I suppose the one constructive thing you could say about unfavorable weather is that it provides Your Spineless, Wishy-Washy Tour Leader with an excuse when birds don’t perform as planned. I’d have to say, then, that the cold front and accompanying rain showers on Monday must have had something to do with only a few of you being able to briefly hear that invisible Yellow-throated Warbler, and with none of us even hearing a Bell’s Vireo at the “usual spot”. But I’d be at a loss to blame the weather for anything on the three previous days when we had decent temperatures, not much wind, and not really any rain. So, I still can’t explain why that singing Henslow’s Sparrow would only provide us with the briefest of flying-way looks, and I have no idea what that silent Eastern Whip-poor-will was doing while giving a few of us a mere fly-by glimpse of something going from one dirt field to another – and I still say it could have been a Jungle Nightjar! (At least we heard three whip-poor-wills later a few miles away.)
These few setbacks aside, this MBW provided us with a much longer list of successes, as we eventually came up with 136 species in all from Friday to Monday. Friday’s pre-MBW list in Fillmore Co. included 101 species, even though we covered just a small part of the county in the Spring Valley area. I suppose we could have seen more if we’d taken less than a 2 1/2 hour "lunch break” at Forestville State Park, which included a 2-mile hike that turned up 2 Acadian Flycatchers and a quite cooperative, vocal, and visible Winter Wren. Also found that day were an out-of-season (and apparently injured) Snow Goose, late-migrating Olive-sided Flycatchers (plus another the next day in Houston Co) and Philadelphia Vireo, and a surprising 13 warbler species – with 9 of these late migrants heading farther north.
The main MBW from Saturday to midday Monday, mostly in Houston Co, turned up 122 species and an even longer list of highlights. Sunday's Common Gallinule in La Crescent had to be the best of our finds, but noteworthy as well were a lost Am. Black Duck that should have been in northern MN, 2 Peregrine Falcons, a rufous-morph E. Screech-Owl seen by Craig’s group near Beaver Creek Valley State Park (BCVSP), at least 7 Acadian Flycatchers in and around BCVSP (for a grand total of 9), 2 Tufted Titmouse/Titmice/Titmouses (1 at BCVSP and 1 on Hillside Dr.), a pair of Louisiana Waterthrush next to our lunch spot at BCVSP (plus an elusive one wandering through a larger territory in the park), no fewer than 4 Cerulean Warblers (!: 1 at BCVSP and 3 along Hillside Dr. – this same MBW in recent years typically finds none), and Prothonotary Warblers at 3 places. The main MBW’s list included 6 new warblers we didn’t see on Friday, for an impressive overall total of 19 warbler species, 10 of these late-lingering migrants (in all, there were 14 migrant passerine species).
Bird List
F = Fillmore Co pre-MBW, May 26
H = Houston Co, May 27-28
W = Winona and/or Wabasha Co, May 29
Snow Goose F (migrant)
Canada Goose FHW
Trumpeter Swan FW
Wood Duck FHW
American Black Duck H (migrant?)
Mallard FHW
Blue-winged Teal FW
Northern Shoveler H
Lesser Scaup F (migrant)
Hooded Merganser H
Ring-necked Pheasant FH
Ruffed Grouse F (heard-only)
Wild Turkey FHW
Pied-billed Grebe FH
Rock Pigeon FHW
Eurasian Collared-Dove FW
Mourning Dove FHW
Yellow-billed Cuckoo FH
Common Nighthawk FH
Eastern Whip-poor-will H (mostly heard-only)
Chimney Swift FHW
Ruby-throated Hummingbird FHW
Virginia Rail FW
Sora H (heard-only)
Common Gallinule H
American Coot FW
Sandhill Crane FW
Killdeer FHW
Spotted Sandpiper H
Black Tern FW
Forster's Tern F
Double-crested Cormorant H
American White Pelican W
Great Blue Heron FW
Great Egret H
Green Heron FH
Turkey Vulture FHW
Bald Eagle FHW
Red-shouldered Hawk W
Red-tailed Hawk FHW
Eastern Screech-Owl H
Barred Owl FH
Belted Kingfisher FHW
Red-headed Woodpecker FH
Red-bellied Woodpecker FHW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FHW
Downy Woodpecker FHW
Hairy Woodpecker FHW
Northern Flicker FHW
Pileated Woodpecker FHW
American Kestrel FHW
Peregrine Falcon FW
Olive-sided Flycatcher FH (migrants)
Eastern Wood-Pewee FHW
Acadian Flycatcher FH
Alder Flycatcher F (migrant)
Willow Flycatcher FHW
Least Flycatcher FHW
Eastern Phoebe FHW
Great Crested Flycatcher FHW
Eastern Kingbird FHW
Yellow-throated Vireo FHW
Warbling Vireo FHW
Philadelphia Vireo F (migrant)
Red-eyed Vireo FHW
Blue Jay FHW
American Crow FHW
Horned Lark FW
Purple Martin FH
Tree Swallow FHW
Northern Rough-winged Swallow FHW
Bank Swallow FHW
Cliff Swallow FHW
Barn Swallow FHW
Black-capped Chickadee FHW
Tufted Titmouse H
White-breasted Nuthatch FHW
House Wren FHW
Winter Wren F
Sedge Wren H (heard-only)
Marsh Wren H
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher FHW
Eastern Bluebird FHW
Veery FH
Swainson's Thrush FH (migrants)
Wood Thrush FH
American Robin FHW
Gray Catbird FHW
Brown Thrasher FHW
European Starling FHW
Cedar Waxwing FHW
House Sparrow FHW
House Finch FHW
American Goldfinch FHW
Ovenbird H (heard-only; why so few?)
