[mou] Duluth RBA 2/4/04

[David Benson]

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Wednesday, February 4, 2004, 
sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

The GYRFALCON was reported again at the Peavey Elevator in Superior, 
Wisconsin on the 31st. The PEREGRINE FALCON was also seen that day on 
the Duluth side of the harbor.

The Spotted Towhee in Duluth was not refound this week.

The VARIED THRUSH in Palisade in Aitkin Cty was seen on the 30th by 
John and Chris Hockema, but it was not seen at the house it was 
frequenting last week. John reported that it was on 4th Street, a half 
mile south of the gas station. Look for a white house with green 
shutters. To further confuse the directions I posted last week, there 
are apparently a number of houses in Palisade that have fake human 
figures on the porch!

GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen by several observers along Cty Rd 18 within a 
half mile either direction from the jct. with Pietz's Rd in Aitkin Cty. 
Bob Williams found a SHORT-EARED OWL on Cty Rd 18, 0.8 mile west of the 
jct. with Cty Rd 5 on the north side of the road. Linda Sparling 
reported SNOW BUNTINGS on Cty Rd 1 north of Aitkin on the 3rd.

The ICELAND GULL was seen again this week in Two Harbors, but the 
harbor ice now extends well out into the lake, so even if the ducks are 
still present, it may not be possible to view them.

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have become slightly easier to find again. There were 
several reports this week, with the most consistent flock in Knife 
River across the highway from Emily's Restaurant.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS are still abundant this 
winter. There were three reports of HOARY REDPOLLS: from Cindy Butler 
in Aitkin Cty north of Tamarack, frrom Mike Hendrickson in Smithville 
in West Duluth, and from Frank and Kate Nicoletti north of Duluth.

Gordy Martinson saw a COOPER'S HAWK near his home in Lakewood Township.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 
12th.

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.