Note that these MBWs included counties near those
to be covered on the 2023 MBW, which has the
potential to record most of the same species
__________
Renville & Redwood MBWs Summary
September 30 - October 1 - 2 - 3, 2021
You’d think that with our view of a rainbow framed by fall colors as the group met on Thursday morning would suggest we’d be in for some nice weather. Well, let’s see...
the day before it had reached the upper 80s, 20 degrees above normal, hot enough to cancel plans for a pre-MBW afternoon in Sibley County...then some steady, quite heavy, and disorienting downpours washed away much of Thursday afternoon...our return to Redwood Falls from the Brown County option Friday afternoon was met with more heavy rain...and we birded through fog, dark overcast, and enough light rain to soak us on Saturday morning. We had to wait until Sunday to see the sun for the first time as cool and ideal temperatures finally provided a near-perfect day.
At least we had four days without any difficulties with the wind (which blows more often than not on the prairie), and we did experience some decent birding with several highlights. In all, we came up with 118 species (not including that Chukar seen on Redwood County’s River Road both Thursday and Sunday), not a bad total since we did relatively little wetlands birding – partly because only a part of Boon Lake was checked during Thursday’s rains. Two of our more interesting water birds presented ID challenges. That oddly colored merganser at the Lower Sioux Community sewage ponds seemed to be a Red-breasted, even though that species is relatively rare on the prairie at any time of year. And I’m confident that the distant Horned Grebe at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds was the correct ID, although other birders were apparently (mis)calling it an Eared. Sleepy Eye’s ponds also provided us with a Sanderling, while a flock of American Golden-Plovers flew by the Renville sugar beet settling ponds.
Considering the birds of a more terrestrial nature, 12 species of raptors (including 3 falcons and an owl) was a respectable total, as some of these were migrating along the Minnesota River Valley. These included two Peregrines in Redwood County and the Barred Owl at Vicksburg County Park heard on both sides of the river. We could only manage 10 warbler species this late in the season, but it was impressive to find a total of 17 sparrows. (All we missed were Lark, American Tree, Henslow’s, and Spotted Towhee – which would have been late, or early, or unexpected rarities.) Our list included at least 10 LeConte’s (! – 2 at the Brown County slough on Friday, 5 more there on Sunday, 2 at Cedar Rock WMA on Sunday, and another Saturday at Lamberton WMA ); the Grasshopper Sparrow on a Sanborn sewage ponds fence wire (briefly seen by Matt and/or Pete?); and a Nelson seen by Linda S (when 2 sparrows flew in on Sunday at that slough, the rest of us focused on a LeConte’s while she saw the other – the one behind the grassy knoll? – was a Nelson’s).
Bird List
- Ren = Renville County (Sept 30, Oct 1)
- Red = Redwood County (Sept 30, Oct 2, Oct 3)
- B = Brown County (partial list; Oct 1, Oct 3)
Canada Goose Ren, Red, B
Trumpeter Swan Red
Wood Duck Ren, Red
Blue-winged Teal Ren, B
Northern Shoveler Ren, B
Gadwall Ren, B
Mallard Ren, Red
Green-winged Teal Ren
