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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*December 15, 2005
*MNDL0512.15

-Birds mentioned

• Trumpeter Swan
• Bald Eagle
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Golden Eagle
• American Kestrel
• Ruffed Grouse
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Gray Jay
• Black-billed Magpie
• American Crow
• Common Raven
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• American Robin
• Varied Thrush
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Northern Shrike
• Northern Cardinal
• Harris's Sparrow
• Snow Bunting
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Pine Grosbeak
• Red Crossbill
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: December 15, 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, December 16, 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.

Here in the northwest the scene has settled into the typical winter conditions with ice and snow and lots of feeder birds. From the northern parts of the area come reports of owls and grosbeaks, and an occasional lingering migrant.

Herb Dingmann and Ron Erpelding saw some interesting species in Lake of the Woods County last weekend. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was found along the Bankton Trail 1.5 miles east of the Faunce Forest Road in the Beltrami Island State Forest, and a GREAT GRAY OWL was seen along CR 146 3.3 miles east of the Pitt Grade FR. A RUFFED GROUSE was seen along the Faunce- Butterfield forest road, NORTHERN SHRIKES along CR 80 and CR 11, GRAY JAY on CR 76, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE along CR 80, hundreds of SNOW BUNTINGS along CR 76, PINE GROSBEAKS at Norris Camp, EVENING GROSBEAKS in Baudette, and RED CROSSBILLS at the east end of the Faunce-Butterfield FR. Two AMERICAN ROBINS, a NORTHERN CARDINAL and a COMMON GRACKLE were found in the town of Baudette. In the course of an owl survey, Pat Rice and I found several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, three NORTHERN HAWK OWLS along MN 72 and CR 77, and a GREAT GRAY OWL near the east boundary of the Red Lake WMA near the end of the Rapid River FR.

Beltrami County species found by Herb Dingmann and Ron Erpelding included ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN SHRIKE, and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE. They also saw a VARIED THRUSH at Movil Lake in the southern part of the county. Pat Rice and I found a group of 8 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, BALD EAGLES, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK , and several NORTHERN SHRIKES in northern Beltrami County. A pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS was reported in Waskish by Gary and Kay Leonhardt.

Stan Wood reported that a SNOWY OWL is being seen regularly along CR 3 south of the headquarters of the Roseau River WMA , usually sitting on a post at one of the Controlled Hunting Zone blinds near Pool 1 east.

Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, more than 20 AMERICAN CROWS, COMMON RAVEN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS this week.

At Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County , the NORTHERN HAWK OWL is still being seen along the Airport Road near the Maintenance Center.

Donna and Leon Thoreson saw an AMERICAN KESTREL and more than fifty SNOW BUNTINGS in Polk County on December 12. Mike Christopherson in Crookston saw a PILEATED WOODPECKER, and several RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES at his feeder on December 13.

Mel and Elaine Bennefeld reported an immature GOLDEN EAGLE, and two BALD EAGLES at Buffalo River State Park in Clay County on December 9. Matt Mecklenburg saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 3/4 mile east of MN 9 on CR 12 on December 15.

Scott Kahan observed a SHORT-EARED OWL in Butler Township of Otter Tail County on December 11. Dan and Sandy Thimgan reported a HARRIS'S SPARROW, and a COMMON GRACKLE at Jolly Ann Lake on December 15, and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD on the 12th at Dane Prairie Township.

Patrick Beauzay observed 14 TRUMPETER SWANS on Shell River along Wadena CR 24 north of the Shell City Cemetery.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen by Herb Dingmann and Ron Erpelding in Hubbard County on December 10.

Thanks to all the folks who sent in their sightings this week. Keep up the good work.

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, December 23, 2005

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