Detroit Lakes RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *April 17, 2003 *MNDL0304.17 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 17, 2003
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjoppru@wiktel.com)
This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, April 18, 2003 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218) 847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.
Last weekend it seemed that the weather was going to warm up quickly leading to a rapid migration. By Wednesday, nature put on the brakes a bit with some parts of the region getting snow again. However the migration is progressing, with most of the duck species arriving at Agassiz National Refuge and other wetlands in the north. There were reports from all areas of some sparrow species arriving as well as RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and COMMON GRACKLES. Large numbers of SANDHILL CRANES were reported from two counties- Larry Johnson saw 2000 of them in western Marshall County between Warren and Old Mill State Park, and Tom Lufkin found 150 near the Wetland, Pines, and Prairie Audubon Sanctuary in northern Polk County. Large numbers of TUNDRA SWANS have been reported from a variety of locations throughout the area. On Saturday, Zeann Linder and I visited the rice paddies along the Clearwater River at the junctions of Pennington, Marshall, and Polk Counties, and also those in Clearwater County- at all the locations we found hundreds of TUNDRA SWANS and CANADA GEESE.
Gretchen Mehmel saw the first WINTER WREN of the new season in Lake of the Woods County on Friday, April 11th. She also reported 9 GRAY JAYS.
In Marshall County, Larry Johnson reported TREE SWALLOWS, the first report of those that I have had this spring. In addition, he saw MOURNING DOVES, and SONG SPARROWS. Kari Odefey sent in a report from Agassiz NWR this week. Birds reported included most of the duck species, along with two TRUMPETER SWANS , 8 TUNDRA SWANS and OSPREY on April 11th; RED-NECKED GREBE, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and 200 AMERICAN COOTS on the 14th. A flock of 50 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS was seen at Farmes Pool on Monday. Two MARBLED GODWITS arrived on April 15th at Agassiz. On the 12th we were lucky to witness the courtship flight of an AMERICAN WOODCOCK there and to hear our first of the season WILSON'S SNIPE.
Interesting Pennington County sightings this week included two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE seen by Zeann Linder and me in a rice paddy in the eastern part of the county on Saturday, April 12th. Also on the 12th, we found a female NORTHERN CARDINAL singing in a residential neighborhood of Thief River Falls. On the 13th, a GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WOOD DUCK, BELTED KINGFISHER, and EASTERN PHOEBE were seen from our yard. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, and MOURNING DOVE made an appearance on April 15th. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was seen by Shelley Steva on April 17th in Thief River Falls, and she also reported the presence of many HERRING GULLS here in Pennington County.
Shelley Steva found 40 LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and 5 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS in northern Red Lake County on April 16th.
Lori Becker at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary in Polk County reported 20 FOX SPARROWS, and a BROWN CREEPER on April 15th.
Clearwater County birds seen on Saturday, April 12th included COMMON MERGANSER, HOODED MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and WOOD DUCK. We found several RING-BILLED GULLS and one HERRING GULL at Lower Red Lake. There also were AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, FOX SPARROW, and SONG SPARROWS.
Pat Rice sent in a report from Beltrami County. On April 16th, she saw a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and WILSON'S SNIPE. Two COMMON LOONS, GREATER SCAUP, and a variety of other ducks were seen on Lake Bemidji on the 15th, and she had FOX SPARROWS, and a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in the yard on the 17th.
>From Becker County comes a report from Paul and Stella Bridgeford at Big Floyd Lake of OSPREY, WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN FLICKER, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER.
Carol Schumacher birded in Ottertail County on the weekend and she reported finding a LONG-EARED OWL, 14 GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS just north of the Ottertail Prairie SNA, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER at the Orwell Dam, RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS at Maplewood State Park, and WILD TURKEYS strutting their stuff. Alma Ronningen reported that the OSPREY have returned to the nesting platform in her yard in Ottertail County.
Grant County birds reported by Carol included a NORTHERN GOSHAWK in the Niemackl Lakes area, as well as a small flock of FRANKLIN'S GULLS. She was unable to relocate the Eurasian Collared Dove in Herman on Sunday.
Thanks to Larry Johnson, Lori Becker, Kari Odefey, Gretchen Mehmel, Paul and Stella Bridgeford, Shelley Steva, Alma Ronningen, and Carol Schumacher for their reports.
Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@wiktel.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. When reporting by email please put "NW Bird Report" in the subject line of your message. The next scheduled update of this report is Friday, April 25, 2003.
