[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, March 14, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, March 14,
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.

Finally, it seems that we are to get some spring-like weather- or at
least a winter thaw! The balmy temperatures are forecast to continue
throughout the weekend, so most of our snow will likely disappear. The
bird reports sent in reveal that the birds that go by day length are
coming back as usual.

>From Ottertail County, Teresa Jaskiewicz  reported two pairs of
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS this week south of Fergus Falls just past the
Pebble Lake golf course at the far end of the trailer park. The
homeowner said that they have been there since the end of January,
feeding on papaya- and no, I don't think the papaya is locally grown!
There are SONG SPARROWS and HARRIS'S SPARROWS in the town of Elizabeth.

Rick Gjervold found two pairs of MALLARDS on the open water near the
northside dam in Moorhead, Clay County on Wednesday, March 12th.

A Becker County report by Bea Purdy at Birchmere Resort included an
EASTERN BLUEBIRD March 12th on County Road 31, 10 miles east of Detroit
Lakes off Highway 34. AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS have been using the
platform feeder at the resort daily for about three weeks now. Birchmere
Resort is on Little Toad Lake. There was also a report of possible
waxwings a few miles southwest of Detroit Lakes.

Gladwyn Lynne found a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on March 7th near the Wetland,
Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary, and about 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS at
the sanctuary in Polk County.

Marshall County sightings from Gladwyn include a pair of NORTHERN
CARDINALS which have overwintered in Warren, a NORTHERN FLICKER, and an
AMERICAN ROBIN , all on March 9th.

Shelley Steva heard a GREAT HORNED OWL in Pennington County on March
6th. I found an adult BALD EAGLE east of Thief River Falls on Friday ,
March 7th. The bird was perched in a tree in a farmyard near the
intersection of 200th Ave NE and 180th St. NE. This is 6-8 miles east of
Thief River Falls and one mile north of Highway 1. Also seen on Friday
were numerous small groups of HORNED LARKS, and about 10 AMERICAN
GOLDFINCHES came to our feeder.                     =20

Finally  Russell Reisz reported an AMERICAN ROBIN in Karlstad, Kittson
County. He is also seeing SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, but not on the leks yet.

Thanks to Teresa Jaskiewicz, Russell Reisz, Gladwyn Lynne, Bea Purdy,
Rick Gjervold, Shelley Steva, and Greta Hauge 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, March 21, 2003.