Sunday we (five participants besides me) spent a near perfect day birding in the ravaged remains of Miesville Ravine for our annual MRVAC field trip. Trails have been almost completely reopenned after a devasting storm in July. However, side trails were everywhere blocked. Storm damage appeared to be consistant with a tornado, as many trees had been twisted until they snapped. I saw one tree that had snapped about twelve feet high, stripping the remaining truck bare of bark. Some areas were mowed down, while a few yards away, trees appeared untouched.
Despite the devastation, birding was fairly active. Thirty-eight species were counted, including eight species of warblers (Blue-winged, Blackburnian, Black and White, Redstarts, Ovenbirds, No. Waterthrush, Canada, and Mourning) plus a Brewsters (hybrid Blue-winged x Golden-winged). This was found near where we found one in June, but was a different individual. More notable than the birds found were the noticible absence of expected birds: cuckoos, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Towhee, and Scarlet Tanagers. At the meadow, canary reed grass had mostly choked out the jewelweed, and banished the hummingbirds. On the way down from Miesville town, after coming out of the woods, I had a quick, but convincing look at a Western Kingbird. Also, we found two to four Giant Swallowtails, mostly in Goodhue County. and an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN sweston2 at comcast.net