Date: December 28, 1995
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Steve Deger
This is the Duluth birding report for Thursday, December 28th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
So far the possibility of mechanical difficulties with this tape mentioned on last week's tape has not occured, fortunately. But if problems should develop be sure to note that the best person to call in Duluth for birding information would be Mike Hendrickson at 726-0840. The best source of information on GREAT GRAY OWLS and NORTHERN HAWK OWLS in the Sax-Zim bog area northwest of Duluth would be Ben Yokel of Melrude. His number (which is a local call from Duluth) is 482-3264. And there is also the Twin Cities birding report at 612/780-8890. Note as well that if you have birds to report you can still leave a message after the tone at the end of this tape, since Mike and others will be monitoring messages until I get back in town next week.
Again, this week the big news has to do with owls---as four BOREAL OWLS were reported, as a few Northern Hawk Owls continue to be seen, and as several Great Gray Owls are still being seen, although their numbers seem to be declining recently.
Unfortunately, two of the four Boreal Owl reports were of birds found dead---one in Leanne Rutherford's yard on East 5th Street in Duluth, and the other a road kill in Cook County on Highway 61 near the Cascade Lodge, both of these on December 23rd. One of the live Boreal Owls was found in Duluth near 16th Ave E. and 2nd St. on December 23rd, the other was seen on December 25th in Steve Gearicks' and Patti Mundsen's yard on 1500 block of 9th Ave. East. It is not known if either is still present. This makes a total of ten Boreal Owls seen so far this month in northeastern Minnesota.
Northern Hawk Owls continue to be seen in the Sax-Zim bog, the most recent reports of one or possibly two birds seen near Sax on Cty Road 7, and another bird seen near County Roads 52 and 207. Last week's tape also reported on four other Northern Hawk Owls---two on County Road 7 between County Roads 52 and 133, and two along County Road 788 one mile west and one and a half miles north of the town of Sax. It is not known if these birds are still present. Another Northern Hawk Owl was found in Duluth on the 23rd along Highway 53 between the Miller Hill Mall and Haines Road, and was still being seen today.
Several Great Gray Owls are still present in the Sax-Zim bog in various locations, although no one is finding all of the 20+ individuals which were found last week on the Christmas Bird Count there. Again, the best person to call for more information would be Ben Yokel.
Elsewhere, a Great Gray Owl was seen at the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Midway Road west of Duluth. Another was seen in Duluth along the Lester River Road one mile north of Superior Street. Along the North Shore, another was seen northeast of Duluth along the Ryan Road, between Highway 61 and the lake shore. Another was seen at Stony Point on the Alseth Road. Two additional Great Gray Owls were seen on the Homestead Road 1/2 mile North of Highway 61. And yet another was seen yesterday in Lake County just northeast of the town of Castle Danger.
A SNOWY OWL contines to be seen in the Duluth Harbor in the vicinity of the Port Terminal. Several observers have reported a possible PEREGRIN FALCON in downtown Duluth, although this has not yet been confirmed. Dave (?) is still seeing a HARRIS' SPARROW at his feeder at 5637 North Shore Drive drive. And Peder Svigen reports seeing five GLAUCOUS GULLS along the North Shore near the Lakeview Castle Restaurant.
I will be back in town on January 3rd, and the next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday, January 4th. As always, if you have birds to report, you may leave a message after the tone.
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