Previous reports: August 9 15 27 29 , September 5 12 19 27 , October 3 10 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*October 17, 2002
*MNDL0210.17

-Birds mentioned

• Pied-billed Grebe
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snow Goose
• Canada Goose
• Bald Eagle
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Ferruginous Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Spruce Grouse
• Ruffed Grouse
• American Coot
• Sandhill Crane
• Semipalmated Plover
• Killdeer
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Common Snipe
• American Woodcock
• Belted Kingfisher
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Gray Jay
• Blue Jay
• Black-billed Magpie
• Gray Catbird
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Field Sparrow
• White-throated Sparrow
• Harris's Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Rusty Blackbird
• Brewer's Blackbird
• Purple Finch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: October 17, 2002
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)
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This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday,October 18,2002 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Much wind and cold weather has brought down a lot of the colored leaves in this area this week. It is to be noted that the colors were much more muted this year, so the show is soon over for this time.

The ibis reported last week was still in Hamden Slough, Becker County,as late as Saturday, October 12 about 5pm. It was determined that this was an immature bird of either the glossy or the white-faced species. At this stage, these two ibises are indistinguishable from each other.

In Clay County this week, at Felton Prairie, Peder Svingen spotted a FERRUGINOUS HAWK sitting on the ground along the "longspur" road on Saturday, October 12. It was near the natural gas pipeline head on the west side of the road. The bird flew off to the west and was not seen again. This road can be accessed from the intersection of Minnesota Highway 9 and Clay County Road 108 by driving 6 miles east on CR108 and turning south past the large gravel pit.

Lake of the Wood County birds reported by Gretchen Mehmel this week included a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 2 SPRUCE GROUSE, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, GRAY JAYS, BLUE JAYS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS around Norris Camp. Several AMERICAN WOODCOCK were seen along the edges of the roads in the early evenings.

Lori Becker at the Wetland, Pines, and Prairie Audubon Sanctuary in Polk County found at least 200 SANDHILL CRANES about a quarter mile west of the sanctuary, a number which is growing. There were also SNOW GEESE and several species of ducks there.

Marshall County birds reported by Mary Broten included SNOW GEESE, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, GRAY CATBIRD, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, FIELD SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO. At Old Mill State Park, besides the sparrows reported by everyone, there were a BELTED KINGFISHER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, and PURPLE FINCHES.

Shelley Steva saw four ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in southern Pennington County just north of the Red Lake County line along Highway 59 on October 11. A late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER showed up in our yard near Thief River Falls on Sunday, October 12.

In Becker County, at Hamden Slough, in addition to the ibis mentioned earlier, there were PIED-BILLED GREBES, GREAT BLUE HERON, GREAT EGRETS, a number of ducks and CANADA GEESE, a BALD EAGLE, ROUGH- LEGGED HAWK, and AMERICAN KESTREL. Shorebirds included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, KILLDEER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and many COMMON SNIPE. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS were also present.

>From Ottertail County this week Alma Ronningen had a RUFFED GROUSE in their yard. She also reported hundreds of AMERICAN COOTS along the west shoreline of Lake Lida east of Pelican Rapids on Wednesday, October 16th.

Thanks to Mary Broten, Alma Ronningen, Peder Svingen, Shelley Steva, Gretchen Mehmel, and Lori Becker for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by e-mail, no later than Thursday each week, at: ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. When reporting by e-mail please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday,October 25, 2002.

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