[mou] Duluth RBA 9/18/03

[David R. Benson]

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, September 18, 2003,
sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

On Monday the 15th, 102,329 raptors were counted at Hawk Ridge, more than
double the prior single day record. 101,698 of these birds were
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. Over 90% of the flight occurred after noon. Also among
the dozen species counted were a SWAINSON'S HAWK and 3 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS.

Monday was also a spectacular day for migrant songbirds at Park Point, with
several birders reporting that thousands of birds were grounded in the fog
that morning. Peder Svingen reported seeing 20 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS at
one time. All 26 species of warblers seen regularly in Northeastern
Minnesota were reported this week, including BLACK-THROATED BLUE,
BLACKPOLL, BAY-BREASTED, and CONNECTICUT.

Several species of note were found this week at 40th Ave West/Erie Pier,
including a SMITH'S LONGSPUR and 3 NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS, which
were seen in the southeast corner of the impoundment. INDIGO BUNTINGS, a
BOBOLINK, and a flyover flock of 32 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were also
reported from 40th.

Jim Lind saw an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in downtown Two Harbors
yesterday. On the 14th, Jim found a MARSH WREN at Flood Bay.
A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was seen in the pine grove at Hawk Ridge last
weekend. HARRIS' SPARROWS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and
AMERICAN PIPITS were reported from along the North Shore and in Duluth this
week.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, September 25th.

The phone number for the Duluth Birding Report is (218) 728-5030, and
callers can report bird sightings if they wish after the tone at the end of
each tape.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota
Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members.  For more
information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural
History, 10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis MN 55455; or send an e-mail to
mou@cbs.umn.edu; or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org.