[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report-Friday, April 11, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, April 11,
2003 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You
may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Spring has sprung! Migrants such as swans, ducks, and robins are moving
through the region and new species are appearing in northwestern
Minnesota daily now. The first salamander was seen at Agassiz National
Wildlife Refuge by Gary Tischer on April 4th, and he reported that wood
frogs are starting their chorus near the headquarters. Many reports of
large flocks of COMMON GRACKLES and AMERICAN ROBINS  were sent in this
week.

>From Ottertail County, Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported  PIED-BILLED GREBE
on the 5th, BUFFLEHEAD ,FRANKLIN'S GULL and RING-BILLED GULLS on the
7th, GREAT BLUE HERON , and 10 GREAT EGRETS at Lake Alice Rookery in
Fergus Falls on the 8th, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS on the 9th, and
REDHEADS on April 10th. Migration is really underway.

Five TRUMPETER SWANS were seen by Connie Norheim  along Clay CR26 at
Hotsie Lake on Wednesday.

Rick Gjervold birded the Lawndale area of Wilkin County on April 5th. He
found GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENS, RED-TAILED HAWK, and AMERICAN KESTREL
there. South west of  Rothsay, 5.5 miles south of Wilkin CR 26 along CR
19, he found TUNDRA SWANS, and a variety of ducks including RING-NECKED
DUCK, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIDGEON, and MALLARD. A GREAT HORNED OWL,
RED-TAILED HAWK, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS , and SONG SPARROWS were also
there.

Last Friday, April 4th, Rick visited the MSUM Science Center at Buffalo
River State Park in Clay County, and turned up three AMERICAN WOODCOCKS,
three WOOD DUCKS,  a KILLDEER and 300 SANDHILL CRANES. Birds observed by
Rick on April 5th in Clay County included TUNDRA SWANS,  AMERICAN COOT,
NORTHERN HARRIER, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, SHORT-EARED OWL with supper in
its talons just north of Downer, and most exciting- about a thousand
SANDHILL CRANES. The latter were in two fields northeast of Downer about
one and one-half miles east of the junction of 170th St. S and 80th Ave.
S. On the 9th, Rick hiked in Bicentennial Prairie where he found one
RED-NECKED GREBE,  45 GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENS, one AMERICAN WOODCOCK,
and 2 GRAY PARTRIDGE. A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen hunting along the ditch
of CR 26 just west of the junction with Highway 9.=20

Becker County birds reported by Connie Norheim at Hamden Slough included
COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON MERGANSER, HERRING GULL, and
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.

Lori Becker reports a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK at the bird feeders of the
Wetland, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in Polk County. WOOD
DUCKS have also returned to the sanctuary. At the water impoundment near
Malo Church she reports that TUNDRA SWANS (now about 300) , and 75 gulls
have been gathering  during the last week. A SHORT-EARED OWL, GREAT
HORNED OWL, and 2 SANDHILL CRANES were also seen there on April 9th.

In Pennington County on Friday, April 4th , I was surprised to see a
TURKEY VULTURE soaring above a line of houses along the Red Lake River
near the 8th St. bridge in Thief River Falls.  On Thursday, April 10th,
10 WOOD DUCKS were paddling along the narrow lead of water where the ice
has left the banks of the Red Lake River.

Gary Tischer reported that the ducks are returning to Agassiz National
Wildlife Refuge, Marshall County. Larry Johnson reported 300 SANDHILL
CRANES and  100 swans near Old Mill State Park. On Sunday, April 6th, I
observed 12 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 4 RED-TAILED HAWKS, several AMERICAN
KESTRELS,  a BALD EAGLE, and a SHORT-EARED OWL in the county. The latter
was perched on a short sign at the corner of a county road near Highway
32. Two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and 3 COMMON RAVENS were also seen.

Kittson sightings on April 6th included 4 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 3 NORTHERN
HARRIERS, 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 3 BALD EAGLES, and five SANDHILL CRANES.

Gretchen Mehmel reports a good variety of birds are returning to Lake of
the Woods County including SANDHILL CRANES, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK , and
PURPLE FINCH. RUFFED GROUSE, GRAY JAYS, and PINE SISKINS have also been
seen there this week.=09

Thanks to Dan and Sandy Thimgan, Gary Tischer, Gretchen Mehmel, Katie
Haws, Connie Norheim, Rick Gjervold, and Lori Becker for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than
Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes
Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders
please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took
place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the
subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report
is Friday, April 18, 2003.