Previous reports: November 18 24 , December 2 9 16 24 30 , January 6 13 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore | Detroit Lakes

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*January 20, 2005
*MNST0501.20

-Birds mentioned

• Northern Goshawk
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Long-eared Owl
• Clark's Nutcracker
• Carolina Wren
• Varied Thrush

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 20, 2005
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, January 20th.

The irruption of northern owls continues in Minnesota, as GREAT GRAY OWLS are now being reported moving south in large numbers into Carlton, Pine, Itasca, Aitkin, and Crow Wing counties. More than 200 Great Grays were found in northern Aitkin County on the 19th. NORTHERN HAWK OWLS seem to have settled in but can still be found in places such as the Sax-Zim bog in St. Louis County. A SNOWY OWL is still at the railroad yards in Proctor, St. Louis County. Another Snowy Owl is being seen at the Duluth airport.

I have a second-hand report of a CLARK'S NUTCRACKER from January 15th in St. Louis County. It was reportedly seen near the junction of McQuade Road and Scenic Highway 61, northeast of Duluth.

Several callers have reported NORTHERN GOSHAWKS in the past few days. Goshawks have been seen in the counties of Isanti, Otter Tail, and St. Louis.

A LONG-EARED OWL was at Anna Grunseth Prairie in Wilkin County on the 16th.

A VARIED THRUSH was reported from Rochester in Olmsted County on the 19th. It's being seen at at 631 Toogood Court SW, and is visible from 6th Avenue SW. On the 15th, a Varied Thrush was seen again in Bloomington, Hennepin County, at the corner of Sheridan and 110th Street. Check near 2600 West 110th Street.

And a CAROLINA WREN was relocated on the 14th at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge area of Bloomington, Hennepin County. It is seen most often at the top of the access road across from the garden center.

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 report is Thursday January 27th.

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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