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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*December 5, 2002
*MNDL0212.05

-Birds mentioned

• Great Blue Heron
• Bald Eagle
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Wild Turkey
• Northern Saw-whet Owl
• Gray Jay
• Black-billed Magpie
• Common Raven
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Northern Shrike
• Snow Bunting
• American Goldfinch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: December 5, 2002
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, December 6, 2002 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Birding has been quiet in the past week- both the birds and the birders are hunkering down for the first cold spell of the winter.

Gary Otnes reported a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL in his yard in Fergus Falls, Ottertail County, on November 29th.

In Clay County, Leo Lantz spotted 14 WILD TURKEYS along the Red River.

Pennington County sightings this week include the summer tanager on the weekend, but Grace Mayta reported tonight that she had not seen the bird in two days, so there is some doubt if it has survived the cold snap. Shelley Steva reported seeing a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK on December 1st near Hugo's supermarket in Thief River Falls. There are AMERICAN GOLDFINCH in winter garb coming to our feeder along the Red Lake River in Thief River Falls. Pat Fischer reported that he had two GRAY JAYS in the evergreens near his mailbox today just down the road from me in rural Thief River Falls.

Gary Huschle found a GREAT BLUE HERON at Nelson Slough in the East Park WMA in northern Marshall County. We wonder what it is finding to eat as all the water is ice covered except that where the ice has been broken by another critter. COMMON RAVENS were also reported in Marshall County.

Russ Reisz reported seeing many NORTHERN SHRIKES, and SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in Kittson County.

Gary Tischer saw several BALD EAGLES, a GRAY JAY, and 8 COMMON RAVENS along Dick's Parkway in Beltrami County on November 30th. In addition Shelley Steva and I observed a number of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES in the same area. A BALD EAGLE, two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, 5 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, 5 COMMON RAVENS and 35 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen along Beltrami County Road 42 on the same day.

Thanks to Gary Otnes, Leo Lantz, Shelley Steva, Gary Tischer, Gary Huschle, Russ Reisz, Pat Fischer, and Grace Mayta for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by e-mail, no later than Thursday each week, at: ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. When reporting by e-mail please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, December 13, 2002.

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