[mou] Duluth RBA 10/20/05

[Jim Lind]

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, October 20th, 
sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Deb and Steve Falkowski found a ROCK WREN at the boat launch at 
Taconite Harbor in Cook County on the 17th.  It was relocated on the 
18th on the boulder breakwall to the west of the boat launch and then 
on the boulders to the south of the boat launch.  Steve also reported 
a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER in Virginia on the 14th at the 500 
block of 12th Street North, although it has not been relocated.

A COMMON GROUND-DOVE was found in downtown Two Harbors on the 16th, 
but has not been seen since.  It was found along the west end of 1st 
Avenue, one block west of 8th Street near the railroad property.

Tom Auer found a SMITH'S LONGSPUR at Park Point this morning just 
past the buildings at the Sky Harbor Airport.  It was with a mixed 
flock of SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS.  Jan Green reported a 
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR along the Alseth Road at Stoney Point on 
the 16th.  Jan also found a FIELD SPARROW at the cemetery on the Old 
North Shore Road, a half mile east of the Homestead Road.

Peder Svingen and Tony Hertzel found four SURF SCOTERS at Paradise 
Beach and one at Grand Marais on the 15th.  They also found a WHITE-
WINGED SCOTER and five BLACK SCOTERS at Paradise Beach.  They had a 
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK flying over Grand Marais, which is a first Cook 
County record, and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE just east of the Brule 
River along Highway 61.  Just east of the Homestead Road on Scenic 
Highway 61 in St. Louis County they found a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD.  
They also received a second-hand report of an adult male HARLEQUIN 
DUCK at the mouth of the Cross River in Cook County on the 15th. 

The first NORTHERN SHRIKES of the season were found at Hawk Ridge on 
the 16th, and during the MOU North Shore field trip at Artist's Point 
in Grand Marais.  The first BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were found on the 15th 
at Hawk Ridge, as well as at Hovland during the MOU field trip.  A 
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was seen at the Hawk Ridge overlook on the 
16th.  Thirteen GOLDEN EAGLES have been counted at Hawk Ridge since 
the 15th.

A LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen by Warren Nelson and Bill Stauffer on the 
15th along Aitkin County Road 18, 0.8 mile east of County Road 5.  
Long-tailed Ducks were also seen over the weekend in Cook County at 
Good Harbor Bay and in Grand Marais.  Two WESTERN GREBES were 
reported by Conny Brunell and Susan Schumacher on Lake Superior at 
Park Point out from 31st Street on the 17th.  CACKLING GEESE are 
being seen at the Two Harbors golf course and in Grand Marais.  

There was a belated second-hand report of a WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER 
from Grand Marais on the 16th, although it has not been relocated or 
confirmed.  It was reported near the Homestead Cooperative on the 200 
block of 11th Ave. West.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, October 
27th.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858.  
Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded 
message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota 
Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more 
information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum to 
mou@cbs.umn.edu, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.