Jackson - Martin - Faribault MBW
The JTL Report
Fri - Sat - Sun, September 19 - 20 - 21, 2025
Watersheds and Potty Humor
Link to an interesting article with more maps: Second flood surge moving down Minnesota River | MPR News. Link to the DNR website on watersheds: Minnesota's watershed basins | Minnesota DNR. Oh, right, this is a birding report. Sorry.
Every Minnesotan has a watershed “address.” If you’re curious, as any good Junior Tour Leader (JTL) would be, then click on How's My Waterway | US EPA, and enter your zip code or city. While Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes, we are more defined by the rivers and streams that originate or course through the state. The circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles. There are 69,200 miles of natural streams and rivers in Minnesota. So, roughly 3 times around the globe in running water. Another reason I love Minnesota and care for our natural resources.
For a digital map of the rivers and streams of Minnesota, click on Mapping Tool : Minnesota Natural Resource Atlas, accept the terms and conditions, and scroll in. Then click the Base map table and change it to Landscape. (Oh, right, this is birding report. Okay, cry me a river.)
Here’s a cool bird migration map from Audubon:
https://explorer.audubon.org/homelayersPanel=expand&legend=collapse&zoom=3&x=1306099.1620122588&y=2810864.562197212. Explore how the rivers (and lakes) affect the flyways of the various migrating birds.
Jackson, Martin, and Faribault counties are influenced by the lakes created by the creeks, streams and rivers that run through them. And like MBW’s leaders, the rivers and streams navigate the counties in different directions. I will leave the Laurentine Divide for another report, but if you start in Rock or Nobles county with an MBW group and take a pee in the woods due to poor MBW leadership planning, the water will run west to the Big Sioux R. in South Dakota and Nebraska, into the Missouri River, past Joanne’s house near Kansas City, which isn’t in Iowa, and on to the Mississippi in St. Louis.
If you’re in Jackson, the water flows south via the Des Moines River watershed, through Iowa, and enters the Mississippi at Keokuk, Iowa. In Martin, the streams wander one way and another looking for direction, just like your JTL. If you’re in Faribault, however, the Blue Earth River’s headwaters are in Iowa, and it flows north joining the Minnesota River in Mankato, then on to the Mississippi and right past many of our backyards. So, guys, think about that the next time you wander away from the cars to find an emergency pit stop. The ladies figured this out a long time ago and responsibly demand indoor plumbing.
My sobering observation on the waters that we experienced on this trip is that all of them are impaired. Individual efforts, like Traeger’s Bird Sanctuary and Steinberg Nature Park, local chapters of waterfowl associations make a difference as you will read. Thankfully, several national organizations, our state leadership, and the DNR continue to advocate and allocate time and resources to preserve and enhance local conservation efforts. A good reason to buy the annual hunting and fishing license with all the stamps, even if you do none of those. Unfortunately, they are often overwhelmed by local and national human unwillingness to change the way we engage with our natural environment. I understand the competing interests and demands. I believe any small thing I do to help our waters in Minnesota will benefit the birds. And me.
Sept. 19 – Jackson, an unauthorized county, 100s of birds, one bird, and the ugliest courthouse
We met in the city of Jackson, in Jackson County. Don’t even get Kim started on the naming of other counties and cities, like Blue Earth, that don’t align. Or chasing rare birds not in another county, or courthouse architecture. And for good measure anything related to Junior Tour Leaders. They all annoy him.
“The Des Moines River rises in two forks. The West Fork (the main branch) originates in the wetlands of Lake Yankton and Long Lake in Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. The small stream flows southwest into Lake Shetek, then through Windom and Jackson, Minnesota, <and then south into Iowa>. The East Fork rises out in rural Martin County, Minnesota, just north of Interstate 90. It then flows through Okamanpeedan Lake on the Iowa-Minnesota border.”
I think an interesting MBW could be to follow the Des Moines River upstream from the Iowa border until you enter Cottonwood, then Murray, and finally Lyon county. We started that effort on Black Bridge Road just outside of Jackson. It was cloudy, misty, and raining intermittently. At our first stop the birds were active in the trees and we had a rapid fire session of Dana and Aaron calling out birds by ear. “Is that a chip note of a grosbeak behind me at about 3/4 mile and 15-17’ up on the left side of that whispering cottonwood?” I’m more a hear-them, find-them birder so I quickly fell behind as warblers and vireos flitted along the river in one direction or the other. That good ears group had a total of fifteen and possibly more warbler species. I saw three. Distinguishing anything else in those conditions was beyond my pay grade. Is it better to have lots of birds you can’t identify or a few regulars to grow bored with in short order? In a few short months we will give the Black-capped Chickadees and Red-bellied Woodpeckers a welcome nod. We did have a great view of a Sharp-shinned Hawk, working the same trees for a tasty warbler snack.
