-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*September 18 1997
*MNDU9709.18

-Birds mentioned

Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: September 18, 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, September 18th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Last week's SAY'S PHOEBE in Grand Marais was not relocated.

Five ROSS' GOOSE were reported by Bob Janssen and Jim Williams of the Twin Cities on September 11th at the Beaver Bay sewage ponds. The birds were present through the 14th. This is an unusual date and location for these birds.

A PARASITIC JAEGER was reported at Park Point on September 15th by Mike Hendrickson.

A RED KNOT was reported at Park Point on September 13th by Terry Brashear. It was relocated on the 14th on the lake side beach at 12th street.

This morning a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was seen by Frank Nicoletti and others at Hawk Ridge.

On September 17th, during 12 hours of watching at Hawk Ridge, 22,187 hawks were counted at the main overlook.

TURKEY VULTURES 43 OSPREYS 90 (a record) BALD EAGLES 39 NORTHERN HARRIERS 38 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 1909 (a record) COOPER'S HAWK 8 NORTHERN GOSHAWK 1 BROAD-WINGED HAWK 19,659 RED-TAILED HAWK 49 AMERICAN KESTREL 331 MERLIN 15 PEREGRINE FALCON 3 SWAINSON'S HAWK 1

This is the 7th highest total since counting began in 1972. The best day ever was September 18, 1993, with 49,615 hawks seen. This included 47,922 BROAD-WINGED HAWK.

The weather forecast for this weekend makes it seem likely that good hawk migration will occur through Duluth.

South bound flocks of EVENING GROSBEAKS have been moving through Duluth on an almost daily basis during September. This is unusual since this species has a two-part movement/migration, with activity occurring in August and October, and a hiatus in between. Another unusual movement of EVENING GROSBEAKS occurred in Duluth in late June and early July. This suggests there will be an invasion of southern Minnesota by this species later this season.

Be sure to note that Duluth's Seaway Port Authority will soon be posting No Trespassing signs at the 40th Avenue West/Erie Pier area. Birders will be allowed to access the area if they have obtained written permission from the Port Authority. The details of where and when these permits will be made available have not been decided. When the information becomes available it will be passed on ASAP.

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