[mou] Dakota & Rice Co. & more

[Steve Weston]

birds found this weekend:  possible Kentucky Warbler, Cerulean warblers, Henslow's Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Whip-poor-will, Bobolinks, Dickcissels, Olive-sided Flycatcher.

On Sunday, Jim Ryan and I went down to the Cannon River Wilderness Park south of Northfield and found a worthy treasure.  We were serenaded by the Veeries and Wood Thrushes and Ovenbirds, but it was the warblers that we came to see.  We heard three Ceruleans and got incredible looks at one, even below us at one point.  On the right fork of the trail, where Joel reported a female Hooded Warbler,  we heard, but never saw a warbler that I ID'd as a Kentucky Warbler,  Hopefully someone with sharper eyes will verify my ID.  Other birds included Eastern Towhee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warblers, and Yellow-throated Vireo,   Glen and Jeanette found a skulking Mourning Warbler, which we missed.

We also visited the Soberg WMA (or is it a WPA?) and the fine prairie fields to the north.  This area is west of I-35 and south of CR70 in Lakeville, in the extreme southwest of Dakota County.  Take the first road south off of CR70.  When the road turns south again you are at the fields.   Soberg is another quarter of a mile south..  The fields are full of displaying Bobolinks, that fly overhead and land just feet away on the fence posts.  both Marsh and Sedge Wrens are busy nearby.  I found the Henslow's Sparrow about a hundred yards south of the corner west of the road.  Another might have been calling from the same area, but I found it hard to separate out its call from the noisy Sedge Wrens, who first notes resemble the sparrow.   Soberg was an enjoyable walk through the ticks.  The most notable birds were Alder Flycatchers, a Great-horned Owl, and an Olive-sided Flycatcher.  Butterflies included numerous Common Ringlets, as well as a couple of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails.

We also visited Lake Byllesby, which had high water and no mud flats or sand bars.  Only birds of interest that we found there were the pelicans.  Other birds on the ride home were both Meadowlarks and a Logger-head Shrike.  Dickcissels, which were missing from locations where they resided last year, were found behind the church on Highway 56 north of Randolf.   

On Monday night I ran my frog and toad survey route between Frontenac and Lake City in Goodhue County.  While some of my locations were dry and quiet, several stops were enveloped by a deafening chorus of frogs.  The most common choruses were the two treefrogs occasionally accompanied by the often drowned out songs of American Toads.   It was easy to stand there mesmerized by the symphany.  Night birds calling included Marsh Wrens, a juvenile Barred Owl, and a Whip-poor-will.  The Whip-poor-will was distant enough that it was hard to engage in conversation.

Sorry for the late report.   I have been late getting home this week.

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

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