SUMMER 2022 MBWEDNESDAYS SUMMARY

Wright County ~ July 13

Sibley County ~ July 27

Rice County ~ August 10

Goodhue-Wabasha Co's ~ August 17

Probably the most remarkable thing about this summer’s MBWednesday experience was the weather. None of the four trips was rained on, the winds were always light to moderate, and best of all were the generally pleasant temperatures. We never had to endure anything close to 90 degrees, as the afternoon highs never reached much above 80 (the high in Wright Co was only in the mid-70s), although It may have been

a bit too humid in Rice and Goodhue-Wabasha.

While birding in mid- to late summer tends to be relatively quiet in Minnesota, our composite list of 122 species over these four days was quite respectable – possibly even impressive. The counties involved are, after all, not generally considered as anything special for birding in July-August, and these MBWednesdays were designed to maintain an informal and casual pace. Still, we managed to find Common Gallinules in two counties, a decent selection of shorebirds (4 American Avocets included!) in counties not known for their mudflats, a staked-out Tricolored Heron (it’s only Accidental in MN), a pioneering Common Raven at the edge of its expanding range, plus such SE specialties as Acadian Flycatcher and Prothonotary Warbler.

Since this initial trial run with MBWednesdays went so well this summer, four more are scheduled in September-October to see what we can find in Duluth and the North Shore – Minnesota’s premier birding area during fall migration.

Composite Bird List (122 species)

• Wr = Wright Co, July 13 (79 species, incl 2 in Sherburne Co)

• S = Sibley Co, July 27 (99 species)

• R = Rice Co, Aug 10 (74 species, incl 10 in Blue Earth Co)

• GW = Goodhue & Wabasha Co’s, Aug 17 (76 species)

Canada Goose Wr S R GW

Trumpeter Swan Wr S R GW

Wood Duck Wr S R GW

Blue-winged Teal S R

Mallard Wr S R GW

Northern Pintail S

Redhead S

Ring-necked Duck Wr

Hooded Merganser S

Ruddy Duck S

Wild Turkey S R

Pied-billed Grebe Wr S GW

Red-necked Grebe S

Rock Pigeon Wr S R GW

Eurasian Collared-Dove Wr S

Mourning Dove Wr S R GW

Yellow-billed Cuckoo GW (heard-only)

Chimney Swift Wr S R

Ruby-throated Hummingbird S R GW

Virginia Rail Wr S GW

Sora S

Common Gallinule S (3 ad + 2 juv at Sand Lake); GW (heard at Dorer Pools,

Wabasha Co)

American Coot Wr S

Sandhill Crane Wr S R GW

American Avocet GW (4 in backwaters above Lock & Dam 4, Wabasha Co)

Killdeer Wr S R

Least Sandpiper S R GW

Pectoral Sandpiper S R

Semipalmated Sandpiper R GW

Short-billed Dowitcher R

dowitcher, sp. GW

Spotted Sandpiper Wr S R GW

Solitary Sandpiper S R GW

Lesser Yellowlegs S R GW

Greater Yellowlegs S

Franklin’s Gull S

Ring-billed Gull Wr S R GW

Caspian Tern Wr GW

Black Tern Wr S GW

Common Loon Wr R

Double-crested Cormorant Wr S R GW

American White Pelican Wr S R GW

Great Blue Heron Wr S R GW

Great Egret Wr S R

Tricolored Heron R (stake-out at Watonwan WPA, Blue Earth Co)

Green Heron Wr S R

Turkey Vulture Wr S R GW

Osprey R

Cooper’s Hawk Wr S

Bald Eagle Wr S R GW

Red-tailed Hawk Wr S R GW

Barred Owl S (heard-only)

Belted Kingfisher Wr S R GW

Red-bellied Woodpecker Wr S R GW

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker S R

Downy Woodpecker Wr S R GW

Hairy Woodpecker S R GW

Northern Flicker Wr S R GW

Pileated Woodpecker Wr GW

American Kestrel Wr S GW

Peregrine Falcon GW (leader-only in Red Wing, Goodhue Co)

