Greetings Birders! MOU has recently revived its field trip program. Field trips are being rolled out this month and will kick off a long and exciting procession of offerings led by some truly talented birders. Many trips have been planned and many others are in the works. These trips should span a wide range of interests from the most beginning birder to the most serious lister. Below are the offerings for March, April, and May.
If you have any ideas you would like to see for future field trip offerings or if you have a trip in mind you would like to lead, please send an email to fieldtr...@moumn.org. Cheers, Josh Wallestad MOU Field Trip Chair March Field Trips March 23-24: Breeding Boreal Owl Survey #1 led by Josh Watson The objective of this trip will be to find evidence of breeding Boreal Owls in Cook and/or Lake Counties after this past winter’s irruption. Teams will drive predetermined routes on remote forest roads at night, stopping frequently to listen for Boreal Owls vocalizing. This trip is for the birder who seeks adventure as the country is remote, the search goes deep into each night, and the chance of success is not guaranteed, but the payout could be huge. This trip is limited to 10 participants. Participants are expected to make their own lodging arrangements. Those interested should email fieldtr...@moumn.org by March 10th. March 24: Southwest Minnesota Waterfowl Trip led by Kimberly Emerson This goal of this trip will be to enjoy the wonder of spring waterfowl migration by looking for ducks and geese in Cottonwood, Nobles, and Jackson Counties. Plan to pack a lunch and bird the whole day. Interested participants should meet Kimberly at the Windom Wetland Management District Office,49663 Co. Rd 17, Windom, MN, at 7:30 a.m. March 25: Twin Cities Metro Area Waterfowl Trip led by Alex Sundvall Participants will look for migrating waterfowl at Bass Ponds, Old Cedar Avenue Bridge, and other stops along the Minnesota River. Participants should meet Alex at the Bass Ponds at 7:30 a.m. The trip will last until noon. April Field Trips April 6-7: Breeding Boreal Owl Survey #2 led by Josh Watson If you missed the March Boreal Owl Survey, this is your second chance. Different routes will be taken to try to cover as much ground in Cook/Lake Counties as possible. This trip is also limited to 10 participants. Those interested should email fieldtr...@moumn.org by March 24th. April 7-8: Sibley and Nicollet Counties Birding Weekend led by Brad Abendroth On this one or two-day option, you will be able to build sizeable county lists for each county doing some general birding. The focus of April 7th will focus on Sibley County--meet at the McDonald’s in Belle Plaine at 7:00 a.m. April 8th will be devoted to Nicollet County--meet at the McDonald’s in St. Peter at 7:00 a.m. Bring your own provisions for the days if you like, but the group will make stops for food. April 14: Jackson County Birding Day led by Kimberly Emerson If you’ve ever wanted to start a bird list for Jackson County or beef up your current list, this is the trip for you. Jackson is Kimberly’s favorite county to bird, so you will be in good hands as you look as many species as possible in several county parks, state lands, and federal lands. Pack your own provisions and plan to spend the whole day birding. Interested participants should meet Kimberly at the ‘Vet’s Whoa N Go Fuel Stop’ in Jackson, MN at 7:30 a.m. May Field Trips May 12-13: Western Minnesota Shorebirds Trip led by Garrett Wee Participants may well see 20+ species of shorebirds on this one or two day option trip led by one of the area’s top birders. Public and private land around Cottonwood, MN will be explored in the effort to see as many shorebirds and marsh birds as possible. Whether you bird one day or two, bring your own provisions and plan to spend the full day afield with Garrett. Meet Garrett each morning at the Cenex at 8:00 a.m. Participants are encouraged to bring mud boots of some kind. Garrett says that accommodations can be made for the handicapped--please email fieldtr...@moumn.org for more information. May 12: Warbler Walk at Frontenac State Park led by Ben Douglas Be a part of Ben Douglas’s State Park Big Year by joining him to look for warblers and other migrant passerines at one of the best state parks for spring migration. Interested participants should meet Ben at the main lot at the end of Park Road at 7 a.m. and plan on a roughly a 4-hour walk. Note: There may be more field trips offered in May. Look to the May/June newsletter for additional offerings. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
