Minnesota Duluth/North Shore RBA

Duluth RBA phone number: 218-834-2858

Previous reports: December 4 12 18 23, January 1 8 15.
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Detroit Lakes


-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*January 22, 2009
*MNDU0901.22

-Birds mentioned -Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: January 22, 2009
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind (jslind@frontiernet.net)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

The immature GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW found by Brad Snelling at 21 East College Street in December was seen at the same location on the 17th. It has not been seen since, but may be visiting other feeders in the neighborhood. The male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was relocated by several observers during the past week at Canal Park, as recently as the 19th. A TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was seen on the 17th along the East Flynn Road (CR 282), 0.1 mile east of the McQuade Road (CR 33).

Many BOREAL OWLS were found in the Duluth area during the past week. Don Kienholz had one in his yard on the 20th in Rice Lake Township. Jeff Frey found one on the 19th in the alley behind Custom Photo Lab at 27th Avenue West and Superior Street. Frank and Kathi Berdan found one on the 19th in their yard in Duluth Township. Steve Van Kekerix photographed one on the 19th along the MN Highway 61 expressway near 78th Avenue East. One was photographed on the 15th along Scenic Highway 61 south of the Ryan Road (CR 50) at the Spruce Court Road, and another was seen on the 15th in Duluth's Hunter’s Park neighborhood at 2127 Sussex Avenue. As far as I am aware none of these birds have been relocated after their initial discovery.

A GREAT GRAY OWL was found on the 21st in southern Lake County along the Stanley Road (CR 9), a mile east of the St. Louis County line. Warren Lind found a GREAT GRAY OWL on the 16th along the Two Harbors Road (CR 266), a half mile east of the App Road (CR 271). Sparky Stensaas found a SNOWY OWL on the 17th along Airport Approach Drive, about a half mile northeast of Stebner Road and US Highway 53. This is a high security area and birders should use caution when looking for this bird. Nathan and Al Schirmacher saw a SNOWY OWL from Park Point sitting on the ice near Wisconsin Point.

The NORTHERN HAWK OWL at Jean-Duluth Road (CR 37) and the Beyer Road (CR 259) was seen throughout the past week by several observers. Dave Alexander and Frank Nicoletti found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along US Highway 53 north of Virginia, 0.2 mile south of CR 652. They found another in Koochiching County along US Highway 71, 3.3 miles south of CR 77.

Most of the species of interest in the Sax-Zim bog continue to be seen at the usual locations. Sparky Stensaas saw two GREAT GRAY OWLS on the 17th along the McDavitt Road (CR 233), 2.5 and 3.5 miles north of the Sax Road (CR 28). Sparky also saw a SHARP-TAILED GROUSE fly across the Sax Road near CR 7, and a NORTHERN HAWK OWL on Owl Avenue (CR 203) a mile south of the Arkola Road (CR 52). Several observers have reported the NORTHERN HAWK OWL along CR 7 within 0.5 mile of the Sax Road. Both AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS are still being seen along the McDavitt Road, 3.5 miles north of the Sax Road. BOREAL CHICKADEES and a HOARY REDPOLL are still being seen at the “deer-rib feeding station” along the Admiral Road (CR 788) 4 miles north of the Sax Road. EVENING GROSBEAKS are being seen at the feeders along the Blue Spruce Road (CR 211) a mile north of CR 133.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, January 29th.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at mou@moumn.org, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.

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