Great Crested Flycatcher Wr S R GW

Eastern Kingbird Wr S R GW

Eastern Wood-Pewee Wr S R GW

Acadian Flycatcher R (Cannon River Wilderness East)

Willow Flycatcher R

Eastern Phoebe Wr S GW

Yellow-throated Vireo S GW

Warbling Vireo Wr S GW

Red-eyed Vireo Wr S R GW

Blue Jay Wr S R GW

American Crow Wr S R GW

Common Raven Wr (heard-only in Sherburne Co near Elk River; not far from

known sites in NW Hennepin Co)

Black-capped Chickadee Wr S R GW

Horned Lark Wr

Bank Swallow Wr S GW

Tree Swallow Wr S R GW

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Wr S GW

Purple Martin Wr S GW

Barn Swallow Wr S R GW

Cliff Swallow Wr S R GW

Cedar Waxwing Wr S R GW

White-breasted Nuthatch Wr S R GW

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher GW

House Wren Wr S R GW

Sedge Wren Wr S R

Marsh Wren Wr S

Gray Catbird Wr S R GW

European Starling Wr S R GW

Eastern Bluebird Wr S R

American Robin Wr S R GW

House Sparrow Wr S R GW

House Finch Wr S

American Goldfinch Wr S R GW

Grasshopper Sparrow S R

Lark Sparrow S (Sand Prairie Road)

Chipping Sparrow Wr S GW

Clay-colored Sparrow Wr S R

Field Sparrow S GW

Vesper Sparrow S

Savannah Sparrow S

Song Sparrow Wr S R GW

Swamp Sparrow Wr S R GW

Yellow-headed Blackbird Wr S

Bobolink S R

Eastern Meadowlark R

Orchard Oriole S

Baltimore Oriole Wr R GW

Red-winged Blackbird Wr S GW

Brown-headed Cowbird Wr S

Common Grackle Wr S GW

Prothonotary Warbler GW (seen by some at Sand Point, Goodhue Co)

Nashville Warbler R

Common Yellowthroat Wr S R GW

American Redstart Wr R GW

Yellow Warbler Wr S R GW

Chestnut-sided Warbler GW

Scarlet Tanager S R

Northern Cardinal Wr S R GW

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Wr S GW

Indigo Bunting Wr S R GW

Dickcissel Wr S R

See the summary of the 2022 MBWednesdays

following the 2024 summary

__________

Summer 2024 MBWednesdays Summary

It could be said that the highlight of this summer’s MBWednesdays was meteorological rather than ornithological. After all, all 4 of them took place with near-perfect conditions. The highs on each day only reached the 70s (it can easily be in the 80s or 90s with uncomfortably high humidity here in summer), light winds prevailed on all four (windy days have slowed down many MBWs), and there was essentially no precipitation (and it had been raining a lot this summer). Note as well that, except for part the afternoon in Isanti, even the mosquitoes weren’t much of a problem.

Combining all four Wednesdays, our composite total came to a respectable (or was it impressive?) 142 species. The only other time we did a program of summer Wednesdays was in 2022, when we came up with 122 species in 4 other counties near the Twin Cities. Three of that summer’s MBWs had species totals in the 70s (the other one had 99); this summer we were more consistent and did better on average, with all 4 Wednesdays recording between 85 and 95 species.

Some of the highlights... In Chisago, Deb Fellows and Rose Shea went ahead with the day’s birding without me and ably hosted the group when I was not feeling well; local MBW veteran Darcy Pinotti provided some birding tips to Deb & Rose, and they had 9 species not found on any of the 3 later MBWs. Two weeks later in McLeod, we found no fewer than 11 shorebird species (out of the 13 on our summer’s composite list), and we were joined for part of the day by a reporter and cameraman from KMSP-TV who produced a nicely done feature on MBWs the following Sunday. On our Wednesday in Le Sueur, we unexpectedly flushed a group of Lark Sparrows along a back road, saw a Pine Siskin near some feeders shortly after, and found a Purple Finch at lunch on the Sibley County side of the river. And our final MBW in Isanti came up with up with a decidedly impressive list of 16 warbler species (including Golden-winged, Cape May, Blackburnian, Palm, and Canada) – note that a Pine had been seen in Chisago, the only warbler on our composite list not found in Isanti’s MBW.

