Coon Creek WMA

The Coon Creek Wildlife Management Area is along the Lincoln-Lyon County line and benefits from recently restored Waterfowl Production Area in Lincoln County. This complex is host to a heron-egret rookery, and has been the site of many rarities due to its size – including a Brandt in 2001, Snowy Egret multiple years, and a Lesser Scaup pair in July 2003.

DIRECTIONS: From Minnesota Highway 19, travel south for 6-7 miles. You’ll see two basins, one on the Lincoln County side, one in Lyon County.

During low water times these basins are excellent for shorebird migration, as is the larger body of water (Coon Creek Marsh) in this complex that you reach by taking the curving 200th Street into Lyon County for about 3/4 mile. During high water times these basins are good for herons, egrets and bitterns, with the largest basin good also for larger waterbirds such as swans, American White Pelican, and Double-crested Cormorant.

Migration might bring Short-eared Owl through the large grassland area South of Coon Creek Marsh, while summer provides excellent nesting habitat for Least Bittern, Upland Sandpiper, Willow Flycatcher, Cedar Waxwing, and Sora as well as the numerous local ducks and sparrows. Clark’s Grebe would be a good find here, as would Cinnamon Teal or Ross’ Goose.

In the cedar plantings in both Lincoln and Lyon County portions of this be sure to look for Long-eared Owl or Townsend’s Solitaire in migration, or nesting Cedar Waxwing. The drainage system connecting these basins is a great place to look for migrating Great or Cattle Egret, and would be a possible place to see a lost Little Blue Heron.

Public access to Coon Creek marsh give the canoeing birder a chance to search the rushes for grebes, rails, or Least Bittern, while a fall hike through the grassland could spring up LeConte’s or Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

Camden State Park

You could easily spend a whole day birding Camden – especially during spring and fall songbird migration. Hiking one of the many park trails along the river and up through the deciduous woodland to the upper grassland tracts can produce as many as 15-20 species of warblers, plus orioles, tanagers, buntings. Camden State Park offers rich riparian woodland, and restored prairie with a few potholes to give you an idea of what life must have been like 200 years ago.

DIRECTIONS: Located along Highway 23 about 10 miles southwest of the city of Marshall.

Western specialties such as Spotted Towhee are seen in the park almost annually during migration, as are the less occasional Summer Tanager. The even more vagrant White-eyed Vireo has been seen here (May 2001) and Lazuli Bunting has been reported on a few occasions at feeders outside the park boundaries. (1997, 1999) Blue-gray Gnatcatchers nest in the South Picnic, and  Blue-winged, and Bay-breasted Warblers have turned up in Spring a midst the more common Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, and Magnolia Warblers.

Yellow-throated Vireo are common nesters here, as are Great-crested Flycatcher and Black-billed Cuckoo. Yellow-billed Cuckoo may also nest here when the tent caterpillar population is in a boom year. The grassland areas of the western side of the park are home to nesting Upland Sandpiper, Grasshoper Sparrow, Turkey Vuluture, and Northern Harrier; always accompanied by the more common nesting Western Meadowlark, Eastern Kingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Sedge Wren. Along the river one can find all five species of swallow nesting on the bank, under the bridges, and adjacent to the park. In the fall this riparian area is refuge to migrating Broad-winged, Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned, and Coopers Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, and Bald Eagle and Osprey.

In Fall you might find a Townsend’s Solitaire feasting on berries, or a Short-eared Owl along the prairie tracts. Winter brings a more quiet time to the park with the majority of activity confined to the permanent residents; woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, and Blue Jay.

During slightly mild winters the park is home to wintering Northern Goshawk, and may attract a Barred Owl; rare this far south of the Minnesota River. Early Spring at Brawner Lake is not as productive as nearby lakes, however this seems to be a better location than most to closely observe the mergansers, and Wood Duck. One final area to check is the Horse Camp. When busy with equestrian gatherings, the area along the river can be very productive.

Click Here for the Bird Checklist at Camden State Park.

Black Rush Lake

The Black Rush Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a recently reclaimed 600 acre wetland and upland prairie upland complex. Black Rush Lake is rapidly developing into a useful nesting ground for area waterbirds including Redhead, Northern Pintail, Black Tern, and (of course) the American Coot. It might also prove useful for nesting Least Bittern, Wilson’s Phalarope, and perhaps Eared Grebe, though no nesting activity has been documented as yet.

DIRECTIONS: When you leave Camden State Park, turn south on Highway 23 for one mile to County Road 59. Turn East to reach the Black Rush Lake Waterfowl Production Area.

To the north of Lyon County Road 59 the north basin of the old lakebed has also been reclaimed. This area is the only possibly useful area to migrating shorebirds, since the Black Rush Lake has been quickly overgrown with vegetation. Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, and both godwits have been observed here in the spring.

Because of its proximity to the Regional Landfill, this is the most likely place to locate lingering gull species in the fall. Fall 2001 brought a Lesser Black-backed Gull to this location among the more common Ring-billed Gulls. A possible 1st winter Thayer’s Gull was also reported here. Although those species are unlikely to be seen with any frequency, Franklin’s, Bonaparte’s, and Ring-billed, and Herring Gulls abound for your identification pleasure. And don’t forget this spot for vagrant White-faced Ibis (October 2001) or lurking American Bittern during either migration period. Snowy Egret has been observed in 2002, and 2004, and Tricolored Heron was observed in 2007.

Turning south on the gravel road one mile from State Highway 23 takes you through the old lakebed. As you pass through this area keep a careful eye for wanderers such as Great-tailed Grackle (April 2001) along with the species usually observed in this habitat. Dickcissel, Orchard Oriole, and Indigo Bunting nest in the trees near the lakebed, while Swamp Sparrow and Yellow-headed Blackbird nest about in the reeds. After traveling south one mile, you may want to take a walk through the upland part of this acreage.

Either turn East or West (or both) to find a suitable location to park before starting your walk through the upland area. Big Blustem and Indian grasses are plentiful, and the walk along the rolling hill may spook up a migrating Short-eared Owl, or one of the local Gray Partridge. In fall this seems a possible spot to search for a Smith’s Longspur, and always be on the look-up for a wayward Ferruginous Hawk. American Tree, Harris’, and White-throated Sparrows will like the food supply and cover on the cold autumn mornings while the summer heat will keep the Sedge Wren, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Horned Lark close to shade. When do Yellow Rails migrate through the area in the fall? A walk through the lower part of the upland grasses near the wetland may give you an answer.