Previous reports: February 23 , March 0 0 14 21 28 , April 0 13 18 26 , May 0 10 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*May 18, 2002
*MNDL0205.18

-Birds mentioned

• Eared Grebe
• American Bittern
• Canvasback
• Ruddy Duck
• Merlin
• Black-bellied Plover
• American Avocet
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Willet
• Upland Sandpiper
• Hudsonian Godwit
• Marbled Godwit
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Baird's Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Short-billed Dowitcher
• Black Tern
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Gray-cheeked Thrush
• Swainson's Thrush
• Blue-headed Vireo
• Northern Parula
• Magnolia Warbler
• Cape May Warbler
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Bay-breasted Warbler
• Wilson's Warbler
• Western Tanager
• Indigo Bunting
• Eastern Towhee
• Harris's Sparrow
• Chestnut-collared Longspur
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: May 18, 2002
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, May 17, 2002, 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.

The warbler-watching this week has been fantastic around Detroit Lakes with 23 species being recorded by 5/17. Windy and cool conditions has kept birds down close to the ground, especially around wetlands where bugs are plentiful. Leaf-out is running late this year, which is also appreciated. Many fewer cases of "warbler neck" have been reported by weekend festival-goers at Detroit Lakes!

A first year male WESTERN TANAGER was on the east side of Cotton Lake in Becker County from 5/12 to 5/16. Unfortunately, it hasn't been seen since.

A good variety of shorebirds can be seen at the Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Becker County. A pair of AMERICAN AVOCETS are on the Frog Pond, which is one mile west and ½ mile south (minimum maintenance road) of the junction of County Roads 13 and 14 west of Callaway. Other shorebirds can be seen from Co. Rd. 14, including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, WILLET, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, MARBLED GODWIT, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER. Bobolinks were present on 5/13 and a variety of ducks including RUDDY DUCK and CANVASBACK were present as of the 17th.

Participants in the "Ultimate Birding Adventure," as part of the Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds, found 115 species during an 11-hour trip on the 16th. Fifteen species of warblers were found at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge with an additional 4 species found at Itasca State Park. NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, and WILSON'S WARBLER were some of the highlights. Other interesting sightings were MERLIN, UPLAND SANDPIPER, BLACK TERN, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, WESTERN TANAGER and CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR.

Other reports from the northwest have included EARED GREBE, AMERICAN BITTERN, A VARIETY OF DUCKS AND SHOREBIRDS, MERLIN, BLACK TERN, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, 25 SPECIES OF WARBLERS, EASTERN TOWHEE, HARRIS'S SPARROW, INDIGO BUNTING and EVENING GROSBEAK.

Thanks to the MANY people who shared sightings this week!

To report bird sightings, contact Betsy Beneke by e-mail, no later than Thursday each week, at: betsybeneke@lakesnet.net OR call the Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202.

The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, May 24, 2002.

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