[mou] Loons, Pelicans, Cormorants - Hennepin Co

[Hans Koch]

Loons, Pelicans, Cormorants - Hennepin Co

Yesterday evening the surface of Sweeney Lake here in Golden Valley was
covered with American White Pelicans, Common Loon, and Double-crested
Cormorants (counts below), all seen for the first time this year.
Sweeney Lake ice out occurred the previous day on 4/16/08.

-- Species Counts for Sweeney Lake, Golden Valley MN --
                 4/17/08, 6:30 pm
Common Loon - 51
American White Pelican - 74
Double-crested Cormorant - 90-110
  (most roosting atop tallest lakeside trees)
Great Blue Heron - 3

What a treat to see so many of these species concentrated on a
relatively small lake (66 acres), particularly after such a long winter.
During winter Sweeney Lake is dominated by gulls, geese and crows, but
none of these species were in evidence yesterday. Spring migration has
transformed the area.

Sweeney Lake is located immediately west of Minneapolis in Golden
Valley, approximately 0.5 miles west of the northern end of Theodore
Wirth Park.