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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *October 17, 1996 *MNDU9610.17 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: October 17, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Roger Schroeder (gpnfh@starpoint.net)
This is the Duluth area Birding report for Thursday, October 17, 1996 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornitholosists Union.
There have been several rarities reported in Duluth and Northeastern Minnesota since last week's tape. As October so far is holding up to it's reputation for being the best birding month for rarities. Reported since last weekend were PACIFIC LOON, SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, OLDSQUAW, two unidentified JAEGERS, NORTHERN-HAWK and GREAT GRAY OWLS, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, and SHARP-TAILED SPARROW.
At Stoney Point today, Mike Hendrickson observed a juvenile or adult in winter plumage PACIFIC LOON from the stone wall overlook at the west side of the point. He also saw a unidentified JAEGER fly by Stoney Point along with an unidentified SCOTER - either a SURF or BLACK SCOTER. And this morning Mike also observed an unidentified JAEGER flying past the Park Point Recreation area.
Both SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, plus a lone OLDSQUAW were reported by Bob Ekblad and other Rochester birders last weekend in Cook County. They were all seen in the vicinity of Grand Marais between Good Harbor Bay and Five Mile Rock. These same observers saw a SHARP-TAILED SPARROW at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area on the morning of October 12. It was seen along the East levy road, though no observers could find it the rest of the day.
A very early and unexpected NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen October 12 by Doug Johnson and other Bemidji birders along US Highway 2 at mile post 209, which is about 10 miles Northwest of Floodwood near the Aitkin County - Itasca County line. On the same day Warren Nelson of Aitkin reported a GREAT GRAY OWL along Aitkin County Road 5 about 6.5 miles north of the town of Palisade or 1.5 miles south of County Road 18.
The first NORTHERN SHRIKE of the season was also seen in Aitkin County last weekend.
A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was quite unexpected October 15 at the main overlook at Hawk Ridge in Duluth. It was seen by many observers as it remained there all afternoon.
Counting of migrants at the Lakewood Pumping station, and the banding of Northern Saw-whet and Long-eared Owls at the Hawk Ridge banding station has been continuing, but the birds at both locations have been uneventful.
The same has been true of the hawks at the main overlook of Hawk Ridge. Although there were northwest winds and a good flight on October 13. The total that day was 827 including 31 BALD EAGLES, 15 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS, 466 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 19 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and 3 GOLDEN EAGLES.
With a storm system moving through October 17 and 18 bringing in colder temperatures and even some snow, hawk watching should be good the next few days.
Unless something unusual is reported, the next scheduled update will be Thursday October 24.