Previous reports: January 26 , February 2 9 16 23 , March 4 10 24 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 31, 2001
*MNDL0103.31

-Birds mentioned

• Great Blue Heron
• Common Goldeneye
• Common Merganser
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Killdeer
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Mountain Bluebird
• American Robin
• American Tree Sparrow
• Meadowlark (Western)
• Common Grackle
• Common Redpoll
• Pine Siskin
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 31, 2001
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Betsy Beneke (BetsyBeneke@lakesnet.net)

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, March 30th, sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Area Birding Club. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Although winter doesn't seem to want to give up it's hold on Minnesota, the melting process continues with daytime temperatures in the 30's and 40's. Patches of bare ground are beginning to appear. A few small, shallow basins of water can be found in fields and ditches. Flowages between lakes and rivers are widening - this being taken advantage of by increasing numbers of waterfowl.

Trumpeter swan, Canada goose, common merganser, common goldeneye, ring-necked duck and mallard are some that have been reported this week.

The MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD has been present at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Becker County for one week. It's location hasn't changed - the bird continues to be seen in the vicinity of the start of the Blackbird Auto Tour Route on CR 26, approximately two miles east of the visitor center/headquarters. Since the bird does seem to move around quite a bit in this area, patience is required. Other "new" birds found at the refuge this week included NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and AMERICAN ROBIN.

GREAT BLUE HERONS were seen at the Pelican River rookery along Hwy. 59 about 2 miles south of Detroit Lakes, Becker Co. on the 30th.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were reported in Becker Co. on the 29th and Wilkin Co. on the 30th.

Other new Becker Co. birds this past week included KILLDEER and MEADOWLARK, presumably, WESTERN.

In Red Lake County this week, birds seen include ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, COMMON GRACKLE and AMERICAN ROBIN.

In Kittson County, Glenn Browne's 3/29 Northern Birdnet report included BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, KILLDEER and COMMON REDPOLL.

On a March 26th trip between Roosevelt in Lake of the Woods Co. and International Falls in Koochiching Co., Gretchen Mehmel reported seeing COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, BALD EAGLE, PILEATED WOODPECKER, EVENING GROSBEAK and PINE SISKIN.

Thanks also to Colin Gjervold, Steve Millard, Mary Wyatt and Shelley Steva for reports.

If you have interesting birds to report, contact Betsy Beneke by e-mail at: betsybeneke@lakesnet.net OR call the Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992.

The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, April 6th.

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