Previous reports: January 6 , November 4 11 18 24 28 , December 2 9 16 19 23 30 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*January 13, 2000
*MNDU0001.13

-Birds mentioned

• Rough-legged Hawk
• Ruffed Grouse
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Three-toed Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Gray Jay
• Boreal Chickadee
• Varied Thrush
• Northern Mockingbird
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Northern Shrike
• Cape May Warbler
• Pine Grosbeak
• Common Redpoll
• Hoary Redpoll
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: January 13, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Transcriber: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, January 13, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Since last week's birding report, several new sightings of interest have been reported in NE Minn, and these include reports of GREAT GRAY OWL, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, VARIED THRUSH, BOHEMIAN WAXWING, and HOARY REDPOLL.

Last weekend, a GREAT GRAY OWL was briefly seen in the Sax-Zim Bog area E of Meadowlands, along St Louis Co Rd 133, 2 mi E of Co Rd 7. As many as 3 Great Grays were also relocated in Aitkin Co in the vicinity of the jct of Co Rd 18 and Pietz's Rd, which is 4 mi E of U S Hwy 169; this has been the most reliable location for this owl so far this winter. Another Aitkin Co Great Gray was also seen last week along MN Hwy 200 (not Co Rd 200, as previously reported), 1 mi W of U S Hwy 2.

Both BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were found in Cook Co last week along the unplowed Lima Mountain Rd, which turns W off the Gunflint Tr, about 20 mi N of Grand Marais. They were in the vicinity of a snowmobile trail which crosses the Lima Mt Rd about 300 yards from the Gunflint. A Black-backed was also found last weekend in Lake Co N of Isabella, along Forest Rd 373, 1.6 mi N of the Forest Rd 173 jct -- to reach this location it is recommended that birders refer to a Superior National Forest map.

An unexpected NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was found by Jack Hofslund last week in his neighborhood on the 4700 block of Jay St in Duluth, and it was still present as of last weekend.

More expected was the VARIED THRUSH just reported yesterday at a feeder along MN Hwy 61 near Two Harbors in Lake Co. This bird has apparently been present for about a month, and for directions it would be best to call me at 525-6930 or Jim Lind at 720-4384.

A large BOHEMIAN WAXWING flock in Duluth was found last weekend along Superior St between Hwy 61 and Lakewood Rd. Good numbers of waxwings can also probably still be found in Two Harbors in the vicinity of South Ave and 1st St, and in the town of Crosby in Crow Wing Co.

A carefully identified HOARY REDPOLL was found last weekend in Two Harbors near the old lighthouse. Another Hoary had been reported last week in nearby Knife River near the construction on Scenic Hwy 61.

Among those birds previously mentioned on this birding report: No one has been able to relocate any NORTHERN HAWK OWLS recently; one had been found last week 3.5 mi N of Two Harbors on Co Rd 2, another possible hawk owl was reported in early January near the town of Canyon along U S Hwy 53 N of Duluth, and last month one had been present just W of Biwabik on MN Hwy 135. There is, however, a SNOWY OWL still present in the Duluth harbor; it is most often seen on the bay ice between the Port Terminal and Park Point. And that unprecedented CAPE MAY WARBLER was still alive as of last weekend at the Plagemann feeder at 5101 N Shore Dr, which is at the corner of Scenic Hwy 61 and 96th Ave E.

Other more widespread birds are still being seen at various locations in NE Minn, and these include ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RUFFED GROUSE, NORTHERN SHRIKE, GRAY JAY, BOREAL CHICKADEE, COMMON REDPOLL, PINE GROSBEAKS, and EVENING GROSBEAKS. However, there have been no recent reports here of N Goshawk, Gyrfalcon, Spruce Grouse, Boreal Owl, Townsend's Solitaire, Snow Bunting, or Red and White-winged Crossbills. Any reports of these and other sought-after Minnesota specialties would be especially appreciated during the rest of January, since there will be several out-of-state birders here in the coming weeks.

Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, the Duluth Birding Report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on January 20. The phone number is (218) 525-5952, and callers can leave a message if they wish after the tone at the end of the tape. Also note that a message can be left without having to wait for the birding report to end: after the tape starts playing, push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will then stop, the tone will sound and you can leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), the state bird club, as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street S E, Minneapolis MN 55455, or visit the MOU web site at .

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