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ROTHSAY WMA MBWEEKEND SUMMARY – April 27 - 28, 2013
Without question, that cooperative male Smith's Longspur posing nicely for all to see along Wilkin CR 15 on Saturday afternoon had to be the single best bird of this MBW, but it's equally obvious that this weekend's list of highlights included much more than that! For one thing, consider the overwhelming and countless number of northbound swans, geese, and other waterfowl that filled the skies on Saturday morning as we birded our way around NE Wilkin County.
And, as impressive as those flocks were, it was interesting that hardly any were on the move on Saturday afternoon or on Sunday. It seemed the migrant raptors took over then, as we found no fewer 13 species during the weekend, including at least 4 Peregrines. Of note as well were our 11 shorebird species, highlighted by the Willet, Solitary, Baird's, and Least sandpipers along CR 112 en route to Otter Tail Prairie.
It was also memorable that so many Greater Scaup were present, since this species is generally rare or absent in the shallow wetlands of the prairie pothole region. Another curiosity was the number of Horned Grebes passing through, especially considering that we found no Eared Grebes, Similarly, why did we find more Bonaparte's Gulls than Franklin's? Those 3 Gray Partridges along the road just west of Rothsay was another surprise – I'll have to look up when's the last time we recorded this elusive species on a MBW, since it's longer than I can remember.
We recorded two more highlights after most of you had departed for home on Sunday. On the way up to Becker County to look for ibis, there were 2 Cattle Egrets quite unexpectedly standing around by the grain elevators in Wendell, and four of us finally found the species which had eluded us all weekend – those 2 stake-out White-faced Ibis north of Detroit Lakes were still waiting for us as we arrived. So we finished up the MBW with 123 species, a pretty impressive total considering that the spring migration for passerines has been delayed and we recorded relatively few woods birds on our list.
I thank Charles Smith for being able to join us, making a special trip all the way from Toronto via Saskatchewan just to attend his first MBW! And I thank all of you for coming along as well on our first complete MBWeekend of the 2013 season, after the March MBW in SW Minnesota was semi-cancelled by – you guessed it! – the weather. (I especially appreciate your pretending that I was able to hear booming prairie-chickens and a rattling longspur better than the rest of you, despite my aging ears and other deteriorating body parts!)
BIRD LIST
W = seen in Wilkin County (all seen April 27)
O = seen in Otter Tail County (mostly seen April 28)
Greater White-fronted Goose W (by the 1000s; also seen in Grant Co)
Snow Goose W (ditto)
Ross's Goose W (several, probably 100+ mixed in with the Snows; also in Grant)
Cackling Goose W (why so few?)
Canada Goose WO
Tundra Swan WO (maybe 10,000-plus!?)
Wood Duck WO
Gadwall WO
American Wigeon WO
Mallard WO
Blue-winged Teal WO
Northern Shoveler WO
Northern Pintail WO
Green-winged Teal WO
Canvasback WO
Redhead WO
Ring-necked Duck WO
Greater Scaup WO (many more than usual)
Lesser Scaup WO
Bufflehead WO
Common Goldeneye WO
Hooded Merganser WO
Common Merganser O
Red-breasted Merganser O
Ruddy Duck WO
Gray Partridge W (a nice, overdue surprise near Rothsay)
Ring-necked Pheasant WO
Greater Prairie-Chicken WO (displaying males heard more than seen)
Wild Turkey WO
Common Loon (only seen in Grant Co)
Pied-billed Grebe WO
Horned Grebe WO (but no Eareds)
Red-necked Grebe WO (also in Grant Co)
Western Grebe O (ditto)
Double-crested Cormorant WO
American White Pelican WO
