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GRANT - OTTER TAIL MBW SUMMARY
July 17 - 18 - 19, 2020
(Summary by Craig Mandel)
July 17 pre-MBW ~ North Ottawa Impoundment
It was fun to finally get the 2020 MBW season under way! With masks in place, we met bright and early at the usual meeting location for an MBW – the Fergus Falls Perkins. And what better place to begin the 2020 MBW season than the prairies and Impoundments in western Minnesota. While the recent rains left North Ottawa full of water, we did find a small dry area on the north end that had a nice mix of 10 shorebird species, including Stilt Sandpipers and a Short-billed Dowitcher. We also hit a couple of local parks and managed to find a few woods birds in those. Our tally of 94 species was nice for a warm summer day, with only a few migrants around at the time.
July 18-19 MBW ~ Otter Tail County
With somewhat cooler temperatures during our two days of birding in Otter Tail, it made for a pleasant birding experience. We were able to spend some time hiking at Maplewood and Glendalough state parks. Grotto Lake in Fergus Falls was interesting with a large number of immature Black-crowned Night-Herons roosting in the spruce trees and the large egret and cormorant rookery was fun to observe. The Least Bittern was cooperative at Erhard WPA, and we added a Scarlet Tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and a great view of the county at Inspirational Peak. Nancy and I ended the trip at the Parkers Prairie WTP, our 8th sewage pond of the trip.
While our 7 and 8-car caravans and 6-foot social distancing made it challenging at times, our 120 species tally for the three days was quite pleasing for a mid-summer MBW.
Bird List
G = July 17 in Grant Co. (94 species)
O = July 18-19 in Otter Tail Co. (109 species)
Canada Goose - G, O
Trumpeter Swan - G, O
Wood Duck - G, O
Blue-winged Teal - O
Mallard - G, O
Green-winged Teal - G, O
Canvasback - O
Redhead - O
Ring-necked Duck - O
Hooded Merganser - G, O
Ruddy Duck - G
Ring-necked Pheasant - G, O
Pied-billed Grebe - G, O
Red-necked Grebe - G
Eared Grebe - G
Rock Pigeon - G, O
Eurasian Collared-Dove - G, O
Mourning Dove - G, O
Chimney Swift - G, O
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - G
Virginia Rail - G, O
Sora - G
American Coot - G
Sandhill Crane - O
Killdeer - G, O
Stilt Sandpiper - G, O
Least Sandpiper - G, O
Pectoral Sandpiper - G
Semipalmated Sandpiper - G
Short-billed Dowitcher - G, O
Spotted Sandpiper - G, O
Lesser Yellowlegs - G, O
Greater Yellowlegs - G, O
Wilson's Phalarope - G, O
Franklin's Gull - G, O
Ring-billed Gull - G, O
Black Tern - G, O
Forster's Tern - O
Common Loon - G, O
Double-crested Cormorant - G, O
American White Pelican - G, O
American Bittern - G
Least Bittern - O
Great Blue Heron - G, O
Great Egret - G, O
Green Heron - O
Black-crowned Night-Heron - O
Turkey Vulture - G, O
Osprey - O
Cooper's Hawk - G, O
Bald Eagle - G, O
Broad-winged Hawk - O
Red-tailed Hawk - G, O
Belted Kingfisher - O
Red-bellied Woodpecker - G
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - O
Downy Woodpecker - G, O
Hairy Woodpecker - O
Northern Flicker - G, O
Pileated Woodpecker - O
American Kestrel - G, O
Great-crested Flycatcher - G, O
Eastern Kingbird - G, O
Eastern Wood-Pewee - G, O
Willow Flycatcher - G, O
Least Flycatcher - G, O
Eastern Phoebe - G, O
Yellow-throated Vireo - O
Warbling Vireo - G, O
Red-eyed Vireo - G, O
Blue Jay - G, O
American Crow - G, O
Horned Lark - G, O
Purple Martin - G, O
