Minnesota Statewide RBA

Statewide RBA phone number: 763-780-8890 or 1-800-657-3700

Previous reports: December 4 11 18 25 , January 1 8 15 22 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore | Detroit Lakes


-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*January 29, 2004
*MNST0401.29

-Birds mentioned
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 29, 2004
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://biosci.umn.edu/~mou/
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (ahertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday January 29th.

As is often the case at this time of year, most of the birding news is from the North Shore of Lake Superior. The GYRFALCON was in the Duluth/Superior harbor as recently as the 27th, but it has not been seen in Duluth since the 16th. A SNOWY OWL has also been seen in this area on the ice beneath the Bong Bridge.

Jeanette Lang reported a SPOTTED TOWHEE in Duluth this week, in the alley of the 2300 block east, between 2nd and 3rd streets.

Jim Lind refound the first-winter ICELAND GULL at Agate Bay in Two Harbors, Lake County, on the 24th, and the GLAUCOUS GULL, HARLEQUIN DUCK, and LONG-TAILED DUCK were also still present there.

Elsewhere, a VARIED THRUSH is being seen in the town of Palisade in Aitkin County. From the gas station on the north side of main street, drive north on 4th Street. At the end of this street, go left. When the road then bends right look for a white house. The bird is visiting feeders here.

Several observers reported GREAT GRAY OWLS along Aitkin County Road 18 this week. Warren Nelson found three on the 24th; two were a half mile west of Pietz's Road, and the other was a quarter of a mile east of the Hebron Cemetery. A fourth was on Aitkin County Road 5 one and a half miles south of county road 18.

On the 24th, Gordon Anderson spotted a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in Monticello, Wright County, in with the flock of TRUMPETER SWANS.

There are possibly two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS over-wintering at Minneopa State Park in Blue Earth County. On the 27th, Chad Heins found one bird below the bluff where a small creek runs with open water. What may have been a second bird was seen the same day in the junipers along the main road in the park. Another Yellow-rumped was in Fillmore County on the 21st in Pilot Mound Township.

It was nice to get the numerous reports of COMMON REDPOLLS this past week. Many people across the state took the time to call in that they have birds at their feeders. Ken Vail had a single HOARY REDPOLL in the windbreak next to his home in Blooming Prairie, Dodge County on the 25th.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at .

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 5th.

-- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com

Send your rare and unusual Minnesota sightings to our electronic hotline: MOU-net@biosci.umn.edu. To learn more, send a message (the message being these two words: info mou-net) to majordomo@biosci.umn.edu.




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