Previous reports: February 28, March 6 13 20 27, April 3 10.
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 17, 2008
*MNDL0804.17

• Canada Goose
• Tundra Swan
• Wood Duck
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Ring-necked Duck
• Lesser Scaup
• American White Pelican
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Turkey Vulture
• Bald Eagle
• Cooper's Hawk
• Merlin
• Sandhill Crane
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Marbled Godwit
• Wilson's Snipe
• Franklin's Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Mourning Dove
• Snowy Owl
• Barred Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Northern Flicker
• Eastern Phoebe
• Tree Swallow
• Brown Creeper
• Eastern Bluebird
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• American Tree Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Vesper Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Lapland Longspur
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Purple Finch
• House Finch
• Common Redpoll
• American Goldfinch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 17, 2008
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 Thursday, April 17, 2008 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.

Strong south winds are bringing the migrants north, and melting the ice on lakes and rivers. The "ice dam" of migrating species reported in southern Minnesota will break soon, as the welcome mat is coming out up north. Many migrants were reported this week, and a few winter species also were seen.

Gretchen Mehmel saw a SNOWY OWL while traveling through Kittson County just west of Donaldson on April 13. She also saw thousands of migrating CANADA GEESE, MALLARDS, and NORTHERN PINTAILS.

Dave Carman, in Beltrami County on April 11, reported FOX SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, three PURPLE FINCHES, 140 COMMON REDPOLLS, and many AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. On April 16, he reported TURKEY VULTURE and SONG SPARROW.

Clearwater County arrivals reported by Kelly Larson included WILSON'S SNIPE, NORTHERN FLICKER, EASTERN PHOEBE, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

At Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on April 13, in addition to small numbers of waterfowl, and a few SANDHILL CRANES, I found a single YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER near the headquarters.

In Thief River Falls in Pennington County, Zeann Linder reported a MERLIN seen and heard several times within the city over the last week. Here at the feeder are dozens of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, some PURPLE FINCHES and HOUSE FINCHES. On April 13 a SONG SPARROW was heard in the yard and an EASTERN PHOEBE was there on April 14. The river is opening up and there were CANADA GEESE and WOOD DUCKS in the leads of open water along the edges Wednesday morning. Thursday evening there were two FOX SPARROWS scratching under the feeder here near Thief River Falls.

Bruce Flaig in Polk County reported EASTERN PHOEBE on April 15. Nate Emery has been keeping me posted on arrivals at Glacial Ridge in Polk County. MOURNING DOVE showed up on April 11, a GREAT BLUE HERON and two SHORT-EARED OWLS were found on April 13. On the 15th, he observed hundreds of TUNDRA SWANS. About 2000 SANDHILL CRANES were observed north of CR 45 near the old corrals. AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, GREAT EGRET, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, MARBLED GODWIT, EASTERN PHOEBE, and NORTHERN FLICKER were seen on April 15. Numbers of godwits and egrets were much increased by April 16. Other arrivals on the 16th included WILSON'S SNIPE, RING-BILLED GULLS, FRANKLIN'S GULLS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and VESPER SPARROW. Large flocks of LAPLAND LONGSPURS are moving through the Glacial Ridge area, and a pair of BALD EAGLES is nesting near the Burnham Creek impoundment.

Rick Shaw reported a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER north of Moorhead in Clay County on April 12. Connie Norheim reported 44 TUNDRA SWANS, RING-NECKED DUCK, and LESSER SCAUP in Clay County on April 12. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD was seen near the Regional Science Center near Buffalo River State Park. Bob O'Connor reported the return of the CHIPPING SPARROW on April 15.

From Otter Tail County, Daryl Jorud reported three BROWN CREEPERS immediately north of Fergus Falls Middle School on April 14. Roland Jordahl reported many of the same species reported in other counties, but added WOOD DUCK, COOPER'S HAWK, BARRED OWL, TREE SWALLOW, and CHIPPING SPARROW on April 16.

Thanks to Bob O'Connor, Bruce Flaig, Connie Norheim, Daryl Jorud, Dave Carman, Gretchen Mehmel, Nate Emery, Rick Shaw, and Zeann Linder 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. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, April 24, 2007.

Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN

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