WABASHA - WINONA - HOUSTON CO's MBW SUMMARY / April 6-7-8, 2012
As you can see, that Brown Pelican was still there in Red Wing waiting for us on Sunday, as this third-state-record individual represents species #357 on the all-time MBWeekends composite list! (Note that the most recent compilation, which some of you have a copy of, lists 355 species – besides this pelican, we had added Glaucous-winged Gull during the January 2012 MBWs in Duluth.)
Obviously, this was by far the rarest bird on this MBW's list of 90 species, a respectable number given that unbelievably warm weather in March had prompted most waterfowl to head north prematurely. Note there were only two sites with good concentrations of birds (Reno and Weaver); we found only one Tundra Swan; Canvasbacks, Red-breasted and Common mergansers, and gulls were almost missed; and there were no N Pintails anywhere. Meanwhile, with the return to more normal early-April temperatures, most land birds had yet to arrive – we only found a single accipiter, just one Barn Swallow, a lone Brown Creeper, and no N Harriers at all.
Still, there were several noteworthy finds before we headed for Red Wing: 2 distant but handsome Horned Grebes in breeding plumage at Weaver, lots of non-brown pelicans on the river (especially the 500 or so at Winona's Prairie Island), that curious pair of adult Peregrines near Hokah, a cooperative Sora emerging from the marsh on Saturday evening, a number of Sandhill Cranes at unexpected locations, no fewer than 5 shorebird species (with 4 of these at the Eitzen sewage ponds), a surprising Tufted Titmouse on Shore Acres Rd (which was a new addition to some of your lists), Eastern Towhees at 3 locations, and some good studies of Rusty Blackbirds at Prairie Island and Millstone Landing.
BIRD LIST
W = seen April 6, mostly in Wabasha Co (plus 2 species in Winona Co only)
H = seen April 7, mostly in Houston Co (plus 3 species in Winona Co only)
Sun = seen only on Sunday, mostly at Weaver & Whitewater WMA
Canada Goose WH
Trumpeter Swan W
Tundra Swan H
Wood Duck WH
Gadwall H
American Wigeon H
Mallard WH
Blue-winged Teal WH
Northern Shoveler WH
Green-winged Teal WH
Canvasback Sun
Redhead W
Ring-necked Duck WH
Greater Scaup H
Lesser Scaup WH
Bufflehead WH
Common Goldeneye WH
Hooded Merganser WH
Common Merganser H
Red-breasted Merganser Sun
Ruddy Duck Sun
Ruffed Grouse W
Wild Turkey WH
Pied-billed Grebe WH
Horned Grebe W
Double-crested Cormorant H
American White Pelican WH
Brown Pelican Sun in Goodhue Co
Great Blue Heron WH
Great Egret Apr 7 in Winona Co
Turkey Vulture WH
Osprey W
Bald Eagle WH
Cooper's Hawk H
Red-tailed Hawk WH
American Kestrel WH
Peregrine Falcon H
Sora Apr 7 in Winona Co
American Coot WH
Sandhill Crane WH
Killdeer WH
Greater Yellowlegs Sun
Lesser Yellowlegs Apr 6 in Winona Co; also H
Pectoral Sandpiper H
Wilson's Snipe H
Ring-billed Gull H
Rock Pigeon WH
Mourning Dove WH
Belted Kingfisher H
Red-bellied Woodpecker WH
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker WH
Downy Woodpecker WH
Hairy Woodpecker WH
Northern Flicker WH
Pileated Woodpecker WH
Eastern Phoebe WH
Blue Jay WH
American Crow WH
Horned Lark W
Tree Swallow WH
Barn Swallow W
Black-capped Chickadee WH
Tufted Titmouse H
Red-breasted Nuthatch H
White-breasted Nuthatch WH
Brown Creeper Apr 7 in Winona Co
Ruby-crowned Kinglet WH
Eastern Bluebird WH
Hermit Thrush W
American Robin WH
European Starling WH
Cedar Waxwing W
Yellow-rumped Warbler WH
Eastern Towhee WH
Chipping Sparrow WH
Field Sparrow W
Song Sparrow WH
Swamp Sparrow Sun
White-throated Sparrow Sun
Dark-eyed Junco WH
Northern Cardinal WH
Red-winged Blackbird WH
Eastern Meadowlark WH
Rusty Blackbird Apr 6 in Winona Co; also H
Common Grackle WH
Brown-headed Cowbird WH
Purple Finch Sun
House Finch WH
American Goldfinch WH
House Sparrow WH
GOODHUE - HOUSTON - WINONA CO'S MBW SUMMARY
April 2 - 3 - 4, 2010
With all the migrant geese and Tundra Swans long gone after our ridiculously warm March, and most of the land birds yet to arrive, this first MBW of our 25th season was mostly caught in the middle with fewer birds around than we had hoped. Still, there were several sightings which highlighted the weekend: especially lots of ducks to sort out among all those coots, an eagle in relentless pursuit of an Osprey's fish, memorably close views of a woodcock at the very first spot we tried, a Barred Owl by day along our first Goodhue Co back road and another by spotlight in La Crescent, no fewer than 3 Tufted Titmouse locations (the loop road S of Mound Prairie SNA, in Kyle & Suzanne Moore's yard E of Caledonia, and in Reno), brief flashes of crown colors on both kinglets, and some nice studies of singing Rusty Blackbirds.
In addition, we almost had MBW species #356 at Treasure Island Casino's sewage ponds, but Roy kept us honest with his phone call and learned that the Mute Swans were uncountably tame. By the way, since we never got around to compiling Friday's and Sunday's lists, be sure to let me know if you notice any errors or omissions in the following species list. Thanks to all for coming, and I especially thank Fred for showing a bunch of Lily-livered Lollygagging Listers around the Houston Co portion of the Lesher Lansing Loop!
