[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, April 9, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, April 9, 2004
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.

In spite of March weather, spring is advancing in the northwest. The
ice-free zone is slowly moving north, and new migrants are appearing
daily. The snow is gone, at least as of this writing, and on warm days
we can sometimes discern a hint of green in the brown landscape.

>From Roseau County, Bob and Adele Powell reported AMERICAN ROBIN on
March 29th, and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD on April 1st.

Katie Haws reported some TRUMPETER SWANS at Red Lake this week. Other
species that she reported from Beltrami County included WOOD DUCK, and
COMMON GOLDENEYE. She saw SANDHILL CRANES near Fourtown.

A VARIED THRUSH  was seen at the home of Eben Spencer in Oslo, Marshall
County, as recently as April 5th. At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge,
Dave Myhrer spotted the first FRANKLIN'S GULLS of the season on April
2nd.  Linda Johnson reported an EASTERN BLUEBIRD at Old Mill State Park
on April 5th.=20

The EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE is still visiting the feeder of Grace Mayta
in Thief River Falls from time to time. Waterfowl seen recently on the
Red Lake River include CANADA GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, and HOODED MERGANSER
while the feeders have been busy with DARK-EYED JUNCO, PURPLE FINCH ,
and the last lingering COMMON REDPOLLS. A NORTHERN FLICKER and a pair of
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS have visited our feeder this week and EASTERN
PHOEBES have returned. On April 6th, a group of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS came
to clean up the remaining crabapples in our yard. At the rice paddies in
the eastern part of the county, on April 4th, about 200 TUNDRA SWANS
were resting in the company of several geese and assorted duck species.

At the Red Lake County rice paddies along the Clearwater River on
Sunday, there were swans, and many NORTHERN PINTAILS resplendent in
their spring plumage. The RED-TAILED HAWK migration was very evident in
that county as up to ten of them were seen soaring over a just burned
field, presumably taking advantage of the warm air, and maybe looking
for rodents trying to escape the heat. Other raptors seen there included
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and AMERICAN KESTREL. Several SANDHILL CRANES were
also seen.

A little further east, the Polk County rice paddies along CR 27 were the
most active. They were hosting hundreds of TUNDRA SWANS. Duck species
seen there include RING-NECKED DUCK, REDHEAD, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. Mike
and Lori Becker reported from the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon
Sanctuary that the nesting LONG-EARED OWLS have been seen, and WOOD
DUCKS, NORTHERN FLICKERS, and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS have returned to
the sanctuary. There have been recent sightings also of the SHORT-EARED
OWL. Randy Chaffee reported that he has seen GREAT BLUE HERON and
KILLDEER in Polk County this week.

Katie Haws observed TRUMPETER SWANS in Becker County this week. Species
reported by Sally Hausken on April 8th included DARK-EYED JUNCO, and
PURPLE FINCH. Mary Wyatt reported that most of the waterfowl have
returned to Hamden Slough and there the shallow water is mostly open.
There were over 1200 RING-NECKED DUCKS at Hamden Slough NWR on April
5th. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS have returned ; the EASTERN PHOEBE returned on
April 4th, the OSPREYS on April 5th.

Otter Tail County birders have been busy lately. Alma Ronningen observed
an OSPREY, TREE SWALLOW, and EASTERN BLUEBIRD on April 6th. The GREAT
EGRETS and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are returning to Lake Alice at
Fergus Falls. Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported that, on April 2nd, they
observed RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and FOX SPARROW in the county; on the 4th,
they saw NORTHERN SHOVELER, LESSER SCAUP, four COMMON LOONS, NORTHERN
FLICKER, and VESPER SPARROW.=20

Benjamin Fritchman reported a GREAT EGRET from Todd County on April 1st.
On Lake Osakis, he observed an early FORSTER'S TERN as well as
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and
BONAPARTE'S GULLS on April 7th.

Susan Wiste in Douglas County reported a GREAT BLUE HERON on the 4th,
and EASTERN PHOEBE on the 5th. A COMMON LOON was seen on Crooked Lake 10
miles west of Alexandria on the 5th also.

Thanks to Gladwyn Lynne, Grace Mayta, Linda Johnson, Susan Wiste, Gary
Tischer, Benjamin Fritchman,  Bob and Adele Powell, Alma Ronningen, Mary
Wyatt, Katie Haws, Randy Chaffee, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan 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, April 16, 2004.