Minnesota Detroit Lakes RBA

Detroit Lakes RBA phone number: 1-800-433-1888

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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*December 21, 2006
*MNDL0612.21

-Birds mentioned -Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: December 21, 2006
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)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, December 22, 2006 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.

Here in the northwest we seem to have settled into a weather pattern more resembling March than December with temperatures hovering near 30 in the daytime, dropping to around 10 each night. As of Thursday, no significant snow has fallen in the area this week, and the snow that fell previously has all but disappeared. Enough remains to remind us that it is winter, but not enough to completely cover the brown ground. In the woods and the northern part of the area, a little more snow remains, but far less that we are used to at this season. That said, birding is good, and it is much easier than usual to get around.

From Kittson County, Larry Wilebski continues to report many species from his land northwest of Lancaster. This week's sightings include GRAY PARTRIDGE, SNOWY OWL, GREAT HORNED OWL, several GRAY JAYS, COMMON RAVEN, COMMON REDPOLL, and 2 HOARY REDPOLLS.

Pat Rice reported a successful Bemidji CBC in Beltrami County on December 16 with sightings including BARRED OWL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, AMERICAN ROBIN, many BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, NORTHERN CARDINAL, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, COMMON GRACKLE, and PINE GROSBEAK. In her yard on December 17, she had RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER.

A BALD EAGLE was seen by Gary Tischer and Sue Braastad along CR 12 in Marshall County on December 19. On December 21 the first COMMON REDPOLLS appeared at the Headquarters feeders at Agassiz NWR. A GREAT HORNED OWL was heard hooting in the headquarters area this week.

Teresa Audette in Pennington County reported that this week she has been hearing a GREAT HORNED OWL near their place west of Thief River Falls. On December 17, two GRAY JAYS came to our suet feeder. I believe these to be the same two reported earlier- one full adult, and one juvenile, as I see them every weekend. Other species coming regularly include RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, and PILEATED WOODPECKER.

In Red Lake County, Ben Fritchman saw a GRAY JAY in the town of Oklee on December 14.

Bruce Flaig reported from southern Polk County that he has DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and COMMON REDPOLLS in his yard.

Mel and Elaine Bennefeld reported BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, and PILEATED WOODPECKER at the Ponderosa Golf Club on December 14. The Fargo-Moorhead CBC on December 16 found 41 Minnesota species which included 13 GRAY PARTRIDGE, 36 WILD TURKEYS, three COOPER'S HAWKS, 4 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 6 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES, a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, GRAY JAY, 13 BROWN CREEPERS, a BROWN THRASHER, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and many SNOW BUNTINGS.

Thanks to Bob O'Connor, Ben Fritchman, Bruce Flaig, Gary Tischer, Larry Wilebski, Mel and Elaine Bennefeld, Pat Rice, and Teresa Audette 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, December 29, 2006.

Send your rare and unusual Minnesota sightings to our internet list sevice: MOU-net@cbs.umn.edu.
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