Ring-necked Duck B
Red-breasted Merganser Red
Ruddy Duck Ren, Red, B
[Chukar Red]
Ring-necked Pheasant Ren, Red
Wild Turkey Ren
Pied-billed Grebe Ren, Red
Horned Grebe B
Rock Pigeon Ren, Red
Eurasian Collared-Dove Ren, Red
Mourning Dove Ren, Red
Sora Ren
American Coot Red, B
American Golden-Plover Ren
Killdeer Ren, Red
Sanderling B
Least Sandpiper B
Wilson’s Snipe Ren
Spotted Sandpiper Red, B
Lesser Yellowlegs Ren
Greater Yellowlegs Ren, B
Franklin’s Gull Ren, Red
Ring-billed Gull Ren
Common Loon Ren
Double-crested Cormorant Ren, Red
Great Blue Heron Ren, Red
Great Egret Ren
Turkey Vulture Ren, Red
Osprey Red
Northern Harrier Ren, Red
Sharp-shinned Hawk Ren, Red
Cooper’s Hawk Ren, Red
Bald Eagle Ren, Red
Broad-winged Hawk Ren, Red
Red-tailed Hawk Ren, Red
Barred Owl Ren, Red
Belted Kingfisher Ren, Red
Red-bellied Woodpecker Ren, Red
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Ren, Red
Downy Woodpecker Ren, Red
Hairy Woodpecker Ren, Red
Northern Flicker Ren, Red
Pileated Woodpecker Ren, Red
American Kestrel Ren, Red
Merlin Red
Peregrine Falcon Red
Eastern Phoebe Ren, Red
Blue-headed Vireo Ren, Red
Red-eyed Vireo Red
Blue Jay Ren, Red
American Crow Ren, Red
Horned Lark Ren
Barn Swallow Ren
Black-capped Chickadee Ren, Red
Red-breasted Nuthatch Ren, Red
White-breasted Nuthatch Ren, Red
Brown Creeper Red
House Wren Red
Winter Wren Ren
Sedge Wren Ren, Red
Marsh Wren Ren, Red, B
Golden-crowned Kinglet Ren, Red
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Ren, Red
Eastern Bluebird Ren, Red
Hermit Thrush Red
American Robin Ren, Red
Gray Catbird Ren, Red
Brown Thrasher Red
European Starling Ren, Red
Cedar Waxwing Ren, Red
House Sparrow Ren, Red
American Pipit Ren, B
House Finch Red
American Goldfinch Ren, Red
Grasshopper Sparrow Red
Chipping Sparrow Ren, Red
Clay-colored Sparrow Red
Field Sparrow Ren, Red
Fox Sparrow Ren, Red
Dark-eyed Junco Ren, Red
White-crowned Sparrow Ren, Red
Harris’s Sparrow Ren, Red
White-throated Sparrow Ren, Red
Vesper Sparrow Ren
Leconte’s Sparrow Red, B
Nelson’s Sparrow B
Savannah Sparrow Ren, Red, B
Song Sparrow Ren, Red
Lincoln’s Sparrow Ren, Red
Swamp Sparrow Ren, Red, B
Eastern Towhee Ren, Red
Yellow-headed Blackbird Red
Eastern Meadowlark Ren
Western Meadowlark Ren
Red-winged Blackbird Ren, Red
Brown-headed Cowbird Ren, Red
Brewer’s Blackbird Red
Common Grackle Ren, Red
Black-and-white Warbler Ren, Red
Tennessee Warbler Ren
Orange-crowned Warbler Ren, Red
Nashville Warbler Ren, Red
Common Yellowthroat Red
Magnolia Warbler Ren
Palm Warbler Ren, Red
Yellow-rumped Warbler Ren, Red
Black-throated Green Warbler Red
Wilson’s Warbler Red
Northern Cardinal Ren, Red
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Ren
Indigo Bunting Ren, Red
* * *
Minnesota River Valley MBW summary
(Yellow Medicine Co. - Lac Qui Parle - Marsh Lake - Big Stone Lake)
October 16-17-18, 2009
We certainly experienced our share of this month's generally unpleasant weather, especially on Friday when it was both cold (highs only in the low 40s) and damp. Saturday may not have been much warmer, but at least it was eventually almost pleasant on Sunday. The birding was also a bit disappointing at times, as it has been almost everywhere this fall, with shorebirds almost non-existent (except for those mudflats along Hwy 67 late Friday), and warblers and other woods birds scarce at several of our stops.
