[mou] shorebirds at Giese WPA - Stevens County

[Sara_Vacek at fws.gov]

The west pool on Giese Waterfowl Production Area, Stevens County, is in
drawdown right now and playing host to at least 200 shorebirds.  Already
significantly more birds than were seen there on Wednesday and I imagine it
continue to be a good site for the next couple of weeks as we get closer to
the peak of the shorebird migration.  Currently about 50 acres of mudflat
and shallow water.  Took a quick look this morning and saw:

Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Killdeer
Pectoral Sandpiper
Dowitcher
Solitary Sandpiper
and lots of peeps that I don't feel confident identifying (my best guess
would be Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers)
Wilson's Phalarope (seen on Wednesday)

This is a restored wetland with a county ditch running through the middle -
park where the ditch crosses the road at the south or northwest of the WPA
and walk along the levee on the west side of the ditch.  For a map of Giese
WPA or any other WPA managed by the Morris Wetland Management District, go
to http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Morris  and follow the maps link.

As always, we love to hear about interesting observations on our WPAs so
feel free to call or email me with your sightings.


Sara Vacek
Wildlife Biologist
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Morris Wetland Management District
43875 230th St.
Morris, MN 56267
320-589-4973