[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, July 23, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, July  23,
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.

There are a few more reports this week as the busy holiday weekend is
over, and the vacations and class reunions are getting fewer. As well
the birding is changing seasons as the young are appearing, and the
shorebirds are starting to come back from their northern breeding
grounds. That is a sobering thought- that the southward migration is
already in progress for many species!

>From Roseau River WMA in northwestern Roseau County, Melanie Torkelson
reports that the COMMON LOONS are beginning to stage on Pool 1, and the
drake WOOD DUCKS are gathering in the Pool 2 wild rice beds. Shorebird
numbers are increasing on the drawdown on Pool 1 East.

At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County, Maggie Anderson
reported nine species of shorebirds on Lower CCC Pool in the interior of
the refuge. They included both yellowlegs, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS,
LEAST SANDPIPERS, PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, STILT SANDPIPERS, SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS, as well as KILLDEER, and WILSON'S PHALAROPES. In addition,
there was a GREAT EGRET on the west side of Agassiz Pool, and both
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and FRANKLIN'S GULL young are being seen
around the refuge.

During the first week of July, Diana Morkassel reported a BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER feeding young in Beltrami County north of Bemidji near
Puposky.=20

Mary Wyatt had some interesting news from Hamden NWR in Becker County.
Two COMMON MOORHEN young have been spotted on  Homstad Pool in the
refuge. These birds are the same size as the young raised at the Hesby
wetland there last summer at the same time, so it is assumed that the
birds nested at Hamden again this year. She did not say that the adults
have been seen yet. Also a CATTLE EGRET was found at the Eagle wetland,
and spotted again at the Homstad location later this week. A GREAT
HORNED OWL was seen at the refuge, and there is a singing NELSON'S
SHARP-TAILED SPARROW north of the parking lot at Bisson Wetland.
Shorebird numbers are increasing, and it appears that the BOBOLINKS have
had a good year there as large numbers are being seen.

Alma Ronningen reported a pair of SANDHILL CRANES in Otter Tail County
near Dent.

At Pelican Lake in Grant and Douglas County, Keith Pulles found five
CATTLE EGRETS at the south end of the lake. Other species seen there
included RED-NECKED GREBES  and WESTERN GREBES.

Thanks to Melanie Torkelson, Maggie Anderson, Diana Morkassel, Alma
Ronningen, Mary Wyatt, and Keith Pulles 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, July 30, 2004.