Prairie Lakes Audubon Chapter- Minnesota

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Prairie Lakes Audubon Chapter- Minnesota Representing the National Audubon Society in West Central Minnesota.

PLA Trip 10/18/26Lake Carlos State ParkIt tried to stay hidden but not well enough for the keen eyes of the 8 birders wh...
10/21/2026

PLA Trip 10/18/26
Lake Carlos State Park

It tried to stay hidden but not well enough for the keen eyes of the 8 birders who came to bird at the Park last Sunday. We stopped to watch a Rusty Blackbird tiptoe its way across the moss on the pond by the visitors center in search of insects and saw 3 others join the quest. Beyond the Rusty activity something flushed, flew a short distance, and landed in some stubble at pond edge. It kept low and still but we didn’t take our eyes off the spot. Little by little we could make out part of the beak, then the top of the head, and finally the eye. Eureka!… a Wilson Snipe. Our patience paid off.

In all, we saw 17 species among which were Swamp Sparrow, Yellow Rumped Warbler, white Throated Sparrow, several Blue Jay, several Bluebird on the wire, a leucistic Robin, and several woodpecker. The afternoon was calm and the Fall colors were peaked.

10/10/2026

PLA Trip 9/26/26
Rabbit Road and Co Rd 38

The short 2 miles on the gravel Rabbit Road wound through hills and open grassy areas with potholes sprinkled about. There were a variety of species spotted such as: Hooded Merganser, Kingfisher, Phoebe, Bluebird, and a large flocks of Blue Jay, Flicker, and Starling. The leaves were just beginning to change making it a very beautiful drive. A Broad Winged Hawk was perched among the leaves searching the road for prey.

The end of Rabbit Road T-ed with MN 78 near Seven Sisters TNC property. Across the highway was Lake Christina where we saw many waterfowl. They were quite a distance offshore but amid the huge flock of Coot we could make out Redhead, Ring Necked, Scaup, Wigeon, and a Western Grebe. Thirty Trumpeter Swan were spread out across the shoreline.

We traveled along County Road 38 to get to Rabbit Road and came across Bluebird on the wire, a Kestrel, and a large flock of Cedar Waxwing.

The total species for the day was 25 and although it misted constantly during the trip the scenery and avian activity kept our minds off the rain.

PLAC Meeting 9/8/26Save the date! September 8th.PLAC Meeting Guest Speaker! More information will be coming in the new...
08/13/2026

PLAC Meeting 9/8/26

Save the date! September 8th.

PLAC Meeting Guest Speaker!

More information will be coming in the newsletter!

Stay tuned!

Sharon Stiteler widely known as the “Birdchick” is a writer and speaker who has made it her career to get paid to go birding. She wrote the books Disapproving Rabbits, 1001 Secrets Every Birder Should Know, and North American Bird Watching for Beginners and regularly appears on television, podcasts, radio answering bird questions as well as performs in storytelling shows. She’s worked a variety of jobs like conducting birds surveys, field trip leader, park ranger, and was even the voice of Denali National Park and Preserve. She currently resides in Minnesota with a retired Denali sled dog named Party Pants.

PLA Field Trip 8/1/26North Ottawa ImpoundmentOur trip to western Grant County was timed right for shorebirds. The water ...
08/06/2026

PLA Field Trip 8/1/26
North Ottawa Impoundment

Our trip to western Grant County was timed right for shorebirds. The water levels were low and there were many mudflats holding all sorts of shorebirds. There were Pectoral, Semi-Palmated, Least, Stilt, and Spotted Sandpipers along with both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. The Stilt Sandpipers were present in the greatest number I’ve ever seen at once. The Plover group was represented by the Killdeer and the Semi-Palmated Plover and an American Avocet strolled through the scene as we were scoping other shorebirds. All the shorebirds were pretty far away so a spotting scope was necessary to assist in identification and pictures were not possible.

Dickcissel, Sedge Wren, and Marsh Wren were singing everywhere we went and there were Bobolink, Meadowlark, and Yellow Headed Blackbirds to be seen at many spots around the Impoundment. Vesper, Song, and Savannah Sparrow and Horned Lark were taking on gravel along the road edges and Swallow and Gull were flying about in search of insects or a new perch.

All tolled it was another great day at North Ottawa with 49 species spotted in perfect temps and light wind.

PLA Field Trip 7/18/26Glacial Lakes SPA Saturday morning trip to the state park in Pope county found the birds cooperati...
07/23/2026

PLA Field Trip 7/18/26
Glacial Lakes SP

A Saturday morning trip to the state park in Pope county found the birds cooperative and vocal. An Eastern Wood Pewee chased insects from an oak branch perch, returning again and again. We all got a good, long view of this member of the Flycatcher family. We spent quite awhile in the picnic area parking lot hearing and watching Yellow Warbler, Redstart, Yellowthroat, Cedar Waxwing, House Wren, and Yellow Throated and Red Eyed Vireo.
As we moved out onto the grasslands we found the sparrows. There were Song, Clay Colored, Chipping, and Field Sparrow whose call reminds one that it is summertime. Hiking out to a prairie pond, we found Hooded Merganser and a family of Ring Necked Duck. Our morning ended with a total of 21 birds sighted at the park.

The eBird reports of a Blue Grosbeak south of Brooten were close enough for us to investigate. The Grosbeak was not going to cooperate but while we searched, several other colorful birds showed themselves. Indigo Bunting, Northern Harrier, Red Tailed Hawk, and Bank Swallow were busy hunting around the gravel pits.
We finished the day with a total of 28 species.

