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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 15, 1996 *MNST9602.15 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: February 15, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@mill2.MillComm.COM)
This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday February 15th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
GREAT BLUE HERONS can still be found along the Mississippi River, about a mile north of Pig's Eye. These birds have been here at least since early December.
The first NORTHERN HARRIER of the year was seen on Tuesday February 13th. The bird was seen briefly as it flew westward over northern Minneapolis.
GREAT GRAY OWLS continue to be the dominate news over the past week, with 29 birds reported to this tape since February 9th. There isn't room here to mention every report, but here is a brief summary.
Ken Lafond relocated a GREAT GRAY OWL in Carlos Avery Refuge in Anoka County. The bird, which was originally reported on January 8th, was near pool number nine on February 9th.
Two GREAT GRAY OWLS were two miles southwest of Elk River in Wright County at about 85th and Odean Avenues on Feb 9. Neither of these birds remained in the area for more than a day, however.
Steve Deger reports finding three GREAT GRAY OWLS north of the town of Floodwood in St. Louis County on February 10th, all along highway 73 at various locations.
A GREAT GRAY has been seen since February 7th by Steve Ramsey near Big Marine Lake in Washington County. Another GREAT GRAY was seen in Washington County, this one by Bob Zink on February 10th at the intersection of highways 96 and 62, about three miles east of White Bear Lake.
Kevin Manly reports that the GREAT GRAY OWL he first discovered near Stillwater on January 30th is still in the area. Look along both sides of the railroad tracks about a mile north of highway 95 along Partridge Road.
On the 11th, Bud Tordoff found a GREAT GRAY OWL on the north side of Deep Lake in the town of North Oaks in Ramsey County.
Bonnie Mulligan found three GREAT GRAY OWLS in Carlton County on February 10th. One bird was 1/2 mile west of the small town of Automba along county road 6. Another GREAT GRAY was four miles north of town along county road 22, and the third was along Spirit Lake road.
Near Duluth, GREAT GRAY OWL sightings are literally too numerous to detail here. However, a good place to look is the Sax-Zim bog area where Mike Hendrickson reports that at least six birds have been recently seen.
Jason Weckstein Julie Otterson and Kevin Johnson visited Koochiching County and discovered four GREAT GRAY OWLS there. Three were along county road 32 and was one on county road 30. They also found two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS, one on highway 11, just east of the town of Loman, and the other on county road 32. At least two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS can also be found in the Sax-Zim bog area of St. Louis County. Look along county road 52, which runs east / west, or along county road 7 which runs north / south. Another NORTHERN HAWK OWL was just SE of the town of Little Fork on Feb 7th on St. Louis County Road 8, 7.5 miles south of state highway 217.
In other birding news, BLACK-BACKED and NORTHERN THREE- TOED WOODPECKERS have been seen along the Spruce Road in Lake County. The THREE-TOED was 4/10s of a mile east of highway 1, and the BLACK-BACKED was near the end of Spruce Road.
A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK has been wintering near the east side of the Meadowbrook golf course in St. Louis Park. The hawk was most recently reported on February 13th.
At least one adult GYRFALCON can still be found in the Duluth Harbor. Dudley Edmondson reports the most recent sighting was February 11th. Check atop the Cargill Grain Elevator in the Duluth Port Terminal.
HORNED LARKS reached the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburbs over the last week with birds being reported from Wabasha, Dakota, Hennepin and Dakota counties. HORNED LARKS have made it as far north as Aitkin County as well.
And finally, on February 4th Dave Soverign reports seeing a HOARY REDPOLL in Washington County, about two miles west of Lake Elmo.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday February 22nd. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a brief but specific message.