM I found an adult Tricolored Heron SW of Madison in
Lac Qui Parle County. From the junction of Hwy75 and Hwy40 in Madison
go 1.5miles west on Hwy 40 then turn left on 211th Ave and go approx
1.4 miles south. The heron was west of the road in the weeds of the flooded
area to the south of the creek that runs northwest.

The bird was sleeping most of the time and I first thought it was a Little
Blue Heron but its more purple plumage and very long slender beak seemed
odd. Once it started preening I could see the white stripe all the way down
the foreneck and the white plumes on the back of the head. Even though it
was standing in tall vegetation and facing away from me the white belly
could occasionally be seen when it lifted its wing to preen.


At least one (probably two) juvenile/1st-summer Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
has been seen sporadically since the 6th of July at the north end of Lac Qui
Parle Lake where Hwy119 crosses. It was seen again today flying over the
boat landing on the south side of the crossing. The water levels here have
dropped nearly two feet in the past 2 weeks exposing some mud and tree
stumps that the night-heron has been seen on.

Also today I had two Cattle Egrets at the Big Stone NWR and another flying
near Griffin Lake in Swift County. The post-breeding dispersal of
herons/egrets seems well underway and very impressive so far.

Also of note was a Greater White-fronted Goose at the Lubenow Waterfowl
Production Area (section 3, Shible Twp.) in Swift County. The goose has
molted most of its primaries so it isn't going anywhere very soon.


Bill Unzen
Lac Qui Parle County.
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