Kim wandered alone up the road, thankful that annoying birders weren’t following him. He found Jess and they waited while we brought the cars up. Car One was anxious to go, and in a moment of chivalry Kim relinquished leadership to Jess via his radio. You could feel the electricity in the air as Jess held the radio high declaring “I’m in charge now!” Like our response to regular MBW leadership, most of us continued doing whatever we wanted.
The five cars of various hues worked our way north following the river. American Kestrels were everywhere. At one point a kestrel and a Merlin were in the same tree. One would harass the other like two MBW participants in a dispute over who gets the front seat. The kestrel would aggravate the merlin, who then chased it around the tree. Soon other kestrels joined in. It didn’t appear to be predatory. Perhaps just keeping each other’s talons sharp by regular harassment. Similar to Kim and Brian’s day- long dialogue in Car One.
To wit: Kim thought we should start counting the kestrels. Brian said he was up to fourteen. “That’s way too low”, Kim said. “It’s double that.” We counted some more. How many now? “At least a hundred”, I said from the backseat. I nearly lost my job. Brian chuckled.
Our morning destinations included the lakes and marshes that once made Heron Lake one of T.S. Roberts’ favorites. Unfortunately, a favorite hot spot for many 19th century market hunters and the plume traders. For generations prior, Heron Lake provided habitat for large populations of herons, waterfowl, and other water birds. Heron Lake is the translation of the native Dakota name, Okabena, meaning the place the herons nest. One of the birds that thrived in Heron Lake was the Black-crowned Night Heron. The Nature Conservancy says more than 4,000 night herons once gave this swampy land its name—Heron Lake.
Today it is hard to find a Black-crowned Night Heron nesting anywhere in Minnesota. Fortunately, recognition came early that this group of lakes was a unique place. Since the 1930s, many people and partnerships have made sustained efforts to manage and restore the entire watershed with pretty good success. I’ve included some research links below for your perusal. The challenges continue to be the competing interests of modern row crop agriculture, lake recreational pursuits, and conservation. There is a way forward. But it ain’t easy. But then neither is my JTL job so let’s not digress.
We split the group. Kim’s group stopped at Belmont Park searching for better views of woods birds. There were not many warblers or vireos, but when a Barred Owl responded we were amazed that two were calling back and forth – and perhaps three birds were present. Some of us got brief looks at one owl before we left them in peace.
By then Craig’s group had reported a Black-billed Cuckoo at the Kilen Woods State Park Des Moines River Landing. We zoomed over hoping it would cooperate. It sat still with 20 people peering through scopes and admiring a great county bird. We tried for more birds in the surrounding woods and water. I found the rare light-morph Eastern Wooden-Stick bird in the river. We did see a Common Nighthawk, Bald Eagle, Osprey, and Ovenbird. A possible Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was heard by Angela. She would discover that good birders are worth educating with another bird she found later in the trip. This one was not positive. Neither was my Eastern Towhee.
Sometimes the genius of Kim is subtle. The night before we met for dinner at Bergen Bar & Grill north of Jackson. After dinner, as it was growing dark, he said “Someone might want to run up to Christiania WPA and check that out.” “Sure”, I said, “Let’s run up there. I’ll even drive.” Kim, “I’m not going up there. But I think you should.” “Okay boss”, I replied, “I guess it’s only six minutes away.” We parted company and I drove north away from the beckoning soft bed and cool sheets. And towards a WPA I cannot pronounce. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched on a telephone pole. A Brown Thrasher flew into the road trying to distract me from the deer in my headlights. I found one slightly flooded open area. Not big. No birds on it. I drove back to Jackson. I was sound asleep in minutes.
When we left the river landing, Kim asked me if it was worth going to Christiania WPA. On the hook for the right call, I tried to pull a classic wishy-washy: “There is one mudflat, but it’s little hard to see. Could be good. It was almost dark. Did you ask Craig? It’s your call. Just letting you know it’s not my fault if it’s a bust.” My trepidation magnified as we approached the WPA.
Hurrah, I am such a great JTL! I could lead this group. We found several Wilson’s Snipe. I was examining the Lesser Yellowlegs trying to make it into something else when a Sora ran through my scope view. All the birds were cooperative, coming in and out of the cattails for several minutes. The sly devil that he is, I think Kim knew all along there would be good birds there. I take full credit for my scouting prowess.
