Previous reports: July 1 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*July 1, 1999
*MNDU9907.01

-Birds mentioned

• Yellow Rail
• Virginia Rail
• Great Gray Owl
• Long-eared Owl
• Three-toed Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Boreal Chickadee
• Connecticut Warbler
• Wilson's Warbler
• Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
• Rusty Blackbird

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: July 1, 1999
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Transcriber: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, July 1, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

Except for a few birds mentioned on last week's tape being relocated this week, nothing of note was reported recently in northeastern Minnesota. Therefore, this week's report will include the many significant sightings from last week which are likely still present.

In Aitkin County, a YELLOW RAIL was seen last week in the traditional McGregor marsh area, along the east side of Minn Hwy 65, 0.5 mi south of Minn Hwy 210. The rail was about 200-300 yards out into the marsh, and the walking is very difficult on rough and uneven terrain with the water 1-2 feet deep in places. Also listen for a NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW at this same location. Farther north in the county, a family group of 4 juvenile LONG-EARED OWLS was relocated this week on the north side of Aitkin Co Rd 18, 2.5 mi east of U S Hwy 169 or 3.5 mi west of Co Rd 5.

In Carlton County, a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was relocated this week in the Fond Du Lac State Forest along the Ditchbank Rd. To reach this location from Cromwell, go north 1 mi on Minn Hwy 73, turn east and go 2 mi, then go north a total of 4 mi as this road makes several jogs, and then turn east and go 1 mi to the small Rogers Lake sign. A pair of Black-backeds was also seen last week in Lake County along Co Rd 2 just south of the Greenwood L public access, which is 34 mi north of Two Harbors. There was also a possible Black-backed Woodpecker nest with young in Cook County, south of the clearing on the Lima Mountain Rd, 0.7 mi west of the Gunflint Trail, about 20 mi north of Grand Marais.

Also in Cook County, a pair of THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS was still present last week on the north side of the parking area just north of the South Brule R, on the east side of the Gunflint Trail, which is about 15 mi north of Grand Marais. These birds have a nest with young nearby, which is one of the few nesting records ever in Minnesota.

In the Sax-Zim Bog northwest of Duluth, a GREAT GRAY OWL, possibly a pair, was still present last week along St Louis Co Rd 52, half way between Co Rds 208 and 207, or 2.75 mi west of Co Rd 7. Not far away there is a BOREAL CHICKADEE nest on Owl Ave, or Co Rd 203, which turns south off Co Rd 52, 5.5 mi west of Co Rd 7; the nest is in an aspen snag on the west side of the road, 0.7 mi south of 52. And there was an easy-to-see CONNECTICUT WARBLER on this same road, 0.5 mi south of 52.

Although there are few Minnesota nesting records of either WILSON'S WARBLER or RUSTY BLACKBIRD, singing males of both species were seen last week in Lake County. The Wilson's Warbler was along Co Rd 2, 33.5 mi north of Two Harbors (or 1/2 mi south of the Black-backed Woodpecker location); and the Rusty Blackbird was 5.1 mi up the Spruce Rd at the Gabbro L turn-off (the Spruce Rd turns north off Minn Hwy 1, 14 mi NW of Co Rd 2).

And finally, a pair of VIRGINIA RAILS with several young was seen in Duluth at an usual location: they were in the very small marsh between the Miller Hill Mall Perkins Restaurant and the Miller Trunk Hwy or U S Hwy 53.

Although this tape is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, the next update may not be until two, or even three, weeks from now, since July tends to be a slow month for birding news. In the meantime, for updated birding information or to report something unusual, you can call Dave Benson at (218) 728-5812, Kim Eckert at 525-6930, or Mike Hendrickson at 626-2268.

The Duluth Birding Report phone number is (218) 525-5952, and callers can leave a message if they wish after the tone at the end of the tape. Also note that a message can be left without having to wait for the Birding Report to end: after the tape starts playing, push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will then stop, the tone will sound and you can leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), the state bird club, as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street S E, Minneapolis MN 55455, or visit the MOU web site at .

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