Previous reports: June 26 , July 3 10 17 24 , August 1 14 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*August 21, 2003
*MNDL0308.21

-Birds mentioned

• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Eared Grebe
• Clark's Grebe
• Great Egret
• Ruddy Duck
• Turkey Vulture
• Bald Eagle
• Cooper's Hawk
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Common Moorhen
• American Coot
• White-rumped Sandpiper
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Black-billed Cuckoo
• Common Nighthawk
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Common Raven
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Golden-winged Warbler
• Cerulean Warbler
• Canada Warbler
• Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
• Chestnut-collared Longspur
• Orchard Oriole

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: August 21, 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, August 22, 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.

Finally, the heat wave has broken, and we can expect to see some new "faces" after the migration was somewhat stalled by the heat. Several interesting sightings were reported in this area this week.

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were sighted in Thief River Falls on Sunday, August 17th. They were in the area of 3rd St. ( Hwy 59) and Kinney Avenue near where the lone dove was discovered earlier. Both were calling. This area is close to the railroad tracks near the arena.

8 GREAT EGRETS were found at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge this week. The shorebird survey done this week revealed lower numbers of birds, due probably to drier conditions especially at Dahl, Lower CCC, and Thief Bay Pools. More birds were seen at Parker Pool along the county road as conditions remained muddy there. The first WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER of the fall season was seen, and juvenile birds of several species were identified. There were no Marbled Godwits and no Long-billed Dowitchers. One interesting sighting was a black bear with two cubs near Dahl Pool. Kari Odefey reported that more RED-TAILED HAWKS and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS are being seen on the refuge also. Many species of shorebirds, and other waterfowl can now be observed from County Road 7.

>From Beltrami County , Pat and Bob DeWenter reported seeing a flock of 50 migrating COMMON NIGHTHAWKS circling over the city of Bemidji.

In Pennington County, on Sunday, August 17th, we found 8 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along highway 1 east of Carpenter's Corner, and saw a GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN in Numedal Township. On Saturday, August 16th, there was a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH here in our yard near Thief River Falls, and our neighbor, Shelley Steva, saw a BALD EAGLE flying over Thief River Falls on August 20th. She also had two PILEATED WOODPECKERS playing tag in her yard.

A SHARP-TAILED GROUSE was reported from Terrebonne Township of Red Lake County on August 18th. A TURKEY VULTURE was also spotted in that county as well as BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER.

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was also observed at the Glacial Ridge Project in Polk County on August 18th, along with an ORCHARD ORIOLE.

The COMMON MOORHENS with six chicks were seen by several people this week at Hamden Slough in Becker County at the previously reported location. Also at Hamden NWR, Mary Wyatt reported baby PIED-BILLED GREBES, RUDDY DUCKS, and AMERICAN COOTS. Both EARED GREBE and HORNED GREBES, and a variety of raptors were also observed there this week. A NELSON'S Sharp-TAILED SPARROW was reported from the south side of Bisson Lake south of County Road 14. Mary also had an immature COOPER'S HAWK take a bath in her birdbath. Mary reports that she has seen 13 species of warblers in the last week, indicating that the migration is in full swing for those species also. Included in that total were GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, CERULEAN WARBLER, and CANADA WARBLER.

Surprise finds at Felton Prairie, Clay County, on August 17th were a COMMON RAVEN, and a late CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR .

In Todd County, Benjamin Fritchman reported 3-4 CLARK'S GREBES on August 19th.

Thanks to Mary Wyatt, Benjamin Fritchman, Jim Lind, Peder Svingen, Shelley Steva, Bob and Pat DeWenter, and Kari Odefey 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, August 22, 2003.

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