[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, November 5, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 5,
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's weather has been a little better than last week's, and we
have even seen the sun a couple of times. Goose numbers seem to be up as
they move south, and there have been several reports of owls in the
region.

There are two reports of GREAT GRAY OWLS . In Kittson County Dan
Svedarsky spotted one along US Highway 59 five miles south of Lancaster
on October 29th. Stan Wood  from the Roseau River WMA reported one four
miles east of the Roseau-Kittson County line in Roseau County in the
western part of the WMA. Gretchen Mehmel reported that these large owls
are also being seen in Lake of the Woods County this week.

Melanie Torkelson observed a PILEATED WOODPECKER at the headquarters of
the Roseau River WMA in Roseau County on October 30th.

Many SNOW BUNTINGS were present in Beltrami County on October 31st. Pat
Rice reported a flock in Bemidji on November 3rd. Besides the snow
buntings, on October 31st, I found two BALD EAGLES, two NORTHERN
SHRIKES, and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD in Beltrami County along CR 42. Diana
Morkassel saw about twenty swans on Lower Red Lake on October 31st.=20

A trip to Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on October 31st revealed that
the mix of species of waterfowl has changed as can be expected at this
time of year. On Sunday, there were several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and BALD
EAGLES soaring over the refuge. A PIED-BILLED GREBE, a RED-NECKED GREBE,
and many AMERICAN WIGEON, HOODED MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, and RUDDY DUCKS
were also present.

Diana Morkassel saw a GREAT HORNED OWL  about a mile south of
Carpenter's corner in Pennington County on October 31st. A flock of
about 30 SNOW BUNTINGS was seen  about thirty miles east of Thief River
Falls near the Beltrami County line. About twenty-five PINE SISKINS have
been visiting our feeder for about a week now. CACKLING GEESE were seen
on the Red Lake River in Thief River Falls on October 31st.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen by Dan Svedarsky two miles south of US
Highway 2 along CR 46 on October 29th. Donna and Leon Thoreson also
reported a northern shrike, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and at their feeders
near Climax, they had TREE SPARROWS, HARRIS'S SPARROWS, a COMMON
REDPOLL, and 25 PINE SISKINS on November 1st.

Clay County species reported by Joe Gartner included RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, NORTHERN CARDINAL, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, HARRIS'S SPARROW,
and DARK-EYED JUNCO.

Thanks to Donna and Leon Thoreson, Pat Rice, Stan Wood, Gretchen Mehmel,
Diana Morkassel, Dan Svedarsky, and Joe Gartner 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, November 12, 2004.