Bird List
G = April 2 in Goodhue Co (79 species, incl 2 in Wabasha Co only)
H = April 3 in Houston Co (70 species)
W = April 4 in Winona Co (66 species, incl 1 in Wabasha Co only)
Total = 92 species
Canadian Honker GHW
[Mute Swan G (almost!)]
White Starling GW
Wood Duck GHW
Gadwall GHW
American Wigeon GHW
American Black Duck Wabasha/Sunday only
Mallard GHW
Blue-winged Teal GHW
Northern Shoveler GHW
Northern Pintail G (at the Curlew Sandpiper spot)
Green-winged Teal GHW
Canvasback GHW
Redhead GHW
Ring-necked Duck GHW
Greater Scaup GH
Lesser Scaup GHW
Bufflehead GHW
Common Goldeneye HW
Hooded Merganser GH
Common Merganser H
Ruddy Duck H
Ring-necked Pheasant W
Wild Turkey GW (but none in H)
Common Loon G (3 flying in from Wabasha)
Pied-billed Grebe GHW
American White Pelican GW
Double-crested Cormorant GH
Great Blue Heron GHW
Great Egret HW (a bit early)
Turkey Vulture GHW
Osprey GW
Bald Eagle GHW (incl nests)
Northern Harrier H
Sharp-shinned Hawk GH
Cooper's Hawk GHW (incl a nest in La Crescent)
Red-tailed Hawk GHW
American Kestrel GH
Peregrine Falcon W (seen by Dick en route from La Crosse)
American Coot GHW
Sandhill Crane GHW (still increasing in SE Minn)
Killdeer GHW
Wilson's Snipe W (at the White Ibis spot)
American Woodcock H (most cooperative Saturday evening!)
Bonaparte's Gull G
Ring-billed Gull GHW
Herring Gull Wabasha/Friday, H
Rock Pigeon GHW
Mourning Dove GHW
Barred Owl GH (delayed cooperation both times)
Belted Kingfisher HW
Red-bellied Woodpecker GHW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker GHW
Downy Woodpecker GHW
Hairy Woodpecker GHW
Northern Flicker GHW
Pileated Woodpecker GHW
Eastern Phoebe GHW
Blue Jay GHW
American Crow GHW
Horned Lark G
Tree Swallow GHW
Black-capped Chickadee GHW
Tufted Titmouse H (found at 3 locations!)
Red-breasted Nuthatch GW
White-breasted Nuthatch GHW
Golden-crowned Kinglet Wabasha/Friday, H
Ruby-crowned Kinglet GHW
Eastern Bluebird GHW
American Robin GHW
European Starling GHW
Cedar Waxwing GH
American Tree Sparrow G (why so few?)
Chipping Sparrow GW
Field Sparrow GH
Vesper Sparrow G (leader-only, heard-only)
Fox Sparrow GHW
Song Sparrow GHW
White-throated Sparrow W
Dark-eyed Junco GHW
Northern Cardinal GHW
Red-winged Blackbird GHW
Eastern Meadowlark G
Yellow-headed Blackbird G (only one)
Rusty Blackbird GHW (lots of them)
Brewer's Blackbird G
Common Grackle GHW
Brown-headed Cowbird GHW
Purple Finch G (leader-only, heard-only)
House Finch GHW
Pine Siskin GW
American Goldfinch GHW
House Sparrow GHW
Note that these three MBW summaries include
species seen outside of Houston Co.
____________
* * *
HOUSTON COUNTY MBW Summary
(plus WINONA - WABASHA - GOODHUE Co's – and LaCrosse)
March 25-26, 2006
We certainly had a nice introduction to early spring migration, with 77 species in all and some especially pleasant weather on Sunday. By the way, for those of you who keep score, 70 of these were in Houston Co: those only seen from Winona Co north were Am Black Duck, N Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Peregrine Falcon, Franklin's Gull (WI only), Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Tree Swallow.
I found it especially memorable to see so many Tundra Swans (especially at Weaver), probably >1,000 Canvasbacks, several pelicans and cranes, and Tufted Titmice (mouses?) at 3 locations. Of course, one of our highlights was the Lesser Black-backed Gull spotted by Linda and Ron at Colville Park in Red Wing, which unfortunately flew off before everyone could see it. Nonetheless, this still represents a long-overdue addition to the all-time MBW composite list (#341), and I'm no longer tempted to cheat by including the one we saw in LaCrosse!
Speaking of cheating, I'm especially happy that Fred was able to come along on Saturday to keep us honest by reminding us when we or the birds illegally strayed across the Wisconsin and Iowa borders.
BIRD LIST
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan (incl ~1,000 at Weaver Bottoms, just like in the Olden Days!)
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback (1000s of them?)
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck (1000s of them?)
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser (1000s of them?)
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican (most of them on Sunday)
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle (incl several nests)
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk (along Co Rd 21 E of Mound Prairie)
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon (2 bluffs in Winona Co)
American Coot
Sandhill Crane (several sightings)
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs (early)
Wilson's Snipe
(Franklin’s Gull - in LaCrosse; early)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull (in LaCrosse, of course, and spotted by Linda & Ron at Colville Park!)
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove (3 or 4 of them in Caledonia)
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl (on a nest)
Red-headed Woodpecker (spotted by Fred)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow (early)
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse (no fewer than 3 locations: Sheldon, Reno, and mile 13 on Hwy 61)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (a bit late)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow (singing)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Rusty Blackbird (singing)
Common Grackle
Purple Finch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
* * *