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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*August 25, 2001
*MNDL0108.25

-Birds mentioned

• American Bittern
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Solitary Sandpiper
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Red-necked Phalarope
• Bonaparte's Gull
• Mourning Dove
• Short-eared Owl
• Common Nighthawk
• Northern Flicker
• Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Eastern Bluebird
• Cedar Waxwing
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: August 25, 2001
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, August 24th, 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.

Migration was very evident in northwestern Minnesota this past week, with numerous reports of large flocks of swallows, blackbirds and grackles. Warblers have been moving through in waves, and a variety of species were reported from Becker and Otter Tail Counties on the 20th and 21st. Hummingbird numbers, which had been tremendous, are starting to thin out a bit. Red-breasted nuthatches have also been seen in a variety of locations as far south as Detroit Lakes in Becker Co. Other species of flycatchers, vireos and sparrows have also been noted.

On the 23rd, a group of 314 MOURNING DOVES were sitting on power lines along a ½ mile stretch of Hwy. 113 in Norman Co.

At Lake Bronson State Park in Kittson Co., Gladwin Lynne reported a possible hybrid red/yellow-shafted flicker. NORTHERN FLICKERS are on the move in most areas in the northwest.

Beth Siverhus noted that a couple of people had been seeing short-eared owls in the middle of gravel roads at night near Warroad in Roseau Co. With wet ditches on both sides of the road, she's guessing they are young birds feeding on frogs, which are abundant right now. Unfortunately, several have been injured.

At Old Mill State Park in Marshall Co. this past week, Mary Broten reported that EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were abundant. Also noted were SOLITARY SANDPIPER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and a variety of other songbirds.

A birder from Phoenix spotted about 200 CEDAR WAXWINGS on the 23rd just east of Norris Camp in the Red Lake WMA, Lake of the Woods Co.

Shorebird numbers at Agassiz NWR have dwindled since rains covered most of the mud flats, although there are still a few birds on Lansing Parker Pool along Marshall CR 7. A number of SHORT-EARED OWLS have also been reported near the refuge recently.

Doug Johnson found a few shorebirds at the Blackduck sewage ponds on the 18th, including two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES along with SPOTTED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, and LESSER YELLOWLEGS.

At Hamden Slough NWR in Becker Co., Mary Wyatt and Bob Scherzer found that GREATER YELLOWLEGS have now moved in, but shorebirds numbers in general are lessening. They found several AMERICAN BITTERNS in the area on the 20th.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS were reported by Eddy Edwards on the 20th and 21st, and by Alma Ronningen on the 23rd, all in Otter Tail County.

BONAPARTE'S GULLS and COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen moving over the town of Detroit Lakes in Becker County several evenings this past week.

I'd like to share an interesting "mammal" note from Gretchen Mehmel - late August is a good time to hear wolves howl, and just east of Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods Co., a pack including several pups were heard howling around midnight on the 22nd. Also, on the 16th, Tamarac Refuge volunteer tour guides and visitors were treated to the sight of timber wolves during their Thursday tour - a rare treat for anyone!

Thanks also to Blane Klemek, Gary Tischer, Sally Hausken, Shar Legenhausen, Rick Julian and Glenn Browne for sharing sightings.

If you have interesting birds to report, contact Betsy Beneke by e-mail, no later than Thursday each week, at: betsybeneke@lakesnet.net OR call the Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202.

PLEASE NOTE - because of travel, the next scheduled update of this report is Friday, September 7th. RARE birds should be reported to the state-wide hotline which is 763-780-8890 or mou-net@biosci.umn.edu.

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