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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *December 26, 1996 *MNST9612.26 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: December 26, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@mill2.MillComm.COM)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday December 26th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Craig Mandel reported on Dec 22 that the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still at Blue Lake settling ponds in Scott County, where it has been for several weeks.
A NORTHERN HAWK OWL has been seen in Anoka County. Specifically, the bird can be found along 99th Avenue near Jackson Street in Coon Rapids, and it has been seen nearly every day since early December. The NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Beltrami County reported on previous updates of this tape was still present on December 21st along county road 20 about a mile east of the Turtle River. I have a second hand report of up to three additional HAWK OWLS in Beltrami County north of the town of Kelliher at various spots along state highway 72. And a HAWK OWL was seen 10.5 miles north of the town of Aitkin along Aitkin County Road 1, and another was 3.5 miles east of Aitkin along highway 47 near Hanson Lake. Three NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were reported by Jim Goin in Lake County in and around Two Harbors on Dec 16.
A GYRFALCON was reported on December 26th, two miles south of the town of Marine in Washington County. It is not known if this bird is still in the area. Warren Nelson reported a GYRFALCON from Aitkin County on the 23rd. The bird was reported to Warren by other observors as being five and three quarter miles north of the town of Aitkin along county road 1. Ten SNOWY OWLS are also known to be at various locations in Aitkin County. For more information on these birds, please feel free to call Warren.
A SNOWY OWL was found by Doug Johnson at the Bemidji airport on Dec 21st. Val Cunningham found a SNOWY OWL along the Lauderdale Nature Trail in Ramsey County at the intersection of Fulham and Falwell Streets near the St. Paul Campus on Dec 21st. What may have been the same bird was reported by Sam Campbell on the 22nd at the corner of Hamline Ave and Eldridge in Roseville, Ramsey County. A SNOWY OWL was seen on the 16th in the town of Hinckley, and at least one SNOWY OWL is still being seen at the Minneapolis - St. Paul airport at the end of 66th street.
Unusual is the CANADA JAY reported by Mike Clemens from his yard in White Bear Lake. The bird has been seen at least twice in recent days.
A HERMIT THRUSH was reported by Mark Ochs from along the western trail near the second boardwalk at the Old Cedar Ave. bridge in Bloomington on the 21st. Another HERMIT THRUSH has been overwintering in Dick Gilmar's yard in south Minneapolis. And a BROWN THRASHER came into the feeder of Gretchen Lange in Scandia, Washington County on Dec 26th.
Peter Neubeck reported to me that a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was discovered on the Dec 21st Excelsior Christmas Bird Count. The bird was seen along three mile drive near the Dayton Wildflower Garden at the University of Minnesota Arboretum on state highway 5 in Carver County. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was also reported on this count, but I have specific details.
A SPOTTED TOWHEE was called in by Diane Anderson in Olmsted County. The bird has been seen frequently near the small western parking lot at the Assisi Heights Convent along 14th street in Rochester. When visiting, please be sure to avoid blocking any roads leading to and around the convent.
Two unusual sparrow reports include a CHIPPING SPARROW near the Ride-and- Share on the southwest side of Black Dog Lake in Dakota County, and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW which has been visiting the feeder of Paul Voigt in Burnsville Dakota County for the past several days.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday January 2nd.