Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *June 19, 1997 *MNDU9706.19 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: June 19, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Sr. Pam Kern pkern@css1.css.edu, SRPAMKERN@aol.com
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth birding report for Thursday, June 19, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
During the two weeks since the last update of this tape, only a few reports from birders were received, but these included a probable LEAST BITTERN in Duluth, an injured HARLEQUIN DUCK picked up in Cook County, GREAT GRAY OWLS in both the Sax-Zim Bog and in Aitkin County, a possible SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER in Lake County, plus YELLOW RAILS and NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS which are present but difficult to see in the McGregor Marsh in Aitkin County.
Jeff Newman heard and described well what appeared to be a LEAST BITTERN last week in a marsh just north of Mud lake in Gary-New Duluth. To reach this location, park by the railroad bridge overpass along Minnesota Highway 39 just west of the WWJC radio station, and then hike north on the tracks through Mud Lake to the marsh beyond the wooded area north of Mud Lake. Jeff also spotted a flock of six AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS yesterday flying near the Highway 2 Bong Bridge.
Quite unexpected last week was the female HARLEQUIN DUCK which was found injured on the Gunflint trail near the Devil's Track River just north of Grand Marais. It was picked up by former Minnesota birder, Parker Backstrom, who was leading a birding tour at the time, but the duck eventually died.
Parker's group was unable to find anything else of note in Cook County, but they did locate a family group of GREAT GRAY OWLS in the Sax-Zim Bog area northwest of Duluth. This was along Saint Louis County Road 213, two miles west and 3.9 miles north of Sax. More GREAT GRAYS were also seen recently seen in Sax-Zim south of here, along County Road 207 one mile north of County Road 52 and on County Road 203 one mile south of 52.
Warren Nelson reports that GREAT GRAY OWLS have also been seen recently in Aitkin County at three locations along Pietz's Road which turns north off of County road 18 four miles East of US Highway 159 or two miles West of County Road 5, on County Road 18 a half mile east of Pietz's Road and along the road which turns north off of 18 three miles east of County Road 5.
Warren and others report that YELLOW RAILS and NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS can be heard but are difficult to see in the traditional McGregor Marsh area along Minnesota Highway 65 in Aitkin County. The RAILS are about a half mile east of 65 and about a half mile south of Highway 210. NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS can also be heard in the same part of the marsh and also along the old railroad grade trail west of 65 one mile south of 210. Earlier this season, Warren had been hearing YELLOW RAILS in a more accessible part of McGregor Marsh on the east side of Highway 65, two miles south of Highway 210 and along Pietz's Road where one of the GREAT GRAYS had been seen. But, neither of these sites have been productive recently. It also is not known whether the YELLOW RAIL heard in the Sax-Zim Bog along County Road 319, one and a half miles South and 1.7 miles East of Zim in late May is still present.
Finally, I received a second hand report of a possible SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER seen June 13 along Highway 61 somewhere between Knife River and Two harbors in Lake County. At this time of have no further information on that.
If there is any additional news to report on GREAT GRAY OWLS, YELLOW RAILS, or on any of the other north-eastern Minnesota specialties, like BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER or THREE-TOED WOODPECKER there could be a brief update of this tape on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. But, if there is nothing new to report, the next update will not be until two weeks from now, that is on Thursday, July 3. As always, if you have birds to report, you may leave a message after the tone. Beeep
