As a sort of perverse birthday activity, we decided to visit each of
the known 15 sewage/treatment ponds in Otter Tail County in one day.
In truth, this really turned into more of a stunt rather than good
birding, but we had a good time anyway.
Total elapsed time: 8-1/2 hours. Since Otter Tail is a large county
and the ponds are far-flung, we put on a few miles, as well. Total
mileage (eco-birders: avert your eyes): 248 miles.
We tried to be good citizens (and responsible birders) by not notably
trespassing, and we tried to seek permission for entrance whenever
possible. If there were warning signs, they usually suggested not
trespassing. Only one sign, at the town of Bluffton, bluntly told us
to “Keep Out!” If there were no threatening signs or if the gate was
open or unlocked, we ventured in. Otherwise, we just viewed what we
could from the gates or roadways.
We were able to successfully see part or all of 13 of the 15 ponds in
the county. Only misses: Dent and Vergas.
The ponds in Dent apparently have been expanded and now have a new
entrance a couple of blocks away, and they have been gated,
padlocked, and secured with extensive screening which is even
attached to nearby trees. We were only able to see a few swallows
flying above the site. The old entrance now dead-ends in someone’s
backyard where apparently all the cars turned in to the "Cash for
Clunkers" program are now stored. At Vergas, we were only able to get
within a half mile of the ponds. The long entry road was gated,
chained, and padlocked. Also, a small herd of cattle was inside the
fence and several were dozing on the road.
Our presence was only challenged once. At Frazee (town in Becker
county but the ponds are in Otter Tail), a city worker in an official
pickup pulled even with us and with a smile asked, “Are you lost?”
We voted the ponds at Dalton as the “prettiest sewage ponds” in Otter
Tail County. It’s a pastoral, well-maintained setting bordered by
mature trees. It was so nice, we took pictures. Also, the locals were
nice. The ponds have a long entrance road, so we felt obliged to ask
permission. The local postmaster referred us to the city
administrator but we couldn’t find him. A hair stylist -- whose salon
adjoins the city office -- interrupted her work to confer. No one
could think of a reason why we shouldn’t visit the ponds, and she
said she’d pass the message on to the administrator. When the
postmaster heard that the stylist had okayed our visit, he said that
was good enough for him and hoped we’d “enjoy the sewage.”
Oh, the birds! Nothing special, unfortunately. As you’d expect, the
usual mix. Waterfowl: Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Wood Duck, Canada
Goose. Shorebirds: Killdeer, Solitary and Least Sandpiper. Gulls:
Ring-billed, Franklin’s, and a couple of Bonaparte’s. Swallows.
Thanks to Kim Eckert for compiling a comprehensive checklist for
Minnesota sewage ponds. Without such a checklist and his directions,
the above escapade would not have happened.
--Dan & Sandy Thimgan
--
Thimgans
Battle Lake MN
Otter Tail County
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