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-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *March 9, 2006 *MNDL0603.09 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 9, 2006
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, March 10, 2006 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 is slowly working its way north, and the last week has featured warm temperatures, melting snow, heavy wet snow, rain, sleet, and other spring weather events. The result has been often slippery roads, but as of this writing, roads are clear and dry. Most sightings this week have featured Gray Partridge, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Greater Prairie-Chickens which seem to be coming "out of the woodwork" in the northwest this week.
GRAY PARTRIDGE were reported this week from Kittson, Pennington, Marshall, Clay, and Wilkin counties. In Kittson County, Larry Wilebski found some at his place near Lancaster, while Gary Tischer reported a covey of 5 along CR 12 five miles north of Thief River Falls, and 4 more along the same road, Pennington CR 20 three - four miles north of Thief River Falls. Ben Fritchman found 5 GRAY PARTRIDGE in Clay County on March 5 near the intersection of MN 9 and 57th Ave four miles north of US 10. John Ellis reported 10 of them just north of the intersection of 250th St and 310 Ave. southwest of Rothsay on March 4.
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were seen in Beltrami, Pennington, Red Lake, Polk, and Wilkin counties. Shelley Steva and Zeann Linder sent in separate reports of SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along US 59 in Pennington County near the Red Lake County line south of Thief River Falls this week. One GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN was among them. Shelley reported SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along Red Lake County Road 5 on March 8. Zeann Linder was in Polk County in and around the Glacial Ridge NWR on March 4 where she reported many SHARP-TAILED GROUSE and GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS easily visible along the roadsides and fields nearby. Ben Fritchman found GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS in Wilkin County on March 5 near Rothsay, and many near Gary in Norman County. In short, if you wish to see any of these species, this is the time to look in almost any of the prairie areas or CRP fields of the northwest.
Several NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were seen in Lake of the Woods County on March 4, along CR 77 and MN 72 near the Beltrami County line.
Katie Haws reported a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along MN 72 in Beltrami County this week. Kelly Larson found six BALD EAGLES, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, and PINE GROSBEAKS in Beltrami County on March 6. Gretchen Mehmel reported a NORTHERN HAWK OWL just south of the Red Lake WMA boundary along Dick's Parkway north of Fourtown.
In Clearwater County on March 6, Kelly Larson found BALD EAGLE, BLUE JAY, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, AMERICAN CROW, and COMMON RAVEN.
In Marshall County, Gary Tischer reported a dark immature SNOWY OWL on March 6, a quarter mile west of the Thief River bridge along CR 7. This is immediately west of the entrance to Agassiz NWR. The NORTHERN HAWK OWL that has over wintered at Agassiz NWR was seen at the intersection of CR 7 and the Airport Road within Agassiz on March 6. Gary Huschle reported that the first BALD EAGLE of the year at Agassiz NWR appeared on March 2.
Shelley Steva reported a BALD EAGLE in Red Lake County on March 1. Anita Vettleson saw a CANADA GOOSE flying near US 59 in Brooks on March 9.
Polk County sightings reported by Donna and Leon Thoreson included a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK along CR 44, and a GYRFALCON 2.5 miles west of MN 32 along CR 45. The Thoreson's are still feeding about 25 SNOW BUNTINGS at their home near Climax.
In Norman County on March 5, Ben Fritchman found BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, and 15 AMERICAN ROBINS , 5 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, and 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS in Twin Valley. Donna and Leon Thoreson relocated the GREAT GRAY OWL one mile west of MN 32 along CR 151 on March 9. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was also see in the county.
Susan Wiste had a visit from a BROWN CREEPER in Douglas County near Alexandria on March 4. John Ellis saw twenty WILD TURKEYS, a dark ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and a NORTHERN CARDINAL in that county on March 4.
Katie Haws reported a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along MN 64 south of the Badoura Nursery in Hubbard County this week.
Shar Legenhausen in Becker County saw 3 TRUMPETER SWANS on the Buffalo River on March 7. Other species seen in the county included a BALD EAGLE and two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS.
In Wilkin County, Ben Fritchman saw lots of GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS and a lone LESSER SCAUP in flight. John Ellis reported a SNOWY OWL 3 miles SW of Lawndale northwest of the intersection of 280th Ave. and 170th St. where CR 15 curves to the east. He also reported four NORTHERN HARRIERS, and two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in the county.
In Otter Tail County, John Ellis reported many TRUMPETER SWANS in Fergus Falls on March 4.
Thanks to Gretchen Mehmel, Susan Wiste, Larry Wilebski, Shelley Steva, Ben Fritchman, John Ellis, Zeann Linder, Kelly Larson, Gary Tischer, Shar Legenhausen, Katie Haws, and Anita Vettleson 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, March 17, 2006.
