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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 20, 1997 *MNST9702.20 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: February 20, 1997
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 February 20th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Dave Cahlander discovered a GREAT GRAY OWL in Dakota County on Feb 16th. The location was on east 4th street 1/2 mile east of Lake Street in east Hastings. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL has been heard calling in this general area as well. A Kanebec County GREAT GRAY OWL was seen by Craig Menze near the junction of state highway 27 and county road 80. Another GREAT GRAY OWL was seen hunting in an Edina yard near 60th street and France Ave on February 14th. At least three GREAT GRAYS can still be found near the town of Afton in Washington County. Look along 42nd street south between Trading Post Trail and Paradox Way. On Feb 16th two GREAT GRAYS were seen along state highway 95 by Dick Hartman two miles south of the town of Marine on St. Croix in Washington County. A third GREAT GRAY was found about a mile south of here along Arcola Trail. Jacob Miller reported on three GREAT GRAYS he found on the 17th. One bird was seen in Hubbard County at Itasca State Park at the junction of Wilderness Drive ski trail and the DeSoto trail. One was along state highway 200 about six miles east of the town of Remer in Cass County. And the third was seen two and a half miles east of the town of Palisade along state highway 232 in Aitkin County. And a GREAT GRAY OWL was reported along Hennepin County road 62 near Chatam Way in extreme northern Eden Prairie. Randy Lamora reports that the bird has been in the area for several weeks.
Craig Menze reports that a NORTHERN HAWK OWL can be found on Kanabec county road three about two miles west of county road 20. On February 15th Tony Hertzel found a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along Interstate 694 just east of White Bear Ave in Ramsey County, but it could not be relocated later that same day. Mike Steffes reports that he found a HAWK OWL along Stony Point Road, about nine miles east of Lake County road 2. A HAWK OWL was seen in Polk County on the 15th, one mile west of county road 44 along U.S. highway 2, and another was in Roseau County on the 15th along state highway 310 near Sprague Creek.
Mike Arnold reported a SNOWY OWL along U.S. highway 52 near mile marker 85 on February 16th. Also on the 16th Dale Lewis found a SNOWY OWL about two miles southwest of Marystown in Scott County. Marystown is between the towns of Jordan and Prior Lake. Three SNOWY OWLS were in Wilkin County on the 14th. All were seen by Cole Foster in the northwestern part of the Rosthay Wildlife Management Area along Wilkin County road 15. And SNOWY OWLS were also reported from Itasca County on the 15th one mile east of the town of Deer River, and from Red Lake County at Marcoux Corner also on the 15th.
The BOREAL OWL is still being seen at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Anoka County as it has been since January 16th. The owl can quite often be seen from inside the visitor's center near the feeders.
Nancy Overcott found two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS on the 16th in Fillmore County. One was along county road 12 near Amherst Township and the other was along County road 18 also near Amherst Township. Two GOLDEN EAGLES were seen north of Lake Bronson in Kittson County on the 16th.
A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD found by Bob Ekblad on February 20th just west of Rochester in Olmsted County. This was on Olmsted County road 4 about a half mile north of the intersection of county road 104. That MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD in Scott County reported previously on this tape was seen by Carol Gressor as recently as the 15th along Duck Lane, just off of Mendoza Ave. And Peder Svingen found a first county record TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in the town of Roseau in Roseau County on Feb 17th.
Other birds of note include the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE which is still at the Blue Lake settling ponds in Scott County where it has been for more than two months. An EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was seen by John Kroll near his home in Long Prairie in Todd County. Steve Westen found the year's first PIED-BILLED GREBE along the Minnesota River in Eagan on February 16th. WOOD DUCKS were seen in Marshall in Lyon County on the 17th. COMMON RAVENS were at Carlos Avery Refuge in Anoka County on the 17th. That SPOTTED TOWHEE is still being seen at the Assisi Heights Convent along 14th street in Rochester, Olmsted County, and apparently it has been joined by an EASTERN TOWHEE. Manley Olson has seen several WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS near the south side of the government center in downtown Minneapolis. Unusual is the CHIPPING SPARROW reported by Ray Hancompf from the town of Maplewood. The bird has been visiting the caller's yard since February 10th. RED CROSSBILLS were in Kanabec, Lake and St. Louis counties, and PINE SISKINS have finally reached the central part of the state with reports from Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis.
Thanks to Oscar Johnson, Leeann Overman, Ken FaFond, Beth Cowen, Mark Ochs and David Taylor.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday February 27th.