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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Statewide | Detroit Lakes

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*September 20, 2001
*MNDU0109.20

-Birds mentioned

• Red-throated Loon
• Pacific Loon
• Surf Scoter
• White-winged Scoter
• Red Phalarope
• Pomarine Jaeger
• Parasitic Jaeger
• Little Gull
• Sabine's Gull
• Arctic Tern
• Short-eared Owl
• Three-toed Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Vesper Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: September 20, 2001
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Transcriber: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, Sept 20, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

There was an update of this Report last Sunday to report on all the significant finds during Hawk Weekend, Sept 14-15-16, and since Sunday a few more noteworthy species have been found during the last few days. Among these were a POMARINE JAEGER and an ARCTIC TERN both seen yesterday, some early SURF SCOTERS, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and a VESPER SPARROW. In addition to these, there were additional sightings this week of SABINE'S GULL, PARASITIC JAEGER and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER which had all been seen last weekend.

The Pomarine Jaeger was a light-morph adult with a fully grown tail which flew by the lake side of 12th St at Park Point yesterday morning. After briefly chasing a gull near Canal Park, the jaeger turned and headed NE, and flew steadily up the North Shore and out of sight. Although there are several Minnesota records of this species over the years, this appears to be only the second ever of an adult with fully developed central tail feathers.

Then yesterday afternoon, the 19th, a reliable report of an Arctic Tern from Wisconsin Pt was received, although the age of this bird and its exact location on the Point was not given. Then today I received a report of a possible adult Arctic Tern seen yesterday on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry breakwaters, which may have been the same individual. Two juv Sabine's Gulls and a juv Parasitic Jaeger were also seen at this same location yesterday afternoon; both these species had also been seen last weekend. Early White-winged Scoters were also seen yesterday at Wisconsin Pt.

To reach the N tip of Wisconsin Pt and the Superior Entry, which marks the border between Minn and Wis, follow U S Hwy 2 / 53 all the way through Superior to SE edge of town, and turn left at the large sign which reads Moccasin Mike Rd / Wisconsin Pt / L Superior.

Two early Surf Scoters were seen Sept 17 at Flood Bay just NE of Two Harbors in Lake Co, and later the same day 2 more Surf Scoters -- or possibly the same individuals -- appeared on the lake side of Park Point at 31st St. An adult light-morph Parasitic Jaeger, probably the same individual reported last weekend, was also seen at this latter location.

A Black-backed Woodpecker was relocated Sept 18 in the pine plantation along the Pinewoods Tr at Hawk Ridge, and a Vesper Sparrow was seen on the 19th near downtown Two Harbors in the field behind the old railroad station.

Unfortunately, there have been no reports since last weekend of these rarities which were included on last Sunday's Report: both the RED-THROATED LOONS and PACIFIC LOONS seen on the lake side of Park Point; the RED PHALAROPE seen briefly at Wisconsin Pt Sept 14; the first-winter (or possibly juvenile) LITTLE GULL seen Sept 16 at both Hearding I and the Recreation Area of Park Point; the SHORT-EARED OWL which flew by 31st St at Park Point; and the THREE-TOED WOODPECKER found Sept 15 in N Lake Co just off the Spruce Rd, 4 mi N of Minn Hwy 1.

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 Sept 27. (Although the way the birding has been lately, there could well be an unscheduled update on Sunday Sept 23 if more rarities are seen this coming weekend.)

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, 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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