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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*October 25, 2001
*MNDU0110.25

-Birds mentioned

• Red-throated Loon
• Pacific Loon
• Cattle Egret
• Long-tailed Duck
• Black Scoter
• Surf Scoter
• White-winged Scoter
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Thayer's Gull
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• White-eyed Vireo
• Ovenbird
• Vesper Sparrow
• Smith's Longspur
• Pine Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: October 25, 2001
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)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, October 25, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Leading the list of unusual sightings this week is certainly the WHITE-EYED VIREO reported by Jeff Stephenson and Chuck Krulas this afternoon at the Lutsen Sea Villas in Cook Co. The Lutsen Sea Villas are located on Hwy 61 between Tofte and Lutsen at mile marker 87, and the vireo location was given as near a small bridge by the parking area, presumably next to the main central building.

Several other noteworthy birds have been reported recently, including RED-THROATED LOON, PACIFIC LOON, CATTLE EGRET, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, THAYER'S GULL, OVENBIRD, VESPER SPARROW and SMITH'S LONGSPUR.

The Red-throated and Pacific Loons were both carefully identified in Duluth on the bay side of Park Point at 43rd St -- the near-breeding-plumaged Red-throated was on Oct 21, and the Pacific Loon was seen on the 20th. Both these individuals are probably the same ones seen earlier this fall at Park Point.

An unexpected Cattle Egret, plus a Thayer's Gull, were both at the Grand Marais harbor Oct 19, but neither was apparently still present on the 20th.

Back in Duluth a late Spotted Sandpiper was at Hearding I on Park Point Oct 20, and also late was the Ovenbird on the 21st reported by Gary Kuyava in his yard.

A Vesper Sparrow was at the Beaver Bay sewage ponds in Lake Co on the 20th, and the next day a Smith's Longspur was found in Duluth at the 40th Ave West Erie Pier area.

In addition to these birds, SURF SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BLACK SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK and migrant BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were reported recently at various locations in Duluth and up the North Shore, and the first PINE GROSBEAK of the season was found Oct 22 at L Winnibigoshish in Cass Co.

This Report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update would be on November 1; however, with so many birders up the North Shore this weekend and with the strong cold front currently passing through the area, it is possible another rarity or two might turn up, in which case there could be an update this Sunday, the 28th.

The phone number for the Duluth Birding Report is (218) 525-5952, and callers can report bird sightings if they wish after the tone at the end of each tape. Messages can also be left without having to wait for the report to end: to do this, after the tape starts playing push 5, the tape will stop, the tone will sound, and you can then leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) 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 SE, Minneapolis MN 55455; or send an e-mail to ; or visit the MOU web site at .

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