[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report-Friday, March 19, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, March 19,
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.

Judging by the number of reports of migrants that came in this week,
spring is really on the way. Lately, the weather has been alternating
between snow at night and sun during the day to melt it- a great
combination. I also had a report that a "breath of spring" has been
observed from the wastewater treatment ponds, so waterfowl won't be far
behind.

Migration has definitely begun with  reports of HORNED LARKS everywhere,
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS as far north as Marshall County, increasing reports
of raptors and, of course several species of grouse are very obvious now
with snow still on the ground and courtship rites underway.

Susan Wiste reported from Douglas County that she saw the first COMMON
GRACKLE of the season on March 12th.=20

Alma Ronningen reported NORTHERN HARRIER, TREE SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO
and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in Otter Tail County on March 16th. On
Thursday, she found two AMERICAN KESTRELS along highway 108 near Perham.

Bob Dunlap, John Hockema and Jeff Stephenson were birding in Wilkin
County on March 10 where they counted 60 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS  at
the Rothsay WMA. They also found a HOARY REDPOLL among a flock of about
50 COMMON REDPOLLS there.

The group found two MERLINS in Clay County, one near Felton Prairie,
another along 160th Ave. just west of US Highway 32. Of note in Norman
County were two TRUMPETER SWANS north of Gary, and a large group of 75
GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS also north of Gary. Shelley Steva saw a WESTERN
MEADOWLARK a mile north of Shelly.

Tim Driscoll and Betsy Batstone- Cunningham visited Polk County on March
14th, and reported excellent birding there. A TURKEY VULTURE was spotted
near Marcoux Corner, the intersection of US Highways 2 and 32. Other
species seen in the county included GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, BALD
EAGLE, NORTHERN HARRIER, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, AMERICAN
TREE SPARROW, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK. John Loegering heard a NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWL in the Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston on March 16th. BALD
EAGLES were reported in several locations in the county by other
observers. It seems that the eagles are starting to move through on
their way north. Jason Eckstein had RED CROSSBILLS at his feeder east of
Crookston on March 16th. Bob Dunlap's group found eight GRAY PARTRIDGE
along CR 45 in Pancratz Prairie, and a SHORT-EARED OWL was also seen
there. On March 11th, they found SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along CR 23 east of
Angus. More of these were found by Mike and Lori Becker on 280th Ave.
and 190th Street. Thirteen WILD TURKEYS were seen by John Holland along
CR 21 three miles east of Highway 75.

A MERLIN  was found in the Red Lake County town of Plummer by Shelley
Steva on March 16th.=09

In Pennington County, Mike and Lori Becker reported a GOLDEN EAGLE on
March 15th along CR 23 where it crosses the Pembina Trail Road. Several
BALD EAGLES were also seen in that county  this week. John Holland
reported 7 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE and 13 GRAY PARTRIDGE along CR 72
southwest of Thief River Falls. Shelley Steva saw three WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILLS a mile south of Thief River Falls along US highway 59 on
March 17th, while Gary Tischer reported the first AMERICAN ROBINS of the
season in Pennington County  on March 18th in Thief River Falls.

At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County, Dave Myhrer saw
two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS on March 16th along the county road. In the
interior of the refuge, eight BALD EAGLES were seen this week. Just west
of the refuge, 30 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE  were observed along CR 12 , and
another large group of them were seen 1/2 mile west of the intersection
of CR 7 and CR 12 on the south side of the road where a lek has been
found. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS are being seen regularly at the Agassiz NWR
and NORTHERN HARRIERS are starting to show up. Diana Morkassel reported
ten BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, and a pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS at their feeders
near Warren.

Bob Dunlap's group were in Roseau County on March 11th, and they found
some really interesting birds there. In the highway 310 area north of
Roseau , they found a GOLDEN EAGLE about three miles north of Roseau,
and a NORTHERN HAWK OWL hunting on the east side of the highway between
mile markers 8 and 9. This appears to be a resident bird as I have had
several reports of this species in this same area over the past several
months.  Also seen in Roseau County  were BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, and along
CR 20 east of CR 21, a HOARY REDPOLL in a flock of COMMON REDPOLLS.

Gretchen Mehmel reported a GREAT GRAY OWL seen near the base of the
Norris fire tower on March 16th. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL has been regularly
sighted for the past week on the east side of Highway 72 near the
intersection with CR 7.

Thanks to all the birders, too numerous to mention separately, who sent
in reports this week.

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, March 26, 2004.