Date: 4/23/25 2:24 pm From: Jason Frank <jmfrank84...> Subject: [mou-net] 30 Avocets + Ibis and Say's Phoebe, Big Stone NWR
There's been a huge movement of shorebirds to Big Stone NWR in the past 24 hours.
From the viewing platform with the steel viewing scopes at the beginning of the Auto Tour route all the way over to the West Pool, you will notice that the cattails along the riverbank (looking south from the road) have been burnt off, revealing excellent mudflats. There are so many species showing up right now, it's almost easier to list what's NOT there! Upwards of 30 Avocets were feeding just under the viewing platform today. A nice group of White-faced Ibis were feeding just a little bit east of the platform this morning.
Between 10:00 and Noon I was able to ID the following species of note:
American Avocet (largest group I've ever seen in MN) White faced Ibis Semipalmated Plover Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Willet (at least 4) Long billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Hudsonian Godwit Wilson's Phalarope Least Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Western Grebe Pied Billed Grebe Common Loon
Lots of Gadwalls, Green-winged Teal, and Shovelers are there as well.
The Egrets and Blue Herons just seemingly arrived in large numbers today, and there were Tree, Barn, Cliff, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows present.
The Eagles on their nest along the Auto Tour exit route beside the river in the woods is occupied and the parents are actively feeding the chick. That stretch of the river is also a great place to see a family of beavers with several kits, as well as a family of river otters, if you check in the morning and evening.
There's been a Say's Phoebe hanging out at the platform for the past 2 days, and also by the first river bridge you cross on the Auto Tour. The "Odessa Birds" that nested along CR 21 near Bituminous Paving have also returned.
Right now, I'd estimate over 1000 shorebirds poking around the river along the Auto Tour. This is BY FAR the most productive stretch of mudflat habitat in the Upper MN River Valley/Salt Lake region. I'd expect the Refuge to be the highlight of the Salt Lake Birding Weekend in 2 weeks.
It's looking like we could get substantial rain out here Monday. That could result in an increase in shorebird habitat in fields and pastures, so the birds might be spreading out more by the first weekend in May. I haven't been to the Marsh Lake dam or the Emily Creek Drainage area on the west side of Lac qui Parle Lake (west of Milan), but those sites will be well worth checking for shorebirds. Same goes for the flats around the Watson Dam/Lac qui Parle Mission area.
Salt Lake itself has a nice little stretch of mudflat in the NW corner which should especially be good for photographers, as it is only a few yards from the road.
Not much standing water in the fields right now, but that could change if we get some rain later this week and next. Please be mindful of the fact that farmers are planting right now, and they have the right of way on dirt roads.
For the past month, I've been seeing 2 very skittish Sharp-Tailed Grouse at Salt Lake. They've been in the NW parking area of the WMA (where there isn't a direct view of the water) and also on the western shore (actually in the SD WPA land). I've seen them on weekends, late morning around 10 or 11. There might be a small lek down there; it would be worth staking out during earlier morning hours.