Bathrooms and lunch were the next most pressing matter. The rain complicated our efforts. Sparks Park and Campground did not have a shelter or public bathrooms. Several of us had urgent needs. Once again Sam and Jess demonstrated their budding JTL leadership skills and located a nice park nearby. How do I still have this job? There are 100s of people who could do this better.
Finishing lunch at North City Park we turned toward the Heron Lake chain. I had scouted Community Point Park with some success the day before, but it was a bust this afternoon. Aaron found a Northern Shoveler and there were lots of Wood Ducks in various stages of molt. We could see lots of birds across the lake, which I dutifully counted – 100s of pelicans and cormorants. And lots of Trumpeter Swans.
We made our way around the southern end of the lake to Sandy Point Park on the west side. Various groups split up to explore the park. Sam and Jess recreated Romeo and Juliet at the observation tower, then I climbed up to chaperone and we observed Yellow-rumped Warblers at eye level. Some of us followed Kim down to recount the pelicans, cormorants, and more hundreds of Franklin’s and Ring-billed Gulls while looking for one or two shorebirds. Linda, Jess, Kim. and I enjoyed Marsh Wrens along the shoreline. Several people left to join Craig and company who were once again finding warblers and other species in the campground area.
Kim answered the call from Doug Kieser. Doug was birding Nobles County by himself. He knew Brian needed that bird in Nobles County. Kim could have kept the information a secret and preserved the purity of our single county day. But he casually announced that Sabine’s Gulls were being seen and “did anyone really want run all the way over to Nobles County to see them?” I think Brian would have left us to hitchhike home in his eagerness to add a bird to one of his favorite counties. He lives in Sleepy Eye, in Brown County, and considers the whole southwest part of the state special places worthy of birding. And conserving. He’s a good birder and a local advocate on multiple levels with local and state government. We need more Brians in the world. Come on, Kim, make the guy happy.
It was almost a unanimous vote. Only the curmudgeon who’s seen almost all the birds to see in Minnesota wanted to abstain. Or, maybe, he was trying to pump up his newly created Jackson County list. Off we roared in our Kona Brown Honda towards Okabena Lake inWorthington and Chautauqua Park as fast as was allowed under “new county bird” driving laws. Of which there are few. Besides not killing your passengers. I think. It was touch and go. We passed the “ugliest” courthouse in Minnesota with running commentary. Brian did not stop. Our education on courthouse architecture would continue. See Notes and Research below.
The Sabine’s Gulls were visible. We oohed and aahed for several minutes. Doug had moved northwest around the lake to Centennial Park and was reporting better views. We drove around Okabena Lake to join him. Several people have shared good pictures. What a beautiful gull with the pied-bald pattern of white with brown and black triangles on the back and wings. A life bird, a Minnesota bird, and a Nobles County bird for your JTL. Thanks Doug! You’re the best.
While it was tempting to loiter around Nobles County for the rest of the day, I took umbrage with finishing our day in a foreign county. No self-respecting JTL would let that happen. We might as well be birding in Iowa. I suggested to the group that Great-tailed Grackles might be seen in Jackson County. Let’s go! It was unanimous except for someone who will remain unmentioned. Some county lister. Back again near Lakefield we stopped as 100s of Common Grackles flew over headed to roost. Not a Great-tailed in the bunch.
At 5:30 PM we arrived at Little Spirit Lake. An apt name for the end of a long day of birding. A large hawk flew into the cedars along the road into the park. Too big for Cooper’s. Accipiter-like but longer winged. Kim said possible Red-shouldered, causing some of us to reconsider the Blue Jays’ perfect imitations we had heard at Belmont Park. The hawk flew into view again, up and above the trees. Brian and Kim both called out the translucent (as in not white but allowing light to shine through) crescents at the end of the wings separated by the dark “fingers” of the wing tips and non-translucent center of the wing. The long tail and slimmer body with brown streaks on the breast, not a belly band like a red-tailed, combined to confirm we had added a second rare bird to our day list. Here is a good picture of “our bird”: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/photo-gallery/306105171. You might want to spend some time here as you never know when Kim might call you out to describe in excruciating detail the key ID features of a Red-shouldered Hawk. Or any other bird.
Our spirits were lifted. We added Ruddy Ducks at the lake, then decided maybe Great-tailed Grackles were not so great and headed for the hotel. I was a happy birder, having seen thousands of birds if not hundreds of species. Martin County awaited. Some of us still had to drive to Fairmont to be ready for the next day. No worries, there isn’t much time to find trouble in freewheeling Fairmont when you bird twelve hours a day. Although I understand a certain individual could not locate his hotel and ended up dining by himself in a fancy restaurant. Who knows how the night ended? Only one person. Perhaps I should have interrogated him with 100 questions.
