Previous reports: January 20 28 , February 11 18 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*February 18, 2000
*MNDL0002.18

-Birds mentioned

• Bald Eagle
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Golden Eagle
• Prairie Falcon
• Great Horned Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Gray Jay
• Black-billed Magpie
• Common Raven
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Carolina Wren
• American Robin
• Varied Thrush
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Northern Shrike
• Northern Cardinal
• Rusty Blackbird
• Pine Grosbeak
• Common Redpoll
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: February 18, 2000
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Betsy Beneke (Betsy_Beneke@fws.gov)
Transcriber: Betsy Beneke (Betsy_Beneke@fws.gov)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, February 18th, sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Area Birding Club.

Sightings from northwest Minnesota are welcomed from everyone and requested no later than Thursday morning each week. Contact:

Betsy Beneke betsybeneke@lakesnet.net OR Betsy_Beneke@fws.gov OR 1-800-542-3992 (the Chamber)

BIRDING REPORT:

A VARIED THRUSH continues to be seen north of Detroit Lakes, Becker Co.

NORTHERN CARDINALS were reported by Arlene Ballard northwest of Lake Park and by Kay Hartness from near the Otter Tail River and Hwy 34 east of Detroit Lakes.

That female CAROLINA WREN is still present at Eddy Edwards home in Battle Lake, Otter Tail Co.

SHORT-EARED OWLS were present in Wilkin Co. through the past weekend. Six birds were observed by the Hartnesses east of the town of Rothsay on Co. Rd. 26 on Sunday, the 13th, and Steve Millard saw two owls 4 miles SW of the community of Lawndale on that same day. Dan and Sandy Thimgan watched three SHORT-EARED OWLS on Friday, hunting in a prairie area west of Silver Lake in Otter Tail Co.

Steve Millard also observed two immature GOLDEN EAGLES and one PRAIRIE FALCON in the area 4 miles SW of Lawndale, Wilkin Co. on the 13th.

The 6+ inch snowfall that occurred in our area on the 16th may make a difference in short-eared owl activity, and reports over the next week are encouraged!

A flock of 25 AMERICAN ROBINS was reported by Tom Frank in Detroit Lakes, Becker Co. on February 15th.

At Itasca State Park, Connie Smith reports PINE GROSBEAKS and EVENING GROSBEAKS have been frequenting feeders, and a flock of 20 pine siskins were observed last week. BALD EAGLES have also been seen in the vicinity.

In Thief River Falls, Jeannie Joppru reports 150 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS visiting their yard over the weekend.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK is still present at the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, reported by Gary Tischer..

And at Norris Camp, in the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area, Gretchen Mehmel reports PINE GROSBEAK, EVENING GROSBEAK, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE and GRAY JAY. A "non-bird" observation from Norris Camp is that of a bobcat which is coming in around 4:00 PM every day to feed on a moose carcass near the office.

Other birds reported this week include: NORTHERN SHRIKE, COMMON REDPOLL, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, COMMON RAVEN and GREAT HORNED OWL.

This report is also available by calling toll free 1-800-433-1888 or 218-847-5743.

Thank you to everyone who contributed sightings for this report. Don't forget to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend!

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