Still, we managed to turn up a decent total of 92 species in all, including 76 in Yellow Medicine Co on Friday, and there were some pretty good entries on our list. Among the waterfowl, lone Ross's Geese flying with Cacklings at 2 locations were somewhat unexpected, and that Western Grebe at lunch on Friday was a bit on the late side. We definitely reached our quota of too many Red-tailed Hawk sightings, but that Harlan's (maybe a future re-split?) and the 2 other dark-morphs were good finds. I was especially surprised and impressed by our count of 40 collared-doves in Clarkfield, and just as impressive were the numbers of Harris's Sparrows we found at various sites, as was that pasture Saturday afternoon filled with meadowlarks and Brewer'e Blackbirds.
Bird List
- YM only = only seen Oct 16 in Yellow Medicine Co
- MRV only = only seen on main Oct 17-18 Minn River Valley MBW
- species w/o annotations = seen on both portions
Snow Goose (MRV only)
Ross's Goose (lone fly-bys at Canby and Lac Qui Parle L)
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall (MRV only)
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler (YM only)
Northern Pintail (YM only)
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup (YM only)
Bufflehead (MRV only)
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey (YM only)
Pied-billed Grebe
Western Grebe (YM only; Del Clark L)
American White Pelican (MRV only)
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture (YM only)
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk (MRV only)
Red-tailed Hawk (incl a Harlan's in Yellow Medicine Co & 2 Lac Qui Parle Co dark morphs)
American Kestrel
Merlin (YM only; a Richardson's at Del Clark L)
American Coot
American Golden-Plover (YM only; flooded field along Hwy 67)
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper (YM only; same spot as the golden-plovers)
Pectoral Sandpiper (YM only; ditto)
Wilson's Snipe (YM only; ditto)
Bonaparte's Gull (MRV only; Lac Qui Parle L)
Franklin's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove (40 counted in Clarkfield + 2 in Milan)
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker (MRV only)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe (MRV only)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark (MRV only)
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch (MRV only; at the wayside near Watson)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (MRV only)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (MRV only)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler (several)
Nashville Warbler (3 total)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler (YM only; only 1)
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow (YM only)
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (MRV only)
White-throated Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow (lots of them!)
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Lapland Longspur (YM only; Canby sewage ponds fly-bys)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark (incl an impressive flock in a Lac Qui Parle Co pasture)
Brewer's Blackbird (MRV only; ditto)
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird (MRV only)
House Finch (MRV only)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
* * *
YELLOW MEDICINE CO MBW SUMMARY
September 17-18, 2005
The migrant woods birds may have been practically non-existent, and it was too windy most of Saturday, but our bird list was obviously impressive. It's even possible that our rarity-to-participant ratio was probably the highest ever in MBW history? Besides that Ferruginous Hawk and Sabine's Gull, our other highlights included several Merlins, no fewer than 3 Peregrines, and 18 shorebird species (mostly at Salt Lake, including both godwits). My sincere thanks for coming: if any more of you had canceled (as Nancy Jackson and George & Josie Vania had), I might have been tempted to call the weekend off! Let's hope Rock County comes through for us as well in a couple weeks. I'll see most of you then.
Bird List
Note: all species not annotated with another county were found in Yellow Medicine Co.:
L = Lac Qui Parle County
C = Chippewa County
R = Renville County
Total: 116 species (95 on Saturday)
Canada Goose
Wood Duck L
Gadwall R
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal L
Canvasback
Redhead
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey C,R
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe L
Western Grebe L
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk (imm circling over Yellow Medicine Co Rd 15, just S of Hwy 68)
American Kestrel
Merlin (lots of them)
Peregrine Falcon (3 seen)
Sora
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover L,R
American Golden-Plover L
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs L
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Hudsonian Godwit L (1 at Salt Lake)
Marbled Godwit L (2 at Salt Lake)
Sanderling L
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper L
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Wilson’s Phalarope L (Salt Lake)
Red-necked Phalarope L (3 at Goodman Larson's Slough)
Franklin’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Sabine’s Gull L (juv feeding with Franklin's Gulls at Salt Lake)
Black Tern L
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove R (in Renville)
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo L
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren C
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler C
Palm Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch R
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow