May 4, 2011 Explore Minnesota Birding Report
The first half of May is often the best time to view warblers in their full breeding plumage. Just some of the stunning birds to watch for include indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, and rose-breasted grosbeak. In the far northeast corner of the state, these colorful birds are generally most prevalent the last few days of May. To view pictures of the many warblers previously seen in Minnesota, check out the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union Photo Gallery. To hear some of these magnificent birds, check out the Pines to Prairie Birding Trail website.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On May 3, Bob Dunlap and Bob Williams found an adult Laughing Gull on Egger Lake in Le Sueur County, east of County Road 30 near the town of Montgomery. On the previous day, Dunlap and Chad Heins discovered nine Ibis and an American Avocet in Nicollet County at the Wildlife Management Area one mile north of the town of Nicollet on the east side of Highway 111. On April 30, Dunlap had found an adult White-Faced Ibis in this location. Two White-Faced Ibis were at the Tracy Municipal Airport in Lyon County on the 30th, and they could be seen from the Swift Lake Park campground.
Dick Rengsdorf reported a Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron on May 1 in Hastings in Dakota County. It was standing on a log along by the bank of the Mississippi River east of Spring Street near Lake Rebecca, just south of Lock and Dam #2.
In Benton County, Milt Blomberg found a Cattle Egret south of Gilman, near County Road 82 north of County Road 13. And three Snowy Egrets were on the south shore of Salt Lake in Lac qui Parle County on April 30.
Twenty-four Willets were counted at the 180th Street Marsh in Dakota County on May 2.
On April 30, a Mountain Bluebird was in Lac qui Parle County, two miles south and one mile east of Marietta on 131st Avenue.
A Northern Mockingbird was found by Dave Bartkey on April 30 at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault in Rice County. The bird was seen by the feeders at the nature center building.
A Western Tanager was in Pine City in Pine County on May 1, and again on the 2nd. Nate Johnson reported it from his feeder along the 400 block of 8th Avenue Northeast.
Other spring arrivals reported over the past week include Warbling Vireo, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, House Wren, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Swainson's Thrush, Prothonotary Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Scarlet Tanager, Henslow's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, and Baltimore Oriole.
And last, many birders in the Twin Cities area heard about a possible Painted Redstart at a feeder in Burnsville during the past week. This bird eventually proved to be an Eastern Towhee.
Information in this statewide birding report is provided by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. To submit a bird sighting, email Anth
