[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, February 13, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 13,
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.

This week we have sightings of owls to report. It seems that the snowy
weather is bringing them south and out in the open this year.

>From Angle Inlet in Lake of the Woods County, Celeste Colson reported
that fishermen coming to the Northwest Angle were asking about 9-12
large owls along  Highway 313 north of Warroad and Highway 308 from
Sprague, Manitoba to the Northwest Angle. Heidi Hughes observed at least
three of these GREAT GRAY OWLS on February 9th. At Brush Island, a
SAW-WHET OWL was seen just outside the cabin of Michelle Friend. Other
bird species being seen at the Angle this winter include GRAY JAYS,
large numbers of PINE GROSBEAKS, COMMON REDPOLLS, PINE SISKINS,  and
EVENING GROSBEAKS. Also in Lake of the Woods County, Heidi Hughes
spotted a GREAT GRAY OWL on the Faunce- Butterfield Road just east of
Norris Camp on Sunday, February 8th.

In Roseau County, Heidi Hughes found another GREAT GRAY OWL in Roseau
behind the Marvin Windows plant along County Road 74 on February 10th.

At the Wetland, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary, Polk County, Lori
and Mike Becker reported a sad event. A BOREAL OWL was found dead
outside the residence window on Saturday morning; it had crashed into
the window during the night. While this is not a sighting of a live
bird, it is of interest as we don't get many sightings of this species
in the northwestern part of the state. Maybe there is another out there
somewhere, so we will be on the lookout. Elsewhere in Polk County, the
story is SHORT-EARED OWLS - at least six have been reported near
Pancratz Prairie and Pembina WMA southeast of Crookston. To get there
take Highway 2 east from Crookston, then go south along County Road 46
or 44 to County Road 45. Owls have been seen along all of the above
hunting at dawn and dusk. Both GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, and
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE can be seen in the same areas, and they are
gathering in increasing numbers as we near the breeding season. Rebecca
Eckstein reported from Rydell NWR that RUFFED GROUSE, an AMERICAN ROBIN,
and PINE GROSBEAKS are being seen  at the refuge. Randy Chaffee in
Climax  included a PURPLE FINCH among the birds seen at his feeder this
week.

Warren Goltz in Ada, Norman County, has had up to 196 COMMON REDPOLLS
coming to his feeder throughout the winter, and two HOARY REDPOLLS are
among the crowd.

Susan Wiste, Douglas County, saw two RED-TAILED HAWKS at the north end
of Mill Lake along County Road 27 eight miles west of Alexandria on
February 8th. She too reported a large flock of COMMON REDPOLLS coming
to the feeder.

Thanks to Jane Roadfelt, Lori and Mike Becker, Rebecca Eckstein, Celeste
Colson, Susan Wiste, Warren Goltz, and Randy Chaffee 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, February 20, 2004.