Previous reports: January 28 , February 4 11 18 25 , March 3 10 17 21 , April 7 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 14, 2000
*MNDL0004.14

-Birds mentioned

• Pied-billed Grebe
• Red-necked Grebe
• Tundra Swan
• Trumpeter Swan
• Turkey Vulture
• Osprey
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Cooper's Hawk
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Gray Partridge
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Sandhill Crane
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Short-eared Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Eastern Phoebe
• Purple Martin
• Tree Swallow
• Common Raven
• Winter Wren
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Hermit Thrush
• American Robin
• Northern Shrike
• Fox Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Snow Bunting

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 14, 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 Friday, April 14th, 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 or (218) 847-5743.

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:

Colder temperatures and several days with snow and freezing rain have slowed the pace of migration somewhat, but a few new birds have arrived.

On a trip through Maplewood State Park in Otter Tail Co. on the 9th, Roland Jordahl found BELTED KINGFISHERS and PURPLE MARTINS.

Bob and Eve Freeberg toured Polk Co. on the 9th and reported a variety of waterfowl, including over 3000 TUNDRA SWANS in the rice paddies along Co. Rd. 2 and 700 SANDHILL CRANES along Co. Rd. 45. Other birds seen were NORTHERN HARRIER, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, GRAY PARTRIDGE and SHORT-EARED OWL.

A significant snow on April 10th grounded many birds and over 1000 AMERICAN ROBINS and 500 DARK-EYED JUNCOS were observed at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. A late NORTHERN SHRIKE was also reported that day. Other interesting birds seen at the refuge include PURPLE MARTINS ON April 11th and 13th, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-NECKED GREBES, TRUMPETER SWAN, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK, BELTED KINGFISHER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, WINTER WREN and FOX SPARROW.

A small flock of 15 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen north of Detroit Lakes on April 10th.

Birds seen at the Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge this week include 15 species of waterfowl, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, COMMON RAVEN and EASTERN PHOEBE.

Two TURKEY VULTURES were seen by Bob Burke near Lake Lizzie in Otter Tail County on the 12th.

An OSPREY and PURPLE MARTINS were reported by Dick Carr on Long Lake, just east of the city of Detroit Lakes, on April 13th.

TREE SWALLOWS were reported by Kay and Jim Hartness from Cotton Lake in Becker Co. on the 13th.

BALD EAGLES are a common sight throughout the Detroit Lakes area. The first eaglets should begin to hatch during the next week.

Other birds reported include: American coot, killdeer, American woodcock, ring-billed gull, mourning dove, red-bellied woodpecker, northern flicker, Eastern bluebird and purple finch.

Thanks also to Lowell Deede, John French and Bill & Mary Wyatt for their observations.

The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, April 21st.

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