Craig Mandel photo
It almost seems that Lazuli Buntings have been all over the place lately. Besides the one we found in Pipestone, there was another reported over the weekend at a rural feeder in Rock County between Edgerton and Hardwick, along with that continuing bird in Le Sueur County – and that makes at least six Lazulis that I’ve heard of in Minnesota this month. Still, I don’t think that diminishes the significance of the bird we found during our three-day MBW, as we came up with a surprising and grand total of 171 species ! (This includes the wet Eastern Screech-Owl we heard at Worthington’s Chautauqua Park shortly after we left Perkins.) And certainly we would have added a few more birds to the list if our plans on Monday hadn’t been washed away by that relentless rain.
Our MBW's composite total of 171 was grand, indeed, as I was surprised to find this surpassed any of our previous Memorial Day MBWs in SW Minnesota by at least 30 species. In fact, on Friday's pre-MBW alone we came up with no fewer than 142, which matched our previous best MBW total here in 2016 – and it took us three days to find that many then, not just one day this time. Our Jackson County day’s success was mostly due to the 21 warbler species grounded during that cold, wet morning, and we eventually finished with 22 species for the three-day MBW (adding a Golden-winged seen by some at Blue Mounds on Saturday). We also did fairly well with shorebirds as we came up with 18 species, with those flooded fields Brad discovered along CR 4 in Jackson County proving to be the best spot.
The quintessential specialty of SW Minnesota is the Blue Grosbeak, and we had our best looks and listens near the north end of the escarpment at Blue Mounds; later some had another farther south along the escarpment, and there was a third at Pipestone Nat’l Monument. Another specialty in this part of the state is the small population of Great-tailed Grackles in Jackson County, but we only managed a distant and brief look at one of these. And equally as memorable as these two specialties were all the Common Nighthawks we saw all three days, especially those at rest on seemingly every horizontal branch we looked at, and especially those actually calling as they perched – something I don’t ever recall witnessing before.
Other highlights included an out-of-season Greater White-fronted Goose at the flooded Jackson County shorebird field, an unexpected Great Scaup and our only Western Kingbird at the Pipestone sewage ponds, a serendipitous and cryptic pair of Gray Partridge en route to Pipestone (they practically disappeared after landing in the field), a family group of 4 Swainson’s Hawks at Touch the Sky Prairie, that group of at least 50 Eastern Kingbirds lining the fences at the Hills sewage ponds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in both Jackson and Rock counties where the species is rare, and an out-of place Lark Sparrow seen by all at the entrance to Blue Mounds.
Bird List
J = seen in Jackson County; mostly May 24 (plus briefly May 25)
R = seen in Rock County; mostly May 25 (plus briefly May 26)
P = seen in Pipestone County; May 26
Greater White-fronted Goose J
Canada Goose JRP
Trumpeter Swan J
Wood Duck JRP
Blue-winged Teal JRP
Northern Shoveler JP
Gadwall JP
Mallard JRP
Green-winged Teal J
Redhead P
Ring-necked Duck JP
Greater Scaup P
Lesser Scaup RP
Hooded Merganser P
Ruddy Duck JP
Gray Partridge R
Ring-necked Pheasant JRP
Wild Turkey JP
Pied-billed Grebe JRP
Red-necked Grebe J
Western Grebe P
Rock Pigeon JRP
Eurasian Collared-Dove JRP
Mourning Dove JRP
Black-billed Cuckoo R
Common Nighthawk JRP
Chimney Swift JRP
Ruby-throated Hummingbird JRP
Virginia Rail JP
Sora JP
American Coot JRP
Semipalmated Plover J (Brad only)
Killdeer JRP
Upland Sandpiper P
Ruddy Turnstone J
Dunlin J
Baird’s Sandpiper J
Least Sandpiper JR
White-rumped Sandpiper J
Pectoral Sandpiper J
Semipalmated Sandpiper JRP
Short-billed Dowitcher J (Brad only)
Wilson’s Snipe RP
Spotted Sandpiper JRP
Solitary Sandpiper J
Lesser Yellowlegs P
Greater Yellowlegs R
Wilson’s Phalarope JRP
Red-necked Phalarope RP
Ring-billed Gull JP
