The prairie areas at the Belwin Conservancy, in Washington County (http://www.belwin.org/), have a good collection of grassland bird species. On a St. Paul Audubon field trip this morning, we found Henslow's, Lark, Grasshopper, and Vesper among 9 sparrow species at the Stagecoach Prairies (see trail map at the web site). At the Bison Prairie (south side of Division Street), we added Dickcissel, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark. Be aware that next Saturday, June 11, is the "Bison release day," when bison are brought in from a Wisconsin farm to spend the summer at Belwin. Hundreds of people come on that day, so you should go before then or a few days afterward. At least two Henslow's Sparrows were singing in the thick, tall grass at the southern edge of the Sauers Praire part of the Stagecoach Prairies. They were close to the trail that continues from the 11th Street parking lot, but we could not see them. Lark Sparrows were easy to see (not particularly wary) in the northern part of the Stagecoach Prairies, generally north of number 6 on the map. A few Grasshopper Sparrows were also in this area. Vesper Sparrows were abundant and singing throughout, but more common in the northern part. A Blue-winged warbler was singing (and visible) on the east side of the Sauers Prairie, where the trail toward number 2 branches off. Among woodland birds heard were Red-breasted Nuthatch, Wood Thrush, and Scarlet Tanager. JulianSt. Paul ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
