Detroit Lakes RBA

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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*May 29, 2003
*MNDL0305.29

-Birds mentioned
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: May 29, 2003
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)
(Rockliffe SMTPRA 5.3.4) with ESMTP id for ; Thu, 29 May 2003 22:41:37 -0500

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, May 30, 2003 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.

As the weather warms up and the songbirds come flooding in, now the shorebirds are appearing in large numbers. Peder Svingen found nearly 1200 at Agassiz NWR on May 23rd, and Karl Bardon counted over 1300 on May 27th. The species distribution had changed also indicating that daily changes are occurring. This year the shorebirds are concentrated on the large areas of habitat; due to the general dry condition in the area not many small temporary wetlands are available in farm fields.

Of note this week is the pair of AMERICAN AVOCETS apparently nesting on Thief Bay Pool at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County.

A possible GLOSSY IBIS has been reported from Bisson Lake at the north end of Hamden's Slough in Becker County on the 28th. It is unknown if anyone has been able to verify if this is indeed a second state record of the Glossy or if it is the more usual White-faced Ibis, or indeed if it is still there. If anyone sees the bird , please report it. At Hamden Slough, Mike Murphy reports that Eagle Pond and Hesby Wetland are in drawdown and attracting good numbers of shorebirds. These wetlands are about a half mile north or northeast of the refuge office. Bisson Lake- 3 miles west of Callaway and "frog Pond" also have many shorebirds including nesting AMERICAN AVOCETS.

Among Norman County birds reported this week are 54 YELLOW RAILS, 51 of them in a single mile of CR 39 two miles west of MN highway 32. These were heard by Tony Hertzel and Peder Svingen during a day of birding in the county.

Two GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS were found by Peder Svingen and I on May 24th; one was in southeastern Pennington County, one in southwestern Beltrami County, and both were singing.

Ray Hunt reported two TRUMPETER SWANS near Lancaster, Kittson County, this week.

Beltrami County birds reported by Jim Lind along County Road 111 ( the Waldo Road), about 6 miles northwest of Kelliher, include a female SPRUCE GROUSE, 2 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, BOREAL CHICKADEE, CONNECTICUT WARBLER, and GRAY JAY.

In Marshall County, shorebirds are the headliners.At Agassiz NWR Peder Svingen found 17 species highlighted by the avocets mentioned above as well as 233 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS which may be a record high count for Minnesota, also 33 HUDSONIAN GODWITS, 337 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 113 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 95 DUNLINS and several other species- all on May 23rd. Karl Bardon had 19 species including 43 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 50 MARBLED GODWITS, 6 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 3 RED KNOTS, 352 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 223 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 609 DUNLINS and others. LEAST BITTERNS were first seen and heard at Agassiz the week of May 19th. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS have also been seen on the refuge by Gary Tischer. Maggie Anderson saw 2 EARED GREBES there on May 27th.

In the course of a survey, I found several singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS just north of the Wetland, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in northern Polk County on May 25th. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were also heard dancing in the area.

Pennington County birds observed this week include RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and BONAPARTE'S GULL found on the Thief River Falls wastewater treatment ponds on May 24th. Other birds seen in the county include COMMON NIGHTHAWK, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, LARK SPARROW, and 18 species of warblers highlighted by GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and CONNECTICUT WARBLER.

In Clay County, Rick Gjervold saw a flock of DUNLINS west of the Buffalo River crossing on Clay County Road 87 on May 21st. Mel and Elaine Bennefelk sighted an INDIGO BUNTING at the bird feeders at the Ponderosa Golf Club on May 27th.

Sally Hausken reported INDIGO BUNTING in Becker County on May 26th. Virgene Grubb reports that she has EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, HOUSE WRENS , and AMERICAN ROBIN nesting in her yard already.

Roland Jordahl also had an INDIGO BUNTING to report, this one in Ottertail County on May 21st, so these beautiful birds are definitely returning to the northwest this week. Among other birds reported by Roland were TURKEY VULTURE, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, and BROWN CREEPER.

Douglas County birds reported by Susan Wiste were a pair of BLACK TERNS along County Road 27, 1 mile north of the intersection with Minnesota Highway 27, approximately 8 miles west of Alexandria.

Thanks to Jim Lind, Andrew Longtin, Sally Hausken, Roland Jordahl, Rick Gjervold, Mel and Elaine Bennefeld, Peder Svingen, Tony Hertzel, Karl Bardon, Kari Odifey, Virgen Grubb, and Mike Murphy for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, 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. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, June 5, 2003.

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