American Bittern (with the ibis in Becker Co)
Great Blue Heron WO
Great Egret O
Cattle Egret (2 by the Wendall, Grant Co grain elevators en route to Becker Co)
White-faced Ibis (a few of us saw the 2 Becker Co stake-outs)
Turkey Vulture WO
Osprey WO
Bald Eagle WO
Northern Harrier WO
Sharp-shinned Hawk WO
Cooper's Hawk O
Broad-winged Hawk W
Swainson's Hawk WO
Red-tailed Hawk WO
Rough-legged Hawk WO (several)
American Kestrel WO
Merlin WO
Peregrine Falcon WO (at least 4, incl 1 in Grant Co)
American Coot WO
Sandhill Crane W
Killdeer WO
Spotted Sandpiper O
Solitary Sandpiper O
Greater Yellowlegs WO
Willet O (the highlight along CR 112)
Lesser Yellowlegs WO
Marbled Godwit WO
Least Sandpiper O
Baird's Sandpiper WO
Pectoral Sandpiper W
Wilson's Snipe WO
Bonaparte's Gull WO they outnumbered Franklin's)
Franklin's Gull WO
Ring-billed Gull WO
Herring Gull O (1 immature)
Forster's Tern O
Rock Pigeon WO
Eurasian Collared-Dove W (Rothsay; also in Wendell, Grant Co)
Mourning Dove WO
Great Horned Owl O
Belted Kingfisher O
Downy Woodpecker WO
Hairy Woodpecker O
Northern Flicker WO
Pileated Woodpecker O
Eastern Phoebe WO
Blue Jay W
American Crow WO
Horned Lark WO
Purple Martin O
Tree Swallow WO
Northern Rough-winged Swallow O
Cliff Swallow O
Barn Swallow WO
Black-capped Chickadee O
Ruby-crowned Kinglet O
Eastern Bluebird O
Hermit Thrush O
American Robin WO
Brown Thrasher O
European Starling WO
American Pipit W (grazing a burned field near the Smith's site)
Lapland Longspur W (overhead migrants)
Smith's Longspur W (amazingly cooperative and visible)
Orange-crowned Warbler O
Yellow-rumped Warbler O (only 5-6 of them)
American Tree Sparrow WO
Chipping Sparrow WO
Field Sparrow O
Vesper Sparrow WO
Savannah Sparrow WO
Fox Sparrow W
Song Sparrow WO
Swamp Sparrow W
White-throated Sparrow O
Dark-eyed Junco WO (why so few juncos and other sparrows?)
Red-winged Blackbird WO
Western Meadowlark WO
Yellow-headed Blackbird WO
Rusty Blackbird W
Brewer's Blackbird WO
Common Grackle WO
Brown-headed Cowbird WO
Purple Finch O
House Finch WO
Common Redpoll W (still migrating through the prairie)
House Sparrow WO
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GRANT pre-MBW & ROTHSAY MBW SUMMARY
April 21 - 22 - 23, 2017
Summary by Craig Mandel (with minor edits by KRE)
The North Ottawa Impoundment in Grant County proved to be the most productive location on the trip, with a large variety of waterfowl and shorebirds there to study. In addition, the Greater Prairie-Chickens were much easier to hear and see there than at Rothsay WMA. The Western Grebes we relocated on there on Sunday were also fun to see, as were the Sanderling and Willet found that day. American Golden Plovers were also observed in a number of locations.
In Otter Tail County, we made an evening visit to Adams Park each evening to observe the Great Egret rookery on Grotto Lake and the Black-crowned Night-Herons that were nesting in the spruce trees [AKA pine trees? -KRE] over the picnic shelter. We also were able to see a Great Horned Owl in a nearby woods.
My thanks to all who came on this MBW, especially those who drove during the weekend, and to Nancy for her tips on the herons and owl in Fergus Falls. -Craig
Composite Bird List (105 species)
G = Grant County (April 21, 23)
T = Traverse County (April 21)
O = Otter Tail County (April 21, 22, 23)
W = Wilkin County (April 22)
Canada Goose GTOW
Trumpeter Swan GW
Wood Duck GTOW
Gadwall GW
American Wigeon GW
Mallard GTOW
Blue-winged Teal GTOW
Northern Shoveler GTOW
Northern Pintail GW
Green-winged Teal GTOW
Canvasback GOW
Redhead GOW
Ring-necked Duck GOW
Greater Scaup G
Lesser Scaup GW
Bufflehead GOW
Hooded Merganser GO
Common Merganser G
Ruddy Duck GW
Ring-necked Pheasant GOW
Greater Prairie-Chicken GW
Wild Turkey W
Pied-billed Grebe GW
Horned Grebe GW
