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*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*December 22, 2011
*MNDL1112.22

• Canada Goose
• Ruffed Grouse
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Shrike
• Black-billed Magpie
• Common Raven
• Brown Creeper
• Varied Thrush
• Eastern Towhee
• Harris's Sparrow
• Northern Cardinal
• Common Redpoll
• Hoary Redpoll
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: December 22, 2011
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,December 22, 2011 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.

Still there is no snow in the northwest, and we are seeing evidence that it will change the species lists for the Christmas Bird Counts in the area. Some commonly seen species are fewer and there will be some surprise laggards from the summer populations. It should be an exciting year for the CBC.

The Bemidji CBC in Beltrami County was held on December 17 and 34 species were seen. Highlights included a VARIED THRUSH at a private residence on the east side of Lake Plantagenet. Other species seen included SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, NORTHERN SHRIKE, BROWN CREEPER, NORTHERN CARDINAL , HOARY REDPOLL, and EVENING GROSBEAK.

Shelley Steva reported that as of December 19 two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS continued to be seen near Plummer in Red Lake County.

In Polk County, Sandy Aubol reported on December 21 that the EASTERN TOWHEE and two HARRIS'S SPARROWS continue to come daily to her feeders in East Grand Forks. Emily Hutchins was in Polk County from December 9- December 12 where she found a SNOWY OWL on December 12 along MN 9 south of US 2. Other species she mentioned were SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, RUFFED GROUSE , BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, and more than 12 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in and around the Chicog WMA.

Mel Bennefeld found a COMMON RAVEN on the Pondorosa Golf Course in Clay County on December 20.

From Hubbard County, Marshall Howe observed a NORTHERN SHRIKE east of Lake George along MN 71 on December 21. On the 20th, he saw ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, COMMON REDPOLL, and one HOARY REDPOLL in Hubbard County.

Brad and Dee Ehlers reported on December 17 that 8000 CANADA GEESE are using the Orwell Reservoir in Otter Tail County southwest of Fergus Falls.

Thanks to Brad and Dee Ehlers, Emily Hutchins, Kelly Larson, Marshall Howe, Mel Bennefeld, Sandy Aubol, and Shelley Steva for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@mncable.net 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 Wednesday December 28, 2011.

Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN

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