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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *March 27, 1997 *MNDU9703.27 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: April 3, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Rick Schroeder (avsaxman@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, April 3rd, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Although two BOREAL OWLS, one alive and one dead, two SNOWY OWLS, and some COMMON REDPOLLS were reported since last week's tape, along with a GREAT GRAY OWL and both RED CROSSBILLS and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in Aitkin County, the biggest birding news this week is the sudden and strong showing of spring migrants in Duluth. Some of these were unexpectedly early.
Most surprising among these were the YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in Deb Savageau's yard on the 5700 block of Juniata Street, the unidentified MEADOWLARK along Scenic Highway 61 about one mile NE of Lakewood Road, and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD, all of these on April 1st. Also very early was a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER in Dave Kirkorian's yard up the North Shore near the French River on April 2nd.
Other migrants reported for the first time this spring include:
PIED-BILLED GREBE, SONG SPARROW, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, COMMON SNIPE, GOLDEN- CROWNED KINGLET, NORTHERN FLICKER, GREAT BLUE HERON, WOOD DUCKS, NORTHERN SHOVELER, HOODED MERGANSER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN COOT, EASTERN PHOEBE.
Widely reported in various locations this week were:
CANADA GEESE, MALLARDS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, COMMON MERGANSERS, KILLDEERS, HERRING GULLS and RING-BILLED GULLS, AMERICAN ROBINS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, COMMON GRACKLES, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, all of which had been reported in previous weeks. Widespread reports of BROWN CREEPERS are coming in as well.
Frank Nicoletti's raptor count near Enger Tower (on Skyline Parkway) showed:
March--85.5 hours watching, over 18 days, yielded 648 raptors.
TURKEY VULTURES -3 BALD EAGLES -592 NORTHERN HARRIERS -2 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS -3 NORTHERN GOSHAWK -1 RED-TAILED HAWKS -35 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK -1 GOLDEN EAGLES -8 MERLINS -2 PEREGRINE FALCON -1
Peak day was March 23, with a total of 166 raptors, 163 of these being BALD EAGLES.
Slow counts on April 1 and 2 yielded AMERICAN KESTREL on the first COOPERS HAWKS on the second.
April 3--biggest day so far this spring--574 raptors RED-TAILED HAWKS -331 BALD EAGLES -141 TURKEY VULTURES -90 GOLDEN EAGLE -1
Other news: BOREAL OWL on Arnold Road, Tim Dawson's yard, March 30. A dead BOREAL OWL was found at the mouth of the French River, also March 30. On the same day Vi Adams reported a HARRIS' SPARROW in her feeder on Lion Street.
One SNOWY OWL is still in the Duluth Harbor area, and another was seen last weekend just north of Tofte, in Cook County, along a ski trail along the Sawbill Trail.
Finally, a small flock of COMMON REDPOLLS, was seen for one day last week at a feeder in Hermantown. This species has been virtually non-existent in Minnesota this winter.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, April 10.