[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, August 20, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, August 20,
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.

It certainly seems as if summer, if we had one, is winding down. On
Thursday morning, there were a few reports of light frost on the south
side of Thief River Falls in Pennington County. We expect the fall
migration will become quite obvious in the near future, as the days
shorten, and the nights cool.

First , a correction. Due to an error in transcription of a phone
message, we reported that Millie Gildersleeve in Becker County saw a
cardinal pair with 9 young. She called again to say that it was "big"
young, not nine of them, so if any others of you wondered as I did about
the number, that is the explanation. Millie, we're sorry that we
misquoted you.

This week I have a report from Celeste Colson at the Northwest Angle of
Lake of the Woods in the county of the same name. She reports TUNDRA
SWANS, COMMON LOON, GRAY JAY, and EVENING GROSBEAK .

Melanie Torkelson reported that a small flock of GREAT EGRETS was seen
this week on Pool 1 east at the Roseau River WMA.

>From Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County, Kari Odefey
counted the shorebirds on Middle CCC Pool in the interior of the refuge
on August 15th, and she reported that the numbers were substantially
down from the previous high of over 1000 birds on August 2nd. This is
possibly due to recent rains which have changed the water levels in the
pools. 155 birds of 9 species were reported on the 15th.They included
KILLDEER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER,
dowitcher species, and WILSON'S SNIPE.=20

I checked the wastewater treatment ponds at Crookston, Thief River
Falls, and Red Lake Falls on the weekend, and found them nearly devoid
of birds. Even goose and duck numbers seemed to be down.

Here in Pennington County, the first RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH of the fall
season has just appeared at the sunflower feeder.

Mike Christopherson had a COOPER'S HAWK hunting at his feeder in
Crookston on August 17th.

Becker County birds reported by Mary Wyatt included immature MERLINS at
Hamden Slough NWR this week. A BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen flying over the
refuge. Her feeder was busy with SCARLET TANAGERS, ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAKS, and BALTIMORE ORIOLES.

Kim Eckert's Minnesota Birding Weekends trip was in Grant and Douglas
Counties last weekend. In Grant County they found a SNOWY EGRET along
State Hwy 79,  1.5 mi W of the Douglas Co line; another was just E of
Grant Co Rd 4 & just N of I-94 (there is no exit off I-94 here); from
Ashby, go 2.5 mi W & 1 mi S on Co Rd 4). Forty-five CATTLE EGRETS were
counted in a pasture south of Pelican Lake. For these: from State Hwy
78, turn E on Co Rd 54 just N of I-94, go E about 2.5 mi, and then N to
the pasture.

In Douglas County, Kim's group found two or three CLARK'S GREBES on Lake
Osakis from the park in the town of Osakis.

Thanks to Celeste Colson, Millie Gildersleeve, Kari Odefey, Mary Wyatt,
Melanie Torkelson, Alex Wendorf, and Kim Eckert 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, August 27, 2004.