Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: "Williams, Bob" <bxwilli...@cbburnet.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:25:20 To: <dr...@att.blackberry.net> Subject: FW: 2009 Field Trips We have an exciting schedule of events and field trips coming up this year. Here is a summary of what is on the calendar so far: March 14 - The Lansing Loop led by Fred Lesher with WSO and Coulee Region Audubon Society. Meet at 9am at the Kwik Trip at the intersection of Hwys 16/35/61 in La Crescent , MN (about 2 miles south of I-90). Birders will travel south along the Mississippi River as far as Lansing, Iowa where they will lunch on their own. In the Afternoon birders will cross to Wisconsin and travel north back to La Crosse. You can expect to see lots of waterfowl and some raptors. Contact Fred Lesher at corax6...@yahoo.com. March 14 - Sibley County led by Art and Barb Straub. Meet at 9am at Henderson Feather(526 Main St. in downtown Henderson). Birders will get the opportunity to enter private property along the Minnesota River and view an eagle's nest and lush wetlands around the nest. Birders can then split up into groups and explore other areas around Henderson using detailed maps, descriptions and birdlists that will be provided to them. Contact Dolores Hagen at dha...@closingthegap.com. April 24-26 - Salt Lake Weekend led by Ken Larson, Steve Weston, et al. Details of this long-standing event can be found at www.moumn.org/saltlake or by contacting Ken Larson at prairiemarshf...@comcast.net. May 15 - Sherburne NWR and Mille Lacs Kathio State Park led by Al Schirmacher. Meet at 7am at the Mahnomen Trail parking are at the north side of the refuge west of US 169. Birds will hike two trails and take the driving tour through the refuge. There will be an optional afternoon trip to the state park at the SW corner of Lake Mille Lacs. Contact Al Schirmacher at pasto...@princetonfreechurch.net. May 16 - Sibley and Le Sueur County led by Art and Barb Straub. Meet at 7:30am at The Ney Center on Hwy 19 at the top of the bluffs just east of the Minnesota River in Le Sueur County. Birders will explore the Ney Center property and then split up into groups and bird other locations in the area using detailed maps, descriptions and birdlists that will be provided to them. Contact Dolores Hagen at dha...@closingthegap.com. May 23 - Cedar Creek Ecological Science Reserve in Anoka and Isanti County led by Jim Howitz. Meet at 7am at the Cedar Creek facility on Co. Rd. 24 east of Hwy 65 in East Bethel. Birders will explore the 8 square miles of the reserve for migrants and breeding birds, including Lark Sparrow and Red-headed Woodpeckers. Contact Jim Howitz at jlh...@aol.com. May 24 - Wild River State Park in Chisago County led by Joe Sausen. Meet at 8 am at the boat ramp along the St. Croix River in the park. Birders will explore the park looking for migrants and breeding birds, including Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers. Bring your lunch and enjoy a pleasant view from the elevated deck at the park overlooking a beautiful prairie. Contact Joe Sausen at jcsau...@earthlink.net. May 30-31 - Blue Earth, Nicollet and Brown County with Bob Dunlap, Chad Heins and Brian Smith. This will be a two day event with three local birders who know these counties as well as anyone. Final plans will depend upon weather and habitat but expect to do some serious birding both days. Contact them at rdun...@gac.edu(Bob), che...@blc.edu(Chad) and brsm...@sleepyeyetel.net(Brian). June 13 - Aitkin County with Al Schirmacher. Meet at 7:30am at the parking lot at the main entrance to Rice Lake NWR on Hwy 65 south of McGregor. Birders will explore the refuge and then go on to other areas in the county. Contact Al Schirmacher at pasto...@princetonfreechurch.net. August 7-9 - Shorebird Workshop with Doug Buri and Bob Janssen based in Milbank, SD. The fee for this workshop is $160 which includes lunch on Saturday. Contact Doug Buri at dougb...@tnics.com. August 29 - Itasca and/or Koochiching County with Shawn Conrad. The details of this trip have not been finalized, but you can expect some serious birding in this under-birded part of the state. Contact Shawn Conrad at dingermcd...@hotmail.com. October 9-11 - Sparrow Workshop with Doug Buri and Bob Janssen based in Milbank, SD. The fee for this workshop is $160 which includes lunch on Saturday. Contact Doug Buri at dougb...@tnics.com. October 17 - Mille Lacs County with Al Schirmacher. Meet 7:30am and explore the SW corner of Lake Mille Lacs for loons and other unusual waterfowl. Contact Al Schirmacher at pasto...@princetonfreechurch.net. In addition to these trips, I am working on other great trips for June. Watch the MOU listserve for details of these or contact me at bxwilli...@cbburnet.com. All trips are free unless otherwise noted; however, there are fees for entering any state park in Minnesota. We encourage people to chip in for the cost of gas whenever appropriate. Food and lodging are not included unless noted. If you plan to participate in any of these trips, we strongly encourage you to be a member of the MOU. The cost is $25 for a single person and $30 for a family. Other levels of membership are listed elsewhere in this publication. Bob Williams, MOU Field Trip Coordinator 612-728-2232