Louisiana Waterthrush H
Blue-winged Warbler FH
Black-and-white Warbler F (migrant)
Prothonotary Warbler H
Tennessee Warbler F (migrants)
Nashville Warbler H (migrant)
Mourning Warbler FH (migrant)
Common Yellowthroat FHW
American Redstart FHW
Cerulean Warbler H
Northern Parula FH (migrants)
Magnolia Warbler F (migrant)
Yellow Warbler FHW
Chestnut-sided Warbler F (migrant)
Blackpoll Warbler F (migrant)
Yellow-rumped Warbler F (migrants)
Yellow-throated Warbler W (heard-only by a few)
Wilson's Warbler FW (migrants)
Eastern Towhee FHW
Chipping Sparrow FHW
Clay-colored Sparrow F
Field Sparrow FHW
Vesper Sparrow H
Savannah Sparrow H
Grasshopper Sparrow FW
Henslow's Sparrow H (mostly heard-only)
Song Sparrow FHW
Swamp Sparrow FHW
Scarlet Tanager FHW
Northern Cardinal FHW
Rose-breasted Grosbeak FHW
Indigo Bunting FHW
Dickcissel FH
Bobolink FHW
Red-winged Blackbird FHW
Eastern Meadowlark FHW
Yellow-headed Blackbird FW
Common Grackle FHW
Brown-headed Cowbird FHW
Orchard Oriole FHW
Baltimore Oriole FHW
* * *
SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA MBW SUMMARY
(including Fillmore County pre-MBW)
May 24-25-26-27, 2013
Considering the relatively cold, dark, and rainy conditions we were faced with during much of this MBW, we actually did pretty well. After all, bird song is limited in this kind of weather, and the rains delayed us enough so that we did not spend as much time as I intended to in La Crescent, along the river on Highway 26, and at Whitewater WMA. It was especially rainy on Sunday from late morning on, and on Monday the rain gradually sent the MBWers home after we birded Whitewater State Park.
Still, we came up with 146 species in all during the 4 days, a quite respectable total since relatively few waterbirds were in the mix. Of course, the strong showing of warblers (27 species!) and other migrants lingering later than normal during this cold spring made this total possible. Among the highlights: Fillmore County's 23 warblers (mostly at Kappers ponds), Forestville State Park's Acadian Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrush, and both cuckoos along with an uncooperative titmouse almost simultaneously at Eagle Bluff; both cuckoos, two Acadian Flycatchers, and two more Louisianas on Saturday morning, plus a shy Henslow's Sparrow that afternoon; Sunday's Lark Sparrows and Cerulean Warbler despite the rain; and Whitewater State Park's obliging, staked-out Yellow-throated Warbler and relatively cooperative Louisiana Waterthrush on Monday.
Thanks to all of you for putting up with the weather, with special thanks to co-leader Craig for all his assistance (even though he so heartlessly abandoned us on Monday to see the Wilson's Plover in Duluth).
BIRD LIST = 146 species
seen on Fillmore Co pre-MBW = 118 species
seen on SE Minnesota MBW = 127 species
F = Fillmore Co, May 24 (incl a few by Craig et al, evening of May 23)
H = Houston Co, May 25-26
W = Winona/Wabasha Co, May 27 (partial list only)
Canada Goose FH
Trumpeter Swan H (pair west of Hokah)
Wood Duck FH
Mallard FH
Blue-winged Teal FH
Northern Shoveler H
Lesser Scaup FH
Common Goldeneye H (late migrants at Reno)
Hooded Merganser H
Ruddy Duck H (with the Trumpeters)
Ring-necked Pheasant FH (heard-only)
Ruffed Grouse FW (even seen at Eagle Bluff)
Wild Turkey FH
Pied-billed Grebe FH
Double-crested Cormorant H
American White Pelican H
Great Blue Heron FH
Great Egret HW
Green Heron FH
Turkey Vulture FH
Osprey F
Bald Eagle FHW
Red-shouldered Hawk F (fly-over at lunch seen by a few)
Red-tailed Hawk FH
American Kestrel FH
Peregrine Falcon W (Whitewater State Park)
Virginia Rail H (nice looks at the "King Rail" spot)
Sora FHW
American Coot FH
Sandhill Crane FHW (incl adults with babies – aw!)