Tree Swallow - G, O
Bank Swallow - G, O
Cliff Swallow - G, O
Barn Swallow - G, O
Black-capped Chickadee - G, O
White-breasted Nuthatch - G, O
House Wren - G, O
Sedge Wren - G, O
Marsh Wren - G, O
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - O
Eastern Bluebird - O
Veery - O
American Robin - G, O
Gray Catbird - G, O
Brown Thrasher - G, O
European Starling - G, O
Cedar Waxwing - G, O
House Sparrow - G, O
House Finch - G, O
American Goldfinch - G, O
Chipping Sparrow - G, O
Clay-colored Sparrow - G, O
Field Sparrow - O
Vesper Sparrow - G, O
Savanah Sparrow - G, O
Grasshopper Sparrow - O
Song Sparrow - G, O
Swamp Sparrow - G, O
Yellow-headed Blackbird - O
Bobolink - G, O
Western Meadowlark - G, O
Orchard Oriole - G
Baltimore Oriole - G, O
Red-winged Blackbird - G, O
Brown-headed Blackbird - G, O
Common Grackle - G, O
Ovenbird - O
Black-and-white Warbler - O
Common Yellowthroat - G, O
American Redstart - G, O
Yellow Warbler - G, O
Chestnut-sided Warbler - O
Scarlet Tanager - O
Northern Cardinal - G
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - G, O
Indigo Bunting - O
Dickcissel - G, O
Also see the 2020 MBW summary
following the summary of the 2021 MBWeekend
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Fergus Falls & vicinity MBW Summary
August 4 - 5 - 6, 2021
Our amazing run of good luck with the weather this summer partly came to an end in Ferg. For me and others, it was hot/humid enough on Thursday afternoon so that we quit early and had time for a welcome break before an early dinner. At least the pre-MBW Wednesday afternoon stayed in the 70s, below the mid-80s forecast, and on Friday we left town before the heat of the afternoon arrived. (Of course, Craig had to wear his down jacket through all this to prevent hypothermia.)
No matter what you thought of the weather, I think we’d all agree that the birding was better than expected. Normally you can’t assume you’ll find that much at this time of year, since most nesting birds have stopped singing, and – except for shorebirds – fall migrants haven’t arrived yet. So to come up with 119 species in all is fairly impressive, especially considering the drought didn’t help matters.
Among the highlights was our total of 15 shorebird species, including the 6 American Avocets at Mustinka WMA, the 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers landing in a Traverse field next to North Ottawa impoundment, and the pre-MBW’s Red-necked Phalaropes at Osakis sewage ponds. While 15 shorebirds is normally not all that significant, there weren’t that many mudflats (even North Ottawa only had one small area of mudflats with 10 species), and no one else had been seeing that many shorebirds anywhere else in MN.
Some of our other good finds were: a juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo on the WPA trail in Ferg; the heard Common Gallinule at Neumann WPA (or, as it’s said on Seinfeld, “Neumann!”), which Kevin saw on his way home Friday; a leader-only, fly-by Least Bittern on Friday; singing Alder (in Otter Tail) and Willow (in Grant) flycatchers; a few late migrant Bobolinks; and an apparent family group of Orchard Orioles at Orwell WMA. We were entertained by several baby birds as well (aw!), including both Red-necked and Western grebes at Lake Osakis, that black Virginia Rail chick (at Neumann!), and fuzzy Willow Flycatchers being fed by mom at Ash Lake. (But where were the Savannah Sparrows?! ...They’ve been scarce to non-existent on all 4 of this summer’s MBWs.