Caspian Tern J
Black Tern JRP
Forster’s Tern JP
Common Loon RP
Double-crested Cormorant JRP
American White Pelican JP
Great Blue Heron JRP
Green Heron RP
Black-crowned Night-Heron R
Turkey Vulture JRP
Northern Harrier RP
Sharp-shinned Hawk - Cottonwood Co only
Bald Eagle JRP
Broad-winged Hawk JRP
Swainson’s Hawk RP
Red-tailed Hawk JRP
Eastern Screech-Owl - Nobles Co (heard-only in the rain)
Great Horned Owl J
Belted Kingfisher JR
Red-headed Woodpecker JRP
Red-bellied Woodpecker JR
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker JRP
Downy Woodpecker JRP
Hairy Woodpecker JR
Northern Flicker JRP
Pileated Woodpecker J
American Kestrel RP
Great Crested Flycatcher JRP
Western Kingbird P
Eastern Kingbird JRP
Eastern Wood-Pewee JRP
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher JRP
Alder Flycatcher - Cottonwood Co only
Willow Flycatcher JRP
Least Flycatcher JRP
Eastern Phoebe JR
Yellow-throated Vireo JR
Blue-headed Vireo J
Philadelphia Vireo JR
Warbling Vireo JRP
Red-eyed Vireo JRP
Blue Jay JRP
American Crow JRP
Horned Lark R
Purple Martin JRP
Tree Swallow JRP
N. Rough-winged Swallow JRP
Bank Swallow JR
Cliff Swallow JRP
Barn Swallow JRP
Black-capped Chickadee JRP
Red-breasted Nuthatch JR
White-breasted Nuthatch JRP
House Wren JRP
Sedge Wren JRP
Marsh Wren JRP
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher JR
Ruby-crowned Kinglet J
Eastern Bluebird JRP
Veery J
Gray-cheeked Thrush J
Swainson’s Thrush JRP
Wood Thrush J
American Robin JRP
Gray Catbird JRP
Brown Thrasher JRP
European Starling JRP
Cedar Waxwing JRP
House Sparrow JRP
House Finch JRP
American Goldfinch JRP
Chipping Sparrow JRP
Clay-colored Sparrow JRP
Field Sparrow JRP
Vesper Sparrow JR
Lark Sparrow JR
Savannah Sparrow JRP
Grasshopper Sparrow RP
Song Sparrow JRP
Lincoln’s Sparrow J
Swamp Sparrow JRP
Harris’s Sparrow R
White-crowned Sparrow J
Yellow-headed Blackbird JRP
Bobolink JRP
Western Meadowlark JRP
Orchard Oriole JRP
Baltimore Oriole JRP
Red-winged Blackbird JRP
Brown-headed Cowbird JRP
Common Grackle JRP
Great-tailed Grackle J
Ovenbird JR
Northern Waterthrush J
Golden-winged Warbler R
Black-and-white Warbler JR
Tennessee Warbler JRP
Orange-crowned Warbler JR
Nashville Warbler JRP
Mourning Warbler JRP
Common Yellowthroat JRP
American Redstart JRP
Cape May Warbler J
Northern Parula J
Magnolia Warbler JRP
Bay-breasted Warbler J
Blackburnian Warbler J
Yellow Warbler JRP
Chestnut-sided Warbler JRP
Blackpoll Warbler JRP
Yellow-rumped Warbler JR
Black-throated Green Warbler J
Canada Warbler JRP
Wilson’s Warbler JRP
Scarlet Tanager J
Northern Cardinal JRP
Rose-breasted Grosbeak JRP
Blue Grosbeak RP
Indigo Bunting JR
Lazuli Bunting P
Dickcissel R
Kathrynne at Woodstock WMA, Pipestone County
(Roy Zimmerman photo)
Minnesota’s so-called Theater of Seasons continued into this MBWeekend, after our three previous MBWs this spring saw about every possible weather condition you could think of. And most of them were on the unpleasant side of the spectrum – while most of the pleasant weather we did manage to find had not been in the forecast. This time around, it was too cold (in the 40s) during much of Thursday in Jackson Co., though the sun and temperatures closer to 60 appeared later in the afternoon, and the winds were light to moderate. Our Friday in Nobles Co. warmed into the 70s with only moderate winds once again, before the weather deteriorated the next day in Rock Co.
On Saturday, strong south winds hampered our birding at Blue Mounds in the morning, and the heat came in after the winds moderated. As forecast, Luverne hit a high of 92 as we birded at the Hills sewage ponds and vicinity. It unexpectedly cooled off back into the 70s on Sunday in Pipestone Co. with no wind problems to speak of, but our birding efforts back at Blue Mounds on Monday were halted twice by rainstorms, and most MBWers wisely decided to head for home prematurely. Later, the survivors did find two more ibis south of Luverne, faced high winds as we tried to listen for Henslow’s at Touch the Sky Prairie and to bird a bit in Pipestone Co. – and went dumpster-diving to find my lost county map at Pipestone Monument.
