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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *December 20, 1996 *MNDU9612.20 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: December 20, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Sr. Beverly Raway braway@fac1.css.edu
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander dac@skypoint.com
This is the Duluth birding report for Thursday, December 19th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
As final preparations are being made for this Saturday's Duluth Christmas Bird Count there is nothing new to report this week on the gull situation at the Superior, Wisconsin landfill, but there are several new NORTHERN HAWK OWLS to report on in northeastern Minnesota, along with a few GREAT GRAY OWLS and several SNOWY OWLS. Even a BOREAL OWL was reported and also seen this week were a HARLEQUIN DUCK and a HARRIS' SPARROW.
No one has reported seeing that possible SLATY-BACKED GULL since last week, but surprisingly few observers seem to be looking for it, and it could still be at the Superior Landfill or on near-by Lake Superior off of Wisconsin Point. It's identity also continues to be in doubt with now Karl Bardon and Peder Svingen the original observers beginning to think that it may be some sort of hybrid. ICELAND, GLAUCOUS and THAYER'S GULLS, however, are still being seen at that location this week.
Tim Dawson observed a BOREAL OWL in his yard on the evening of December 15th, but it apparently has not been seen since. Tim lives on the west side of Arnold Road just north of Lismore Road.
In the Sax-Zim Bog area northwest of Duluth three GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen today by Ben Yokel in Melrude. Two of these had been previously reported on County Road 7 a mile and a half north of Sax and on County Road 319 a half mile east of County Road 7. And the new GREAT GRAY was along 7, a mile and a half south of Sax. Also today, Ben saw a NORTHERN HAWK OWL on County Road 7, four miles north of Sax. Three HAWK OWLS were also seen this weekend at Two Harbors in Lake County. Dan Versaw reported two of them along County Road 12 between two and three miles west of County Road 2, and 12 turns west off of 2 three miles north of Two Harbors. And the third HAWK OWL was just south of here on County Road 121 two miles north and 2 miles west of Two Harbors. Dan also saw a HAWK OWL in Superior, Wisconsin this week on State Highway 105 about a mile east of the Oliver Bridge. And still another HAWK OWL was relocated today just northeast of Duluth along the Ryan Road four tenths of a mile north of Lismore Road. This individual had first been seen in that area two weeks ago.
In northern Aitkin County west of Duluth, there are now two HAWK OWLS around the intersection of County Roads 5 and 18, eight miles north of Palisade. And the two GREAT GRAY OWLS reported on last week's tape are still present, that is on County Road 5 a mile and a half south of County Road 18 and on 18 two miles west of 5. Several SNOWY OWLS are also still being seen in Aitkin County and Warren Nelson reports he now has a HARRIS' SPARROW at his feeder in Aitkin.
Meanwhile back in Duluth, several SNOWY OWLS continue to be seen in the Duluth Superior Harbor area but more interesting is the adult male HARLEQUIN DUCK reported today at the mouth of the Lester River. And hopefully this duck will still be around for this Saturday's Duluth Christmas Bird Count.
And as announced on previous tapes, the center of our count is at the main overlook at Hawk Ridge and our circle extends up the North Shore as far as the French River, north to Eagle Lake, west to Wild Rice Lake and the airport and in the harbor area as far as 27th Avenue West and to 43rd street on Park Point. The birding groups have been assigned to their areas within the circle, and those with feeders are still asked to report what they see at their feeders. And the best time to call on the 21st would be between 5 and 7 pm.
And persons are asked to continue to watch for those hard to find species which might elude us on count day. In addition to obvious rarities, for example, Townsend's Solitaire, Varied Thrush, Brown Thrasher, and other possibilities which are too numerous to mention.... please give me a call or leave a message at the tone at the end of this tape if you have recently seen any of the following species, so that special efforts can be made to relocate these birds on Saturday. Of course, you are also asked to call if you see them on Saturday. Any water birds except Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser or Herring Gull; any hawks or owls; any woodpeckers except Downy, Hairy or Pileated; Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet; either Cedar or Bohemian Waxwings; Northern Cardinal; any Sparrows except House Sparrow; Snow Buntings; any Blackbirds, including Common Grackle; Pine Grosbeaks, Purple or a House Finch; any Crossbills; either Common or Hoary Redpolls; Pine Siskins or American Goldfinch.
Also note that the Sax-Zim Bog Christmas Bird Count will be held on Monday, December 23rd. For more information on this you could call Mark Stensaas.
The next update of this tape will be on Sunday, December 22nd with the results of the December 21st Christmas Bird Count. ..... Beep.....