Sept. 20 – Martin County (and Emmet County): Exploring Dangerous Territory
Those who stayed in Fairmont had an easy time getting to our meeting place and we quickly departed to explore the chain of five lakes that makes Fairmont a mini-Minneapolis and a nice place to live. We stopped in Lincoln Park. There were some birds but a few of us regretted our decision to attend those hard rock concerts in the mid-70’s or in my case Beethoven’s symphonies at maximum volume. This prevented all but Dana and Aaron from hearing the Black-throated Green Warbler down the shoreline at least a ¼ mile away. We did add heard only Red-breasted Nuthatch to Craig’s list, before our Tour Leader Emeritus insisted we proceed posthaste to admire the Beaux Arts architecture of the Martin County Courthouse. It was interesting to bird with police cars and officers coming and going. Thankfully none of us were arrested for admitting we intended to cross the Iowa border later that day. The warblers and vireos were working the trees as the sun warmed and the insect activity increased. A real screech-owl answered our owl/chickadee mobbing tape, but only Brian heard it, and we were unable to get it to call again.
Budd Lake from the east side at Steve Pierce Memorial Park provided Kim with the opportunity to encourage others to scan the 600+ Franklin’s Gulls for the one immature Sabine’s Gull that was sure to be in the flock. Oh boy, some JTL duties are best delegated. Thank goodness we can count on Nancy and on Linda and others who had scopes out. Pied-billed Grebe and American Coot were added to the list.
Refusing to give up, Kim proceeded south to the isthmus that separates Budd from Hall Lake. More gulls. Let’s go find some woods. Please. Okay, I did add Orange-crowned Warbler, and Northern Cardinal to my Martin County list thanks to Dana and company.
Cedar Creek Park is adjacent to the most southern lake of the chain, Amber Lake, but the birding is completely different. The mixture of mature oaks and cedars, a meadow large enough to support diverse species, and a creek running through a ravine makes this an excellent destination if you’re looking to add birds to your Martin County list. Or just enjoy a nice walk on numerous trails. Linda called out a Great-crested Flycatcher, we found a Philadelphia Vireo, and a nice mixture of local and migratory birds.
One of the keys for good shorebirding is to find mud puddles, shallow water, or other suitable habitat. I had no sooner expressed my opinion that picked soybean fields are devoid of life when I spotted dark gray lumps in the field. I also saw Killdeer. I hesitated, questioning my willingness to be wrong. Again. I said “stop” and Brian pulled over. Looking back over my shoulder I knew they were not all Killdeer. Out came the scopes and confirmed the small flock of American Golden-Plover. They were in various stages of molt. That find assured my JTL status. At least until lunchtime. Brian and Dan are my witnesses. At noon we drove to another secret spot known only to Brian, where a Martin County resident plants a large garden of wildflowers, has erected numerous Purple Martin houses, and maintains multiple feeders. I believe we all added Ruby-throated Hummingbird to our county list.
After lunch we drove along Cottonwood Road near Timberlane County Park. It separates South Silver Lake from Iowa Lake which is located in both Minnesota and Iowa (Now Minnesota Lake, by executive degree. No wait, there is already a Minnesota Lake and a city Minnesota Lake which are both in both Faribault and Blue Earth counties but not near Blue Earth in Faribault County.) If I were the supreme dictator of the world, all places would use GPS coordinates. But I digress. And I’m confused. Let’s write about something easier. Like identifying juvenile Broad-winged Hawk from immature Red-tailed Hawk. We had them both. Somewhere. 100s of them, I think. I’m getting confused. Let’s go to Iowa.
By 2:30 we were threateningly close to the Iowa border along 160th Ave. We were on high alert. Passing an open water marsh at Follett Slough, it was touch and go to see if Kim would stop. Brian made an executive decision and pulled over. What a great JTL he would be. Multiple Sora were seen, and the Virginia Rail ran across the opening ten feet from the group and made multiple appearances. The Marsh Wren capped off the stop. Thanks Brian.
We casually drifted toward another lake I can’t pronounce, that also translates to Heron Lake. We followed the road named for the alternate name for the lake (Tuttle Lake after an early settler) and down the shore of Lake Okamanpeedan and into Iowa pretending we were lost. I have lost my narrative thread here and compounding it with a mixed metaphor and a pun by continuing this stream of consciousness. Trust me, I am writing this at 10:30 AM. No “spirit water” is involved. But I digress. I have a mind like a meandering creek in a heavily wooded ravine.
Merlin and Bald Eagle in both Emmet County IA and Martin County MN were seen. Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk were added to the day list as we proceeded to Ceylon’s WTP. Interestingly, we also found our first-of-the-day American Kestrel. My mind is at ease.