Killdeer FH (ditto)
Spotted Sandpiper FH
Dunlin H (fly-over with unidentified shorebirds)
Wilson's Snipe H
American Woodcock FH (heard Thu, seen Sun evening)
Black Tern FHW
Rock Pigeon FH
Eurasian Collared-Dove F (Thu evening)
Mourning Dove FH
Yellow-billed Cuckoo FH (both cuckoos together at Eagle Bluff)
Black-billed Cuckoo FH (several heard, a few seen)
Great Horned Owl H (heard-only Sun evening)
Barred Owl F (heard-only Thu evening)
Common Nighthawk H
Eastern Whip-poor-will H (briefly heard-only Sun evening)
Chimney Swift FH
Ruby-throated Hummingbird FH
Belted Kingfisher FH
Red-headed Woodpecker H
Red-bellied Woodpecker FH
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FH
Downy Woodpecker FH
Hairy Woodpecker FH
Northern Flicker FH
Pileated Woodpecker FH
Olive-sided Flycatcher F (seen by those in the Schumacher vehicle)
Eastern Wood-Pewee FH
Acadian Flycatcher FH (Forestville, side road off Hwy 74, Beaver Creek Valley)
Alder Flycatcher FHW (late migrants)
Willow Flycatcher FHW
Least Flycatcher FH (why so few?)
Eastern Phoebe FH
Great Crested Flycatcher FH
Eastern Kingbird FH
Yellow-throated Vireo FH
Blue-headed Vireo F (only seen by a few)
Warbling Vireo FH
Philadelphia Vireo FHW (late migrants)
Red-eyed Vireo FH
Blue Jay FH
American Crow FH
Horned Lark FH
Purple Martin H
Tree Swallow FH
Northern Rough-winged Swallow FH
Bank Swallow FH
Cliff Swallow FH
Barn Swallow FH
Black-capped Chickadee FH
Tufted Titmouse F (briefly seen by a few at Eagle Bluff)
White-breasted Nuthatch FH
House Wren FH
Winter Wren H (even seen at Beaver Creek Valley)
Sedge Wren H (leader-only)
Marsh Wren HW
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher FH
Eastern Bluebird FHW
Veery FH
Wood Thrush FH (incl a nest at Braver Creek Valley)
American Robin FH
Gray Catbird FH
Brown Thrasher FH
European Starling FH
Cedar Waxwing FH
Ovenbird FH
Louisiana Waterthrush FHW (Forestville, Beaver Creek Valley, and Whitewater state
parks)
Northern Waterthrush F
Golden-winged Warbler H (near the Henslow's spot)
Blue-winged Warbler FHW
Black-and-white Warbler F
Prothonotary Warbler H (Shore Acres Rd and Millstone Landing)
Tennessee Warbler FHW (many still migrating)
Orange-crowned Warbler F (late)
Mourning Warbler FHW
Common Yellowthroat FH
American Redstart FH
Cape May Warbler F (Kappers' ponds)
Cerulean Warbler H (singing male on Hillside Rd)
Northern Parula F
Magnolia Warbler FH
Bay-breasted Warbler F
Blackburnian Warbler F (Good Earth Village)
Yellow Warbler FH
Chestnut-sided Warbler FHW
Blackpoll Warbler FH (several migrants, some singing)
Palm Warbler F (late)
Yellow-rumped Warbler F
Yellow-throated Warbler W (seen by all at Whitewater State Park)
Black-throated Green Warbler F
Canada Warbler FHW (several still migrating)
Wilson's Warbler FW (= 27 species!)
Eastern Towhee FH
Chipping Sparrow FH
Clay-colored Sparrow F
Field Sparrow FH
Lark Sparrow H (at the goat prairie SNA west of Hokah)
Savannah Sparrow FH
Henslow's Sparrow H (shy stake-out along CR 2)
Song Sparrow FH
Swamp Sparrow FH
Scarlet Tanager HW
Northern Cardinal FH
Rose-breasted Grosbeak FH
Indigo Bunting FH
Bobolink FH
Red-winged Blackbird FH
Eastern Meadowlark FH
Yellow-headed Blackbird HW
Common Grackle FH
Brown-headed Cowbird FH
Orchard Oriole FW (but none in Houston)
Baltimore Oriole FH
Purple Finch F (late at Eagle Bluff)
House Finch FH
American Goldfinch FH
House Sparrow FH
* * *
SOUTHEASTERN MINN MBW SUMMARY / May 24-25-26, 2008
(or, if you prefer, the L.L.L.L.L.L.L. & L. tour: i.e., Lesher's Lily-Livered Lollygagging
Lansing Loop Listening & Listing MBW)
As evidenced by the bird list below, it was indeed a memorable Memorial Day. Yes, there were a few things we had hoped to do better on (e.g., uncooperative/heard-only Least Bittern, Black-billed Cuckoo, Whip-poor-will, Cerulean Warbler, Orchard Oriole), and no real rarities turned up, but just about everything else was there. The views we had of Yellow-billed Cuckoos, E Screech-Owl, Acadian & Willow flycatchers, Bell's Vireos, Tufted Titmouse (-mouses/-mice/-moose?), Blue-winged & Prothonotary warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Henslow's Sparrow especially made this MBW a successful one.
