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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Minnesota Duluth/North Shore

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*December 28, 2006
*MNDL0612.28

• Ruffed Grouse
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Greater Prairie-Chicken
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Great Horned Owl
• Barred Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Gray Jay
• Common Raven
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Townsend's Solitaire
• American Robin
• American Tree Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Snow Bunting
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Pine Grosbeak
• Purple Finch
• Common Redpoll
• American Goldfinch
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: December 28, 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, December 29, 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.

We are ending 2007 with another mild week, and getting nervous about the upcoming months. Averages being what they are, and knowing that historically, changes in average temperatures are usually measured in the single digits, when do we pay for all these mild days? Meantime, this winter's weather means that we are seeing species that normally should be far south - or east or west of the severe weather on the great plains, so let's enjoy!

Pat Beauzay was in Wilkin County on December 26 where he spotted no less than 19 SHORT-EARED OWLS in and around the Rothsay WMA. Other species seen included GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN, NORTHERN HARRIER, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and 100 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.

Gloria Nord reported a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and an AMERICAN ROBIN in Dora Township of Otter Tail County on December 26. The solitaire has been around for a couple of weeks. Location is the SE quarter of section 2 of Dora Township.

Bob O'Connor reports that the GRAY JAY seen in Oakport Township of Clay County during the Fargo-Moorhead CBC was relocated on December 24 by Dennis Weisenborn in the same general area. It appears that these birds range over a wide area looking for food.

Colleen Nelson reported a GREAT HORNED OWL in Becker County south of Audubon on December 23. On Christmas Day, John Dermody had a PILEATED WOODPECKER on the east side of Frazee. Mark Otnes found a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER at Tamarac NWR, about 3/4 mile down the Ogemash Trail in the tamarack bog. Other species seen there included RUFFED GROUSE, COMMON RAVEN, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and PURPLE FINCH. At Round Lake he saw about 10 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

From Polk County, Donna and Leon Thoreson reported BALD EAGLES, GREAT HORNED OWLS, 3 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, many SNOW BUNTINGS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES at their place near Climax this week.

Here in Pennington County, the two GRAY JAYS that have been visiting our feeder near Thief River Falls were back again on December 23. A NORTHERN FLICKER continues to come daily.

Gary Tischer reported BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, COMMON REDPOLLS at the headquarters feeder, and PINE GROSBEAKS at the maintenance center at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County this week.

Beth Siverhus saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK north of Waskish, and a BALD EAGLE south of Waskish in Beltrami County on December 23.

In Itasca County at Dixon Lake, she had BARRED OWL, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, GRAY JAY, PINE GROSBEAK, and EVENING GROSBEAK on December 24. On December 22, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was there also.

Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported 30 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, 5 GRAY JAYS, and 50 COMMON REDPOLLS at his place northwest of Lancaster this week.

In Lake of the Woods County, Beth Siverhus saw a BALD EAGLE and 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS near MN 72 on December 23.

Thanks to Beth Siverhus, Bob O'Connor, Colleen Nelson, Gary Tischer, Gloria Nord, John Dermody, Larry Wilebski, Donna and Leon Thoreson, Mark Otnes, and Pat Beauzay 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, January 6, 2007.

Jeanie Joppru Pennington County

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