Minnesota Birding Report Friday, June 6
In general, early to mid-June is an excellent time to canoe through Minnesota’s shallow prairie marshes to see abundant waterfowl and waterbirds, such as grebes, coots, ducks, geese and swans. Travel by canoe offers greater access to these birding areas, and often a more memorable wildlife experience.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
A Burrowing Owl was still in Clay County on May 30, in a development area near Village Green Drive in eastern Moorhead.
On June 3, a Yellow-Breasted Chat was along the bike trail in Baker Park Reserve, in Hennepin County. It was found just south of the Oak Knoll group camp, close to where a bike trail spur crosses under Hennepin County Road 19.
On May 31, a first spring male Summer Tanager was in Forest Hill Cemetery in Owatonna, in Steele County. The bird was in the center of cemetery, between the two access roads south of the maintenance building.
There was a very interesting sighting of a Blue Grosbeak on June 3. The bird was found at the Louisville Swamp, in Scott County. To view this bird, begin at the parking area, and travel west along the trail at the north end of the lot. The bird was seen east of where the trail splits. And on June 2, a Great-Tailed Grackle was found not far from here, in a cattail marsh along Scott County Road 10, roughly one mile east of Jordan.
Information in this statewide birding report is provided by and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union (MOU), Minnesota’s oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from reports submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly birding update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive the organization’s quarterly journal “The Loon,” and the bi-monthly magazine, “Minnesota Birding.” For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.
“The information in this report is provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union and Explore Minnesota Tourism.”
