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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*November 4, 2004
*MNDL0411.04

-Birds mentioned

• Pied-billed Grebe
• Red-necked Grebe
• Cackling Goose
• American Wigeon
• Bufflehead
• Hooded Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Bald Eagle
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Great Horned Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Northern Shrike
• Northern Cardinal
• American Tree Sparrow
• White-throated Sparrow
• Harris's Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Snow Bunting
• Western Meadowlark
• Rusty Blackbird
• Common Redpoll
• Pine Siskin

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: November 4, 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, November 5, 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.

This week's weather has been a little better than last week's, and we have even seen the sun a couple of times. Goose numbers seem to be up as they move south, and there have been several reports of owls in the region.

There are two reports of GREAT GRAY OWLS . In Kittson County Dan Svedarsky spotted one along US Highway 59 five miles south of Lancaster on October 29th. Stan Wood from the Roseau River WMA reported one four miles east of the Roseau-Kittson County line in Roseau County in the western part of the WMA. Gretchen Mehmel reported that these large owls are also being seen in Lake of the Woods County this week.

Melanie Torkelson observed a PILEATED WOODPECKER at the headquarters of the Roseau River WMA in Roseau County on October 30th.

Many SNOW BUNTINGS were present in Beltrami County on October 31st. Pat Rice reported a flock in Bemidji on November 3rd. Besides the snow buntings, on October 31st, I found two BALD EAGLES, two NORTHERN SHRIKES, and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD in Beltrami County along CR 42. Diana Morkassel saw about twenty swans on Lower Red Lake on October 31st.

A trip to Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on October 31st revealed that the mix of species of waterfowl has changed as can be expected at this time of year. On Sunday, there were several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and BALD EAGLES soaring over the refuge. A PIED-BILLED GREBE, a RED-NECKED GREBE, and many AMERICAN WIGEON, HOODED MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, and RUDDY DUCKS were also present.

Diana Morkassel saw a GREAT HORNED OWL about a mile south of Carpenter's corner in Pennington County on October 31st. A flock of about 30 SNOW BUNTINGS was seen about thirty miles east of Thief River Falls near the Beltrami County line. About twenty-five PINE SISKINS have been visiting our feeder for about a week now. CACKLING GEESE were seen on the Red Lake River in Thief River Falls on October 31st.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen by Dan Svedarsky two miles south of US Highway 2 along CR 46 on October 29th. Donna and Leon Thoreson also reported a northern shrike, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and at their feeders near Climax, they had TREE SPARROWS, HARRIS'S SPARROWS, a COMMON REDPOLL, and 25 PINE SISKINS on November 1st.

Clay County species reported by Joe Gartner included RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, NORTHERN CARDINAL, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO.

Thanks to Donna and Leon Thoreson, Pat Rice, Stan Wood, Gretchen Mehmel, Diana Morkassel, Dan Svedarsky, and Joe Gartner 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, November 12, 2004.

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