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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*December 28, 2000
*MNDU0012.28

-Birds mentioned

• Northern Goshawk
• Snowy Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Boreal Chickadee
• American Robin
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Northern Shrike
• Northern Cardinal
• White-throated Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Pine Grosbeak
• Common Redpoll
• Evening Grosbeak

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: December 28, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: David Benson (drbenson@cpinternet.com)

This is the Duluth, MN birding report for Thursday, December 28th, 2000, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

There were fewer reports of winter owls this week, but this is probably a reflection of less birding activity due to the holidays, rather than fewer owls. GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen along the Ryan Road northeast of Duluth on the 24th, in the Sax-Zim area along County Road 7 between Hwy 133 and County Road 319, and in Aitkin County north of Palisade near the junction of County Road 18 and Pietz's Road on the 27th. NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were seen in the Sax-Zim area along County Road 7, along County Road 319, along County Road 29 north of Meadowlands, and on County Road 73, 5 miles south of Floodwood; and on Aitkin County Road 18, 1 mile east of Hwy 169.

A SNOWY OWL is being seen in the Duluth harbor in the Port Terminal area. During the day, this bird can usually be spotted roosting on the ice between the Blatnik Bridge and Minnesota Point.

2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were reported along the Ryan Road northeast of Duluth.

NORTHERN CARDINALS continue to be seen in record numbers this year; this week brought reports of cardinals from Aurora/Hoyt Lakes, MN and from near the intersection of Martha and Kenwood in Duluth. Some of the record number of AMERICAN ROBINS are still in town, and DARK-EYED JUNCO, a species not usually seen in Duluth in winter, is well-represented at area feeders. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is hanging on at a feeder on Arrowhead Road.

Among the other birds most frequently sought by visiting birders, there have been no recent reports of Spruce Grouse, Three-toed Woodpecker, Varied Thrush, or Hoary Redpoll, and the only BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS being reported are those persisting in that burn at Simms L about 6 mi E of Gordon in Douglas Co, Wis. Of the species which are being seen in NE Minn, there are average numbers of NORTHERN SHRIKE, BOREAL CHICKADEE, BOHEMIAN WAXWING, PINE GROSBEAK, and EVENING GROSBEAK at various locations. However, both species of CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS have been seen only in low numbers. Several area Christmas Bird Counts will be taking place this coming weekend, so perhaps more of these species will turn up.

Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, this report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on January 4th. The phone number for the Duluth Birding Report is (218) 525-5952, and callers can report bird sightings if they wish after the tone at the end of each tape. Messages can also be left without having to wait for the report to end: to do this, after the tape starts playing push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will stop, the tone will sound, and you can then leave your message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) 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 SE, Minneapolis MN 55455; or send an e-mail to ; or visit the MOU web site at .

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