[mou] Common Moorhen, Nicollet County

[rdunlap at gac.edu]

I went canoeing on Swan Lake in Nicollet County this afternoon with  
one of my college professors and we found a Common Moorhen in the  
marsh way out in the middle of the lake. We put in our canoe at the  
boat access on the northeast side of the lake and paddled pretty much  
straight south from there. The bird was actually perched on a clump of  
reeds before we spooked it back into thick cover. Unless you plan on  
canoeing the lake, I'm guessing your chances of finding this bird are  
pretty small, although the marsh that can be viewed from this north  
access is pretty good habitat, so maybe it will venture closer to the  
boat launch.

Other birds we observed on the lake:

American Bittern (several vocalizing, some of which could be heard  
from the boat launch)
Sora
Western, Eared, Red-necked, and Pied-billed Grebes
Black-crowned Night-Heron

Good birding!
Bob Dunlap, Nicollet County