Bird List
- WED = pre-MBW in Todd-Douglas-Grant counties
- THU = in Otter Tail-Grant counties
- FRI = in Otter Tail county
Canada Goose WED, THU, FRI
Trumpeter Swan WED, THU
Wood Duck WED, THU, FRI
Blue-winged Teal WED, THU, FRI
Gadwall THU
Mallard WED, THU, FRI
Canvasback WED, THU
Redhead THU
Ring-necked Duck THU
Hooded Merganser WED, FRI
Ruddy Duck THU
Ring-necked Pheasant WED, THU, FRI
Wild Turkey THU, FRI
Pied-billed Grebe WED, THU, FRI
Red-necked Grebe WED
Western Grebe WED
Rock Pigeon THU, FRI
Eurasian Collared-Dove WED, THU
Mourning Dove WED, THU, FRI
Black-billed Cuckoo FRI
Chimney Swift WED, THU
Ruby-throated Hummingbird WED, THU, FRI
Virginia Rail THU, FRI
Sora THU, FRI
Common Gallinule THU
Sandhill Crane THU
American Avocet THU
Killdeer WED, THU, FRI
Semipalmated Plover THU
Stilt Sandpiper THU
Least Sandpiper WED, THU
Buff-breasted Sandpiper THU
Pectoral Sandpiper THU
Semipalmated Sandpiper WED, THU
Short-billed Dowitcher THU
Wilson’s Snipe THU
Spotted Sandpiper WED, THU, FRI
Solitary Sandpiper THU, FRI
Lesser Yellowlegs WED, THU, FRI
Greater Yellowlegs THU
Red-necked Phalarope WED
Franklin’s Gull WED, THU
Ring-billed Gull WED, THU, FRI
Black Tern WED, THU, FRI
Forster’s Tern WED
Double-crested Cormorant WED, THU, FRI
American White Pelican WED, THU, FRI
American Bittern THU
Least Bittern FRI
Great Blue Heron WED, THU, FRI
Great Egret WED, THU, FRI
Green Heron WED, THU, FRI
Black-crowned Night-Heron THU, FRI
Turkey Vulture THU, FRI
Osprey FRI
Northern Harrier THU, FRI
Cooper’s Hawk WED, THU, FRI
Bald Eagle WED, THU, FRI
Red-tailed Hawk WED, THU, FRI
Belted Kingfisher WED, THU, FRI
Red-bellied Woodpecker WED
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FRI
Downy Woodpecker WED, THU, FRI
Hairy Woodpecker WED, THU, FRI
Northern Flicker THU, FRI
American Kestrel THU
Great Crested Flycatcher WED, THU, FRI
Eastern Kingbird WED, THU, FRI
Eastern Wood-Pewee WED, THU, FRI
Alder Flycatcher THU, FRI
Willow Flycatcher THU, FRI
Least Flycatcher FRI
Eastern Phoebe THU, FRI
Yellow-throated Vireo FRI
Warbling Vireo THU, FRI
Red-eyed Vireo WED, THU, FRI
Blue Jay WED, THU, FRI
American Crow WED, THU, FRI
Horned Lark THU, FRI
Bank Swallow WED, THU, FRI
Tree Swallow WED, THU, FRI
N. Rough-winged Swallow FRI
Purple Martin WED, THU, FRI
Barn Swallow WED, THU, FRI
Cliff Swallow WED, THU, FRI
Black-capped Chickadee WED, THU, FRI
White-breasted Nuthatch WED, THU, FRI
House Wren WED, THU, FRI
Sedge Wren THU, FRI
Marsh Wren THU, FRI
American Robin WED, THU, FRI
Gray Catbird WED, THU, FRI
Brown Thrasher THU, FRI
European Starling WED, THU, FRI
Cedar Waxwing WED, THU, FRI
House Sparrow WED, THU, FRI
House Finch WED, THU, FRI
American Goldfinch WED, THU, FRI
Chipping Sparrow WED, THU, FRI
Clay-colored Sparrow THU, FRI
Field Sparrow THU
Vesper Sparrow THU, FRI
Song Sparrow WED, THU, FRI
Swamp Sparrow THU, FRI
Yellow-headed Blackbird WED, THU
Bobolink THU, FRI
Western Meadowlark THU
Orchard Oriole THU
Baltimore Oriole WED, FRI
Red-winged Blackbird WED, THU, FRI
Brown-headed Cowbird WED, THU, FRI
Common Grackle WED, THU, FRI
Nashville Warbler WED
Common Yellowthroat WED, THU, FRI
American Redstart WED, THU, FRI
Yellow Warbler WED, THU, FRI
Northern Cardinal WED, THU, FRI
Rose-breasted Grosbeak THU, FRI
Indigo Bunting THU, FRI
PHOTO GALLERY
Black-billed Cuckoo (juvenile) ~ Rose Shea photo
Virginia Rail chick ~ Rose Shea photo
Least Sandpiper ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Wilson's Snipe ~ Kathrynne Baumtrog photo