Despite all our weather challenges, we did quite well overall by finding a composite total of 162 species from Thursday through Sunday – don’t think there was anything new for the overall list on Monday. (And this total was despite our limited efforts to bird Blue Mounds.) The leading highlight of all this had to be that wetland on Quince Ave. south of Worthington on Friday, where we simultaneously saw a male Cinnamon Teal (spotted by Deb!), Black-necked Stilt (first spotted by Brian), and White-faced Ibis (also present there Thursday).
Also noteworthy were: Kathrynne’s Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Blue Mounds (or was it a hybrid shorebird?!), an unexpected Sandhill Crane flying by Round Lake, a nice total of 18 shorebirds (Am. Avocets at both the Pipestone and Edgerton ponds, Hudsonian Godwit at the Hills ponds, plus that Black-n. Stilt), a surprising Cattle Egret flying over L. Okabena in Worthington, two more White-faced Ibis along Hwy. 75 on Monday), Henslow’s (seen & heard by some at Touch the Sky) and Lark (at a Pipestone Co. gravel pit) sparrows, an eventually cooperative Great-tailed Grackle at Skunk Lake in Jackson Co., a respectable total of 15 warbler species, and singing Blue Grosbeaks (without any gravel pits around!) at Round Lake, Blue Mounds, and Pipestone.
In addition, I was intrigued by the anomalous songs we heard on three occasions. Two Indigo Buntings sang Northern Waterthrush-like songs at Robertson County Park on Thursday (well, they fooled me). Later that day near Jackson we found a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher that appeared to be giving an Acadian-like song (or was there also a real Acadian Flycatcher present?). And on Friday along Fox Farm Rd. near Worthington, we heard a song much like a Black-throated Green Warbler – somehow coming from a Black-capped Chickadee!
Bird List
J = Jackson County on Thursday = 123 species
N = Nobles County on Friday (+ some Thursday morning) = 123 species
R = Rock County on Saturday (+ some Sunday afternoon & Monday) = 112 species
P = Pipestone County on Sunday (+ some on Monday) = 116 species
Snow Goose J, N
Greater White-fronted Goose J, N
Canada Goose J, N, R, P
Trumpeter Swan J, N, P
Wood Duck J, N, R, P
Blue-winged Teal J, N, R, P
Cinnamon Teal N
Northern Shoveler J, N, P
Gadwall J, N
American Wigeon N, R
Mallard J, N, R, P
Northern Pintail N
Redhead J, P
Ring-necked Duck J, N, P
Lesser Scaup J, N, P
Bufflehead J
Hooded Merganser J, N, R, P
Ruddy Duck J, R, P
Wild Turkey J, P
Gray Partridge P
Ring-necked Pheasant J, N, R, P
Pied-billed Grebe J, P
Western Grebe J, N
Rock Pigeon J, N, R, P
Eurasian Collared-Dove N, R, P
Mourning Dove J, N, R, P
Yellow-billed Cuckoo R
Common Nighthawk N, R, P
Chimney Swift J, N, R, P
Ruby-throated Hummingbird J, N, R, P
Virginia Rail J, N, R, P
Sora J, N, P
American Coot J, N, R, P
Sandhill Crane J
American Avocet P
Black-necked Stilt N
Killdeer J, N, R, P
Semipalmated Plover R
Upland Sandpiper R
Hudsonian Godwit R
Stilt Sandpiper N, R, P
Sanderling J, N, R, P
Least Sandpiper J, N, R
White-rumped Sandpiper J, N, R, P
Pectoral Sandpiper J, N, R
Semipalmated Sandpiper J, N, R, P
Wilson’s Snipe P
Spotted Sandpiper J, N, R, P
Lesser Yellowlegs J, N, R, P
Greater Yellowlegs P
Wilson’s Phalarope J, N, R, P
Red-necked Phalarope J, R, P
Franklin’s Gull N, R, P
Ring-billed Gull J, R
Caspian Tern J
Black Tern J, N, R, P
Forster’s Tern J
Double-crested Cormorant J, N, R, P
American White Pelican J, N, R
American Bittern J, N
Great Blue Heron J, N, R, P
Cattle Egret N
Green Heron N, R, P
White-faced Ibis N, R
Turkey Vulture J, N, R, P
Northern Harrier J
Cooper’s Hawk N, R, P
Bald Eagle J, P
Broad-winged Hawk J, N, P
Swainson’s Hawk R
Red-tailed Hawk J, N, R, P
Great Horned Owl N
Belted Kingfisher J, N, R, P
Red-headed Woodpecker N, R, P
Red-bellied Woodpecker J, R, P
