Went looking for the N. MOCKINGBIRD in Dakota and ran into the Martins. Struck out and went for a walk at the Archery Trail and went back to look a last time and the bird was there. It was near the first curve N of 42 first on the fence on the west side. It is skittish and moves with every vehicle that comes along. It went down near the spoils pile on the E. side of whatever that road is (between 42 and 140th) and ended up finally flying up onto the golf course in the oak savanna area. (6:45-7:00 PM-Sun.) It was feeding in the short grass on both sides of the road.) It DID NOT sing. Friday had 5 AM. AVOCETS near Barry in Big Stone. Also an Upland Sandpiper in the same area. Saw a smattering of Am. Golden Plovers and a few BB Plovers. I had MARBLED GODWITS in Big Stone and a HUDSONIAN GODWIT with a Marbled Godwit in a water-filled pool in a farm field along the west edge of Pope County north of Cyrus on Friday evening. Both were gone when I went back that way on Saturday AM. Had 10 species in a small pond in Pope Cnty near the T of Pope 3 with Pope 18. U of M Morris West Parking Lot has plantings and a small stream through it. All the shrubbery was chipped for wide open views of many Swainson's Thrushes compared with two Grey-Cheeked Thrushes, a Veery, 4 Ovenbirds and there was a N. Waterthrush in the stream and two Lincoln's Sparrows nearby. Grant County's Pelican Lake area STILL had only four CATTLE EGRETS. Lots of first of year birds for the weekend despite the rain and NASTY wind.
John Ellis-St. Paul (Sunday Night) <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's free at http://www.aol.com.</HTML>