Previous reports: February 12 19 26 , March 4 11 18 25 , April 1 8 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 15, 2004
*MNDL0404.15

-Birds mentioned

• Common Loon
• American White Pelican
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Tundra Swan
• Trumpeter Swan
• Canada Goose
• American Wigeon
• Canvasback
• Common Merganser
• Turkey Vulture
• Osprey
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Goshawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Gray Partridge
• Ruffed Grouse
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Sandhill Crane
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Wilson's Snipe
• Mourning Dove
• Belted Kingfisher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Purple Martin
• Tree Swallow
• Brown Creeper
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Hermit Thrush
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Northern Cardinal
• American Tree Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Chestnut-collared Longspur
• Snow Bunting
• Western Meadowlark

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 15, 2004
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 16, 2004 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.

Spring appears to have finally arrived after a few bumpy starts, and the birds are arriving daily. The first warblers have been sighted in several counties and soon we will be getting stiff necks searching the treetops for these feathered jewels.

Shelley Steva, in traveling through Todd County on April 11th, observed two hundred GREAT EGRETS along I-94.

In Otter Tail County, Alma Ronningen reported a BELTED KINGFISHER on April 10th, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER on the 12th, a NORTHERN CARDINAL on the 13th, TURKEY VULTURES, and six TRUMPETER SWANS on the 14th, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS on the 15th. Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported AMERICAN WIGEON, CANVASBACK, COMMON MERGANSER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and WILSON'S SNIPE on the 12th. On the 14th, they saw a HERMIT THRUSH and three PURPLE MARTINS. At Sand Lake, Roland Jordahl saw AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and GREAT BLUE HERONS on April 13th. On the 12th at Maplewood State Park, he observed EASTERN PHOEBE, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW.

Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported that the CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS have returned to their traditional nesting grounds at Felton Prairie along the "longspur road", and WESTERN MEADOWLARKS have returned to that area in force.

Becker County species seen by Shelley Steva included an OSPREY near Dunvilla, and a BALD EAGLE.

Barbara and Dennis Martin, on April 13th, observed a high count of 1490 SANDHILL CRANES in Norman County north and west of Agassiz-Olson WMA. This is one mile south of the Polk County line and 2-3 miles east of CR 30.=20

Cliff Steinhauer had an unusual sighting about four miles south of Sherack in Polk County on April 13th- a flock of about 200 SNOW BUNTINGS crossed the road in front of the car. Lori Becker at the Wetlands, Pines, and Prairies Audubon Sanctuary reported that there was a MOURNING DOVE, an EASTERN PHOEBE, and a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET there on April 13th. Nathaniel Emery reported BROWN CREEPER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW near the University Campus in Crookston. Elsewhere in the county on April 11th, GRAY PARTRIDGE, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, and GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN were found west of the Melo Church east of Angus in the northern part of the county. Many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were also in evidence there on Sunday. At least seven hundred SANDHILL CRANES were seen west of the church also. At the Melo impoundment were hundreds of ducks of several species, CANADA GEESE, TUNDRA SWANS, and a single GREATER YELLOWLEGS poking around a muddy patch.

In Pennington County on April 11th, more than 1000 SANDHILL CRANES were seen near the Pennington - Marshall County line along Highway 1. Several flights of TUNDRA SWANS were seen flying north over our yard near Thief River Falls this week.

>From Agassiz NWR in Marshall County, Gary Tischer reported that the first Chorus and Wood Frogs have been heard, and the RUFFED GROUSE have been heard drumming. A LESSER YELLOWLEGS was seen on April 9th, and on the 11th a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was observed in the Wilderness area. On April 15, a COMMON LOON was seen on Headquarters Pool, and fifty WHITE PELICANS were on Pool 21.

In Beltrami County, Barbara and Dennis Martin saw three TREE SWALLOWS flying north at the Knutson Dam on Cass Lake on April 12th.

Thanks to Gary Tischer, Randy Chaffee, Alma Ronningen, Nathaniel Emery, Barbara and Dennis Martin, Roland Jordahl, Cliff Steinhauer, Lori Becker, Shelley Steva, Bruce Flaig, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan 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 23, 2004.

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