[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, May 16, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, May 16, 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 the weather has warmed up, and the leaves are rapidly unfurling,
and lawn mowing has begun. The bird reports bear this out, as more and
more new species are being seen in the region.

Of particular interest were two reports of GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER- one
was  heard by Gretchen Mehmel in Beltrami County at the burn area along
Dick's Parkway, and one was seen by Joe Gartner at the Fertile Sandhills
of southern Polk County.

>From Lake of the Woods County, Gretchen Mehmel reported a SPRUCE GROUSE
north of Brown's Lake, and a northern saw-whet owl nest in a wood duck
box by Bednar Dam.=20

EASTERN BLUEBIRD and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were among the birds reported
by Larry Johnson in Marshall County on May 12th. Maggie Anderson at
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge reported that two BLACK TERNS were on
Headquarters Pool on May 8th, and also there, are several WESTERN
GREBES, CANVASBACKS,  and LESSER SCAUP.

I can report that RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK were seen in
Pennington County on May 13th. Warblers seen this week in the county
include ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, and
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER.

Joe Gartner reported from a trip to the Fertile Sandhills of southern
Polk County. Birds sighted include seven TURKEY VULTURES, a BALD EAGLE,
RUFFED GROUSE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, WOOD
THRUSH, CAPE MAY WARBLER,  LARK SPARROW, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.

The Fargo-Moorhead birdathon was held in Clay County on Saturday, May
10th. Birders found 102 species there, including GRAY PARTRIDGE, MARBLED
GODWIT, and CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR at Felton Prairie. A WESTERN
KINGBIRD, and UPLAND SANDPIPER were also found in the county. 5 species
of shorebirds were reported, and 7 warbler species. Of these only the
YELLOW WARBLER and WILSON'S WARBLER have not been reported by multiple
birders in other counties.=20

Licia Gibson saw a pair of nesting COMMON LOONS on Lake Sallie in Becker
County. She also reported 8 TRUMPETER SWANS , a BALD EAGLE on a nest,
and a SWAINSON'S HAWK at Tamarac NWR. Dee Watson has a pair of NORTHERN
CARDINALS at her feeder on the south shore of Little Detroit Lake.  Bea
Purdy reported a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in the campgrounds at Birchmere
Resort on Little Toad Lake in Becker County on Thursday, May 15th.

Carol Schumacher led a birding tour of Ottertail County on May 9th and
10th. They saw lots of interesting birds, among them COMMON LOON, GREAT
EGRET, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, SWAINSON'S
HAWK, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK,  GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN, UPLAND SANDPIPER,
MARBLED GODWIT, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, LONG-EARED OWL, and BOBOLINK.
Dave Sorgen saw a GREEN  HERON on the 7th, a BROWN THRASHER on the 8th,
and a YELLOW WARBLER on the 9th , all in Ottertail County. Dan and Sandy
Thimgan reported a VIRGINIA RAIL on May 8th.

>From Douglas County, Susan Wiste reported an OVENBIRD, the first for the
season, on May 9th.

Thanks to all the birders who sent in reports this week.

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 23, 2003.