-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*April 23, 1997
*MNST9804.23

-Birds mentioned

• Western Grebe
• American White Pelican
• Cattle Egret
• Osprey
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Swainson's Hawk
• Merlin
• Sandhill Crane
• American Golden-Plover
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Franklin's Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Bonaparte's Gull
• WHITE-WINGED DOVE
• Brown Thrasher
• Warbling Vireo
• Orange-crowned Warbler
• American Redstart
• WESTERN TANAGER
• Field Sparrow
• GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: April 23, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Minnesota statewide birding report for Thursday April 23rd sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

On April 18th, Kim Eckert, Denny Martin and Barb Martin found several pairs of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES near the Minnesota - Iowa state line in Jackson County. Though no nests have yet been seen on Minnesota side, it appears that some of the birds may have established territories here. On the same day, a BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen flying overhead. Observers on subsequent days have reported up to two Black-headed Gulls here, but note that both BONAPARTE'S GULL and FRANKLIN'S GULL are also in the area. Both these observations would be third state records. To get to this Jackson County location, drive south on state highway 86 to the Iowa border. Here, where the road turns west, up to four CATTLE EGRETS have been seen. Go east for about half of a mile to the marshy area. Park and walk the fence line, but please remember that this is private land. Several AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER were also in this general area.

A possible WHITE-WINGED DOVE was seen at the Bass Ponds area in Bloomington. Tom Ramsay saw the bird on the evening of April 21st along the dike just west of main access trail. I would appreciate any information on additional observations of this bird. The Ringed Turtle-Dove reported on 89th Street in Bloomington may have been this bird, or it may even have been a Eurasian Collared Dove. Separating Eurasian Collared Doves from Ringed Turtle Doves in the field is difficult.

William Jefferies of Wabasha County has a WESTERN TANAGER visiting his feeder. This well described bird was seen April 19th in the town of Reeds Landing.

Several PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were at Viola Pond just east of Rochester in Olmsted County.

On April 16th, Louise Lanais found the first WARBLING VIREO of the year at Westwood Nature Center in St. Louis Park, Hennepin County.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were at Roberts Sanctuary in Minneapolis on the 23rd, and AMERICAN REDSTARTS were in Rochester on the 21st.

Other recent reports of migrants in the state are of WESTERN GREBE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SANDHILL CRANE, OSPREY, SWAINSON'S HAWK, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, MERLIN, BROWN THRASHER, and FIELD SPARROW.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday April 30th.

Return to Home Page