[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, May 7, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, May 7, 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.

Ever so reluctantly, spring is coming to northwestern Minnesota.
Conditions are very dry so there are not many places where shorebird
habitat can be found. This can change quickly however with spring rains.
Warblers are starting to appear and we have had reports of Tennessee,
orange-crowned, yellow, yellow-rumped, palm, and black-and-white
warblers so far and the sparrow clan is well represented with reports of
American tree, chipping, vesper, savannah, Le Conte's, fox, song, swamp,
white-throated, Harris's, white-crowned sparrows, and dark-eyed juncos
this spring in the northwest.=20

Linda Johnson reported from Old Mill State Park that new arrivals
included WILSON'S SNIPE, BELTED KINGFISHER, EASTERN PHOEBE, and HERMIT
THRUSH. At Wetlands, Pines, and Prairie Audubon Sanctuary Linda saw a
BUFFLEHEAD and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on the 1st. Agassiz National
Wildlife Refuge has many of the summer residents back now. TRUMPETER
SWANS have been observed near last year's nest site, three RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS were seen on Agassiz Pool, RED-NECKED GREBES are doing their
courtship displays, and a PEREGRINE FALCON has been seen several times
along CR 7. Maggie Anderson was surprised to see two SNOW BUNTINGS near
Headquarters Pool on April 30th. FORSTER'S TERN was seen on May 3rd, and
SORA RAIL on May 4th. All the common ducks are back also, including many
RUDDY DUCKS which can be seen from the county road.

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen by Shelley Steva and Jeanie Joppru as it flew
over their vehicle along the Old Pembina Trail in Pennington County on
May 2nd. At home near Thief River Falls, two BROWN CREEPERS were seen
creeping up an oak tree in Jeanie's yard on May 4th. At the Thief River
Falls wastewater treatment ponds, a HORNED GREBE, several EARED GREBES,
and eight WILSON'S PHALAROPES were seen on May 1st. An OSPREY and a BALD
EAGLE have been observed soaring over the Red Lake River. Shelley Steva
reported a MERLIN observed in a residential yard just west of Thief
River Falls.

Donna and Leon Thoreson reported SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, BALD EAGLE,
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and SHORT-EARED OWL from the Pembina Trail WMA on May
2nd. An OSPREY and a BALD EAGLE were observed by Bruce Flaig on May 3rd,
a BALTIMORE ORIOLE on the 4th, and a PALM WARBLER on the 5th. Both
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were observed by Mike
Christopher in Crookston on the 1st.

The Thoreson's also went to Felton Prairie in Clay County on Sunday.
There they found many YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and the usual resident
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS among many other species.

The migrants are really starting to get to Becker County this week. Bob
and Jennie Scherzer found a ROSS'S GOOSE, MARBLED GODWITS, RUDDY
TURNSTONES, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE at Hamden Slough NWR on May 1st. On
the 5th, a BLACK DUCK was in the Hesby Wetland, and other shorebirds
included SOLITARY SANDPIPER, and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Four WILD
TURKEYS were found north of the Eagle Wetland on the 1st. Some other
species reported from Becker County this week included RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD, PALM WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, NORTHERN CARDINAL, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BALTIMORE ORIOLE,
and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

GREAT EGRETS have returned to nest at Lake Alice in Fergus Falls , Otter
Tail County. Alma Ronningen reported a GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER and
BROWN THRASHER on April 30th,  WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on May 4th, and
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and PALM WARBLER on the 6th. Roland Jordahl saw
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS on April 30th in Otter Tail County. Dan and
Sandy Thimgan found the following shorebirds there on May 1st: HUDSONIAN
GODWIT, MARBLED GODWIT, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, and
PECTORAL SANDPIPER. On the 3rd, they saw GREEN HERON, HOUSE WREN, and
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW.

In Grant County, Dan and Sandy Thimgan observed a CATTLE EGRET on May
1st. To find this bird: From I 94, take the Ashby exit to the North and
then turn right on CR 54 in less than a block.  Follow this to Ashby
Estates Rd E and turn left and look for the Cattle on your right.=20

Susan Wiste reported from Douglas County that she had seen OSPREY and
YELLOW WARBLER this week.

Thanks to Shelley Steva, Linda Johnson, Roland Jordahl, Maggie Anderson,
Mary Wyatt, Susan Wiste, Shar Legenhausen, Joan Burke, Alma Ronningen,
Bruce Flaig, Mike Christopher, Nancy Janorschke, Betty and Dave
Hochhalter, Donna and Leon Thoreson, Gary Tischer, and Dan and Sandy
Thimgan 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, May 14, 2004.