Western Grebe G
Rock Pigeon GOW
Eurasian Collared-Dove GW
Mourning Dove GOW
Sora W
American Coot GOW
Sandhill Crane W
American Golden-Plover GTW
Killdeer GTOW
Marbled Godwit GW
Sanderling G
Least Sandpiper G
Pectoral Sandpiper GW
Long-billed Dowitcher G
Wilson's Snipe GW
Greater Yellowlegs GW
Willet G
Lesser Yellowlegs GW
Bonaparte's Gull GW
Franklin's Gull GW
Ring-billed Gull GTOW
Herring Gull GT
Common Loon G
Double-crested Cormorant GTOW
American White Pelican GOW
American Bittern GW
Great Blue Heron GO
Great Egret GOW
Black-crowned Night-Heron O
Turkey Vulture GO
Osprey O
Bald Eagle GOW
Northern Harrier GOW
Sharp-shinned Hawk GW
Cooper's Hawk W
Broad-winged Hawk W
Red-tailed Hawk GOW
Great Horned Owl GO
Belted Kingfisher GO
Red-bellied Woodpecker GW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker W
Downy Woodpecker GOW
Hairy Woodpecker G
Northern Flicker GOW
Pileated Woodpecker G
American Kestrel GW
Eastern Phoebe GOW
Blue Jay GW
American Crow GOW
Horned Lark GW
Tree Swallow GOW
Northern Rough-winged Swallow G
Barn Swallow GTW
Black-capped Chickadee GW
White-breasted Nuthatch OW
Brown Creeper W
House Wren G
Ruby-crowned Kinglet GOW
Eastern Bluebird GOW
Hermit Thrush GO
American Robin GTOW
Brown Thrasher GW
European Starling GW
House Sparrow GOW
House Finch GOW
Purple Finch O
Orange-crowned Warbler GW
Yellow-rumped Warbler GOW
Chipping Sparrow GOW
Clay-colored Sparrow G
Vesper Sparrow GTW
Savannah Sparrow GW
Song Sparrow GOW
Swamp Sparrow GW
White-throated Sparrow GOW
Dark-eyed Junco GOW
Red-winged Blackbird GTOW
Western Meadowlark GTW
Yellow-headed Blackbird GTOW
Common Grackle GOW
Brown-headed Cowbird GTOW
Also see the 2017 and 2013 MBW summaries
following the summary of the 2019 MBWeekend
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Grant Co - Rothsay WMA Summary
April 19-20-21, 2019
Given that this MBWeekend was in western Minnesota in April, when windy days are typical, cold temperatures often persist, snowstorms are not unusual...well, we shouldn’t complain too much about the weather. True, those high winds really impacted our birding efforts on Saturday morning and Sunday, but it was basically pleasant all day on Friday, Saturday afternoon (in the low 70s), and Saturday evening, rainfall was almost non-existent, and we were never snowed on.
In all, then, we compiled a respectable list of 113 species during our 2 1/2 days. Our highlights on Friday’s pre-MBW, which was mostly in Grant County (plus some in Otter Tail Co and a bit on the Traverse Co side of North Ottawa impoundment), included a lingering group of Tundra Swans, Horned Grebes at two spots, a few fly-by Sandhill Cranes (we eventually saw cranes in all three counties), a couple of early Forster’s Terns, a late Rough-legged Hawk, plus a wide variety of ducks (18 species) in the numerous flooded fields and other wetlands we encountered.
Saturday’s highlights (mostly in Wilkin Coounty) featured territorial Marbled Godwits and distant prairie-chickens at Rothsay WMA (our views of another lek in the evening were somewhat better), an American Bittern en route to Breckenridge, at least 4 Swainson’s Hawks, a modest but surprising kettle of buteos (including Broad-wingeds and a Swainson’s) riding a thermal over Breckenridge, and a nice total of 10 shorebird species – with most of these at the Breckenridge sewage ponds, including 2 unexpected Dunlins.
And on Sunday morning, all in Otter Tail County, we began with a copulating pair of pale richardsoni Merlins in Ferg (the males of this race are a soft powder blue), a nice variety of passerines (including a singling Winter Wren) at Oak Grove Cemetery, and Palm and Orange-crowned warblers below the dam at Orwell WMA feasting with Yellow-rumpeds and Tree Swallows on a recent insect hatch.
