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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*July 13, 2000
*MNDU0007.13

-Birds mentioned

• American White Pelican
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Black-billed Cuckoo
• Short-eared Owl
• Three-toed Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Connecticut Warbler
• Northern Cardinal
• Henslow's Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: July 13, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: David Benson (drbenson@cpinternet.com)
Transcriber: David Benson (drbenson@cpinternet.com)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, July 13th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

There has been little birding activity in Duluth over the past two weeks. This report includes reports of AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, HENSLOW'S SPARROW, SHORT-EARED OWL, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, CONNECTICUT WARBLER, NORTHERN CARDINALS, information about an injured bird on the Lakewalk, and information about a burn that is attracting woodpeckers in nearby Wisconsin.

A flock of as many as 40 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS was seen by numerous observers over the past few weeks, most often in the Duluth harbor, but also above Lake Superior near Duluth.

Rick Hoyme re-found BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS in the Gunflint Trail area, along the Lima Mountain Road, just over three miles south of the Gunflint Trail.

Jim Williams reported as many as 8 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERSand 1 THREE-TOED WOODPECKER at a burn area in northwestern Wisconsin. To reach the burn, go east from Gordon on County Y 5.6 miles to Fairbanks Road, which goes north. Take Fairbanks north .6 miles. Enter the forest on a grassy vehicle trail directly across the road from Gordon fire sign 13757. Walk about 300 paces to the east, keeping left when the trail forks. The major portion of the burn, 80 acres of pine plantation, will be in front of you. This location is roughly 50 miles from Duluth.

Up the North Shore at Gooseberry Falls State Park, a pair of BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS was seen on the 11th on the Superior Hiking Trail right at the park's western border. A pair of CONNECTICUT WARBLERS was on the long loop trail on the west side of the river, about 3/4 of a mile from the southern junction of that trail. Both of these locations require a hike of at least two miles.

In Aitkin Co, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE have been seen at several points along Twp Rd 380; this location is reached by going S from Palisade on Co Rd 5 for 3 mi, and then going W. A SHORT-EARED OWL has been seen along this road, and at least two HENSLOW'S SPARROWS have been seen along Twp Rd 561,just N of Twp Rd 380, 1 mi W of Co Rd 5. These birds were seen on July 3rd, but I have not had any reports of these birds since, and the field was mowed on July 5th, so it is not known if the birds are still present.

NORTHERN CARDINALS continue to be seen regularly in Duluth, with recent reports from Smithville, the Goat Hill neighborhood, and the Congdon neighborhood.

I received several calls about an injured bird on Lake Superior near the Lakewalk. The bird, which was either a merganser or a common loon, was captured and disentangled from the fishing tackle, but it appeared to be injured as well and was lingering in the area.

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 updates would normally be on July 20 and 27. Note, however, that if there is little or no birding news, as is often the case here in July, this report may not be updated on a weekly basis until August. 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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