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker J, N
Downy Woodpecker J, N, R, P
Hairy Woodpecker J, N, R, P
Northern Flicker N, R, P
American Kestrel J, N, R, P
Great Crested Flycatcher J, R, P
Western Kingbird P
Eastern Kingbird J, N, R, P
Olive-sided Flycatcher J, R
Eastern Wood-Pewee J, R, P
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher J, N
Alder Flycatcher J, N, R, P
Willow Flycatcher J, N, R, P
Least Flycatcher J, N, R, P
Eastern Phoebe J, P
Yellow-throated Vireo J
Blue-headed Vireo J, N
Philadelphia Vireo J, N, R
Warbling Vireo J, N, R, P
Red-eyed Vireo J, N, R, P
Blue Jay J, N, R, P
American Crow J, N, R, P
Black-capped Chickadee J, N, R, P
Horned Lark J, N, R, P
Bank Swallow N, R, P
Tree Swallow J, N, R, P
Northern Rough-winged Swallow N, R, P
Purple Martin J, N, R, P
Barn Swallow J, N, R, P
Cliff Swallow J, N, R, P
Cedar Waxwing N, R, P
Red-breasted Nuthatch J
White-breasted Nuthatch J, N, R, P
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher J
House Wren J, N, R, P
Sedge Wren J, N, R, P
Marsh Wren J, N, R, P
Gray Catbird J, N, R, P
Brown Thrasher J, N, R, P
European Starling J, N, R, P
Swainson’s Thrush J, N, P
American Robin J, N, R, P
House Sparrow J, N, R, P
House Finch J, N, R, P
American Goldfinch J, N, R, P
Grasshopper Sparrow R, P
Lark Sparrow P
Chipping Sparrow J, N, R, P
Clay-colored Sparrow J, N, R, P
Field Sparrow N, R, P
Vesper Sparrow J, R, P
Henslow’s Sparrow R
Savannah Sparrow N, R, P
Song Sparrow J, N, R, P
Swamp Sparrow J, N, R, P
Eastern Towhee R
Yellow-headed Blackbird J, N, R, P
Bobolink J, N, R, P
Eastern Meadowlark N
Western Meadowlark J, N, R, P
Orchard Oriole J, N, R, P
Baltimore Oriole J, N, R, P
Red-winged Blackbird J, N, R, P
Brown-headed Cowbird J, N, R, P
Common Grackle J, N, R, P
Great-tailed Grackle J
Golden-winged Warbler J
Black-and-white Warbler J, N, P
Tennessee Warbler J, N, R, P
Nashville Warbler J, N
Mourning Warbler N
Common Yellowthroat J, N, R, P
American Redstart J, N, R, P
Cape May Warbler P
Magnolia Warbler J, N
Blackburnian Warbler J, N, P
Yellow Warbler J, N, R, P
Chestnut-sided Warbler J, N
Blackpoll Warbler J, N, R, P
Canada Warbler J, N
Wilson’s Warbler J, N, R
Scarlet Tanager J, R
Northern Cardinal J, N, R, P
Rose-breasted Grosbeak J, N, R, P
Blue Grosbeak N, R, P
Indigo Bunting J, N, R, P
Dickcissel N, R, P
PHOTO GALLERY
Southwest Minnesota MBW Summary
May 24 - 25 - 26 - 27, 2019
Yellow-billed Cuckoo ~ Blue Mounds State Park ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
American Avocets ~ Edgerton sewage ponds ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Black-necked Stilt ~ Quince Avenue wetland ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Hudsonian Godwit ~ Hills sewage ponds ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Sanderling ~ Pipestone sewage ponds ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Olive-sided Flycatcher ~ Blue Mounds State Park ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Orchard Oriole ~ Jackson County ~ Michael Sack photo
Great-tailed Grackle ~ Skunk Lake ~ Michael Sack photo
* * *
Blue Grosbeak ~ Round Lake ~ Michael Sack photo
JACKSON - NOBLES - ROCK - PIPESTONE MBW SUMMARY
May 26 - 30, 2022
Also see the 2022 and 2019 MBW summaries
following the summary of the 2025 MBWeekend.
__________
ROCK - PIPESTONE - NOBLES MBW SUMMARY
May 15 - 16 - 17, 2025
Well, not sure how much more can I say here. The participants have already been sent
...along with some great images (especially those from first-time MBWer Chris). And these pretty much tell the story of our often-difficult but successful MBW. The less said the better, I suppose, about the windy, cold, and rainy conditions we had to endure, but remember that without them all those migrants blown north by the hot weather in previous days would not have been grounded for us to see.
