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

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, November 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.

Good weather this week has brought out many birders, and even the birds
seem to be more numerous. Late migrants are showing up, and we are
hoping that the good weather doesn't lull them into staying so long that
they get caught in the cold blast that will surely come.

There are several reports of owls again this week. In Beltrami County on
November 9th, Jerry Bonkoski found a GREAT GRAY OWL at milepost 41 along
Highway 72. On November 11th, Gretchen Mehmel reported that one GREAT
GRAY OWL was seen south of US 11 west of Roosevelt , and one was two
miles southwest of Roosevelt, both in Roseau County. Two North Dakota
birders, Tim Driscoll and Betsy Batstone- Cunningham found two GREAT
GRAY OWLS along US highway 310 north of Roseau on November 13th. Also on
that day, Gordon Forester spotted two, eight miles southwest of Bemidji
in Beltrami County. Another GREAT GRAY OWL was reported by Margie and
Pat Stoy as far south as the intersection of CR11 and CR6 in Becker
County near Audubon.=20

Other species seen by Tim Driscoll and Betsy Batstone-Cunningham in
Roseau County included a NORTHERN HARRIER, a dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK, and three GRAY JAYS. Mary Broten spotted a late CATTLE EGRET near
the intersection of US Highway 310 and CR 16 in Roseau County on
November 16th. =20

Gretchen Mehmel reporting from the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area and
the Beltrami Island State Forest mentioned BALD EAGLE, a flock of over
fifty COMMON RAVENS, GRAY JAY, SNOW BUNTINGS, EVENING GROSBEAKS, and
PINE GROSBEAKS this week.=20

Bill Unzen reported a juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL which flew past the BSU
campus over Lake Bemidji in Beltrami County on November 17th.

Jerry Bonkoski found a SPRUCE GROUSE on November 9th, along CR 77 one
mile east and one mile south of Carp in Lake of the Woods County. He
also reported SNOW BUNTINGS, and COMMON REDPOLLS.

At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County on November 13th,
Tim Driscoll and Betsy Batstone-Cunningham  found BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.
Maggie Anderson  reported seeing NORTHERN SHRIKES there also this week.

A GOLDEN EAGLE was observed in Polk County by Tim and Betsy, 1/2 mile
west of the US 75 and 170th St. NW intersection on November 13th. Also
in Polk County this week, Donna and Leon Thoreson reported two GREAT
HORNED OWLS hooting near Climax; other species in their yard included
BROWN CREEPER, a single SNOW BUNTING, 50 PINE SISKINS, and 10-12
AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.

Doug Johnson , passing through Mahnomen County on November 6th, spotted
a GREAT HORNED OWL of the pale Arctic race about 8 miles east of
Mahnomen along US Highway 200.

Jim and Joyce Holter from Becker County saw four HOODED MERGANSERS, and
a dozen BUFFLEHEAD on Floyd Lake on November 14th, and on the 16th,
there were thirty-five COMMON MERGANSERS there. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
has been coming to the feeder. Donna Fett saw 25-30 TRUMPETER SWANS on
November 14th on Town Lake near Frazee. Dave Hochhalter in Detroit Lake
reported PILEATED WOODPECKER, HAIRY WOODPECKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER,
NORTHERN CARDINAL, and PURPLE FINCH at his feeder on November 12th.

Thanks to Doug Johnson, Dave Hochhalter, Mary Broten, Jerry Bonkoski,
Jim and Joyce Holter, Jan Campbell, Donna Fett, Gretchen Mehmel, Donna
and Leon Thoreson, Margie and Pat Stoy, Tim Driscoll and Betsy
Batstone-Cunningham, Melanie Torkelson, and Maggie Anderson for their
reports.=20

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 26, 2004.