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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *April 18, 1996 *MNST9604.18 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: April 18, 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 April 18th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Migration continues in full swing, and reports of new arrivals are called in almost daily.
Ken Lafond found five TRUMPETER SWANS along the Prairie River in Todd County.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were reported from the Old Cedar Ave bridge on the 11th, from Silver Lake Reservoir in Olmsted County on the 16th, and in Wilkin County they were found one mile south and one mile west of the intersection of county roads 11 and 182.
A EURASIAN WIGEON was in Goodhue County along county road 18, one half mile from the Dakota County line. Though the bird was seen for two consecutive days, it has not been seen since the 14th.
A CINNAMON TEAL has been seen at Sunrise Lake in Chisago County. The lake is just off county road 19, 6/10ths of a mile east of the town of Stacy. The bird has been seen as recently as the 18th.
I have reports of two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS at the Old Cedar Ave bridge in Dakota County. However, some observers have reported a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL here and it unclear if in fact two or three gulls are involved.
An immature GLAUCOUS GULL was at the Old Cedar Ave bridge on the 13th. This is likely the same bird reported from the pine bend dump earlier in the month.
FORSTER'S TERNS were at the Old Cedar Ave bridge on April 11, and at Bay Point park in Dakota County on the 14th.
Recent shorebird arrivals include both YELLOWLEGS plus BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS. 22 MARBLED GODWITS were near Rothsay in Wilkin County on the 17th. Apparent good shorebird habitat can be found east of the town of Viola on Olmsted county road 2; another area is the farm pond near the junction of Hennepin county roads 144 and 13.
A CLIFF SWALLOW was reported from Black Dog Lake on the 14th, and BARN SWALLOWS were in Red Wing on the same day.
The first VEERY of the year was in a yard in Shoreview on the 16th.
A rather early LINCOLN'S SPARROW showed up at a feeder in Mounds View on the 12th. Other sparrows arrived in good numbers on the 18th, with many reports of AMERICAN TREE, FOX, SWAMP, VESPER, SONG, CHIPPING, and FIELD SPARROWS, while two late SNOW BUNTINGS were seen by Oscar Johnson in Brooklyn Park on the same day.
Other spring migrants reported from too many locations to be specific here include COMMON LOON -- 40 were on Goose Lake in the town of White Bear township on the 15th -- HORNED GREBE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, all species of waterfowl, TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, SWAINSON'S HAWK, a few rather early BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, BONAPARTE'S GULL, TREE and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, HERMIT THRUSH, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, and PURPLE FINCH.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday April 25th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a specific message.