A JTL’s responsibilities often require a willingness to risk personal freedom in service to others. We pulled up to Ceylon’s sewage ponds. I did not observe trespassing signs, but we stayed outside the fence. Until… “Did those shorebirds land in the third pond that we can’t see from the road?,” someone asked. Why was everyone looking at me? Perhaps it was the long legs that allowed me to step neatly over the barbed wire. I walked briskly along the berm stopping to scan. Kim shouted over the radio, “There is a vehicle coming. Hide!” I looked around and ran like a common criminal to duck behind a concrete bunker and avoid detection. I returned to scan the third pond. Then I hightailed it for the fence as another car approached. Hopefully, the WTP supervisor isn’t eBird savvy or I will be busted based on my eBird report. Friends, can we keep a secret? Does my MBW contract include bail? Well, at least I would be locked up in a fine Beaux Arts courthouse jail. Would you come visit me?
By five o’clock we were safely in Bright Lake County Park finding Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and another Barred Owl. We were wandering our way on 50th Street headed back to Fairmont when we found another wet spot and added Baird’s Sandpiper to finish the day. The Mexican restaurant, a couple of beers and the company of many tired birders made for an enjoyable evening of stories and a few memories. I was so tired I can’t remember some of them. Good thing as we have a whole new county still to cover.
Sept. 21 – Faribault County: This report is going down the toilet
My overnight stay in Fairmont meant I had to leave early to get to Blue Earth in Faribault County by 7:00. As a JTL, one of the responsibilities is to get there before the celebrity shows up, scan the parking lot for paparazzi and news media, and secure the perimeter from adoring fans. It’s hard when a certain Soul Red Crystal car shows up and the crowd flocks around like hungry pigeons. Thankfully, Sam and Jess provided a decoy with some other red-colored car. Ok, we said meet at the Kwik Trip but what we really meant was Steinberg Nature Park a half mile east of there. Thankfully, nobody in the know made the mistake of going to Blue Earth County or to Faribault in Rice County as we had leaked to the press. Excellent team diversionary activity. After the award presentation for Dana, the only person who replied to my email, we began our exploration of Faribault County
The city of Blue Earth was established in 1856. The city took its name from the Blue Earth River which surrounds the town. The river was given the Dakota language name makȟátȟo (meaning "blue earth") for the blue-green clay found in the riverbanks, from the phrase makato osa watapa: "the river where blue earth is gathered". How on earth am I going to stay focused today.
Birding a new county on the last day of the trip is always interesting. You know you need to be done by “noon” but also know you have a lot of ground to cover to satisfy those with day, county, state, and species-in-all-87-counties lists. Thankfully we weren’t in a corner county. Can you imagine? This report would be even longer.
Ok, Aaron, Dana, Rose (in her bright blue car), and the rest of you, if you got this far then birding Steinberg Nature Park was a treat for two special reasons. If you do nothing else, take a moment to read Vera Steinberg’s personal history here. https://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/news/local-news/2017/12/17/vera-steinberg-a-quiet-lamb-of-god-with-the-heart-of-a-lion/. It brought tears to my eyes. Which of course ran into Bassett Creek, then to the Mississippi. That’s my watershed.
It demonstrates that even a small, 33-acre effort, a partial prairie restoration, attention to biodiversity, and habitat preservation pay dividends. I enjoyed the planted rows of wildflowers and zinnias along the trail. And now realizing they were at least inspired by her garden makes it even better. In the morning light they were lovely. The vireos were cooperative again with Warbling, Red-eyed, Blue-headed, and Philadelphia all making an appearance.
One of my observations is that when birding in the morning, I find locations where the sun warms the trees, the insects get moving earlier, and the birds follow. Remember this is a new county so both nuthatches counted. Sam found a Lincoln’s Sparrow that most of us found again, and Craig, just to prove he was right, hauled out his scope to confirm the Eastern Bluebirds, a long way away on the telephone wire. Of course he is always right. Several people heard or got a glimpse of the Winter Wren that Kim found. I had to settle for a Swainson’s Thrush that popped into view between the two groups. All this while Sam was pleading for Proper Adult Supervision with some sparrows across the meadow. Life if full of choices. We still love him. But it is a Winter Wren. So we ignore him. What is the easiest way to break it to him over the radio? Not my responsibility as JTL. I had twenty-six species by the time we left and gratitude that Vera set this land aside so we could enjoy her space. God bless her.
