Previous reports: June 9 16 23 30 , July 7 14 21 28 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*August 4, 2005
*MNDL0508.04

-Birds mentioned

• American Bittern
• Tundra Swan
• Swainson's Hawk
• Semipalmated Plover
• Killdeer
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Solitary Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper
• Franklin's Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Forster's Tern
• American Pipit
• Blue-headed Vireo
• Yellow Warbler
• Black-and-white Warbler
• American Redstart
• Connecticut Warbler
• Lark Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: August 4, 2005
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, August 5, 2005 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.

It has been a hot, humid week in the northwest, but Thursday saw a return to more pleasant temperatures. Young birds are appearing at feeders, and now that nesting season is nearly over, there have been some reports of warblers, probably those that nested nearby. Shorebirds are starting to show up in this area, but seem to be spread out in small groups this year in some of the temporary wetlands and muddy spots. On another note, it appears that bears are appearing at feeders in the northwest lately, including ours. This is presumably because of a shortage of fruit in the woods. If you are feeding suet, be aware of this and place it carefully or not at all for awhile.

Shelley Steva found a LARK SPARROW in Red Lake County on July 29, just north of the Plummer wastewater treatment ponds.

In Polk County on July 29, Pat Rice observed three SWAINSON'S HAWKS along MN 92 west of Gully. On the 31st, she stopped at the Erskine wastewater treatment ponds where there were SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, KILLDEER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS; in addition, there were 100 FRANKLIN'S GULLS, RING-BILLED GULLS, FORSTER'S TERNS, and an AMERICAN PIPIT. 15 species of shorebirds were counted by Shelley Steva for a total of 164 individuals at the Melo impoundment in western Polk County on July 30. They included a surprising BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. This wetland will be drying up soon if the weather remains dry as most of the birds were in shallow muddy pools. Nathaniel Emery also reported shorebirds, this time at the Crookston wastewater treatment ponds on August 2. A TUNDRA SWAN has been identified at the East Grand Forks wastewater treatment ponds on August 4.

At home in Beltrami County, Pat Rice reported warblers at the birdbath- YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and AMERICAN REDSTART. Doug Johnson visited the Big Bog boardwalk near Waskish on July 30. There he found a CONNECTICUT WARBLER. He reports that the bog walk is not fully complete, and the road was quite rough yet. He also saw an AMERICAN BITTERN along MN 72 two miles north of Kelliher.

>From Lake of the Woods County, Gretchen Mehmel reported a BLUE-HEADED VIREO in the yard at Norris Camp on August 2.

Thanks to Pat Rice, Shelley Steva, Doug Johnson, Charles Christianson, and Nathaniel Emery 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, August 12, 2005.

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