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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *May 19, 1996 *MNDU9605.19 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: May 19, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Roger Schroeder
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Sunday, May 19th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
With temperatures up in the 80s, and strong southwest winds yesterday there was a sudden change in the weather and a change in the birding situation in Duluth, as a big movement of a wide variety of spring migrants blew into town.
Cold and wet weather had been prevailing here up north, and Spring migration had been way behind schedule. It had looked like our May 18 Hawk Ridge Birdathon would not turn up that many species, but Saturday turned into one of the most interesting birding days any of us had ever seen in Duluth, as the 47 Birdathon participants in 15 teams turned up a composite total of no fewer than 218 species in St. Louis County; 18 species more than this event's previous high.
And the team with the highest total; Mike Hendrickson, Kim Risen, Terry Brashure and Mark Ochs recorded 177 species, 18 species more than the previous Birdathon record.
Needless to say, several rarities were found, although only 2 or 3 of them were totally unexpected. Among Saturday's highlights were the following:
Two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were flying over the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area mudflats. A flock of 34 more PELICANS also flew over there today. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS both at 40th and at Mud Lake area near Duluth. A late TUNDRA SWAN flying over Fon du Lac. An unexpected GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at 40th and a few late SNOW GEESE at various locations. 20 species of Ducks were seen, including a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER on Lake Superior at Brighton Beach. 12 species of Hawks - most of these still migrating - including a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.
PEREGRINE FALCONS at both the Port Terminal and at 40th. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE at their two traditional lek sights in the Sax-Zim bog. A YELLOW RAIL heard before dawn at Sax-Zim on County Road 319, 1.4 miles east of county Road 7. And this is the same area where this species has occurred the past few years.
No fewer than 28 species of shorebirds, with most of these seen at the 40th Avenue West mudflats including a carefully studies WESTERN SANDPIPER. It was not relocated today, but field notes and possibly some photographs were taken of this casual Minnesota species. BLACK-BELLIED and AMERICAN GOLDEN- PLOVERS, AMERICAN AVOCET, WILLET, WHIMBREL, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Also noted among the sandpipers were the AVOCET, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER all seen standing on ice flows on Lake Superior off Park Point.
Two FRANKLIN'S GULLS at 40th Avenue west. Another adult also flew past my yard today on the north shore.
The two GREAT GRAY OWLS in the Sax-Zim bog - one of these on County Road 28, 2 3/4 miles west of Sax. And the other on County Road 788, about a mile south of County Road 27. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER at Sax-Zim on County Road 133 a mile east of County Road 7.
A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along the north shore in the vicinity of the Scenic Cafe on Scenic Highway 61. An unexpected LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE at Sax-Zim just south of County Road 52, 2 miles west of County Road 7.
No fewer than 25 species of Warblers were seen, although most of these were not yet on breeding territory. Including a singing male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER by the parking area next to the road at Mud Lake. The only regularly occurring Warbler not recorded yesterday was the CONNECTICUT WARBLER. And there was also an unconfirmed report of a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at an unknown location. But I have not yet been able to talk to the observers about it.
NORTHERN CARDINAL in a yard on the 2900 block of Jefferson Street. RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEES at various locations on Park Point. A LARK SPARROW also at Park Point near 8th Street. Late LAPLAND LONGSPURS were reported. A very late SNOW BUNTING flying past Stony Point. A quite unexpected immature male ORCHARD ORIOLE at 40th, and very late COMMON REDPOLLS, which were still present at several locations.
To add to all the species seen yesterday at the 40th Avenue west area, today a WESTERN GREBE was found in the main part of the bay south of the water impoundment, and two SANDHILL CRANES were also seen there today.
Unfortunately, no one was able to relocate the LEAST BITTERN reported on Mat 17th at the Park Point Recreation Area, or a male WESTERN TANAGER which came to a feeder that same day.
The next scheduled update is Thursday, May 23.