In addition, there were quite a few late-lingering migrants still passing through as a bonus, especially notable being the Olive-sided Flycatchers, Philadelphia Vireo, and Blackpoll Warblers. Most interesting as well were that orange-tailed, white-bodied Red-tailed Hawk flying around the Eitzen sewage ponds (which initially almost looked like a Snowy Egret!) and the odd Red-bellied Woodpecker with a pale reddish throat (possibly the result of hybridization with a sapsucker?).
I was also pleased with both Eduardo's and Hackberry's restaurants for handling so many of us so well at our two group dinners. Even the weather all three days cooperated for a change, after so many problems with MBWs earlier this spring! Thanks to all of you, as always, for coming and for helping our somewhat challenging logistics go so reasonably well – with special thanks to Joel, Ron, Al, and Linda for assisting Fred with his groups each day.
And, of course, I thank my old friend Fred Lesher for all his efforts – I hope he's now become a new friend for all of you.
Bird List
Note – all seen/heard in Houston Co on May 24-25, except for these 8 Winona/Wabasha Co-only species on May 26: Olive-sided Flycatcher (Winona & Wabasha), Bell's Vireo (Wabasha), Northern Waterthrush (Wabasha), Clay-colored Sparrow (Wabasha), Lark Sparrow (Wabasha), Grasshopper Sparrow (Wabasha), Henslow's Sparrow (Winona), Dickcissel (Wabasha).
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Least Bittern (heard-only by Ron)
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk (incl an egret-resembling partial albino at Eitzen's sewage ponds!)
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon (Saturday evening fly-by)
Sandhill Crane (in Minn just N of New Albin, Iowa!; also in Wabasha Co)
Virginia Rail (heard-only)
Sora (nice views; both rails along Hwy 16)
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper (migrants fly-bys in La Crescent)
Black Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo (heard-only by Bob H)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (seen by all at Mound Prairie SNA; also nice view in Wabasha
Co)
Eastern Screech-Owl (wonderful, close views on Saturday evening)
Common Nighthawk
Whip-poor-will (heard-only near the screech-owl)
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker (brief Hillside Rd fly-by, plus a better view in Wabasha Co)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (incl an apparent sapsucker X Red-bellied hybrid with a
reddish throat!)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher (migrants in Winona & Wabasha Co's)
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher (several at Beaver Creek Valley)
Willow Flycatcher (seen & heard by all along Hwy 16)
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Bell's Vireo (2 close & cooperative birds at McCarthy Lake WMA, Wabasha Co)
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo (migrant)
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo (cooperative migrant at Beaver Creek Valley)
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse (at 2 locations along Hillside Rd)
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren (Sheperd's Marsh in LaCrescent)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush (migrant)
Wood Thrush (heard-only)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler (several also singing at Kipp)
Tennessee Warbler (heard-only migrant)
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler (migrant seen by Jeanne)
Blackpoll Warbler (migrants)
Cerulean Warbler (heard-only by Joel)
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler (great views at Millstone Landing, Shore Acres Rd, and
Sheperd's Marsh)
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush (heard-only migrant in Wabasha Co)
Louisiana Waterthrush (quite cooperative at 2 Beaver Creek Valley locations)
Mourning Warbler (heard-only migrant)
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler (heard-only migrant)
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow (heard-only in Wabasha Co)
Field Sparrow
Lark Sparrow (several seen in Wabasha Co)
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow (very close view in Wabasha Co)
Henslow's Sparrow (singing male almost too easy at Kipp – a.k.a. Great River Bluffs,
Winona Co)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel (seen along Wabasha Co Rd 84 just after we adjourned: sorry, we tried to call
you back!)
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole (imm male seen by Bill; also heard-only in Wabasha Co)
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Also see the 2013 & 2008 MBW summaries
following the summary of the 2017 MBWeekend
__________
Fillmore pre-MBW & Southeastern Minn. MBW Summary
May 26-27-28-29, 2017
