I suppose the one constructive thing you could say about unfavorable weather is that it provides Your Spineless, Wishy-Washy Tour Leader with an excuse when birds don’t perform as planned. I’d have to say, then, that the cold front and accompanying rain showers on Monday must have had something to do with only a few of you being able to briefly hear that invisible Yellow-throated Warbler, and with none of us even hearing a Bell’s Vireo at the “usual spot”. But I’d be at a loss to blame the weather for anything on the three previous days when we had decent temperatures, not much wind, and not really any rain. So, I still can’t explain why that singing Henslow’s Sparrow would only provide us with the briefest of flying-way looks, and I have no idea what that silent Eastern Whip-poor-will was doing while giving a few of us a mere fly-by glimpse of something going from one dirt field to another – and I still say it could have been a Jungle Nightjar! (At least we heard three whip-poor-wills later a few miles away.)
These few setbacks aside, this MBW provided us with a much longer list of successes, as we eventually came up with 136 species in all from Friday to Monday. Friday’s pre-MBW list in Fillmore Co. included 101 species, even though we covered just a small part of the county in the Spring Valley area. I suppose we could have seen more if we’d taken less than a 2 1/2 hour "lunch break” at Forestville State Park, which included a 2-mile hike that turned up 2 Acadian Flycatchers and a quite cooperative, vocal, and visible Winter Wren. Also found that day were an out-of-season (and apparently injured) Snow Goose, late-migrating Olive-sided Flycatchers (plus another the next day in Houston Co) and Philadelphia Vireo, and a surprising 13 warbler species – with 9 of these late migrants heading farther north.
The main MBW from Saturday to midday Monday, mostly in Houston Co, turned up 122 species and an even longer list of highlights. Sunday's Common Gallinule in La Crescent had to be the best of our finds, but noteworthy as well were a lost Am. Black Duck that should have been in northern MN, 2 Peregrine Falcons, a rufous-morph E. Screech-Owl seen by Craig’s group near Beaver Creek Valley State Park (BCVSP), at least 7 Acadian Flycatchers in and around BCVSP (for a grand total of 9), 2 Tufted Titmouse/Titmice/Titmouses (1 at BCVSP and 1 on Hillside Dr.), a pair of Louisiana Waterthrush next to our lunch spot at BCVSP (plus an elusive one wandering through a larger territory in the park), no fewer than 4 Cerulean Warblers (!: 1 at BCVSP and 3 along Hillside Dr. – this same MBW in recent years typically finds none), and Prothonotary Warblers at 3 places. The main MBW’s list included 6 new warblers we didn’t see on Friday, for an impressive overall total of 19 warbler species, 10 of these late-lingering migrants (in all, there were 14 migrant passerine species).
Bird List
F = Fillmore Co pre-MBW, May 26
H = Houston Co, May 27-28
W = Winona and/or Wabasha Co, May 29
Snow Goose F (migrant)
Canada Goose FHW
Trumpeter Swan FW
Wood Duck FHW
American Black Duck H (migrant?)
