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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *July 3, 1996 *MNDU9607.03 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: July 3, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Sr. Pam Kern pkern@css1.css.edu
This is the Duluth birding report for Wednesday, July 3, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. This tape is being updated a day early only because I will be out of town tomorrow. Unfortunately, not because something unusual has just been seen. In fact, hardly any usual species have even been reported this week. Apparently everyone has either been out of town, or no one has been doing much birding locally.
About the only recommendation to pass on to resident or visiting birders would be either to try to relocate those rarities seen in June and reported on previous tapes, or to start checking places like the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area mudflats for the first returning fall migrant shorebirds which start appearing at this time. For those unfamiliar with what local birders simply call 40th, take the 40th Avenue west exit off of Interstate 35 and cross over to the bay side of the freeway, and park at the yellow gate just beyond the frontage road, and then walk down the gravel road which leads to the dikes and water impoundment.
Also in the Duluth area, watch for CASPIAN TERNS, a few which appear to be summering around Interstate Island earlier in June. And for PEREGRINE FALCONS which again this summer have been attempting to nest on the Highway 2 Bong Bridge and on the Interstate 535 Blatnick Bridge.
On Lake Superior, it would be worth checking on those HARLEQUIN DUCKS that appeared in two locations in mid-June and still might be present. An adult male and a female were at Tofte in Cook County near the Blue Fin Bay Restaurant and two adult males were at the French River about two miles beyond the Duluth city limits. Also watch for summering RED-NECKED and HORNED GREBES up the North Shore, which have both been seen on the lake recently. And if you are up at Tofte, it may be worth continuing up to the Gunflint Trail where a male THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was seen in June near the south Brule River about 15 miles north of Grand Marias.
The Sax-Zim Bog northwest of Duluth should also be worth birding in July. Especially since a GREAT GREY OWL was relocated last week along St. Louis County Road 7 just south of County Road 317. YELLOW RAILS were still being heard in mid-June along 319, 1.4 miles east of 7. An out of range DICKCISSEL was also found in mid-June on County Road 204, 1 mile north, 1 1/2 miles east, and a 1/4 mile north of Meadowlands. And WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were present recently in Sax-Zim, especially on County Road 113 about a mile east of County Road 7 and on County Road 202 about 4 miles north of Meadowlands.
And finally check with Warren Nelsen to see if he has any recent news in Aitken County west of Duluth on YELLOW RAILS or NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS in the McGregor Marsh along Highway 65, south of Highway 210. Or on GREAT GREY OWLS which had been seen in 5 locations in early June. Warren’s phone number in Aitkin is 218-927-2458.
Since I will be out of town next week, the next scheduled update of this tape will not be until two weeks from tomorrow, that is on Thursday, July 18. But, as always, if you have birds to report, you may leave a message after the tone. BEEP