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

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, July 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.

What with the holiday this weekend, birding reports have been scarce,
but don't let that convince you that birds have also been scarce! With
all the baby birds the more common species have greatly increased in
numbers. The southward migration of shorebirds has begun in earnest with
the number of shorebirds counted at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge
increasing nearly eight-fold.

In Thief River Falls, Pennington County, the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was
refound on Saturday, July 5th preening on a utility pole near the corner
of Kinney and 6th St. near the arena. We watched it for at least 15
minutes, and were able to hear it vocalize, and see all the key field
marks. This bird is not easy to find, however, and I have not seen it
since although I have not had time to look for it either. If anyone
needs an update, you can email me at ajjoppru@wiktel.com or call me at
218-681-1531.

Leo Lantz reported a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and a GREAT CRESTED
FLYCATCHER along the southeast shore of Ottertail Lake in Ottertail
County on July 6th. On July 7th, Alma Ronningen had a female NORTHERN
CARDINAL come to the feeder in Dent. She also reported an OSPREY nesting
on their property. Other species nesting there included TREE SWALLOW,
EASTERN BLUEBIRD, AMERICAN ROBIN, YELLOW WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROW, and
HOUSE FINCH.

At our feeder in rural Thief River Falls, Pennington County, we have
young birds of several species, including both DOWNY WOODPECKER and
HAIRY WOODPECKER. An adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER is coming daily,
sometimes spending most of the day at the feeder. An INDIGO BUNTING has
been singing from a neighbor's yard.

Mary Broten reported a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW  in Marshall County south
of Newfolden on July 7th. On July 4th, Shelley Steva and I birded in the
Thief Lake WMA in northeastern Marshall County and found BROAD-WINGED
HAWK, 8 species of warblers, and a PURPLE FINCH singing on territory in
the far northeastern corner of the county. This latter sighting is near
the western limit of the summer range of the purple finch. Shorebirds
are the big news this week in Marshall County- returning birds counted
last weekend at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge included an early
migrant BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SOLITARY SANDPIPER,
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, and STILT SANDPIPER, and 73 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS.
Three AMERICAN AVOCETS were found. A total of  1946 individuals of 17
species were counted there on Sunday, July 6th.

Thanks to Mary Broten, Leo Lantz, and Alma Ronningen 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, July 18, 2003.