Mallard FHW
Blue-winged Teal FW
Northern Shoveler H
Lesser Scaup F (migrant)
Hooded Merganser H
Ring-necked Pheasant FH
Ruffed Grouse F (heard-only)
Wild Turkey FHW
Pied-billed Grebe FH
Rock Pigeon FHW
Eurasian Collared-Dove FW
Mourning Dove FHW
Yellow-billed Cuckoo FH
Common Nighthawk FH
Eastern Whip-poor-will H (mostly heard-only)
Chimney Swift FHW
Ruby-throated Hummingbird FHW
Virginia Rail FW
Sora H (heard-only)
Common Gallinule H
American Coot FW
Sandhill Crane FW
Killdeer FHW
Spotted Sandpiper H
Black Tern FW
Forster's Tern F
Double-crested Cormorant H
American White Pelican W
Great Blue Heron FW
Great Egret H
Green Heron FH
Turkey Vulture FHW
Bald Eagle FHW
Red-shouldered Hawk W
Red-tailed Hawk FHW
Eastern Screech-Owl H
Barred Owl FH
Belted Kingfisher FHW
Red-headed Woodpecker FH
Red-bellied Woodpecker FHW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FHW
Downy Woodpecker FHW
Hairy Woodpecker FHW
Northern Flicker FHW
Pileated Woodpecker FHW
American Kestrel FHW
Peregrine Falcon FW
Olive-sided Flycatcher FH (migrants)
Eastern Wood-Pewee FHW
Acadian Flycatcher FH
Alder Flycatcher F (migrant)
Willow Flycatcher FHW
Least Flycatcher FHW
Eastern Phoebe FHW
Great Crested Flycatcher FHW
Eastern Kingbird FHW
Yellow-throated Vireo FHW
Warbling Vireo FHW
Philadelphia Vireo F (migrant)
Red-eyed Vireo FHW
Blue Jay FHW
American Crow FHW
Horned Lark FW
Purple Martin FH
Tree Swallow FHW
Northern Rough-winged Swallow FHW
Bank Swallow FHW
Cliff Swallow FHW
Barn Swallow FHW
Black-capped Chickadee FHW
Tufted Titmouse H
White-breasted Nuthatch FHW
House Wren FHW
Winter Wren F
Sedge Wren H (heard-only)
Marsh Wren H
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher FHW
Eastern Bluebird FHW
Veery FH
Swainson's Thrush FH (migrants)
Wood Thrush FH
American Robin FHW
Gray Catbird FHW
Brown Thrasher FHW
European Starling FHW
Cedar Waxwing FHW
House Sparrow FHW
House Finch FHW
American Goldfinch FHW
Ovenbird H (heard-only; why so few?)
Louisiana Waterthrush H
Blue-winged Warbler FH
Black-and-white Warbler F (migrant)
Prothonotary Warbler H
Tennessee Warbler F (migrants)
Nashville Warbler H (migrant)
Mourning Warbler FH (migrant)
Common Yellowthroat FHW
American Redstart FHW
Cerulean Warbler H
Northern Parula FH (migrants)
Magnolia Warbler F (migrant)
Yellow Warbler FHW
Chestnut-sided Warbler F (migrant)
Blackpoll Warbler F (migrant)
Yellow-rumped Warbler F (migrants)
Yellow-throated Warbler W (heard-only by a few)
Wilson's Warbler FW (migrants)
Eastern Towhee FHW
Chipping Sparrow FHW
Clay-colored Sparrow F
Field Sparrow FHW
Vesper Sparrow H
Savannah Sparrow H
Grasshopper Sparrow FW
Henslow's Sparrow H (mostly heard-only)
Song Sparrow FHW
Swamp Sparrow FHW
Scarlet Tanager FHW
Northern Cardinal FHW
Rose-breasted Grosbeak FHW
Indigo Bunting FHW
Dickcissel FH
Bobolink FHW
Red-winged Blackbird FHW
Eastern Meadowlark FHW
Yellow-headed Blackbird FW
Common Grackle FHW
Brown-headed Cowbird FHW
Orchard Oriole FHW
Baltimore Oriole FHW
* * *
SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA MBW SUMMARY
(including Fillmore County pre-MBW)
May 24-25-26-27, 2013
Considering the relatively cold, dark, and rainy conditions we were faced with during much of this MBW, we actually did pretty well. After all, bird song is limited in this kind of weather, and the rains delayed us enough so that we did not spend as much time as I intended to in La Crescent, along the river on Highway 26, and at Whitewater WMA. It was especially rainy on Sunday from late morning on, and on Monday the rain gradually sent the MBWers home after we birded Whitewater State Park.
Still, we came up with 146 species in all during the 4 days, a quite respectable total since relatively few waterbirds were in the mix. Of course, the strong showing of warblers (27 species!) and other migrants lingering later than normal during this cold spring made this total possible. Among the highlights: Fillmore County's 23 warblers (mostly at Kappers ponds), Forestville State Park's Acadian Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrush, and both cuckoos along with an uncooperative titmouse almost simultaneously at Eagle Bluff; both cuckoos, two Acadian Flycatchers, and two more Louisianas on Saturday morning, plus a shy Henslow's Sparrow that afternoon; Sunday's Lark Sparrows and Cerulean Warbler despite the rain; and Whitewater State Park's obliging, staked-out Yellow-throated Warbler and relatively cooperative Louisiana Waterthrush on Monday.
