[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, October 15, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, October 15,
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.

Fall colors are past their peak in all of the northwest now, cold winds
foretell the approach of winter, and smell like snow. More than half the
leaves have  fallen from the trees from at least Pennington County
northwards. On their way south waterfowl are increasing in numbers on
the larger bodies of water and the wastewater treatment ponds.

A PACIFIC LOON was reported by Bill Unzen on Lake Bemidji in Beltrami
County on Monday, October 11th. When it was discovered it was near the
Bemidji State University dock. The bird was relocated on Tuesday, but
has not been found since then.=20

CACKLING GEESE were reported from Clay, Red Lake, and Pennington
Counties this week. Keep your eyes open, and check the flocks of Canada
Geese for these smaller geese.

Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported three flocks of  AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS
of 30-40 each in Wilkin County. One flock was at the Breckenridge
wastewater treatment ponds, and the others in the Rothsay Prairie area.
This species seems to be favoring wet recently harvested soybean fields.

Roland Jordahl reported from Otter Tail County this week. Among his
sightings were BROAD-WINGED HAWK, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLET, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Joe Gartner and
his son visited a number of SNA's on October 7th, and at the Otter Tail
Prairie SNA southwest of Fergus Falls, they found forty GREATER PRAIRIE
CHICKENS, a SHORT-EARED OWL, and  WESTERN MEADOWLARKS. At the Rabbit
River WPA Dan and Sandy Thimgan observed a flock of 25 AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS.

>From Becker County, Luke Pechmann reported FOX SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO . Shar Legenhausen observed seven TRUMPETER
SWANS on Momb Lake.

On October 7th Benjamin Fritchman found a partial albino HARRIS'S
SPARROW at Felton Prairie in Clay County. There, too, he found a
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and a GREATER YELLOWLEGS. He also saw CACKLING GEESE
at the Moorhead wastewater treatment ponds. There were 29 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS at the Glyndon wastewater treatment ponds. On the 11th,
Benjamin observed 102 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS along CR 51 one mile east
of CR 11 west of Barnesville. At the Barnesville wastewater treatment
ponds there were twenty BONAPARTE'S GULLS. Mel and Elaine Bennefeld
found 12 PURPLE FINCHES at the Ponderosa Golf Club in Clay County on
October 12th. At Bluestem Prairie SNA near Glyndon, Joe Gartner reported
SHORT-EARED OWL, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW.

In Norman County on the 10th, Doug Johnson saw GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENS,
and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. Joe Gartner was there on the 9th, and he found a
MERLIN, FERRUGINOUS HAWK, and a variety of sparrows at the Sandpiper SNA
near Twin Valley.

While driving through Mahnomen County, Doug observed a PEREGRINE FALCON
at the Mahnomen wastewater treatment ponds on October 10th. At Santee
Prairie SNA near Mahnomen, Joe Gartner found a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

Bill Unzen reported an adult SABINE'S GULL on Lake Bemidji in Beltrami
County on October 8th. Pat DeWenter had RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER,
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, and BROWN CREEPER in her yard on October 9th.=20

Joe Gartner and his son observed a FIELD SPARROW in the Gully Fen in
Polk County on October 9th.

Shelley Steva and I found a mixed flock of HORNED LARKS, and LAPLAND
LONGSPURS that included about 20 SMITH'S LONGSPURS in  northwestern
Marshall County on October 9th. At the same location was a small flock
of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS. Mary Broten reported WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS,
and DARK-EYED JUNCOS in that county also.

Here in Pennington County, I heard a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH in the yard,
and  there were many AMERICAN ROBINS, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, DARK-EYED
JUNCOS in the yard during the past week. 14 SANDHILL CRANES flew over on
Sunday, October 10th.

At the Two Rivers Aspen Parkland Prairie SNA near Pelan, Joe Gartner
found a GRAY JAY on October 9th.

Thanks to Benjamin Fritchman, Mel and Elaine Bennefeld, Roland Jordahl,
Luke Pechmann, Bill Unzen, Mary Broten, Shar Legenhausen, Doug Johnson,
Joe Gartner, and Pat DeWenter 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, October 22, 2004.