[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, January 30, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, January 30,
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.

On this coldest week of the new year most birds reported were seen at
feeders or from windows. No surprise there. What was a surprise was
which birds were reported. There were three reports of MERLINS. One was
reported by Shelley Steva near the intersection of 3rd Street and Maple
Avenue in Thief River Falls, Pennington County on January 28th. Another
was reported by Ross Hier in Crookston. That bird, exhibiting some avian
intelligence, was seen preening perched on a chimney top which was
spouting a warm heat plume. The third Merlin was reported by Arlene
Furuseth and Dan Olson who saw it take a Rock Pigeon outside the PCA
office in Detroit Lakes in Becker County. So at least for this winter,
we can say that Merlins are over wintering in Northwest Minnesota.

Here at our feeder near Thief River Falls , a female RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER appeared Thursday, January 29th, early in the morning when
the temperature was about 35 degrees below zero. Other birds visiting
this week included PURPLE FINCH, and COMMON REDPOLL.

Randy Chaffee in Climax , Polk County, reported a male AMERICAN KESTREL
which came to his feeders to check out the clientele. No word on whether
it had a successful hunt. Donna and Leon Thoreson are still feeding 104
SNOW BUNTINGS in their yard near Climax, along with 45 COMMON REDPOLLS,
four DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and several other species.

>From Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Becker County, Wayne Brininger
observed a NORTHERN SHRIKE, and PINE GROSBEAK this week. Miggs Anderson
reported a MOURNING DOVE visited her feeder on January 23rd, and a pair
of NORTHERN CARDINALS have been at her feeder since fall. Another
NORTHERN CARDINAL was reported by Peggy Johnson on Pembina Trail in
Detroit Lakes. Duane and Marilyn Olson near Lake Park had a RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER at their feeder on January 25th.

Thanks to Shelley Steva, Randy and Leon Thoreson, Arlene Furuseth, Dan
Olson, Miggs Anderson, Peggy Johnson, Duane and Marilyn Olson, Ross
Hier, 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 6, 2004.