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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*January 12, 2000
*MNDL0101.12

-Birds mentioned

• Northern Goshawk
• Merlin
• Gyrfalcon
• Gray Partridge
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Horned Lark
• Black-billed Magpie
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Northern Cardinal
• Lapland Longspur
• Snow Bunting
• Pine Grosbeak
• Purple Finch
• Common Redpoll
• Pine Siskin
• American Goldfinch
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: January 12, 2000
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Betsy Beneke (BetsyBeneke@lakesnet.net)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, January 12th, sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Area Birding Club. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

GREAT GRAY and NORTHERN HAWK OWLS seem to be continuing their southern movement, with more birds seen in Beltrami, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods and Roseau Counties over this past week.

Many GREAT GRAY OWLS were reported along Hwy. 89 in Beltrami County, as well as along Hwy. 71 near Gemmell in Koochiching Co., along Hwy. 310 north of Roseau in Roseau County and along various roads in the Beltrami Island State Forest.

In Roseau County on the 12th, Mark Otnes found a gray phase GYRFALCON on CR 16, about 1 ½ miles east of Hwy. 89 in Roseau County. He also saw a MERLIN three miles east of Roseau along Hwy. 11 and good numbers of HORNED LARKS, COMMON REDPOLLS, SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS.

A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was found on the 12th by Refuge Manager, Jay Johnson at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Becker Co. The bird was near the Y-intersection of CR 126 and West Height of Land Drive (HOL Township #6) in the southeast part of the refuge. Also seen at the refuge recently is a male NORTHERN GOSHAWK. Most sightings have been along CR 26 and Bruce Blvd. (also known as the Refuge Service Road) north and east of the visitor center. PINE GROSBEAKS are also common in the area.

A SNOWY OWL was seen by Doug Johnson on the 10th, sitting on a power pole by the North Country Hospital on Hannah Ave. at Bemidji in Beltrami Co.

Rick Julian found 40 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE just south of Arnesen in Lake of the Woods Co.

He also found 50 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS along Hwy. 32, seven miles south of Hwy. 2, and 8 GRAY PARTRIDGE along Hwy. 32 four miles south of Hwy. 2 - all in Polk County.

At the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge in Polk Co. birds observed recently include PINE GROSBEAK and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE.

Other birds reported this week were BELTED KINGFISHER, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, NORTHERN CARDINAL, EVENING GROSBEAK, PURPLE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and PINE SISKIN.

Thanks also to Kay & Jim Hartness, Gladwin Lynne, Shar Legenhausen, Mary Wyatt, .

If you have interesting birds to report, contact Betsy Beneke by e-mail at: betsybeneke@lakesnet.net OR call the Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992.

The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, January 19th.

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