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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*May 9, 2000
*MNDU0005.09

-Birds mentioned

• Snowy Egret
• Harlequin Duck
• Oldsquaw
• Piping Plover
• Willet
• Wilson's Phalarope
• Northern Mockingbird
• BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK
• Eastern Towhee
• McCOWN'S LONGSPUR

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: May 9, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Transcriber: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Tuesday, May 9, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union, and this report is being updated today primarily to report on 3 very unusual species which were seen yesterday: MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR and SNOWY EGRET in Duluth and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK in nearby Cloquet.

The McCown's Longspur was a male in breeding plumage found late yesterday afternoon by Dave Benson at the 40th Ave W Erie Pier area. It was seen along the road at the eastern corner of the now mostly dry water impoundment, but unfortunately none of the birders looking for it this morning were able to relocate it. To reach this location, take the 40th Ave W exit off I-35, cross over to the bay side of the freeway, follow the gravel road just beyond the frontage road which leads to the impoundment, and here bear to the left and drive or hike out to the far eastern corner of the area. (Note that on most days this spring the gate at the start of the gravel road has been open; if so, it is OK to drive in as long as birders stay out of the way of any workers' equipment or vehicles.)

Also at the 40th Ave W area this morning were 4 Snowy Egrets feeding and flying around various spots of the impoundment. Yesterday afternoon 3 of these egrets were present here in the water area at the western corner of the impoundment, which is on the Hwy 2 or Bong Bridge side of 40th.

On May 7 and 8 a female Black-headed Grosbeak was reported at a feeder in Cloquet, Carlton Co. So far, no one other than the homeowners have seen or identified this bird, but they are willing to have visiting birders come and look for it under certain conditions. The address is 1306 Jean Marie St, and Jean Marie turns S off North Cloquet Rd, or Co Rd 2, about 1 mi E of Minn Hwy 33 on the N side of town. Birders are asked not to walk into the back yard where the feeders are, but the feeders can be viewed by driving into the driveway and parking next to the right side of the garage. Only small groups of birders (4-5 maximum) can be accommodated.

Many other migrants, including several noteworthy species, have also been reported recently in Duluth and vicinity, and these will be mentioned on this Thursday's regular update of this report. Among these were: a female HARLEQUIN DUCK and several OLDSQUAWS on May 7 at Paradise Beach, 13 mi E of Grand Marais in Cook Co; PIPING PLOVER, WILLET and WILSON'S PHALAROPE all seen since last weekend in Duluth at Park Point or the 40th Ave W area; an EASTERN TOWHEE yesterday in Two Harbors on the 900 block of 9th Ave; and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD present the past few days just NE of Duluth on the W Knife River Rd, about 1/2 mi W of the end of the Homestead Rd.

Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, the Duluth Birding Report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on May 11. The phone number is (218) 525-5952, and callers can leave a message if they wish after the tone at the end of the tape. Also note that a message can be left without having to wait for the birding report to end: after the tape starts playing, push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will then stop, the tone will sound and you can leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), the state bird club, as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street S E, Minneapolis MN 55455, or visit the MOU web site at .

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