Previous reports: January 23 30 , February 6 13 20 27 , March 6 13 20 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 27, 2003
*MNDL0303.27

-Birds mentioned

• American Widgeon
• Tundra Swan
• Trumpeter Swan
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Ring-necked Duck
• Bufflehead
• Hooded Merganser
• Common Merganser
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Sandhill Crane
• Killdeer
• Ring-billed Gull
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Eastern Phoebe
• Horned Lark
• Eastern Bluebird
• American Robin
• Northern Shrike
• American Tree Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Rusty Blackbird
• Purple Finch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 27, 2003
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, March 28, 2003 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.

Migration is progressing nicely in northwestern Minnesota this week , in spite of the fact that as of Thursday, some parts of the region now have as much or more snow than we had all winter. The ground was bare when the recent storm blew in, but we hope that this latest snow will soon melt.

Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported that a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE is being seen in the town of Herman in Grant County. It can be seen in the neighborhood surrounding St. Charles Catholic Church on the corner of south Berlin Avenue and Wells Street.

The Thimgan's also found AMERICAN WIDGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN KESTREL, RING-BILLED GULL and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD in Ottertail County on March 24th. A SONG SPARROW was seen on the 25th. Alma Ronningen reports an EASTERN PHOEBE, and at the feeder a RUSTY BLACKBIRD .

Rick Gjervold observed TRUMPETER SWANS in Becker County, while Joe Gartner saw them in Norman County on March 19th, and Juancarlos Giese reported on March 27th that they have returned to Rydell NWR also.

In Clay County, Mark Otnes found a SONG SPARROW at Buffalo River State Park on Sunday, March 23rd.

Norman County sightings by Shelley Steva included a RED-TAILED HAWK and an AMERICAN KESTREL.

In Polk County Becky Eckstein and Juancarlos Giese reported that the ducks are coming back with HOODED MERGANSER, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, and WOOD DUCK at Rydell NWR , and NORTHERN PINTAIL, and AMERICAN WIDGEON at Glacial Ridge. I saw COMMON MERGANSER there also and a NORTHERN SHRIKE as well as GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS. On Sunday at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in the northern part of the county were dozens of AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS.

Even little Red Lake County had birds to report this week. Shelley Steva found an AMERICAN ROBIN in Plummer on March 24th, and Zeann Linder heard SANDHILL CRANES in the county on March 25th. She also reported a NORTHERN HARRIER.

Linda Johnson saw a large flock of MALLARDS in a field on the east side of Highway 3 between Warren and Old Mill State Park, Marshall County, on March 27th. There were many CANADA GEESE, and 7 TUNDRA SWANS were also there. Many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS are also migrating through the county this week. 12 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were seen by Gladwyn Lynne and me on Sunday, March 23 just north of the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary.

I heard the first KILLDEER to arrive in Pennington County on March 23rd- at least the first for me. The next day 6 AMERICAN ROBINS appeared in our yard. Also AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, PURPLE FINCH, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS are coming to the feeder. The MERLINS are being seen and heard periodically in Thief River Falls these days, and soon we will be searching for the nest of choice for this year.

There were reports of CANADA GEESE, AMERICAN ROBINS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and HORNED LARKS from most of the counties of the northwest this week.

Thanks to all the wonderful folks who sent in birding reports this week.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, 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. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, April 4, 2003.

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