The result was a composite total of 160 species, certainly more than on all but a few MBWs in our 39 ½-year history. Only a handful of MBWs have ever reached the 170s or 180s before (once we had 195, another hit an even 200), and almost all of these were in NW Minn. on a Memorial Day weekend.
Needless to say, we had more than our share of significant sightings. Most notably: 19 shorebird species (including American Avocets, a lone Hudsonian Godwit, and perhaps more Stilt Sandpipers than I’ve ever seen in a day); Western Cattle-Egrets at two locations; an eye-opening gathering of 20 ibis, all seen well enough to ID (i.e.,19 White-faceds + 1 Glossy !); no fewer than 22 warbler species (it’s hard to get 20+ species on any given MBW, especially so in western Minn.); the Summer Tanager accompanied by 2 Scarlets at Chautauqua Park (not to mention a screech-owl heard by some – we’ve had this owl species on several MBWs at Chautauqua over the years); and that icon of Southwest MN – i.e., the Blue Grosbeak.
I could go on highlighting some of our other finds, which include several passerines which are local, uncommon, or even rare in this part of the state, but I think your time is better spent admiring all those photos, and trying to decipher John’s quixotic narrative.
– KRE
Bird List
• R = Rock County, May 15
• P = Pipestone County, May 16
• N = Nobles County, May 17
• species not annotated = found in all 3 counties
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler PN
Gadwall PN
American Wigeon P
Mallard
Northern Pintail N
Green-winged Teal P
Ring-necked Duck P
Lesser Scaup P
Hooded Merganser PN
Ruddy Duck P
Wild Turkey P
Ring-necked Pheasant
Pied-billed Grebe R
Eared Grebe P (Pipestone sewage ponds)
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk RP
Chimney Swift RP
Ruby-throated Hummingbird RN
Sora N
American Coot RP
American Avocet P (Edgerton sewage ponds)
American Golden-Plover P
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover N
Hudsonian Godwit R (great, close look at Hills)
Stilt Sandpiper PN (lots of them – but, alas, no Red Knot among them)
Sanderling P (uncommon & local in western MN)
Dunlin
Baird’s Sandpiper P
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher N
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper N
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wilson’s Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope PN (= 19 shorebird species)
Franklin’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull N
Black Tern
Forster’s Tern N
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican PN
Green Heron RP
Great Egret P
Western Cattle-Egret PN (2 near Poplar Creek WMA; 1 with all those ibis)
Great Blue Heron
Glossy Ibis N (1 among all the White-faceds at Peterson WMA)
White-faced Ibis N (no fewer than 19 identified – and none unidentified!)
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk N
Bald Eagle
Swainson’s Hawk RP (not seen well)
Red-tailed Hawk R
Eastern Screech-Owl N (heard by some at Chautauqua Park – again!)
Belted Kingfisher RP
Red-headed Woodpecker RP
Red-bellied Woodpecker RN
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker R
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker RP
Northern Flicker RP
Peregrine Falcon RP
Great Crested Flycatcher RN
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee RN
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher R
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe RP
Yellow-throated Vireo RP
Blue-headed Vireo R
Philadelphia Vireo (in all 3 counties!)
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo RN
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Horned Lark RP
Bank Swallow RP
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Purple Martin PN
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet RP
Cedar Waxwing
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher N (relatively rare in western MN)
Northern House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren N
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Eastern Bluebird RP
Veery R
Gray-cheeked Thrush N
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Pipit P (Pipestone sewage ponds)
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Lark Sparrow R (relatively rare in Rock)
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow RP
Field Sparrow RP
White-crowned Sparrow P (late)
White-throated Sparrow R
Vesper Sparrow P
Savannah Sparrow RP
Song Sparrow RP
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow RN
Eastern Towhee R (Blue Mounds)
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Bobolink
Western Meadowlark
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Brewer’s Blackbird N
Common Grackle
Ovenbird RN
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler RP
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler R
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler R
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler N
Blackburnian Warbler RN
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler RN
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler P
Yellow-rumped Warbler R
Black-throated Green Warbler N
Canada Warbler R
Wilson’s Warbler (= 22 warbler species!)
Summer Tanager N (female with the Scarlets at Chautauqua Park)
Scarlet Tanager RN
Northern Cardinal RN
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak RP (2 unexpected males at Hills sewage ponds, plus 1 seen by
some at Pipestone Nat’l Monument)
Indigo Bunting RN
Dickcissel R
* * *