We did not do what 14,000 other people do annually when they come to Blue Earth, which is to visit the 55.5-foot-tall Jolly Green Giant, nor did we visit the Richardsonian Romanesque courthouse completed in 1892. So, much for my county courthouse list. Instead, we headed east toward Rice Lake. Keep in mind this is the east Rice Lake of Faribault County. It is one of two in this county, and one of 120 in Minnesota. Which means there are at least 32 other counties with more than one Rice Lake. Because there is already a Quinn Lake, it is in Stearns County, I suggest you write your local DNR official and ask them to rename a Rice or Long or Mud Lake in your honor. Is there an Eckert Lake [yes, it’s in Pope Co. –KRE] or a Mandel Lake in Minnesota? There should be. We need a sub-committee of the MBW to take this up. Volunteers?
We agreed to move the cars and meet at Pihl’s Park on Rice Lake. Some people stopped to pick up lunch. I swung by the Rice Lake Boat Launch on the way and added Trumpeter Swan and Pied-billed Grebe to my county list.
Which is the better story here: the trial of Angela and the Red-shouldered Hawk, or who is Pihl? Keep in mind that if you’re a good birder, like Angela, you can’t just relax in the knowledge of “I’m pretty sure.” with Kim. I’ve experienced the twenty question ID interrogation from Kim before. I remember a Baird’s Sandpiper where Craig finally had to come out into the cattails and rescue me with a positive ID, while Kim continued to fire questions over the radio.
Angela reported crescents on the wings. “Where on the wings? At the tips or in the center of the flight feathers as that would be a red-tailed.” And so forth. In the meantime, more raptors flew over where I had parked my car at the entrance to the park. I’m calling out broad-winged, turkey vultures, and red-tails every time Kim lets go of the button on the radio. Oh, what luck we had when a mature Broad-winged Hawk flew over, and Kim could point out the clear underwing with black border and black-and-white banding on the tail. Not to be confused with the Red-tailed Hawk soaring in the sunlight, it’s red tail visible each time it circled. Sometimes life has challenges. Sometimes birding is easy. Isn’t that why we do this? Angela is a good birder. We all learned something. This is why Kim is great teacher. Forty years of passionate education. Mostly I reminded myself that talk therapy is available for JTLs. It’s probably required. Somebody will listen to me.
Pihl’s Park was not a planned location, so I had to hustle to park my truck in the park or receive additional JTL deductions. Thankfully Tom picked me up and I slid into Brian’s car just as it was about to pull away. We drove back west along 110th Street stopping at a couple of ponds between us and cars roaring by along Interstate 90.
South Walnut Lake provided everyone with a good view of the Green Herons tucked along the bank of the East Branch of the Blue Earth River that is the outlet to the Walnut Lakes. It was also productive because, as I walked down to the edge of the lake, a single Spotted Sandpiper flushed from the shoreline and disappeared around the corner. Sometimes I’m more lucky than good. Well, most of the time. Laurie walked down in her pursuit of her 50th Faribault species. The Spotted Sandpiper did not care. I dutifully scanned the Ring-billed and Franklin’s gulls for Sabine’s and was rewarded with a Cooper’s Hawk flying right towards the bridge and a Belted Kingfisher.
One of the principles of standup comedy is living with people with Alzheimer’s, and I am suggesting the waning hours of a MBW is to just roll with it. “Yes, and”. When my mom, a librarian, lifelong learner, and the person who introduced me to birding, was in the middle stage of her disease, it became counterproductive and pointless to constantly correct what she was saying or doing. You just went with the tragic comedy of the moment. In standup it’s called “Yes, and,….”
As we rounded the bend between Walnut Lake and South Walnut Lake a discarded porcelain toilet came into view. Oh, s*&%, I thought to myself, how am I going to work this into the JTL report? Easy…Yellow-rumps perched overhead. I made an arse of myself calling the Eastern Phoebe an Olive-sided. Perhaps I was tired and my thoughts a bit scattered – that would be scatologically speaking? Yes and then Aaron took his rightful position on the throne. An expert birder with fantastic ears and birding ability, he, along with Dana, had made our trip better with his knowledge, willingness to help others, and regular commentary when the king himself was otherwise occupied. And he was never a horse’s ass about helping us lowly birders. He never pissed anyone off and generally helped the trip not go completely down the toilet. Yes, and this might be why MBWs have been interesting for 40 years. To have some fun. Or maybe it’s due to our commodious leaders. I’ll flush this out in a future MBW.
It wouldn’t be an MBW if we didn’t visit a WTP in every county. There’s a theme here. The Wells WTP ponds are some of the best in the state. Even if we were pooped, we had to go. We split up because the ponds are so large, on both the north and south side of Hwy 109. I’m curious why such a small town has such a large WTP facility. Usually, it’s related to an industry located in the area.
