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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 28, 1996 *MNST9603.28 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: March 28, 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 28th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. At any time you can bypass this report to leave a message of your own by pressing 5 on any touch tone phone.
Though we have received a blanket of new snow and cold temperatures have returned to Minnesota, Spring migration continues to advance across the state.
The first GREAT EGRET of the season was reported on March 28th. The bird was seen by Ken Lafond flying over highway 65 in Blaine.
A male OLDSQUAW was discovered by Russell Hofsted on the Mississippi River in South St. Paul on Mar 28. Look either just of north of the I-494 bridge, or directly beneath it. Other recent waterfowl arrivals seen around the state include BLUE-WINGED TEAL, reported by Paul Budde on Mar 22 at the Blue Lake waste water treatment plant; RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS at Lake Sakatah in Rice County, plus CANVASBACK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, LESSER SCAUP and RUDDY DUCK. Many DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT were also seen at Lake Sakatah, also on the 28th.
PEREGRINE FALCONS were seen on Mar 25th in the Crocus Hill area of St. Paul. And a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was near Martha Lane in Minnetonka on the 28th.
Doug Johnson reports that a BOREAL OWL visited a feeder in Bemidji on the 22nd, but unfortunately it later was found dead.
GREAT GRAY OWLS are still being reported in southern Minnesota. Bill Penning found a GREAT GRAY in Washington County on Mar 23, 8/10ths of a mile south of Selma's Ice Cream Parlor in Afton on County Road 21. A GREAT GRAY was discovered in Winona County along State highway 74, between highway 30 and the town of Elba. A GREAT GRAY was just west of county road 9 and I-494 in Plymouth on the 19th. And, on the north side of the bike trail near the 94th street entrance to Hyland Park in Bloomington, a GREAT GRAY OWL has been seen for at least a week.
The first county record for Waseca of LONG-EARED OWL was found by Ray Glassel, 5.6 miles south of Waseca at a Wildlife Management Area along highway 13 on Mar 22nd.
Two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were just south of the town of Baudette on the 25th at mile marker 46 of state highway 72 in Lake of the Woods County.
Howard Towle found a small flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in Kanabec County on the 23rd, and an AMERICAN PIPIT was seen on Mar 24 along the dike near Hardman Ave in South St. Paul.
Forest Strnad and John Little reported finding a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL nest in Faribault in Rice County. Though the birds had a been tending the nest which contained three eggs, they abandoned it on March 24th. This represents the first documented nesting of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL in the state.
Finally, RED CROSSBILLS were migrating over Minneapolis on Mar 23 and COMMON REDPOLLS were abundant in Ham Lake on the 25th, with a few hundred being reported at a single feeder.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday April 4th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a brief but specific message.