This Minnetonka park has a lot going for it, but I have personal connections with it that span close to fifteen years. My first visit resulted from my search for a quiet location on my commute to think, pray, and plan my days. A secluded hilltop there became a peaceful refuge. As an avid birder, though, I toted a pair of binoculars during my times of solitude, and quickly collected lists of bird observations made throughout the extensive park, some of them unique in all my years of birding.
One "lifer" from the park, spotted to the north of the trail that goes parallel to the railroad tracks, was a wintering Northern Saw-whet Owl. (Owls are amazing birds, and my college birding mentor and erstwhile roommate was drawn to the study of birds because of owls he saw as a child.) This park is a reliable location for owls, including the Great Horned Owl and the Barred Owl. Other potential owl sightings I haven't made include a Boreal or a Short-eared. But you don't have to be hunting rarities in twenty degree below zero wind chills to enjoy the birds in the park! In more seasonable weather I have walked the trails accompanied by the sound of a Robin here, a White-breasted Nuthatch there, or the cheerful duet of a pair of Chickadees. A Cardinal sings from a high perch in its territory beyond the picnic shelter, which is on the point overlooking some thriving wetlands, while a pair of Baltimore Orioles calls out from the distant tree line.
I've met quite a few other birders in the park, and we have a common bond of friendship just as I've observed among geocachers. One really interesting friend I've made there is Udey, a bona fide ornithologist who keeps very detailed lists of his sightings. Following his example, I counted the following birds in and near a wetland area early one spring morning:
- 3 Great Blue Herons
- 1 Green Heron
- 6 Canada Geese (the common variety)
- 1 Mallard
- 1 Sora
- 6 American Coots
- 2 Wood Ducks
- 4 Common Yellowthroats
- 2 Belted Kingfishers
- 2 Chipping Sparrows
Out of sheer laziness I don't always count or even list the common birds (you can usually just add "...and the usual suspects" to any list). I always see Red-winged Blackbirds in good numbers, so seriously, why take the time to mention how many there were?
But Udey's attention to detail helps with statistics and trends, and comparisons of birds seen (or not seen) in similar habitats. It leads to questions about why similar birds are not seen, such as nesting pairs of Black-crowned Night-Herons, Tundra Swans, or Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Come to think of it, I think I've never seen a Great Egret here, which is odd. You'll probably never see a Western Sandpiper in the wetland here, but once while he was walking along it, Udey claims he saw a Semipalmated Sandpiper — not as rare, but it's very tricky to tell the two apart. I have Killdeer, a pair of Solitary Sandpipers (isn't that ironic?), and both varieties of Yellowlegs on my lists, but I've never seen either of the "peeps" that are regular migrants in the area. I probably shouldn't question Udey, though, since he's the one with a Master's and a Ph D. in his field!
There are so many other good birds I could mention that I've seen in this park, like the pair of Brown Thrashers whose nest another birder kindly pointed out to me, but the following is a representative list from the peak of migration (omitting those species already mentioned):
- 1 Downy Woodpecker
- 1 Hairy Woodpecker
- 1 Pileated Woodpecker
(no Red-headed Woodpeckers, which are sadly scarce)
- 2 Eastern Phoebes
- 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
- 4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
- 2 Warbling Vireos
- 12 Myrtle Warblers (practically dripping off the trees)
- 1 House Wren
- 3 Yellow Warblers
- 4 Black-and-white Warblers
- 1 Blackpoll Warbler
- 1 Indigo Bunting
The list includes an uncounted number of American Goldfinches, Cedar Waxwings, and White-throated Sparrows, but I also noted there were no Wilson's Warblers and the nesting pairs of Eastern Bluebirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were conspicuous in their absence — normally you would expect to see those.
Of course, to identify birds you need a good bird guide. I find the Sibley Guide to Birds to be indispensible, though the copy I got back in 2000 is a bit bulky and dog-eared.
Good birding!
As a postscript, I should mention that when one of my sons and I ran out at dusk to hide the cache, a pair of Great Horned Owls were calling nearby. That's not a clue of any kind, that's just way cool!
Conclusion: So that was the "wing" part, and you may already have an idea which park harbors this cache. I'd love to hear what bird sightings you have in the park. This is the "prayer" part: If you like, log a prayer request online with your find, or send one to me in a message, and I will be mindful of your request during my quiet times to come.
FTF Prize: $5 gift card
(You will find a receipt in the cache, which you use to claim the actual gift card.)
