[mou] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Friday, September 24, 2004

[Jeanie Joppru]

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, September 24,
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.=20

The weather seems to have kept folks inside this week, but the birds
must have been on the move, and when the skies clear, I expect we will
see a change in the cast of characters. Leaves are starting to fall,
more tree species are getting color, and soon we will be at the peak of
fall beauty.

Cliff Steinhauer observed a pair of OSPREY feeding in a flooded gravel
pit near Fourtown in Beltrami County on September 19th. The pit had been
stocked with fish and the avian fishermen were catching more than the
human ones. Also in Beltrami County, Pat Rice had a ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK at her feeder on September 12th, a PINE SISKIN on the 14th, and
a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD on the 17th.

Mary Broten reported a GREAT GRAY OWL seen one mile north of mile marker
102 along Highway 89.=20

In Pennington County, Shelley Steva observed a possible MERLIN fly out
of an evergreen tree near the police station in downtown Thief River
Falls during a period of noisy activity that included police cars with
sirens blaring. It all happened so fast that she was unable to see the
bird for more than a second or two.

Thanks to Cliff Steinhauer, Mary Broten, Pat Rice, and Shelley Steva 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 1, 2004.