Dispatch from reporter Richard Meryhew:
As residents picked at debris in their homes, yards and streets, dozens of Great Blue heron flew about the North Mississippi River Regional Park near the Camden Avenue Bridge searching for nests destroyed by the tornado.
"It's truly devastating," said Dawn Sommers, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. "The tree tops are missing. The last time I counted, there were up to 80 nests there. These are huge, enormous nests. And driving down the freeway today, I couldn't spot one. It just made my heart sink."
Sommers said park crews cleaning debris from the area Monday were watching for injured herons or chicks.
She said anyone coming across injured wildife can bring the bird or animal to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville or check the organization's website at www.wrcmn.org.
David Salmela sent along these photos of the devastated rookery, and this description:
![Mason Nadolney got his second COVID-19 vaccine shot during a mobile vaccine event at Chanhassen High School in July.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/J7LEBWHZ57AFGZSTIR2WYOQJ3A.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
What to know about the latest COVID variants, Minnesota testing, vaccines
Sign up for Star Tribune newsletters
![Nearly a dozen collected Bachman's warblers lie in a specimen tray.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/3KDGPJTGN5CRNG5PO5S5T35XUE.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
126 birds on list 'lost to science'
![Champlin Park volleyball player Carly Gilk posed for a photo by her mom, Shelley, when they arrived for the AMSA celebration at Target Field.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/QPHJLQJMYJDLFMFTYKDONXWDQY.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)