This past weekend, Aug 21-22-23, my Minn Birding Weekends group  
covered parts of Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Big Stone, and NW Lac Qui  
Parle Co's, and we turned up a better-than-expected total of 134  
species. While we saw nothing particularly rare, there were several  
highlights:

- Horned Grebe and Least Bittern / Thielke L, Big Stone Co
- Merlin (probably a locally breeding richardsoni individual) /  
Morris, Stevens Co
- a respectable total of 16 shorebird species, including Am Golden- 
Plover (Morris Wetland District wildlife drive, Stevens Co), Am Avocet  
(Hwy 117 between Traverse & Mud Lakes), and Upland Sandpiper (Lac Qui  
Parle Co Rd 7 near Rosen); also of note was a stubble field/pasture in  
Big Stone Co with a minimum of 140 Killdeer (possibly up to 200)  
together in a flock
- Eur Collared-Doves (4 locations) / Morris and Hancock, Stevens Co;  
Benson, Swift Co; and Wheaton, Traverse Co
- Short-eared Owl / Morris Wetland District wildlife drive (at dusk on  
Aug 21: early migrant, or non-breeding summering bird, or ?)
- Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (2) / L Hassel, Swift Co; Lake Traverse Co Park
- Le Conte's Sparrow/ Giese WPA, Stevens Co
- plus several other migrants at various locations: Broad-winged Hawk,  
Olive-sided Flycatchers (3), Philadelphia Vireos (3 or 4), and 6  
species of migrant warblers: Tennessee, Blackburnian, Black-and-white,  
Ovenbird, N Waterthrush, and Canada

Kim Eckert 

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