Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *May 27, 1999 *MNDU9905.27 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: May 27, 1999
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Kim Eckert
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, May 27 [with some additional May 28 information], sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
There was an update of this tape last Sunday to report on the results of the May 22 Hawk Ridge Birdathon and St. Louis Co. Big Day, in which over 60 observers on 20 teams found a composite total of no fewer than 201 species despite the cold temperatures, very strong off-lake winds and a rainy evening.
To repeat the more significant highlights of that day: There were 3 TRUMPETER SWANS in the gravel pit ponds northwest of the intersection of Minn Hwy 194 and Canosia Rd (or Co Rd 98). There were a late TUNDRA SWAN and a late GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in Duluth. Two SURF SCOTERS were on the bay side of Park Point near the Duluth Rowing Club. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were at 3 locations in the Sax-Zim Bog, 2 of these at traditional lek sites. A YELLOW RAIL was heard at a new location in Sax-Zim, on Co Rd 28 about 1/2 mile west of Sax. WILLET, WHIMBREL, MARBLED GODWIT, and HUDSONIAN GODWITS were all seen. An unidentified JAEGER, probably a Parasitic, was on the lake side of Park Point near the Superior Entry breakwaters. A 2-year-old immature GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was still at Park Point near the Recreation Area. GREAT GRAY OWLS were at 3 locations in the Sax-Zim Bog: one of these still at the nest site; another on Co Rd 52, 0.8 mi east of Co Rd 7, or 5.2 mi west of Cotton; and the other Great Gray on Co Rd 788, 1 mi west and 4.8 mi north of Sax. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO were both unexpected in the Sax-Zim area. A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was seen near the Boy Scout Boat Landing on the St Louis River in the Gary-New Duluth neighborhood just off Minn Hwy 23, and this bird was still present on Sunday morning the 23rd, but apparently not thereafter. And a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was at the 40th Ave West Erie Pier area, and it was still present the next day.
Since May 22, things have quieted down somewhat, although on the 23rd Denny and Barb Martin of the Twin Cities found both a SMITH'S LONGSPUR and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at the 40th Ave west area, with the longspur apparently still present May 24. On the 25th, Terry Wiens found another N. MOCKINGBIRD, this one on the north edge of Duluth at the intersection of Lester River and Beyer roads. And yesterday, May 26, an injured and very late SNOWY OWL was picked up in the railroad yards near the grain elevators on the Duluth side of the harbor.
[May 28 update: 3 RED KNOTS were found May 27 by Dave Benson's Bird ID Class on the bay side of Park Point near the Sky Harbor airport buildings; Nancy Jackson of Hoyt Lakes reported another N. MOCKINGBIRD May 26 on Park Point near the apartment buildings on 19th St; and a SUMMER TANAGER was seen on one day only, May 24, at Castle Danger in Lake Co.]
Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, this tape is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on June 3. 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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