Previous reports: September 4 11 18 25 , October 2 9 16 23 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore | Detroit Lakes

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*October 30, 2003
*MNST0310.30

-Birds mentioned

• Pacific Loon
• Snow Goose
• Harlequin Duck
• Long-tailed Duck
• Black Scoter
• Surf Scoter
• White-winged Scoter
• Prairie Falcon
• Parasitic Jaeger
• Thayer's Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• Carolina Wren
• Townsend's Solitaire
• Varied Thrush
• SAGE THRASHER
• LAZULI BUNTING
• Snow Bunting

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: October 30, 2003
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://biosci.umn.edu/~mou/
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (ahertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday October 30th.

The SAGE THRASHER is still being reported in Grand Marais, Cook County. It is most often seen in the campground along the creek that runs toward the ball field and in the bushes at the base of the western breakwall near the green power plant. On the 26th, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was also seen in the campground.

Also in Cook County, Kim Eckert reported a female type LAZULI BUNTING on the 26th. The bird was near mile marker 121 of state highway 61, eleven miles east of Grand Marais or two miles east of Paradise Beach.

On the 28th, a VARIED THRUSH was found in a flock of about 200 American Robins just east of Silver Bay in Lake County. From state highway 61, take the road to the Ready Mix cement plant, about two blocks north of the stoplight. This dirt road comes to a T near Lake Superior. Take another right to the water treatment plant and check the birch/spruce woods to the south.

On October 29th, a PACIFIC LOON was reported from the Garrison marina in Crow Wing County, but it was apparently gone the next day. Another Pacific Loon was found on Lake Superior on the 25th at Paradise Beach in Cook County.

Six HARLEQUIN DUCKS and three LONG-TAILED DUCKS were at Paradise Beach in Cook County on the 29th. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BLACK SCOTER, and SURF SCOTER all continue to be seen at various locations along the north shore of Lake Superior. A Surf Scoter was at the Browns Valley sewage ponds in Big Stone County on the 27th.

A PARASITIC JAEGER was found on the 23rd at Burlington Bay in Two Harbors, Lake County, and on the 30th, two JAEGERS were off Minnesota Point in Duluth, St. Louis County. The observer speculated that these were likely Parasitics, but could not reach any definitive conclusions.

At Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, birders continue to find an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL along with a few THAYER'S GULLS. Also in the Metro area, I have reports of SNOW GEESE at Kelzer Pond in Victoria, and SNOW BUNTINGS in Brooklyn Park.

Shelley Steva found a PRAIRIE FALCON on the 25th just west of U.S. Highway 59 about one mile north of the Clearwater River. This is near the town of Plummer in Red Lake County.

The season's first CAROLINA WREN appeared at the Minnetonka residence of Bonnie Mulligan and Charlie Greenman on the 27th.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at .

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, November 6th.

-- Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com

Send your rare and unusual Minnesota sightings to our electronic hotline: MOU-net@biosci.umn.edu. To learn more, send a message (the message being these two words: info mou-net) to majordomo@biosci.umn.edu.

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