Bird List
Fri = found on April 19 pre-MBW, mostly Grant County (also Otter Tail, Traverse)
Sat = found on April 20, mostly Wilkin County (also Otter Tail)
Sun = found on April 21, Otter Tail County
Snow Goose Fri
Canada Goose Fri, Sat, Sun
Trumpeter Swan Fri, Sat, Sun
Tundra Swan Fri
Wood Duck Fri, Sun
Blue-winged Teal Fri, Sat, Sun
Northern Shoveler Fri, Sat, Sun
Gadwall Fri, Sat, Sun
American Wigeon Fri, Sat
Mallard Fri, Sat, Sun
Northern Pintail Fri, Sat, Sun
Green-winged Teal Fri, Sat, Sun
Canvasback Fri, Sat, Sun
Redhead Fri, Sat
Ring-necked Duck Fri, Sat, Sun
Lesser Scaup Fri, Sat, Sun
Bufflehead Fri, Sat, Sun
Common Goldeneye Fri
Hooded Merganser Fri, Sat
Common Merganser Fri
Red-breasted Merganser Fri
Ruddy Duck Fri
Ring-necked Pheasant Fri, Sat, Sun
Greater Prairie-Chicken Sat
Wild Turkey Fri, Sat, Sun
Pied-billed Grebe Fri, Sat, Sun
Horned Grebe Fri
Rock Pigeon Fri, Sat, Sun
Eurasian Collared-Dove Fri, Sat
Mourning Dove Fri, Sat, Sun
American Coot Fri, Sat, Sun
Sandhill Crane Fri, Sat, Sun
Killdeer Fri, Sat, Sun
Marbled Godwit Sat
Dunlin Sat
Baird’s Sandpiper Sat
Pectoral Sandpiper Sat
American Woodcock Sat
Wilson’s Snipe Fri, Sat
Solitary Sandpiper Sat
Lesser Yellowlegs Fri, Sat
Greater Yellowlegs Fri, Sat
Bonaparte’s Gull Fri, Sun
Ring-billed Gull Fri, Sat, Sun
Herring Gull Fri
Forster’s Tern Fri
Common Loon Fri, Sun
Double-crested Cormorant Fri, Sat, Sun
American White Pelican Fri, Sat, Sun
American Bittern Sat
Great Blue Heron Fri, Sat, Sun
Great Egret Fri, Sat, Sun
Black-crowned Night-Heron Fri
Turkey Vulture Fri, Sat
Northern Harrier Fri, Sat, Sun
Sharp-shinned Hawk Fri, Sun
Cooper’s Hawk Fri, Sun
Bald Eagle Fri, Sat, Sun
Broad-winged Hawk Sat
Swainson’s Hawk Sat
Red-tailed Hawk Fri, Sat, Sun
Rough-legged Hawk Fri
Great Horned Owl Sun
Belted Kingfisher Fri, Sat, Sun
Red-bellied Woodpecker Sun
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Fri, Sun
Downy Woodpecker Fri, Sat, Sun
Hairy Woodpecker Sat
Northern Flicker Fri, Sat, Sun
Pileated Woodpecker Sat, Sun
American Kestrel Fri, Sat
Merlin Sun
Eastern Phoebe Fri, Sat, Sun
Blue Jay Fri, Sat, Sun
American Crow Fri, Sat, Sun
Horned Lark Fri, Sat, Sun
Tree Swallow Fri, Sat, Sun
Barn Swallow Sat
Black-capped Chickadee Fri, Sat, Sun
White-breasted Nuthatch Fri, Sat, Sun
Brown Creeper Fri, Sun
Winter Wren Sun
Golden-crowned Kinglet Sun
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Fri, Sat, Sun
Eastern Bluebird Fri, Sun
Hermit Thrush Fri, Sat
American Robin Fri, Sat, Sun
Brown Thrasher Sat, Sun
European Starling Fri, Sat, Sun
Cedar Waxwing Fri, Sun
House Sparrow Fri, Sat, Sun
House Finch Fri, Sat, Sun
Purple Finch Fri, Sun
Pine Siskin Sun
American Tree Sparrow Fri, Sat
Chipping Sparrow Fri, Sat, Sun
Vesper Sparrow Fri, Sat
Savannah Sparrow Fri, Sat
Fox Sparrow Fri, Sun
Song Sparrow Fri, Sat, Sun
White-throated Sparrow Fri, Sun
Dark-eyed Junco Fri, Sat, Sun
Yellow-headed Blackbird Fri, Sat, Sun
Western Meadowlark Fri, Sat
Red-winged Blackbird Fri, Sat, Sun
Brown-headed Cowbird Fri, Sat, Sun
Rusty Blackbird Fri, Sat
Brewer’s Blackbird Sat, Sun
Common Grackle Fri, Sat, Sun
Orange-crowned Warbler Sun
Palm Warbler Sun
Yellow-rumped Warbler Fri, Sat, Sun
Northern Cardinal Sun