Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

Duluth RBA

Previous reports: November 10 20 27 , December 4 11 16 21 25 , January 2 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*January 8 1998
*MNDU9801.08

-Birds mentioned

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Merlin
Spruce Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Glaucous-winged Gull
Snowy Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Great Gray Owl
Long-eared Owl
Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Townsend's Solitaire
Bohemian Waxwing
Eastern Towhee
Harris' Sparrow

-Transcript

-Birds mentioned

Hotline:

Date:

Sponsor:

Reports:

Compiler:

Transcriber:

Re-transcriber:

This is the Duluth birding report for Thursday, Jan 8th, sponsored by the
Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Although there is still a general scarcity of northern owls and other
winter specialties there were at least some new birds of interest reported
since last weeks tape.
Including the continued presence of a fairly reliable group of
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in Aitkin County, SPRUCE GROUSE and both THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in Lake County, a GREAT GRAY OWL
north of Duluth, a LONG-EARED OWL seen again in Sax Zim bog, a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE in Duluth and a new BOHEMIAN WAXWING location near Duluth.
Warren Nelson reports that SHARP-TAILED GROUSE have been present for
several weeks in Aitkin County west of Gun Lake. To reach this area, go 3
miles west and 1 mile south on township road 380 which turns west off of
county road 5, 3 miles south of the town of Palisade.
The Isabella CBC in Lake County was held Jan 3 and among the more
interesting sightings were 3 SPRUCE GROUSE at their traditional location
on County Road 2 just north of the Sand River. This is about 42 miles
north of Two Harbors or 4 miles south of the MN hwy 1 intersection. Also
on the count was a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER found by Bill Teske. This
was along the south side of Hwy 1 about a mile northwest of the County
Road 2 intersection just southeast of Chubb Lake.
Bill had also found another THREE-TOED WOODPECKER on the Ely CBC a few
days earlier. This was about 1/2 mile north along the main snowmobile
trail which crosses the Spruce Rd 3.5 miles up from hwy 1. The Spruce Road
intersection on hwy 1 is 14 miles northwest of county road 2.
Also in Lake County, Deb Savageau saw a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER last
weekend along county road 2. She reported that location as near a green
house with several feeders on the west side of the road somewhere between
Greenwood Lake and the Sand River. Deb also recently found a GREAT GRAY
OWL on St. Louis county road 16 north of Duluth. That location was 9
miles east of the county road 4 intersection or 7 miles west of the town
of Fairbanks. She also relocated that LONG-EARED OWL which was found
originally on the Sax Zim bog CBC. That location was on St. Louis county
road 211 1.4 miles north of county road 133. 211 turns north off 133 3
miles east of Meadowland.
A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was just reported today in Duluth along east 8th
St. The caller did include her name on the message about the sighting but
I was unable to hear what it was.
A flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was seen again near Duluth this week, at a
location just northeast of Duluth which has apparently been consistent
for them the past 2 or 3 weeks. From Hwy 61 turn north on Homestead Rd
until it ends at West Knife river road in 6 miles, then turn left or west
and go about 1 mile.
Last weeks tape included mention of a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Koochiching
county, along MN hwy 65 near mile marker 228 which is 10.5 miles north of
the Itasca county line. Unfortunately a search to relocate this owl earlier
this week was unsuccessful.
3 GREAT GRAY OWLS were also mentioned on last weeks tape: in Koochiching
County between mile markers 379 and 380 on US why 71, on Pietz's Road in
Aitkin county -- the dead end road which turns north of off county road 18
four miles east of US Hwy 169, and in Brule, WI near the intersection of
Brule River road and Clay Ave but it is not known if any of these owls are
still present this week.
Presumably, however, that previously mentioned SNOWY OWL is still in the
Duluth harbor area especially on the bay ice between Park Point and the port
terminal, as are the GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL and other gulls at the Superior,
WI landfill which had been mentioned on previous tapes.
Finally some late lingering species have been present in Duluth this week
which may be of interest. These include CANADA GEESE, WOOD DUCK, and a
MERLIN in the Duluth harbor area. An EASTERN TOWHEE and a HARRIS'S SPARROW
at Leif Brush's feeder on the 2900 block of Jefferson St. And another
HARRIS'S SPARROW at the feeder at the Wild Birds Unlimited store next to
the Miller Hill mall.
Unless something of interest is seen in the meantime which needs to be
reported on immediately, the next scheduled update of this tape will be on
Thursday Jan 15th.
Return to Home Page