Previous reports: January 6 , November 4 11 18 24 28 , December 2 9 16 19 23 30 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*January 6, 2000
*MNDU0001.06

-Birds mentioned

• Northern Harrier
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Merlin
• Thayer's Gull
• Iceland Gull
• Glaucous Gull
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Pine Grosbeak
• Common Redpoll
• Hoary Redpoll

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: January 6, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Dave Benson (drbenson@cpinternet.com)
Transcriber: Dave Benson (drbenson@cpinternet.com)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, January 6th, 2000, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were reported from two new locations this week. One was seen on Hwy 53 north of Duluth in the vicinity of mile marker 32. The other was seen on the 4th by Dave Evans and Dave Grosshuesch four miles north of Two Harbors on Lake County Road 2.

There is also still at least one SNOWY OWL in the Duluth harbor, seen most consistently on the ice east of the Blatnik Bridge.

Three GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen this week in Aitkin County-two near the junction of Pietz's Road and County Road 18, and one on County Road 200, about one mile west of Rt. 2.

Mike Hendrickson reported that on the 4th, one ICELAND GULL, one THAYER'S GULL, and several GLAUCOUS GULLS were present at the Superior Landfill. Mike also spotted a GLAUCOUS GULL on Lake Superior near the Talmadge River.

The Isabella Christmas Bird Count, held last weekend, turned up 11 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS. Many of these birds were found by birders on foot in relatively unaccessible areas, but this total seems to continue the trend of the past autumn, when more Black-backeds than usual were seen in northeastern Minnesota.

A HOARY REDPOLL was seen by at least two observers just east of Knife River. The bird was with a large group of COMMON REDPOLLS feeding in the tansy stalks along the road.

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were reported from several locations during the week, including in Morgan Park in Duluth, in Two Harbors at the Lighthouse and along South Street, from several locations just north of Duluth, and hundreds were reported from the city of Crosby, in Aitkin County.

PINE GROSBEAKS also seem to be more abundant this week, with birds present at many area feeders.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS continue to be present in good numbers in open areas, especially in Aitkin County and in the Sax-Zim Bog. A few NORTHERN HARRIERS are also present, and a MERLIN was seen near 54th and London Road in Duluth.

Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, the Duluth Birding Report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on January 13th. The phone number is (218) 525-5952, and callers can leave a message if they wish after the tone at the end of the tape. Also note that a message can be left without having to wait for the birding report to end: after the tape starts playing, push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will then stop, the tone will sound and you can leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), the state bird club, as a service to its members. For more information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street S E, Minneapolis MN 55455, or visit the MOU web site at .

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