[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, September 19, 2003

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, September 19,
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.

The hot dry spell has finally broken, and we can expect more birds to
move into the area in migration when the clearing comes. Last weekend's
migration was pretty dismal, with very few passerines being reported in
the area other than the usual residents. Raptors are certainly moving
throughout the area however, as most of the reporters can testify.

Gretchen Mehmel reported from Lake of the Woods County that there are 7
SHORT-EARED OWLS  who sit along the Roosevelt Forest Road in the Winter
Road Peatland SNA early every evening. Also she sighted 2 RUFFED GROUSE
and one SPRUCE GROUSE  within a mile of Norris Camp.

The shorebird survey at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Marshall
County, showed that the numbers were substantially down from last week.
This is primarily due to increased water levels due to recent rains, and
to transfers of water into Farmes Pool, and South Pool. The season's
first DUNLIN was seen, 2 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and two BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS were recorded. The 108 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS was the highest
count ever recorded at Agassiz. A total of 674 shorebirds was tallied on
September 14th.

>From Red Lake County, a SWAINSON'S HAWK  was reported by Barbara and
Dennis Martin. A MERLIN was seen sitting in a tree in the city of Red
Lake Falls on the 14th.

Pat Rice birded in Cass County this week, and reported PINE WARBLER,
PALM WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN
TREE SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SONG SPARROW,  and
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW on September 13th.

Barbara and Dennis Martin also reported from Becker County that they
found a SHORT-EARED OWL south of the Waubun Marsh WMA on September 14th.
Mary Wyatt  reported that a FIELD SPARROW and the first DARK-EYED JUNCO
appeared in her yard in southern Becker County on September 16th. She
observed a short-tailed INDIGO BUNTING , and  WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
there on September 18th. At Hamden Slough NWR on September 15th, she
reported a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, 28 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and about three dozen LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Among the
raptors migrating through this week was one RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. The
COMMON MOORHEN family is still at Hamden.

The Ronningen's in Ottertail County saw SANDHILL CRANES, MOURNING
WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, and many PURPLE FINCHES, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
in their yard. On September 17th, a MERLIN zipped through the yard, and
there were RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS moving through also.

Thanks to Gretchen Mehmel, Barbara and Dennis Martin, Pat Rice, Mary
Wyatt, and the Ronningens  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, September 26, 2003.