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

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 3, 2003
*MNDL0304.03

-Birds mentioned

• Great Blue Heron
• Tundra Swan
• Trumpeter Swan
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Blue-winged Teal
• Gadwall
• Common Goldeneye
• Hooded Merganser
• Common Merganser
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Golden Eagle
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Peregrine Falcon
• Gray Partridge
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sandhill Crane
• Killdeer
• American Woodcock
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Short-eared Owl
• Eastern Phoebe
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Eastern Bluebird
• Cedar Waxwing
• Northern Shrike
• Fox Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Lapland Longspur
• Western Meadowlark
• Rusty Blackbird
• American Goldfinch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 3, 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, April 4, 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.

Just as we were getting used to the idea that spring is here, that notion has been knocked down by snow and cold, but the birds continue to come anyway.

There were many reports this week of migrating raptors with BALD EAGLES, NORTHERN HARRIERS, RED-TAILED HAWKS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and AMERICAN KESTRELS reported from a variety of counties throughout the region. As water opens up, many species of ducks are also moving north. SANDHILL CRANES were seen as far north as Marshall and Pennington Counties, and GREAT BLUE HERONS were noted in Ottertail, Becker, and Norman Counties. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were seen in Ottertail and Clay Counties. Another change of note is that the AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are starting to show more and more yellow in their plumage.

The EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE that is in the town of Herman in Grant County was seen as recently as March 29th by Bob O'Connor. It was at the corner of 2nd St. E and Hanover Ave. S about 2 1/2 blocks northeast of the St. Charles Church.

Mary Broten reported from Marshall County this week that she saw a WESTERN MEADOWLARK east of Old Mill State Park on March 25th, and SANDHILL CRANES on the 30th. At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Maggie Anderson wrote of 60 BALD EAGLES on the west side of the refuge on March 26th feasting on dead fish. Many have left already as migration continues. Maggie also reported ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, MERLIN, and SANDHILL CRANES at the refuge.

Three TRUMPETER SWANS were seen by Zeann Linder and me at the rice paddies along the Clearwater River in eastern Pennington County on March 29th. Many CANADA GEESE, and small numbers of MALLARDS, NORTHERN PINTAIL, COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, and COMMON MERGANSER were also there. On April 1st, a female MERLIN was seen by Shelley Steva near Thief River Falls.

A possible GOLDEN EAGLE was seen by Pat Fischer north of Red Lake Falls in Red Lake County on April 2nd.=20

On March 30th Donna and Leon Thoreson found a SHORT-EARED OWL hunting over a field one mile west of Highway 9 along Polk County Road 45. Other birds seen in the county included NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN KESTREL, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK. On April 1st Shelley Steva observed 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, SANDHILL CRANES, a BALD EAGLE near a probable nest, and 20 LAPLAND LONGSPURS also in Polk County. She also saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE near East Grand Forks along CR 21.

The Thoreson's went to Norman County also on March 30th and found GREAT BLUE HERONS and a pair of TUNDRA SWANS southwest of Fertile.

Shelley Steva saw a RING-NECKED PHEASANT on March 31st in Mahnomen County just south of Bejou.

At Buffalo River State Park in Clay County, Rick Gjervold observed WOOD DUCKS, MALLARDS and two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS.

A GREAT BLUE HERON was seen by Shar Legenhausen, and Jan Campbell reported several large flocks of CEDAR WAXWINGS in her neighborhood in Detroit Lakes, Becker County. A PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted by Shelley Steva on March 31st just south of Ogema along Highway 59.

Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported from Ottertail County this week. In their yard they report a new arrival today, April 3rd- a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. At Glendalough State Park, they observed TUNDRA SWAN, WOOD DUCK, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, EASTERN PHOEBE, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, FOX SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW. Three immature BALD EAGLES were seen by Roland Jordahl at Maplewood State Park on March 31st.

In Wilkin County, the Thimgan's found 7 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, and two GRAY PARTRIDGE in the Rothsay area. Other birds seen there include WOOD DUCK, GADWALL, RED-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN KESTREL, KILLDEER, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and SONG SPARROW. All of these sightings occurred on Sunday, March 30th.

Thanks to Maggie Anderson, Donna and Leon Thoreson, Shelley Steva, Mary Broten, Pat Fischer, Shar Legenhausen, Jan Campbell, Roland Jordahl, Dan and Sandy Thimgan, Bob O'Connor, and Rick Gjervold for their reports.

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 11, 2003.

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