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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 7, 1996 *MNST9603.07 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: March 7, 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 March 7th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
A GREAT BLUE HERON was seen by Oscar Johnson in a pond near 66th and Valley View Lane in Edina on March 1st, the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still at the Blue Lake settling ponds as of Mar 6, and Chuck Krulas reports there were ten GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Silver Lake in Olmsted County on March 1st.
A COOPER'S HAWK was seen on the St. Paul Campus by Connie Osbeck on the 4th, and Barb Cole visited the Mississippi River from Red Wing to Wabasha and counted 80 BALD EAGLES on Mar 6th. BALD EAGLES have also been reported from the counties of Anoka, Ramsey, Hennepin, Wright and Washington.
With the recent newspaper article on the GREAT GRAY OWL invasion into central and southern Minnesota, this line has been inundated with reports of Great Gray Owls. Unfortunately, the majority of these appear to be misidentified Barred Owls. Observers should be aware that Barred Owls are much more common than Great Grays, and the two species resemble each other quite closely, at least superficially. Note that Barred Owls have very dark eyes while the eyes of the Great Gray Owl are yellow. This should be apparent even at a distance and is probably the best way to separate these two species. Barred Owls are also smaller, though without direct comparison size may be difficult to determine. Also, Barred Owls are much more likely to be found in dense wooded areas, to visit backyards or to perch on or near feeders, while Great Grays strongly prefer the wooded edges of open fields or road sides, and rarely do they visit backyards. While I cannot relate every owl reported, here are a few.
Tom Duncan, reported a GREAT GRAY OWL from Feb 23rd, at the Quarry Hill Nature Center in Olmsted County. The bird was refound on March 1st by Bob Ekblad east of the Rochester DNR headquarters building. Sharon Smith saw and photographed a GREAT GRAY in Prior Lake, Scott County in early Feb. Bob Janssen found a GREAT GRAY OWL along Lexington Ave in Anoka, near Coon Lake County Park on March 5th. Nearby, Ken Lafond reports two GREAT GRAY OWLS were still at Carlos Avery Refuge, both near the Lexington Ave entrance. One still was present here on Mar 6. Also at Carlos Avery were BALD EAGLES, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and RED-TAILED HAWKS. On Mar 7 a GREAT GRAY OWL was seen southwest of the town of Milaca, Mille Lacs County, 2.8 miles south of county road 23 along county road 5.
David Herzog reports that a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL briefly visited his yard in Holdingford, Stearns County on March 1st, and a BOREAL OWL in a yard in Knife River, Lake County, on the evening of Mar 2nd.
Ray Glassel found a LONG-EARED OWL in Schimik Park, Blue Earth County on March 1st. Schimik Park is one mile east of the town of Good Thunder. Ray also reports five ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS at Mineopa Park, just west of Mankato.
A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was reported from a yard at 63rd and France in Edina on Feb 29th. Birders should be aware that early March is the time to start looking for this mostly migratory species.
Finally, RED CROSSBILLS were seen Mar 3 just north of Victor Hills Cemetery at Carlos Avery Refuge, and WHITE-WING CROSSBILLS were in Todd County near Long prairie on Mar 4.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday March 14th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a brief but specific message.