Bird List

– C = Chisago County, July 10

(85 species / 6 participants without “Proper Adult Supervision” – KRE was absent)

– M = McLeod County, July 24

(95 species / 8 participants)

– L = Le Sueur County, August 7

(88 species / 11 participants)

– I = Isanti County, August 21

(94 species / 10 participants)

Canada Goose C M L I

Trumpeter Swan C M L I

Wood Duck C M L I

Blue-winged Teal M L I

Northern Shoveler M

Gadwall M

Mallard C M L I

Redhead M

Hooded Merganser C M L

Ruddy Duck M

Wild Turkey C M L

Ring-necked Pheasant C M L I

Pied-billed Grebe M I

Red-necked Grebe M

Rock Pigeon C M L I

Eurasian Collared-Dove M L I

Mourning Dove C M L I

Common Nighthawk M

Chimney Swift C M L I

Ruby-throated Hummingbird C L I

Virginia Rail M

Sora C M

American Coot M

Sandhill Crane M L I

Killdeer C M L I

Semipalmated Plover M

Baird’s Sandpiper I

Least Sandpiper M L I

Pectoral Sandpiper M L

Semipalmated Sandpiper M L I

Short-billed Dowitcher M

American Woodcock I

Wilson’s Snipe M I

Spotted Sandpiper C M L I

Solitary Sandpiper M L

Lesser Yellowlegs M L

Greater Yellowlegs M

Franklin’s Gull M

Ring-billed Gull C M L I

Black Tern C M I

Common Loon I

Double-crested Cormorant M L I

American White Pelican M L I

Great Blue Heron C M L I

Great Egret M L I

Green Heron C M L I

Turkey Vulture C M L I

Osprey C L I

Northern Harrier C M

Cooper’s Hawk C M L I

Bald Eagle C M L I

Broad-winged Hawk C

Red-tailed Hawk C M L I

Barred Owl L I

Belted Kingfisher C M L I

Red-headed Woodpecker C

Red-bellied Woodpecker C M L I

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker C L

Downy Woodpecker C M L I

Hairy Woodpecker C M L I

Northern Flicker C M L I

Pileated Woodpecker L I

American Kestrel C M L I

Great Crested Flycatcher C L I

Eastern Kingbird C M L I

Eastern Wood-Pewee C M L I

Alder Flycatcher I

Willow Flycatcher M

Least Flycatcher L I

Eastern Phoebe C M L I

Yellow-throated Vireo C L

Warbling Vireo C M L

Red-eyed Vireo C M L I

Blue Jay C M L I

American Crow C M L I

Black-capped Chickadee C M L I

Horned Lark M

Bank Swallow M L I

Tree Swallow C M L I

N. Rough-winged Swallow L

Purple Martin M L

Barn Swallow C M L I

Cliff Swallow M L I

Cedar Waxwing C M L I

Red-breasted Nuthatch C I

White-breasted Nuthatch C M L I

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher C L I

House Wren C M L I

Sedge Wren C M L

Marsh Wren C M

Gray Catbird C M L I

Brown Thrasher C

European Starling C M L I

Eastern Bluebird C L I

Veery C

Wood Thrush C

American Robin C M L I

House Sparrow C M L I

House Finch M L I

Purple Finch L

Pine Siskin L

American Goldfinch C M L I

Grasshopper Sparrow C

Lark Sparrow L

Chipping Sparrow C M L I

Clay-colored Sparrow C M

Field Sparrow C L

White-throated Sparrow I

Savannah Sparrow C M

Song Sparrow C M L I

Swamp Sparrow M L I

Eastern Towhee C L

Yellow-headed Blackbird M

Bobolink C

Eastern Meadowlark C

Orchard Oriole M

Baltimore Oriole C M L I

Red-winged Blackbird C M L I

Brown-headed Cowbird C M

Common Grackle C M L I

Ovenbird C I

Golden-winged Warbler I

Black-and-white Warbler C I

Tennessee Warbler I

Nashville Warbler I

Common Yellowthroat C M L I

American Redstart C L I

Cape May Warbler I

Northern Parula I

Blackburnian Warbler I

Yellow Warbler C L I

Chestnut-sided Warbler I

Palm Warbler I

Pine Warbler C

Yellow-rumped Warbler I

Black-throated Green Warbler I

Canada Warbler I

Scarlet Tanager C L I

Northern Cardinal C M L I

Rose-breasted Grosbeak C M I

Indigo Bunting C M L I

Dickcissel C M L

... Plus a bonus Isanti County summary!

(by John Quinn, with minor edits by KRE) ...