Thanks to all of you for putting up with the weather, with special thanks to co-leader Craig for all his assistance (even though he so heartlessly abandoned us on Monday to see the Wilson's Plover in Duluth).
BIRD LIST = 146 species
seen on Fillmore Co pre-MBW = 118 species
seen on SE Minnesota MBW = 127 species
F = Fillmore Co, May 24 (incl a few by Craig et al, evening of May 23)
H = Houston Co, May 25-26
W = Winona/Wabasha Co, May 27 (partial list only)
Canada Goose FH
Trumpeter Swan H (pair west of Hokah)
Wood Duck FH
Mallard FH
Blue-winged Teal FH
Northern Shoveler H
Lesser Scaup FH
Common Goldeneye H (late migrants at Reno)
Hooded Merganser H
Ruddy Duck H (with the Trumpeters)
Ring-necked Pheasant FH (heard-only)
Ruffed Grouse FW (even seen at Eagle Bluff)
Wild Turkey FH
Pied-billed Grebe FH
Double-crested Cormorant H
American White Pelican H
Great Blue Heron FH
Great Egret HW
Green Heron FH
Turkey Vulture FH
Osprey F
Bald Eagle FHW
Red-shouldered Hawk F (fly-over at lunch seen by a few)
Red-tailed Hawk FH
American Kestrel FH
Peregrine Falcon W (Whitewater State Park)
Virginia Rail H (nice looks at the "King Rail" spot)
Sora FHW
American Coot FH
Sandhill Crane FHW (incl adults with babies – aw!)
Killdeer FH (ditto)
Spotted Sandpiper FH
Dunlin H (fly-over with unidentified shorebirds)
Wilson's Snipe H
American Woodcock FH (heard Thu, seen Sun evening)
Black Tern FHW
Rock Pigeon FH
Eurasian Collared-Dove F (Thu evening)
Mourning Dove FH
Yellow-billed Cuckoo FH (both cuckoos together at Eagle Bluff)
Black-billed Cuckoo FH (several heard, a few seen)
Great Horned Owl H (heard-only Sun evening)
Barred Owl F (heard-only Thu evening)
Common Nighthawk H
Eastern Whip-poor-will H (briefly heard-only Sun evening)
Chimney Swift FH
Ruby-throated Hummingbird FH
Belted Kingfisher FH
Red-headed Woodpecker H
Red-bellied Woodpecker FH
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FH
Downy Woodpecker FH
Hairy Woodpecker FH
Northern Flicker FH
Pileated Woodpecker FH
Olive-sided Flycatcher F (seen by those in the Schumacher vehicle)
Eastern Wood-Pewee FH
Acadian Flycatcher FH (Forestville, side road off Hwy 74, Beaver Creek Valley)
Alder Flycatcher FHW (late migrants)
Willow Flycatcher FHW
Least Flycatcher FH (why so few?)
