In general, July is an excellent time for avid and novice birders to check-out the Minnesota River Dam in Granite Falls, the dam near Watson, and the spillway on Marsh Lake near Appleton to see American White Pelicans. These pelicans put on quite a display wile fishing, and are very graceful in flight. For more on this area, visit www.prairiewaters.com

The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:

The ROCK WREN is still being seen at Felton Prairie in Clay County. Chet Meyers most recently saw the wren on June 25th. From Felton, travel south on State Highway 9, east to the end of the pavement on Clay County Road 108, and then turn left at the gravel pit entrance. Look for the wren near rock pile #6002.

The PRAIRIE WARBLER was still present at Ritter Farm Park near Lakeville in Dakota County as of June 28th according to Dan & Sandy Thimgan.

On June 28th, the following shorebirds were reported by Ben Fritchman from Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County: one very late WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and MARBLED GODWIT. These birds were in a field one mile south of Marshall County Road 7, and roughly six miles east of the headquarters building.

In Aitkin County, Butch Ukura found a GREAT GRAY OWL about two miles west of Jacobson on State Highway 200 on June 26th.

On the 25th, John Hockema reported a HENSLOW’S SPARROW from Chester Woods, a county park along U.S. Highway 14, about five miles east of Rochester in Olmsted County. Watch for the bird from the trail that travels northeast from the parking area near the fishing pier. Henslow’s Sparrows were also found June 26th by Pete Hoeger at Schaefer’s Prairie south of U.S. Highway 212 in southern McLeod County.