[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 28, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 28,
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.

Since last week, the snow has left us and returned again, so we are
seeing birds against a white backdrop. Temperatures have been moderate,
and wildlife has not been stressed so far.

In the category of misplaced news from last week is a report from Martin
Kehoe, who sent in some interesting sightings from the Red Lake Wildlife
Management Area in Lake of the Woods County. These included an immature
GOLDEN EAGLE on November 8th, 7 SPRUCE GROUSE on the 14th, two GREAT
GRAY OWLS on the 12th, and one LONG-EARED OWL on the Pitt Grade one mile
north of the Bankton Trail. Other birds seen there included BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER, THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, a few PINE GROSBEAKS, COMMON REDPOLL,
and EVENING GROSBEAK. Gretchen Mehmel reported RUFFED GROUSE in that
county also. These sightings bode well for winter birding in that area.

There were several reports from Polk County this week. Nearly everyone
reported COMMON REDPOLLS, in numbers as high as 150 to 200 in a group.
Heidi Hughes reported a GOLDEN EAGLE northeast of Crookston on November
22nd, while Mike Christopher had a BALD EAGLE near the East Grand Forks
sugar beet plant on that day. On the 23rd , Heidi Hughes saw 5 BALD
EAGLES, and 6 GRAY PARTRIDGES east of Crookston. Lori Becker also
reported GRAY PARTRIDGE along the Marshall /Polk County border on
Highway 75 on November 25th. Ross Hier found numerous ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS
along Highway 102 on November 26th. Donna and Leon Thoreson still have a
PILEATED WOODPECKER and a COMMON GRACKLE coming to  their feeder near
Climax.

Becker County birds reported this week by Joan Burke included five
COMMON MERGANSERS on Lake Lizzie. Carolyn and Luther Johnson had a
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER,  a PILEATED WOODPECKER, and a female NORTHERN
CARDINAL visit their feeder this week.

Roland Jordahl reported from Otter Tail County that he saw TRUMPETER
SWANS this week in the county. A surprise visitor to his feeder was a
GRAY JAY on November 26th.

Thanks to Martin Kehoe, Gretchen Mehmel, Heidi Hughes, Donna and Leon
Thoreson, Mike Christopher, Joan Burke, Carolyn and Luther Johnson, Lori
Becker, Ross Hier, and Roland Jordahl 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, December 5, 2003.