Eastern Phoebe FH
Great Crested Flycatcher FH
Eastern Kingbird FH
Yellow-throated Vireo FH
Blue-headed Vireo F (only seen by a few)
Warbling Vireo FH
Philadelphia Vireo FHW (late migrants)
Red-eyed Vireo FH
Blue Jay FH
American Crow FH
Horned Lark FH
Purple Martin H
Tree Swallow FH
Northern Rough-winged Swallow FH
Bank Swallow FH
Cliff Swallow FH
Barn Swallow FH
Black-capped Chickadee FH
Tufted Titmouse F (briefly seen by a few at Eagle Bluff)
White-breasted Nuthatch FH
House Wren FH
Winter Wren H (even seen at Beaver Creek Valley)
Sedge Wren H (leader-only)
Marsh Wren HW
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher FH
Eastern Bluebird FHW
Veery FH
Wood Thrush FH (incl a nest at Braver Creek Valley)
American Robin FH
Gray Catbird FH
Brown Thrasher FH
European Starling FH
Cedar Waxwing FH
Ovenbird FH
Louisiana Waterthrush FHW (Forestville, Beaver Creek Valley, and Whitewater
state parks)
Northern Waterthrush F
Golden-winged Warbler H (near the Henslow's spot)
Blue-winged Warbler FHW
Black-and-white Warbler F
Prothonotary Warbler H (Shore Acres Rd and Millstone Landing)
Tennessee Warbler FHW (many still migrating)
Orange-crowned Warbler F (late)
Mourning Warbler FHW
Common Yellowthroat FH
American Redstart FH
Cape May Warbler F (Kappers' ponds)
Cerulean Warbler H (singing male on Hillside Rd)
Northern Parula F
Magnolia Warbler FH
Bay-breasted Warbler F
Blackburnian Warbler F (Good Earth Village)
Yellow Warbler FH
Chestnut-sided Warbler FHW
Blackpoll Warbler FH (several migrants, some singing)
Palm Warbler F (late)
Yellow-rumped Warbler F
Yellow-throated Warbler W (seen by all at Whitewater State Park)
Black-throated Green Warbler F
Canada Warbler FHW (several still migrating)
Wilson's Warbler FW (= 27 species!)
Eastern Towhee FH
Chipping Sparrow FH
Clay-colored Sparrow F
Field Sparrow FH
Lark Sparrow H (at the goat prairie SNA west of Hokah)
Savannah Sparrow FH
Henslow's Sparrow H (shy stake-out along CR 2)
Song Sparrow FH
Swamp Sparrow FH
Scarlet Tanager HW
Northern Cardinal FH
Rose-breasted Grosbeak FH
Indigo Bunting FH
Bobolink FH
Red-winged Blackbird FH
Eastern Meadowlark FH
Yellow-headed Blackbird HW
Common Grackle FH
Brown-headed Cowbird FH
Orchard Oriole FW (but none in Houston)
Baltimore Oriole FH
Purple Finch F (late at Eagle Bluff)
House Finch FH
American Goldfinch FH
House Sparrow FH
* * *
Fillmore pre-MBW & Southeastern Minn. MBW Summary
May 26-27-28-29, 2017
Also see the 2017 and 2013 MBW summaries
following the summary of the 2023 MBWeekend
__________
• 2023 Southeastern Minn. MBW Summary •
May 26 pre-MBW in Wabasha
May 27-28-29 main MBWeekend in Houston & Winona
Aside from a handful of late shorebirds (mostly due to a couple of flooded fields in Wabasha County), plus a couple of heard-only Alder Flycatchers (which often linger into June in southern MN), we found no spring migrants in our 3 1/2 days in this southeastern corner of the state. So I think it’s pretty respectable that we came up with a grand total of 128 species, including that Scissor-tailed Flycatcher which Craig and a few other MBWers saw up in Washington Co. on Monday afternoon.
[In case you’re wondering, a side trip to see something during a MBWeekend or on the way home from one is fair game for the MBW’s list – as long as it’s announced, and at least one leader and one participant are involved. Though the Scissor-tailed was not new for the all-time MBWeekends composite list, this is how we added Swainson’s Warbler (a detour from the Freeborn MBW day to Edina) and Eurasian Wigeon (a diversion to Rice Co. the next day en route home from the Mower MBW) to the all-time MBWeekends list – which now stands at 371 species.]
In addition to the Scissor-tailed, there were lots of highlights on this MBW. Starting on Friday, our best birds were the totally surprising Tufted Titmouse pair foraging in the backwaters of Lock & Dam 4, and almost as unexpected was the Loggerhead Shrike along Wabasha CR 84 as we entered the Kellogg-Weaver dunes region; this species is now virtually extirpated as a breeding bird in the state. We then heard at least 3 Bell’s Vireos in McCarthy Lake WMA & vicinity, one of which was about as cooperative and visible as this shy bird ever gets. (We also had 4 others the next day along the Walker Rd off Houston CR 21, for an amazing total of 7 individuals!) We finished up Friday on the Wabasha side of Whitewater WMA at the Dorer Pools with 3 heard-only but quite close Common Gallinules calling in the marshes.
