BIRDS OF THE ST. CROIX RIVER VALLEY 



73 



Habitat: Primarily found on flooded agricultural fields and the muddy edges 

 of wetlands. This species is occasionally observed in Northern Sedge 

 Meadow and Shrub Carr wetlands. 



Willet {Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) 

 Status: Regular migrant. 



Migration: Rare migrant in the Western Upland, casual elsewhere. Spring 

 migrants arrive about 30 April. Willets are most frequently observed 

 5-10 May and remain through 25 May. The first fall migrants arrive about 

 25 July and have departed by 1 September. 



Habitat: Willets are found primarily on temporarily and seasonally flooded 

 wetlands. K. H. Dueholm observed a flock of 20 in a flooded alfalfa field in 

 Polk County on 30 April 1975. 



Spotted Sandpiper {Actitis macularia) 

 Status: Regular migrant and nesting species. 



Migration: Common migrant in the Western Upland and Central Plain, 

 uncommon and local in the Northern Highland. Spring migrants arrive in 

 the Western Upland 20-30 April (earliest— 2 April 1953, Burnett County) 

 and peak abundance occurs 5-15 May. Peak fall abundance occurs during 

 mid- August and departure by 1 October. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Fairly common nesting species throughout the 

 Valley. Nest records and observations of breeding pairs have been obtained 

 from all the counties. 



Habitat: Primarily a nesting species of seasonally, semipermanently, and 

 permanently flooded wetlands in the Western Upland and Central Plain. 

 This species also makes extensive use of river edge and exposed islands in 

 larger streams. Largely restricted to rivers, streams, and rocky or sandy 

 shores of large lakes in the Northern Highland. 



Ruddy Turnstone {Arenaria interpres) 

 Status: Regular migrant. 



Migration: Rare and local migrant throughout the Valley. Spring migrants 

 arrive about 10 May and are most commonly observed 15-25 May. De- 

 parture occurs by 5 June (latest— 10 June 1972, Burnett County). The ob- 

 servation of 18 ruddy turnstones on Lake Chisago, Chisago County (Roberts 

 1938), constitutes the largest group reported in the Valley. Fall migrants 

 arrive about 20 August and have departed by 20 September. 



Habitat: Ruddy turnstones primarily use sandy beaches associated with 

 large lakes and the shoreline of the St. Croix River. Occasional use is made of 

 seasonally flooded wetlands. 



