-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*July 2, 1998
*MNDU9807.02

-Birds mentioned

• Red-throated Loon
• Mississippi Kite
• Spruce Grouse
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Least Sandpiper
• Thayer's Gull
• Iceland Gull
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• White-winged Crossbill
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: July 2, 1998
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Craig Mandel
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, July 2, 1998, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Although there hasn't been much birding activity in northeastern Minnesota since last week's tape (which is typical for this time of year), several significant birds have been reported, including MISSISSIPPI KITE, RED-THROATED LOON, a THAYER'S GULL or ICELAND GULL, SPRUCE GROUSE, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, more WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, migrant EVENING GROSBEAKS and some early fall migrant shorebirds.

Peder Svingen carefully identified an adult MISSISSIPPI KITE in the early evening of June 29, just west of Duluth along Minnesota Highway 194, three miles west of U. S. Highway 53, near the intersection of the Caribou Lake Road. After the kite flew out of sight, Peder unsuccessfully tried to relocate it for about a half an hour or so, so it is not known whether or not the bird might still be in the area.

On June 30, Karl Bardon of the Twin Cities relocated a THAYER'S GULL or ICELAND GULL at the Superior Entry breakwaters at the south end of Wisconsin Point. This individual had also been seen there in late May, and it seems to be one of those pale THAYER'S or dark ICELAND GULLS which are frequently encountered and impossible to identify with any certainty.

On the same day Karl saw a RED-THROATED LOON on Lake Superior out from Park Point.

He also reports that southbound fall migrant shorebirds are already at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area mudflats, including LEAST SANDPIPERS and LESSER YELLOWLEGS.

Last weekend a Twin Cities observer found a SPRUCE GROUSE in Itasca County, along County Road 45 somewhere between County Road 7 and Minnesota Highway 38. But the exact location was not noted.

The exact location of two BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS by an out of state birder late last week in Lake County was also unfortunately not noted. The birds were along Minnesota Highway 1, about 15 miles southeast of Ely.

As last week's tape reported, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS have suddenly turned up at several locations in Duluth and northeastern Minnesota. Additional reports have come this week from residential areas in Duluth, including the 2500 block of London Road, at the corner of 26th Avenue East & Fourth Street, and at Chester Bowl. Crossbills have also been reported recently at several locations in and around the Sax/Zim Bog and in Itasca County.

And finally, as was the case at this time last year, EVENING GROSBEAKS already seem to be migrating south into and through Duluth. Flocks have been seen or heard at several locations this week in residential areas in the eastern half of town.

The next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday, July 9. And, as always, if you have birds to report you may leave a message after the tone. Callers are also reminded that they can leave a message if they wish without having to wait for this birding report to end. To do this, after the tape starts playing push 5 on your touch tone phone, the tape will then stop, the tone will sound, and you can then leave your message.

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