Our most productive birding during the next two days in Houston County had to be along Hillside Road Saturday morning, considering that we relocated that Yellow-throated Warbler which has been present the last few years (it’s still ranked as only Casual on the MN list). We also found both Cerulean Warblers and Tufted Titmouse in 3 or 4 places on Hillside, and Rick heard an uncooperative Henslow’s Sparrow in a field along the road (but it quit singing before the group arrived at the spot). After leaving Hillside Rd., we had nice views of Prothonotary Warblers at ever-reliable Millstone Landing – we had seen it as well on Friday in Wabasha Co.
Our Sunday-morning hike in Beaver Creek Valley State Park was nearly as productive as our drive on Hillside Rd. Beside a couple more Tufted Titmouse/mouses/mice, a very obliging Acadian Flycatcher posed in front of us and sang repeatedly for several minutes (and we heard at least 2 others later). Then, after we almost gave up finding the Louisiana Waterthrush along its favorite section of the creek, Fran spotted it on the way back, and those still with us had almost-as-good-as-it ever-gets views when it finally flew into view and even sang from some exposed perches.
This summary is long enough already so no time now to explain how one of us managed to misidentify a roosting female cardinal for a whip-poor-will in the spotlight beam...
Bird List
• Wa = Wabasha Co., May 26
• H = Houston Co. May 27-28
• Wi = found in Winona Co. May 29
• species not annotated = found in all 3 counties
Canada Goose Wa H
Trumpeter Swan Wa H
Wood Duck Wa H
Gadwall H
Mallard Wa H
Ring-necked Duck H
Lesser Scaup Wa
Hooded Merganser H
Ruddy Duck Wa H
Wild Turkey Wa H
Ring-necked Pheasant Wa H
Pied-billed Grebe H
Rock Pigeon H Wi
Eurasian Collared-Dove H Wi
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo H Wi
Black-billed Cuckoo Wa
Common Nighthawk H
Eastern Whip-poor-will H Wi
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Wa H
Virginia Rail Wa H
Common Gallinule Wa
American Coot H
Sandhill Crane Wa H
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover Wa
Dunlin Wa
Least Sandpiper Wa
White-rumped Sandpiper Wa
Semipalmated Sandpiper Wa
Spotted Sandpiper Wa H
Solitary Sandpiper H
Ring-billed Gull Wa
Black Tern Wa H
Double-crested Cormorant Wa H
American White Pelican H
American Bittern H
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret H
Green Heron Wa H
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier Wa
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk Wa H
Barred Owl H Wi
Belted Kingfisher Wa H
Red-headed Woodpecker H Wi
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker Wa H
Pileated Woodpecker Wa H
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – post-MBW in Washington Co.
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher H
Alder Flycatcher Wa H
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher Wa
Eastern Phoebe H Wi
Bell’s Vireo Wa H
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Loggerhead Shrike Wa
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse Wa H
Horned Lark Wa
Bank Swallow Wa H
Tree Swallow Wa H
N. Rough-winged Swallow
Purple Martin Wa H
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Cedar Waxwing Wa H
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Sedge Wren H
Marsh Wren Wa H
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher Wa H
European Starling
Eastern Bluebird
Veery H
Wood Thrush H
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Grasshopper Sparrow Wa
Lark Sparrow Wa H
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow Wa
Field Sparrow
Henslow’s Sparrow H
Savannah Sparrow H
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow Wa H
Eastern Towhee
Yellow-headed Blackbird Wa H
Bobolink H
Eastern Meadowlark Wa H
Western Meadowlark Wa
Orchard Oriole Wa
Baltimore Oriole Wa H
Red-winged Blackbird Wa H
Brown-headed Cowbird Wa H
Common Grackle
Ovenbird H Wi
Louisiana Waterthrush H
Blue-winged Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler Wa H
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler H
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler H
Scarlet Tanager H Wi
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel H