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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *September 19, 1996 *MNDU9609.19 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: September 19, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Rick Schroeder avsaxman@cp.duluth.mn.us
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, September 19th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithological Union.
With so many birders in town last weekend for our annual Hawk Ridge activities it had been hoped that enough birds would be found to make an update of this tape last Sunday worthwhile. But with the stagnant weather pattern that has been in place now for over a week, about the only birds of significance seen in Duluth recently have been GOLDEN EAGLE, RED KNOT, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
The unexpected GOLDEN EAGLE was seen over Hawk Ridge yesterday, the 18th. It was only five days away from being a record early date for this location. Also early have been the five ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS seen this week, which, like the GOLDEN EAGLE, aren't normally expected until October. Several SWAINSON'S HAWKS have also been counted at the Ridge September 13th, and also again today, but otherwise the hawk flights have been about as slow as it ever gets in mid September, with an average of only a few hundred hawks counted each day recently.
The weather forecast is not calling for any coldfronts this weekend, so the prospects for a significant hawk flight soon do not look good, unless there is a flight on Sunday, after the rain forecast for Saturday has moved through.
Some shorebirds are still being reported at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area mudflats, and on Park Point, including both GOLDEN and BLACK BELLIED PLOVERS and a DUNLIN or two, but more interesting were the two RED KNOTS at 40th on the 14th, one of which was still there on the 17th, and the four BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPERS at Park Point, also from the 14th to at least the 17th. Look for these especially at the south end of the Sky Harbor Airport runway. Also look for AMERICAN PIPITS, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and HORNED LARKS at both 40th and at Park Point.
WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen last weekend in Duluth near the corner of 26th avenue east and fourth street, and this species continues to be consistant as it has been for several weeks in Ben Yokel's yard near Melrude, north of Duluth. For directions you can call Ben at 482-3264. These crossbills were seen there again today.
About the only other birds worthy of note recently include a family group of NORTHERN CARDINALS, up in Dave Schimp's yard, on Brainerd Street, and a HARRIS' SPARROW at the main overlook at Hawk Ridge yesterday.
Nothing much has been counted during our every other day count at dawn at the Lakewood Pumping station, and in spite of day after day of east winds, no one has spotted any JAEGERS at Park Point.
Finally, make sure to make note of the three upcoming opportunities to watch OWL banding at Hawk Ridge on the nights of September 27th, October 4th and October 11th. These are only open to sponsors in our Adopt-a-banded-Owl program. Advance reservations are needed, and each session is limited to 10 persons. For more information on this, or to reserve a place, give me a call at 525-6930.
Unless something is seen in the meantime, the next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, September 26th. If you have birds to report you may leave a message after the tone.
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