Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *October 22, 1998 *MNDU9810.22 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, October 22, sponsored by
the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. Since there were so many interesting
sightings in Duluth and vicinity during the three-day period of October
16-17-18, after last week's tape, there was an unscheduled update on the
18th. For those that did not hear this tape, among the highlights were:
3 PACIFIC LOONS on the lake side of Park Point out from 12th Street; a
HARLEQUIN DUCK still at the Superior Entry breakwaters at the south end of
Park Point; OLDSQUAWS and all 3 SCOTERS at the Park Point Recreation Area
(hereafter, PPRA); a distant view of a possible GYRFALCON at the mouth of
the Lester River; a brief view of a possible RED PHALAROPE near the
Superior Entry on Lake Superior; an adult PARASITIC JAEGER at the PPRA; a
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL relocated at the Superior Entry; a late FORSTER'S
TERN at Two Harbors in Lake County; a SHORT-EARED OWL flying past the Main
Overlook at Hawk Ridge; a late, unidentified SWALLOW also flying past Hawk
Ridge (which was either a Purple Martin or N. Rough-winged Swallow);
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in the Gary/New Duluth neighborhood of Duluth, near
the intersection of Minnesota Highways 23 and 39; good numbers of BOHEMIAN
WAXWINGS at Croftville just east of Grand Marais in Cook County; a late
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER in Two Harbors; a SUMMER TANAGER, also in Two
Harbors, seen mostly along South Ave. between 1st and 3rd Streets; and a
SMITH'S LONGSPUR at Park Point, just south of the Recreation Area and at
the Sky Harbor Airport.
Unfortunately, since last weekend, most of these birds have not been
relocated. The exceptions were the OLDSQUAWS, SCOTERS, and a JAEGER at the
PPRA October 20; and the SUMMER TANAGER which was seen again in Two Harbors
on October 19.
Since last weekend the birding has quieted down considerably, with the most
interesting sighting being a MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD October 20, along Minnesota
Highway 61 in Lake County, near mile marker 42.
It has also been good at Hawk Ridge this week, with this week being about
the most productive one of the season:
On October 18, the total was 2254 hawks, including 1037 RED-TAILED HAWK, and
over 1000 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.
On the 19th, the count was 2099, including 1159 RED-TAILEDS, 317 BALD
EAGLES, 5 GOLDEN EAGLES and 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. Also at the Main
Overlook on the 19th the first PINE GROSBEAK of the season was seen.
The count on October 20 was 1915; 1537 of these were RED-TAILEDS,
plus 138 BALD EAGLES, 23 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS and 3 GOLDEN EAGLES,
along with a total of 8 NORTHERN SHRIKES.
Yesterday, the total was 1015, including 803 RED-TAILEDS, 147 BALD EAGLES,
and 3 GOLDEN EAGLES.
Today, the count total fell below 1000, but there were 4 GOLDEN EAGLES,
along with 2 late BARN SWALLOWS, a late TENNESSEE WARBLER, BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER, and a count of about 200 RED CROSSBILLS.
Also of note at Hawk Ridge, on the night of October 20 over 100 NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWLS were banded.
Tony Hertzel, Peder Svingen and others have been continuing their census of
COMMON LOONS at Mille Lacs Lake and at Lake Winnibigoshish this week. On
the 20th, the COMMON LOON total at Mille Lacs was 1688. Also seen there
were a PACIFIC LOON at Wigwam Bay Resort on the west side of the lake, all
3 SCOTERS at Carlsona Beach Resort on the north side of the lake, a SURF
SCOTER at Garrison, and 2 late CASPIAN TERNS. And yesterday at Lake
Winnibigoshish the LOON count was 1600, and a BLACK SCOTER was also seen
there.
Finally, be sure to note that the PARTIAL ALBINO RING-BILLED GULL, which
showed up at Canal Park near downtown Duluth in September, was seen again
this week. So, birders should take a second look if they think they have
seen something that looks like a Glaucous or an Iceland Gull.
Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported
on immediately, the next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday,
October 29. As always, if you have birds to report you may leave a message
after the tone.
[Send your rare and unusual Minnesota sightings to our electronic hotline:
MnRBA. To learn more, send a message (the message being these two words:
info end) to
mnrba-request@linux.winona.msus.edu
Sightings can be called in directly to the tape, (218) 525-5952, by leaving
a message after the tone at the end of the tape]
Date: October 22, 1998
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiled and written by: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Barb Adams, MNBird Volunteer
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
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