Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *March 5 1998 *MNDU9803.05 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: March 5, 1998
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525 5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Barb Adams badams@.css.edu
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, March 5, 1998, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Although it has been four weeks since the last time I updated this tape, the birding situation in Duluth and Northeast Minnesota has not apparently changed to any great extent during that time. But, as reported by Dave Benson, who did an excellent job of keeping this tape updated while I was gone, along with the assistance of Mike Hendrickson, the birding did improve a bit during February with the appearance of a NORTHERN HAWK OWL which is apparently still present along Lake County Road 2 near Greenwood Lake, which is about 34 miles north of Two Harbors. And with the improved success birders have been having with SPRUCE GROUSE in Lake County both along the Spruce Road and along the last few miles of County Road 2.
And as David's been reporting, GREAT GRAY OWLS are now being seen along Lake County Road 2, especially about 30 to 31 miles north of Two Harbors, as well as at their traditional area in Sax-Zim Bog in the vicinity of the intersection of St. Louis County Road 7 and 319 between Sax and Zim.
And, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE are still present in Aitkin County, as previously reported, along Township Road 380, west of County Road 5, north of Gun Lake.
But there have apparently been no recent reports of SNOWY OWLS in the Duluth Harbor or of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS or THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS along the Spruce Road in Lake County, although these birds are all most likely still present.
In new birding news, since last weeks' tape, the most significant sighting was of a female or immature HARLEQUIN DUCK seen by Dan Versaw March 3rd in the main harbor at Two Harbors in Lake County. Also very significant was the large movement of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, witnessed by Frank Nicoletti today, from his spring hawk-counting site on West Skyline Parkway near Enger Tower. A conservative total of 3900 WAXWINGS were counted, making this one of the largest counts of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS ever in Minnesota. Several hundred BOHEMIANS were also reported by Robert Mayer last weekend in Chester Bowl.
Also seen today by Frank at Enger Tower, were two apparently migrant CANADA GEESE.
And his best day for raptors in his spring count which started last week, was on March 2nd when he had 29 BALD EAGLES, one RED-TAILED HAWK, one ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK along with about 40 migrant COMMON RAVENS.
Otherwise about the only other early spring migrants who have been reported in this area include RING-BILLED GULLS in the Duluth Harbor and some AMERICAN ROBINS, although some, if not all of these robins may have over-wintered locally.
I also recently received a report from Jeff Newman of a COMMON SNIPE back on February 21st that he saw along the St. Louis River in Morgan Park. And it is also possible that this bird may have wintered here rather than being an actual migrant.
The next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday, March 12. And as always, if you have birds to report, you may leave a message after the tone.