PLA Field Trip 6/28/26Willow Rd - Douglas CountyBesides meeting our goal of finding Bobolink and Dickcissel, we saw many...
07/12/2026

PLA Field Trip 6/28/26
Willow Rd - Douglas County

Besides meeting our goal of finding Bobolink and Dickcissel, we saw many great birds of the grasslands on our 2 mile drive down Willow Road. An Eastern Meadowlark surprised us with a song from a fence post just up the wire from a Savannah Sparrow and a Song Sparrow. In the brushy areas along the road there Catbird, Veery, Bluebird, House Wren, Wood Pewee, Goldfinch, Yellowthroat, Redstart, Kingbird, Kestrel, and Great Crested Flycatcher. In the woodland areas we passed through there were Broad-winged Hawk, Red Tailed Hawk, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Redstart,Red Eyed Vireo, and several woodpecker.

With finding 38 species, it was a memorable day of bird activity and song.

PLA Field Trip 6/4/26Verlyn Marth SNA Stevens CountyMany the usual players were present at Verlyn Marth on a very calm s...
06/23/2026

PLA Field Trip 6/4/26
Verlyn Marth SNA Stevens County

Many the usual players were present at Verlyn Marth on a very calm sunny day at the SNA. We all commented on how relaxing it was standing by the car parked on the gravel road and surveying the native grassland. The birds were a little far away for photographing but easily in a good viewing range for binoculars and we saw Bobolink, Western Meadowlark, Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow Headed Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.

With the sun sinking we decided to make a quick stop at the Herman Stabilization Ponds where we added some waterfowl and swallow to the list. The late afternoon trip yielded a total of 24 species and included some great grassland birds.

PLA Field Trip 5/15 and 5/16Bluestem Prairie and Tamarac NWRAfter we departed Itasca SP on Thursday we were hoping we le...
05/27/2026

PLA Field Trip 5/15 and 5/16
Bluestem Prairie and Tamarac NWR

After we departed Itasca SP on Thursday we were hoping we left the wind behind but noooooo!
The early morning was calm on the Prairie but the birds were keeping their distance and really only viewable through a spotting scope. There were wren, sparrow, meadowlark, Prairie Chicken, and Bobolink calling at around 80 to 150 yards. A distant flyby of a godwit and a Magpie were noted. The only species willing to hang close was the Eastern Kingbird.

As the wind began to blow hard once again, we moved to the woodlands of Buffalo River SP. There we picked up a few songbirds notably cooperative Rose Breasted Grosbeak and Blackburnian Warbler. There were a few sparrow and swallow notably Cliff Swallow.

A stop at a busy pond added many waterfowl, some gull, and Sandhill Crane and somehow pushed the day count to 51 species.

Was it windy the next day at Tamarac NWR? YEP!! But the wind was too late. We had already seen 59 species during the morning calm. The warblers were singing wildly at eye level and we saw 17 species!! There were Scarlet Tanager, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Broad Winged Hawk, Yellow Throated Vireo, and Pine Siskin. The sparrow were present too (5 species) most notably Harris Sparrow. Tamarac rarely disappoints.

Combining Itasca and Detroit Lakes we saw 98 species, a great weekend count.

PLA Field Trip 5/14Itasca SPOnce again the winds of western Minnesota bestowed its fury on the PLA birders who were tryi...
05/27/2026

PLA Field Trip 5/14
Itasca SP

Once again the winds of western Minnesota bestowed its fury on the PLA birders who were trying to catch the magic of spring migration at Itasca SP. At the Headwaters it blew so hard that we could hear warblers and other songbirds but in truth we only saw 4 birds. They were hanging tight to their perch.

Disappointed but not without a plan, we headed to the Dr Robert’s trail on the leeward side of Lake Itasca where we found some luck. We were actually able to see warblers, Magnolia, Black and White, Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Northern Yellow, and Palm. We recorded 13 warblers for the day but only saw 6 of them. The highlight of the latter part of the trip was following a Winter Wren as it flew from bush to bush singing the whole of 20 minutes. Also getting good long looks at Waterthrush added to the excitement.
We were able to record 32 species for the day which is very low for our spring Itasca trip and many of them were heard but not seen. But a few highlights made the day.

PLA Field Trip 5/9/26St John’s CampusWe were able to join the St John’s Birding Day festivities again this year and were...
05/27/2026

PLA Field Trip 5/9/26
St John’s Campus

We were able to join the St John’s Birding Day festivities again this year and were guided down the Old St Joe Road toward the Maple Sugar Shack. Almost immediately we heard warblers singing and were able to get good looks at many of them, seven species in all. Many Yellow Rumped and Northern Yellow warblers were spotted along with Tennessee, Nashville, Black and White, Ovenbird, and Redstart. When we cleared the woods and reached an open field we added 4 sparrow, 3 thrush, and a Meadowlark.
After a hardy lunch at the St John’s cafeteria, the PLA birders headed out again toward the beach trail where we added 4 more warbler, the Magnolia, Blackburnian, Orange Crowned, and Palm, increasing our warbler count for the day to 11. We also added Least Flycatcher and a pair of Rose Breasted Grosbeak to our list.
On our way home we stopped at the Albany Stabilization Ponds where we viewed various waterfowl, a Spotted Sandpiper, and over 30 Wilson Phalarope. It was a very windy but fantastic day where we were able to get good looks at 53 species.

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Alexandria, MN
56308

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