[mou] Duluth RBA 12/30/04

[David Benson]

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, December 30, 2004, 
sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

GREAT GRAY OWLS and NORTHERN HAWK OWLS continue to be seen by the dozen 
around northeastern Minnesota. Easy places to look are on back roads 
between Duluth and Two Harbors (especially for Great Grays) and in the 
Sax-Zim area north of Duluth. The severe ice storm we are experiencing 
today will certainly not be good for the owls, and it will also make 
birding treacherous for several days. Birders should be careful about 
where they stop. With the large number of visitors here to look for 
owls, it would be helpful if birders minimized time stopping near 
dwellings and were extra courteous when driving and stopping to look. 
Along busy roads, flushing an owl may increase its chances of being hit 
by another car; please consider owling on quieter roads and observe 
from a distance.

On the 26th Janet Riegle found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE on the Lakewalk 
in Duluth below 26th Ave East. Bill Schmoker and Urs Geiser each 
reported two HARLEQUIN DUCKS in Two Harbors along the east side of the 
breakwater in Agate Bay on the 29th. A LONG-TAILED DUCK is still with 
the large flock of goldeneyes in the ship channel at Canal Park in 
Duluth.

Jesse and John Ellis reported SHARP-TAILED GROUSE at four locations in 
the Sax-Zim area: on Owl Avenue at Mottinen Road they found two 
individuals close to the road. A single bird was approx. 2 mi. south of 
Kelsey on St. Louis Cty Rd 7. One bird was on Arkola Rd (Cty Rd 52) 1 
mile east of 7 and another single bird was 4.5 mi. E of 7 on Arkola.

On the 23rd Mike Hendrickson reported a SPRUCE GROUSE from mile marker 
303 along Hwy 1 in Lake Cty. He also saw WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS along 
the Spruce Rd off Hwy 1. Small groups of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been 
seen at various locations. Two Harbors may be the easiest spot to look 
for them.

The best spot for gulls in our area is the Superior, WI landfill, where 
in recent weeks there were reports of three THAYER'S GULLS, two ICELAND 
GULLS, as many as eight GLAUCOUS GULLS, a second winter LESSER 
BLACK-BACKED GULL, and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, January 6.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-728-5030. 
Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded 
message.

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 to 
mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at mou.mn.org.