[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, May 2, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, May 2, 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.

Leaves are appearing on the trees in Northwest Minnesota, so warbler
watchers be prepared to work for your sightings this year.

Migration is progressing this week. Shelley Steva saw 600 swans in Polk
County on the 24th, of which about 60 were TRUMPETER SWANS, and Larry
Johnson reports that the large congregation of sandhill cranes are
mostly gone from the field near Old Mill State Park where he reported
them last week. Joan Burke reported this week that the greater
prairie-chickens at Hamden Slough in Becker County are winding down
their displays , and presumably getting on with the task at hand -
namely raising a family.

A CATTLE EGRET was seen in Bruce Clumb's yard in Mahnomen, Mahnomen
County on the 23rd.

>From Roseau County, Beth Siverhus reports that AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN,
most ducks, WILSON'S SNIPE, TREE SWALLOW, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, and
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS arrived in the area on April 26th.

In Lake of the Woods County, Gretchen Mehmel saw a HERMIT THRUSH, and a
TRUMPETER SWAN was seen at Brown's Lake on the 27th.

A NORTHERN CARDINAL  female was reported on April 29 by Pat Rice at her
home in Bemidji , Beltrami County.

Karen Arnold sent in a report from Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge this
week. On April 26th, a GREAT HORNED OWL, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were
seen. On the 29th some shorebirds showed up; notably an AMERICAN AVOCET
and several GREATER YELLOWLEGS were found in Thief Bay Pool. FORSTER'S
TERNS came in on the 30th, and many FRANKLIN'S GULLS are arriving daily.
A WESTERN GREBE, and several AMERICAN BITTERNS have been seen; and the
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS are back. SORA have also been heard.

Pennington County birds include both GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROWS, and
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS in our yard.

At Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in Polk County, on
April 26th, there were many GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, a MERLIN , and
singing SAVANNAH SPARROWS.

Shelley Steva reported 6 TRUMPETER SWANS in Red Lake County on April
21st, and CHIPPING SPARROWS are back in Plummer.

Becker County birds seen by Connie Norheim at Hamden Slough included a
RING-NECKED PHEASANT, 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BARN
SWALLOW, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS. Joan Burke also went to Becker
County where she found 7 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS  at Hamden Slough, and
2 MARBLED GODWITS nesting there.

In Clay County, Connie Norheim found 4 GREAT EGRETS.

Mark Otnes had CLIFF SWALLOWS, and both PALM WARBLER, and PINE WARBLER
at Glendalough State Park in Ottertail County on April 26th. Dan and
Sandy Thimgan had a report of a possible northern mockingbird in
Clitherall, but could not relocate it. This week they note that the
following species have returned to Ottertail County - SORA, FORSTER'S
TERN, BARN SWALLOW, BROWN THRASHER, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, and SAVANNAH
SPARROW.

Thanks to Shelley Steva, Mark Otnes, Connie Norheim, Pat Rice, Karen
Arnold, Gretchen Mehmel, Beth Siverhus, Joan Burke, Dan and Sandy
Thimgan, and  Larry Johnson 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, May 9, 2003.