[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, December 12, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, December 12,
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.

Winter is settling in- and as I write this settling is the correct word.
It is twenty degrees below zero in Pennington County this morning. Bird
reports reveal that folks are busy with Christmas preparations and are
seeing the usual winter species along the way.

>From the Northwest Angle in Lake of the Woods County, Celeste Colson
reported that the winter finches are appearing in greater numbers than
for many years. She has seen PINE GROSBEAK, COMMON REDPOLL, PINE SISKIN,
and EVENING GROSBEAKS. Other birds seen there included GRAY JAY,
BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, COMMON RAVEN, and SNOW BUNTINGS.

Shelley Steva saw a COOPER'S HAWK  in Thief River Falls, Pennington
County on December 6th along 8th Street near the bridge over the Thief
River. I have daily visits from four woodpecker species at our feeders
and lately have had a few COMMON REDPOLLS coming to the thistle feeder.
Just down the road from our house near Thief River Falls, a flock of
about 25 SNOW BUNTINGS  flew over the fields on Monday, December 8th.

In Plummer, Red Lake County, Shelley  found a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET
this week hanging out in some spruce trees.

In Polk County, Mike Christopher reported a PILEATED WOODPECKER coming
to his feeder in Crookston. Donna and Leon Thoreson near Climax have
seen AMERICAN CROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, SNOW BUNTINGS, COMMON REDPOLL , and
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH in their yard this week, while Christine Ross
reported a GREAT HORNED OWL on her property in rural Crookston.

Dave Hochhalter in Becker County is still periodically seeing a male
NORTHERN CARDINAL in his Detroit Lakes yard.

In Otter Tail County, Roland Jordahl spotted a BROWN CREEPER in his yard
on December 10th, along with some DARK-EYED JUNCOS. Alma Ronningen had a
MOURNING DOVE come to her feeder in Dent, and she also reported COMMON
REDPOLLS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

>From Douglas County, Susan Wiste reported a BALD EAGLE ten miles west of
Alexandria on December 7th. She reports that the TRUMPETER SWANS are
still on Lake Carlos,  and there are some COMMON MERGANSERS there also.

Thanks to Dave Hochhalter, Shelley Steva, Susan Wiste, Mike Christopher,
Donna and Leon Thoreson, Christine Ross, Randy Chaffee, Alma Ronningen,
Celeste Colson, and Roland Jordahl 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, December 19, 2003.