[mou] Townsend's Solitaire in Olmsted County

[Bob Ekblad]

I located a Townsend's Solitaire about 1pm this afternoon in northern
Olmsted County just east and a bit south of the town of Oronoco.  This was a
new county species for me.  I have been looking for one in the county for
several years - ever since Jerry Bonkoski found one a long time ago.  This
year there have been more reports of the species in the state than I recall
ever in the past so I made a point to search the right habitat in the county
for the species.  Persistence paid off and I finally found one after several
days of searching. 
 
To get to the location, exit off of Highway 52 at one of the two new bridges
and head to the center of the town (Cty 18 is the main street through town)
where there is a bridge with the dam under it.  Just north of the bridge is
a county route 118 that heads east.  Take that and then take the first right
on 2nd.  After a short block it will force you back east toward the Oronoco
Auto Recyclers.  Go to the recycler place and then continue past their
entrance for 1.8 miles.   The road first follows the river and then goes
across an open area and then drops back down into woods, heads south and
eventually comes to a good sized stand of cedars that have a westerly
exposure.  The solitaire was perching in the taller deciduous trees in with
the cedars or in the trees across the road where it is more open.  It would
also call fairly often.  There is a small white sign on the east side of the
road with the words "Parcel A" on it that was about as far south as the bird
would go.  Several local birders were able to see the bird.  It was still
there after 2pm.
 
Bob Ekblad
Olmsted County in Southeast Minnesota
ekblad at frontiernet.net
http://www.Birding-Minnesota.com
 
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