Most of us remembered our misspent youth when Michael Sack, without slowing down, swept into the parking lot in his sporty black coupe. Late. “Oh, Kim always dilly-dallies anyway. He never leaves on time.”

A huge burnt orange sunrise blessed our departure from Isanti toward Irving and John Anderson County Park. Groups of Greater Sandhill Cranes populated the fields as we drove by. Immature birds hung around their parents, anticipating their first migration.

These miscellaneous MBWednesday counties might seem unworthy of attention for hardcore birders, but my overall impression, despite the regular appearance of certain political signs, is that the parks we visited were excellent ecological niches in the Anoka Sand Plain. Anderson Park is a great story of dedicated volunteers supported by several institutions you probably support with donations and tax dollars. I followed the rabbit-hole of Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota and was amazed at how important they are to our parks and natural areas. Keep up the good work! Vote! https://www.parksandtrails.org/portfolio/isanti-county-john-and-irving-anderson-park.

We started slowly, but the Blackburnian Warbler foretold the possibilities for the day. The splotchy yellow-red Scarlet Tanager is a reminder that fall birds require extra effort to identify. The immature Barred Owl was first heard hissing and complaining about our presence and then seen by all. The park has an amazing selection of ecological gems – marshes, lakes, meadows, and woods. I would recommend several trips at all times of the year. With such a varied habitat it should be possible to plump up your County List in short order. Non-lister Kim’s Isanti List remains a multiple of its original – i.e., zero. Mine started there.

We returned to the town of Isanti to visit the Wastewater Treatment Facility – not Sewage Ponds (right you are, George Vania!). Isanti is technically Izatys, by the way: see https://genealogytrails.com/minn/isanti/history_naming.html. We had fair success, finding Least, Semipalmated, Baird’s, and Spotted Sandpipers. Swallows were present along with Wilson’s Snipe and other birds. Returning to the cars, Kim stopped to deploy the Agitator 5000 in a row of trees between the soccer fields and the WTP. Cedar Waxwings were chasing a hatch of insects. Other birds were in on the action. That’s when our ego ballooned to aspire to see 20 warblers in one day [we finished with 16 –KRE]. Or at least beating the other MBWednesday counts. The Palm Warbler was another challenging fall migrant, but Kim’s expert eye did not need a bobbing tail to confirm.

The rest of the parks and stops were interesting if unremarkable except for their topography. Lunch was at Wayside Prairie Park–Poor Fen (look that up), and Brad found a Canada Warbler. We picked up Ovenbird and several other warblers. On a roll! We stopped at the Rum River Boat Launch and were rewarded with Golden-winged Warblers.

By late afternoon it was time to return to “Izatys” to begin our journey home. Brad and I decided to postpone the Twin Cities traffic headache and returned to the Isanti WTP. No additional shorebirds, but we did close the day with a Gray-blue Gnatcatcher.

Total Isanti County List for JQ = 76 – by doing exactly as his sticker awarded earlier for Junior Tour Leader required – showing up to ruin it for Kim. I showed him!

Reptiles: toad, green tree frog (in the porta potty at Wayside Prairie Park–Poor Fen) and several leopard frogs. Which I like to interpret as a sign of park health. Mammals: I only remember “gophers”, red squirrels, and chipmunks scolding us on the trails.

* * *