March 23, 2012
Enjoyed a day of birding in Southwestern Minnesota, with Bob Williams. We observed 60 species of birds. Greater White-fronted Geese were observed in four counties, along with smaller numbers of Snow and Ross's Geese. We also observed 15 species of Ducks. Mixed flocks of Blackbirds were observed in a few locations as were small flocks of Sparrows. We birded in the following counties:
Brown county
New Ulm - Cemetery - located on Highway 14.
Sleepy Eye Sewage ponds - located South of the town of Sleepy Eye, on Highway 4.
Redwood County
Willow Lake WMA - located on the East side of the town of Wanda.
Cottonwood County
Harder Lake WPA
Jackson County
Fish Lake - located along the county line with Cottonwood county
Laurs WMA - Located along Highway 71, about 2 miles NW of the town of Bergen.
Martin County
Perch Lake
Watonwan
Here are some of the species we observed:
Greater White-fronted Goose - Redwood, Cottonwood, Jackson, Watonwan counties - The best location was at Harder Lake WPA, in Cottonwood county. This WPA, is located in the SE corner of the intersection of CR 3 and CR 4, about 8 miles NW of the town of Windom. 300+ Greater White-fronted Geese were observed there.
Snow Goose - Cottonwood, Jackson, Watonwan
Ross's Goose - Cottonwood, Jackson, Watonwan
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wilson's Snipe
Eurasian Collared Dove - Martin - One Eurasian Collared Dove was observed and heard, in the SE corner of the intersection of Highway 4 and CR 38, in the town of Trimont.
Short-eared Owl - Cottonwood - One Short-eared Owl, was observed at the Harder Lake WPA.
Fox Sparrow - Cottonwood
Harris's Sparrow - Brown
Western Meadowlark - Cottonwood
Rusty Blackbird - Redwood
Brewer's Blackbird - Redwood, Martin
Craig Mandel
Minnetonka, Hennepin County