Previous reports: January 29, February 5 12 19 26, March 5 12.
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 19, 2009
*MNDL0903.19

• Canada Goose
• Trumpeter Swan
• Mallard
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Killdeer
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Horned Lark
• Eastern Bluebird
• American Robin
• Cedar Waxwing
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Snow Bunting
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Common Grackle
• Purple Finch

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 19, 2009
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@q.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, March 19, 2009 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.

With the lengthening days, and the warming temperatures, early migrants are streaming back into northwest Minnesota. It only remains for the rivers and lakes to open up for the waterfowl migration to begin in earnest. This week the reports are full of sightings of CANADA GEESE scouts, BALD EAGLES in most counties, HORNED LARKS everywhere, and AMERICAN ROBINS.

On March 15 Kris Guggisberg reported four GREAT GRAY OWLS and 6 BALD EAGLES on a trip between the Northwest Angle of Lake of the Woods and Roseau. Not all of these birds were seen on the US side, but you get the idea. On March 14, Beth Siverhus saw a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Roseau County about 15 miles southwest of Warroad on the Schwartz Forest Road; a GREAT GRAY OWL was seen 12 miles south and 1/4 mile east of Warroad just off Dick's Parkway. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was observed 2 miles south of Warroad on CR 5.

Larry Wilebski saw two SNOWY OWLS between Orleans and Humboldt on March 17. Other species seen in Kittson County included several NORTHERN HARRIERS, and AMERICAN ROBINS.

Beth Siverhus spotted a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along MN 72 in Beltrami County on March 16.

From Marshall County, Linda Johnson saw a NORTHERN HARRIER near Warren, and there were DARK-EYED JUNCOS at the feeder. From Agassiz NWR, Gary Tischer reported that the BALD EAGLES are incubating on the nest in Parker Pool. AMERICAN ROBINS and a WESTERN MEADOWLARK appeared there on March 16.

Gary Tischer reported that the MERLIN returned to Thief River Falls, Pennington County on March 17. CANADA GEESE scouts have been flying in small numbers over the city in the past few days, looking for open water. Shelley Steva and I saw two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS in Pennington County on March 15.

On March 15, Shelley and I saw two BALD EAGLES, one NORTHERN HARRIER, an AMERICAN KESTREL, and a MERLIN in Red Lake County.

In Polk County on March 16, Bruce Flaig saw a KILLDEER a mile east of the intersection of CR 12/ CR 14. He also reported five TRUMPETER SWANS. On March 18, he saw a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS returned to the yard. On the 10th, Theresa Norton reported a single SNOW BUNTING near East Grand Forks. On March 18, Nate Emery reported both GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS and SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in the Glacial Ridge area. Other species seen included CANADA GEESE, TRUMPETER SWANS, BALD EAGLE, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and of course lots of HORNED LARKS.

Mel and Elaine Bennefeld saw a male RING-NECKED PHEASANT along MN 200 east of Hendrum in Norman County on March 17.

In Clay County, Mel and Elaine reported an AMERICAN KESTREL at 57th Ave N along CR 9; a SHORT-EARED OWL was seen hunting over the prairie at Buffalo River State Park.

Scott Kahan in Becker County on March 10 saw a WESTERN MEADOWLARK near Perham, and TRUMPETER SWANS at Little Pine Lake. The first flocks of CANADA GEESE were reported by Cleone Stewart near Frazee on March 14. On March 17, she spotted the first RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. Colleen Nelson reported 20 MALLARDS south of Detroit Lakes on March 18.Other species reported in Becker County included RING-NECKED PHEASANT, and AMERICAN ROBIN.

Brad and Dee Ehlers in Otter Tail County saw an AMERICAN KESTREL 6 miles east of Ottertail city on March 6. On March 17, they saw a NORTHERN HARRIER, and three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported AMERICAN ROBINS, two COMMON GRACKLES and 7 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on March 16.Alma Ronningen observed CEDAR WAXWINGS and PURPLE FINCH on March 16, and on March 18 she saw a BALD EAGLE and two AMERICAN KESTRELS near the entrance to Maplewood State Park. Colleen Nelson found 25 AMERICAN ROBINS south of Pelican Rapids on March 18.

Thanks to all who sent in sightings this week.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@q.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, March 26, 2009.

Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN

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