Minnesota Statewide RBA

Previous reports: December 18 , January 1 8 15 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*January 22, 1997
*MNST9801.22

-Birds mentioned
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 22, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@millcomm.com)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday January 22nd sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Blaine Seeliger found a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at the Old Cedar Ave. Bridge in Bloomington on Jan. 17th. Check in the area behind the parking lot.

Victor Peppe reports of a SNOWY OWL seen intermittently on Eagle Lake in Maple Grove. It was last reported Jan 15th. Ray Glassel found a Snowy Owl on the McLeod - Meeker County line, along state highway 22 1 1/2 miles north of state highway 7. That SNOWY OWL at the Minneapolis St. Paul airport first reported on Jan 15th is still present. Check at the end of 66th Street in Richfield. And a Snowy owl was observed by Gary Swanson near the town of Monticello, at the junction of Wright County roads 39 and 118.

A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was found by Bob Shultz in Scott County on Jan 16th. The bird was along the main hiking trail in the area known as the Louisville Swamp.

GREAT GRAY OWLS have been seen in two St. Louis County locations recently. One bird was 2.2 miles north of Zim along highway 7. Another was along Stone Lake Road, 1/2 miles east of highway 7.

Both BLACK-BACKED and THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were seen by different birders about half a mile down the Spruce Road in central Lake County over the weekend. Spruce Road runs east off of highway 1 about 15 miles northwest of its junction with Lake county road 2. Check all along the road but especially about 1/2 mile from highway 1. Unusual is the report of a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in Washington County. The bird was seen by Barb McGregor on Jan 18th along the Norway Loop in St. Croix State Park. This is very far south for this species.

Most unusual is the report of a GRAY JAY reportedly visiting a feeder in Mendota Heights, Dakota County. Though the bird has not been seen since the 18th it may still be in the area. I will update this tape if it returns.

An EASTERN BLUEBIRD and SONG SPARROW were at the Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington on the 21st.

A VARIED THRUSH is visiting the feeder of Bill Kraffey in Morrison County. Bill lives near Sullivan Lake and the bird has been present since the 15th. And a HERMIT THRUSH was seen by Cathy Clayton in her yard in Lake Elmo, Washington County. WHITE-THROATED and FOX SPARROWS are also attempting to overwinter there.

Jeanie Joppru found a large group of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on Jan 21st in her yard in Thief River Falls, Pennington County. On the 17th a group was found just north of Duluth along Rice Lake Road, 1/2 mile south of its junction with Beyer Road.

LAPLAND LONGSPURS, HORNED LARKS and SNOW BUNTINGS are moving into the southern half of the state, and concentrations of birds were noted especially in Watonwan County, between the town of Darfur and county road 32. Tom Bell reports that a flock of one hundred SNOW BUNTINGS was in Cottage Grove Washington County on the 21st.

Steve Millard reports that in Fergus Falls, in a brushy area between the dam and railroad tressel off of Stanton Ave., he has found five WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, two WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, one LINCOLN'S SPARROW and one SWAMP SPARROW.

RED CROSSBILLS were reported from St. Louis County on the 17th and from a feeder in Anoka County on Jan 18. COMMON REDPOLLS are also still being found in numerous location across the state, including a flock of about 40 birds seen on Jan 20 in St. Paul, ten birds seen in Forest Lake, Washington County on the 16th.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday January 29th.




Return to Home Page