[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, May 23, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, May 23, 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.

This week is a warbler report, and most of the warblers are appearing
gradually from south to north. Shorebirds are also in the news, and many
reports have come in of several species wherever the proper habitat is
present. Other species that are moving in large numbers include all the
common sparrows, bobolinks, and the first flycatchers who appeared
concurrently with the first big "bug" hatch!

Perhaps the most interesting sighting this week was a YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT seen by Bob O'Connor in Gooseberry Park in south Moorhead, Clay
County on May 20th. I have not heard if anyone has relocated the bird.=20

A CASPIAN TERN was reported by Pat Rice who was birding near Longville
in Cass County.

Dave Sorgen reported from Ottertail County. Among the species he has
seen are WARBLING VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, 12 species of warblers
including MOURNING WARBLER, and CANADA WARBLER. On May 21st Dave
observed SWAINSON'S THRUSH, EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, and SCARLET TANAGER.
Alma Ronningen reported GRAY CATBIRD, and INDIGO BUNTING on May 16th,
CHIMNEY SWIFT on May 17th, HOUSE WREN, VEERY, and ORCHARD ORIOLE on the
18th, AMERICAN REDSTART  and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT on the 19th, and
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO on the 21st.

Polk County birds reported by Joe Gartner, who was at the Fertile
Sandhills, included TENNESSEE WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACKPOLL
WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and SWAINSON'S THRUSH.=20

Cass County birds reported by Pat Rice who was birding near Longville,
on the Wood Tick Trail, included several singing GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS
on May 18th. On the 20th, she found WARBLING VIREO, PHILADELPHIA VIREO,
and RED-EYED VIREO at Stoney Point. Also there were 16 species of
warblers, and a SCARLET TANAGER and many other species.

In Bemidji, Beltrami County,  Pat found nine species of warblers
including CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACKBURNIAN, and OVENBIRD on May 17th and on
May 20 BLACK TERNS over Lake Erica on CR 27.

Rick Hoyme birded in Pennington County on May 16th and 17th. At the
Thief River Falls wastewater treatment ponds he found a SNOW GOOSE and
FORSTER'S TERN. He visited the rice paddies in the far southeastern part
of the county where he got BONAPARTE'S GULL, 10 species of shorebirds.
They were GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SOLITARY SANDPIPER,
SPOTTED SANDPIPER, MARBLED GODWIT, SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER, PECTORAL
SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and WILSON'S
PHALAROPE. In his travels throughout the county, he found 8 species of
warblers, and 8 species of sparrows. A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was heard. On
May 18, an ORCHARD ORIOLE appeared in our yard, only to be chased away
from the oranges by a BALTIMORE ORIOLE who wanted them all to himself.
Both RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER on the17th, and RED-HEADED WOODPECKER on the
18th, came to our feeders this week.

Linda Johnson reported from Marshall County that the warblers are coming
in, and LEAST FLYCATCHERS and BOBOLINKS arrived on May 18th. Mary Broten
reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK and MARBLED GODWIT. Joe Gartner banded
NORTHERN PARULA, CAPE MAY WARBLER, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Agassiz
National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday. Bob Jansson and Jerry Bonkoski
identifed 16 species of shorebirds at Agassiz NWR on Sunday. These
included 111-125 HUDSONIAN GODWITS. Some of the other shorebirds seen
were 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 6 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 2 SANDERLINGS,
over 100 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, and 75 DUNLINS. On Monday, May 19th
there were 12 WESTERN GREBES on Headquarters Pool. The autotour is open,
and keys to go beyond locked gates may be obtained at the headquarters
during business hours. It is asked that visitors do not go on the grassy
dikes, but remain on the refuge roads.

Gretchen Mehmel says that the typical breeding species are returning to
Lake of the Woods County. She observed WINTER WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, WOOD
THRUSH, RED-EYED VIREO, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN
WARBLER, PINE WARBLER, BLACK-AND- WHITE WARBLER, and OVENBIRD all of
which nest in the area.

Thanks to all who sent in birding 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 30, 2003.