Craig’s group called out Canvasback and Redhead in the north ponds shortly before we found the Greater White-fronted Goose mixed in with the Canada Geese. Ruddy Ducks and American Coots were also found. We crossed the highway headed south and scanned those ponds. I don’t remember who called out the Red-necked Phalaropes, but they were close and easily visible. Many county listers were happy. Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal were also seen. Linda spotted a Northern Pintail just as we were leaving. My scope was put away. I requested to take a look. No pintail but a Northern Shoveler swam into view. A good bird for the day list. Time for lunch and then the journey home.
We returned to Pihl’s for lunch. It was then that I realized I had left my cooler in Fairmont. I said goodbye and drove west. I picked up my cooler before heading northeast towards Waseca County. I found a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Delevan (Faribault County) then scored 26 species in Waseca County to create a new dot on my MOU map. Including American Golden-Plover at the Waldorf sewage ponds. Figuring Kim would be proud of his desperate-to-please JTL, I took some digi-scope pictures. And thinking it was a new sewage pond, I sent him the location. He replied, “It’s in the appendix.” In reply, he sent a picture of his 405th sewage pond (Oakland) which he just saw in Freeborn county. Impressive! Perhaps he deserves the throne. Yes, and a holding pond somewhere could be named Eckert Memorial Sewage Pond. I sure hope this idea doesn’t piss him off. Okay, I’m done. Just gotta finish the paperwork.
• Mammal List: White-tailed Deer, Fox Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, a Red Fox in Martin, and some cute raccoons in Faribault.
• Amphibian & Reptile List: No big soft-shelled turtle as requested by Jess, which would be hard based on the distribution, as they are found primarily along rivers connected to the Mississippi, like the Des Moines River in Jackson County but not Martin or Faribault. Jess, see https://www.mnherps.com/species/apalone_spinifera. We found a few painted turtles, several big Leopard Frogs, and maybe a couple of other frogs or toads vocalizing in the woods. Jess, we expect you to be the SJTL on future MBW’s.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reptiles_amphibians/frogs_toads/opera.html. Oh, the things you can learn on a birding weekend while interacting with interesting people – architecture, watersheds, amphibians, place names, and history.
The MBW “Never Ending Tour” update:
John's now in charge here,
he shouts, "Look! Birds!--we all nod,
promotion well earned.
(Haiku by Angela Gerend)
Yes, I rather gleefully made you read all this to get here. This is your future, you know. Long meandering stories when really what you wanted were a couple of new birds for your county list. And a rarity.
Frank Forsberg and I are dedicated to figuring something out. We’ve been talking to Kim (and Craig) about how we can remove the hard work of financing, organizing, researching and planning MBW’s while providing Kim a way to continue the MBWs with him as “Tour Leader Emeritus”. Whenever he wants or doesn’t want to participate. Craig Mandel has committed to continue and utilize his 25 years of MBW co-leadership and Proper Adult Supervision. Frank has expertise in doing the behind the scenes work. I will work hard at scouting, coordinating with Kim and Craig on places for 2026-2027 and beyond, providing “timekeeping” when necessary, and if Kim and/or Craig cannot join us to finding SMEs (subject matter experts) to provide proper adult supervision identification. And, of course, long circuitous meandering stream of consciousness reports.
There are also many of you who are excellent birders and natural leaders who enjoy the camaraderie and advantages of group birding but don’t want to plan the whole thing. Frank and I are going to try. More information forthcoming in the coming weeks. There will be a return to a fee associated with participation to cover the team’s expenses. Let me assure you this is a not a for-profit endeavor. If there is income we will donate it to a worthy cause. Like therapy for JTLs. Seriously, we will keep the vision, mission, and spirit of MBWs the same. At least to the extent that we can channel 40 years of sometimes curmudgeonly, sometimes humorous, but always passionate knowledgeable leadership. I believe between the four of us we can manage it. Stay tuned.
Notes, Research & Miscellaneous
• Pihl’s Park was originally built as a private retreat by Joe Pihl. He enjoyed sharing his land with the public. In the 1960’s he donated the 20-acre retreat to Faribault County to be used as a public park.
Courthouses (What they have to do with birds, I have no idea)
• Jackson County Courthouse in Jackson – A Bedford limestone Beaux Arts courthouse featuring a high, segmented dome adorned with a cast statue of Lady Justice, columns supporting a gable overhang, a shield pediment, and symmetrical pavilions.
