Detroit Lakes RBA
Detroit Lakes RBA
Detroit Lakes RBA
|
Previous reports: March
11
18
25
, April
1
8
15
22
29
.
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide
| Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *May 6, 2004 *MNDL0405.06 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: May 6, 2004
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, May 7, 2004 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.
Ever so reluctantly, spring is coming to northwestern Minnesota. Conditions are very dry so there are not many places where shorebird habitat can be found. This can change quickly however with spring rains. Warblers are starting to appear and we have had reports of Tennessee, orange-crowned, yellow, yellow-rumped, palm, and black-and-white warblers so far and the sparrow clan is well represented with reports of American tree, chipping, vesper, savannah, Le Conte's, fox, song, swamp, white-throated, Harris's, white-crowned sparrows, and dark-eyed juncos this spring in the northwest.=20
Linda Johnson reported from Old Mill State Park that new arrivals included WILSON'S SNIPE, BELTED KINGFISHER, EASTERN PHOEBE, and HERMIT THRUSH. At Wetlands, Pines, and Prairie Audubon Sanctuary Linda saw a BUFFLEHEAD and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on the 1st. Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge has many of the summer residents back now. TRUMPETER SWANS have been observed near last year's nest site, three RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were seen on Agassiz Pool, RED-NECKED GREBES are doing their courtship displays, and a PEREGRINE FALCON has been seen several times along CR 7. Maggie Anderson was surprised to see two SNOW BUNTINGS near Headquarters Pool on April 30th. FORSTER'S TERN was seen on May 3rd, and SORA on May 4th. All the common ducks are back also, including many RUDDY DUCKS which can be seen from the county road.
A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen by Shelley Steva and Jeanie Joppru as it flew over their vehicle along the Old Pembina Trail in Pennington County on May 2nd. At home near Thief River Falls, two BROWN CREEPERS were seen creeping up an oak tree in Jeanie's yard on May 4th. At the Thief River Falls wastewater treatment ponds, a HORNED GREBE, several EARED GREBES, and eight WILSON'S PHALAROPES were seen on May 1st. An OSPREY and a BALD EAGLE have been observed soaring over the Red Lake River. Shelley Steva reported a MERLIN observed in a residential yard just west of Thief River Falls.
Donna and Leon Thoreson reported SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and SHORT-EARED OWL from the Pembina Trail WMA on May 2nd. An OSPREY and a BALD EAGLE were observed by Bruce Flaig on May 3rd, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE on the 4th, and a PALM WARBLER on the 5th. Both WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were observed by Mike Christopher in Crookston on the 1st.
The Thoreson's also went to Felton Prairie in Clay County on Sunday. There they found many YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and the usual resident CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS among many other species.
The migrants are really starting to get to Becker County this week. Bob and Jennie Scherzer found a ROSS'S GOOSE, MARBLED GODWITS, RUDDY TURNSTONES, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE at Hamden Slough NWR on May 1st. On the 5th, a AMERICAN BLACK DUCK was in the Hesby Wetland, and other shorebirds included SOLITARY SANDPIPER, and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Four WILD TURKEYS were found north of the Eagle Wetland on the 1st. Some other species reported from Becker County this week included RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, PALM WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, NORTHERN CARDINAL, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
GREAT EGRETS have returned to nest at Lake Alice in Fergus Falls , Otter Tail County. Alma Ronningen reported a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and BROWN THRASHER on April 30th, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on May 4th, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and PALM WARBLER on the 6th. Roland Jordahl saw YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS on April 30th in Otter Tail County. Dan and Sandy Thimgan found the following shorebirds there on May 1st: HUDSONIAN GODWIT, MARBLED GODWIT, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER. On the 3rd, they saw GREEN HERON, HOUSE WREN, and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW.
In Grant County, Dan and Sandy Thimgan observed a CATTLE EGRET on May 1st. To find this bird: From I 94, take the Ashby exit to the North and then turn right on CR 54 in less than a block. Follow this to Ashby Estates Rd E and turn left and look for the Cattle on your right.=20
Susan Wiste reported from Douglas County that she had seen OSPREY and YELLOW WARBLER this week.
Thanks to Shelley Steva, Linda Johnson, Roland Jordahl, Maggie Anderson, Mary Wyatt, Susan Wiste, Shar Legenhausen, Joan Burke, Alma Ronningen, Bruce Flaig, Mike Christopher, Nancy Janorschke, Betty and Dave Hochhalter, Donna and Leon Thoreson, Gary Tischer, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan 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, May 14, 2004.
