Previous reports: January 20 28 , February 4 11 18 25 , March 3 10 17 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 21, 2000
*MNDL0003.21

-Birds mentioned

• American Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Trumpeter Swan
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Ring-necked Duck
• Common Goldeneye
• Hooded Merganser
• Osprey
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Wild Turkey
• Short-eared Owl
• Northern Saw-whet Owl
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Horned Lark
• Gray Jay
• Eastern Bluebird
• American Robin
• Song Sparrow
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Meadowlark (species)
• Common Grackle
• Purple Finch
• House Finch
• Common Redpoll
• American Goldfinch
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 21, 2000
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Betsy Beneke (Betsy_Beneke@fws.gov)
Transcriber: Betsy Beneke (Betsy_Beneke@fws.gov)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Tuesday, March 21st, sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Area Birding Club. It is also available by calling 1-800-433-1888. This report is being updated early this week to accommodate a vacation!

Sightings from NW Minnesota are welcomed from everyone and requested no later than Thursday morning each week. Contact:

Betsy Beneke (218) 847-2641 betsybeneke@lakesnet.net 1-800-542-3992 (Chamber)

BIRDING REPORT:

Although COMMON REDPOLL numbers seem to be dwindling, an influx of other finches gives us some new color to look at. PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH & AMERICAN GOLDFINCH numbers are on the rise. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, HORNED LARKS and MEADOWLARKS are also becoming a more common sight.

A SONG SPARROW showed up at the feeders of Jim & Joyce Holter north of Detroit Lakes on March 11th. This is the 2nd song sparrow this spring.

Along County Road 3 south of Pelican Rapids on March 14th, Roland Jordahl found an early OSPREY.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was found by Betsy Beneke on March 21st northeast of Detroit Lakes along the Buffalo River.

GREAT BLUE HERONS began arriving at the Pelican River rookery site along Hwy. 59 south of Detroit Lakes on March 15th. Up to 15 birds have been observed there as of the 21st.

GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS and SHORT-EARED OWLS are visible in the Rothsay Prairie WMA in Wilkin County.

Rick Julian found several MEADOWLARKS along Hwy. 32 near Hitterdal on March 18th. He also found fifteen WOOD DUCKS east of Detroit Lakes on March 21st.

Connie Smith reports large flocks of EVENING GROSBEAKS at her feeders six miles north of Itasca State Park near Iron Springs Bog and the Mississippi. Other birds reported in the Itasca State Park area include TRUMPETER SWAN, BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN KESTREL, PILEATED WOODPECKER and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

From Lake Bronson State Park, Gladwin Lynne reports: CANADA GOOSE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, SHORT-EARED OWL, GRAY JAY, AMERICAN ROBIN and COMMON REDPOLL.

From the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Gary Tischer reports: CANADA GOOSE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, HORNED LARK, AMERICAN ROBIN, COMMON GRACKLE and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

Birds seen at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge over the past week include: TRUMPETER SWAN, RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, BALD EAGLE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, WILD TURKEY and MEADOWLARK.

Wayne Goeken reports that the NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL is still in residence in a wood duck box on his property south of Erskine.

Thank you to everyone who shared sightings for this week's report! The next scheduled update of this report will be Friday, March 31st.

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