• Nobles County Courthouse in Worthington is not in Wikipedia. So, we have to accept Kim’s observation that it is the ugliest county courthouse in Minnesota. In fairness, the mncourts.gov website reports “The Nobles County Courthouse, built in 1894, was demolished in the 1970s to make way for a new Nobles County Government Center.” You have to go here https://courthouses.co/us-states/m/minnesota/nobles-county/ to see a picture of the current building. I don’t know; it is symmetrical.
• Martin County Courthouse in Fairmont - It is a Beaux Arts building featuring a high copper dome with four clock faces. The first floor was made out of Michigan
sandstone. The second and third stories are built of Bedford limestone. The arched entrance is flanked by polished double Corinthian order columns and topped by a pediment.
• Faribault County Courthouse in Blue Earth is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was completed in 1892. Materials included Kasota limestone, sand from the Blue Earth River bottoms, red brick above the rusticated
sandstone ground floor, and clay tile for the roof. The arches at the entrance rest on short columns with foliated capitals, a hallmark of the Richardsonian Romanesque
style. Between the arches is a gargoyle in the form of a satyr's head. The most prominent feature is a seven-story tower on the corner.
Rivers and watershed information:
• Lindgren Traeger Bird Sanctuary - https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/lindgren-traeger-bird-sanctuary
• Des Moines River - Headwaters | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
MN-Watersheds-jpg-2.jpg (1173×1474)
• Water Resources of the United States—National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapperwater ways a Minnesota primer and project wet companion
describes streams and rivers by traits that vary from one to another. Traits used to describe rivers include: size, shape (sinuosity) and slope of the channel; channel material (sand, cobble, boulders, bedrock); stream order; amount of dissolved oxygen and water temperature; amount of nutrients and sediment being carried along or deposited; discharge rate—the volume of water that moves through it in a specified amount of time.”
• Green Giant Statue Park https://www.becity.org
• The Blue Earth River runs north from its headwaters in Iowa through Faribault County, then Blue Earth County, and enters the Minnesota River near Mankato. River segments and maps | Minnesota DNR:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/blueearthriver/segments-maps.html
• Heron Lake (Jackson County, Minnesota) - Wikipedia “Heron Lake is the English translation of the native Dakota language name, Okabena, meaning place where the herons nest.
• DNR Heron Lake Heron Lake Managment Plan – Fascinating exploration of conflicting and overlaps in this Des Moines River watershed.
• U of M paper on the Origin and Developmental History of Minnesota Lakes. Origin and Developmental History of Minnesota Lakes: “the Minnesota basin, from the source of the Little Minnesota River and Big Stone Lake to the mouth of the Minnesota River at Fort Snelling, and the Missouri basin, 1348 sq km in Minnesota, comprising a few small streams in southwestern Minnesota which drain through Iowa and South Dakota to the Missouri River.”
• Minnesota Place Names – (an amazing online book) Minnesota geographic names; their origin and historic significance : Upham, Warren, 1850-1934 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
• “Christiania township, organized March 4, 1871, was named by its settlers for the capital city and chief seaport of Norway. This name was given to the city in honor of Christian IV, king of Denmark and Norway, by whom it was founded in 1624.”
• “Heron Lake township, organized September 7, 1870, was named for the large lake on its west side, which, as noted by Prof. A. W. Williamson, is translated from its Sioux or Dakota name, Okabena, (hokah, heron; be, nests; na, diminutive suffix), meaning the nesting place of herons. Minnesota has three common species, the great blue heron or crane (from which Crane island of Lake Minnetonka was named), the green heron, and the black-crowned night heron. The last, found by Dr. Thomas S. Roberts in considerable numbers at Heron lake, was formerly plentiful or frequent through the greater part of this state.”
Lakes that start with “O” in Southwest Minnesota:
• Okamanpeedan Lake was explored by Joseph Nicollet during his 1838 expedition. He recognized the Dakota name for the lake, which means "nesting place of the herons", because of the large number of herons nesting in tall trees along its shores.
• Lake Okoboji is technically in Iowa and interestingly relies primarily on springs and surrounding lakes for waters. Thus, it is exceptionally clear and deep. There appears to be some confusion over the origin of the word Okoboji, but Professor T.H. Macbride says, "place of rest." Others, however, seem to believe the origin of the word means "and there are others" from the Dacotah translation.
• Lake Okabena is located in Nobles County in southwestern Minnesota. It was first noted on a map made by French explorer Joseph Nicollet in 1841, based upon his explorations of the 1830s. The name okabena means "home of the heron" in the Dakota language. Lake Okabena is located entirely within the present-day city limits of Worthington.
Haikus:
County Listers Haiku
Hundreds of species
Sabine’s not in our county
Do I care enough
Aaron’s Haiku
Three counties well done
The good ears sit on the throne
Aren’t we feeling flush