-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*December 11 1997
*MNDU9712.11

-Birds mentioned

• Harlequin Duck
• Spruce Grouse
• Thayer's Gull
• Iceland Gull
• Glaucous-winged Gull
• Great Gray Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Rufous-sided Towhee
• Harris' Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: December 11, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Bryan Newman
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, December 11th, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Unions

With relatively little snow cover and generally warmer than normal temperatures across Northern Minnesota, it is not surprising that most observers have been noting fewer than normal numbers of birds at feeders. Many birds are scattered or still in the woods due to the mild conditions.

Still several species of note have still been seen including HARLEQUIN DUCKS at two locations on the North Shore, another SPRUCE GROUSE in Lake County, gulls of interest in Grand Marais, GREAT GRAY OWLS in two locations, a late SHORT-EARED OWL near Stony Point, a RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE at a Duluth feeder and a late HARRIS' SPARROW at another Duluth feeder.

Two HARLEQUIN DUCKS long the North Shore of Lake Superior. One of these was at Tofte in Cook County and the other was at Split Rock State Park in Lake County. On the same day two SPRUCE GROUSE were also seen on Lake County 2, north of Two Harbors.

Several Species of gulls are still being seen in Grand Marais including one or two ICELAND GULLS, Several THAYER'S GULLS, and a gull identified as a first winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. Unfortunately, there appears to be no fish processing in the harbor at this time, and if this continues, the gulls should depart soon.

Two GREAT GRAY OWLS have been seen, the first was seen in the Sax-Zim Bog on December 7th. The first owl was located at the intersection of St Louis County Road 7 and 319 on half mile south of the town of Zim. The second owl was seen on Lake County Road 2 one mile south of highway 1.

A late SHORT-EARED OWL near the intersection of the homestead road and scenic hwy 61 on December 7th.

A RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE was seen at a feeder in Duluth and a late HARRIS' SPARROW is being seen at the Wild Bird Store feeders at Miller Hill Mall.

A reminder that the Duluth Christmas bird count will take place on Saturday Dec 20th. And birders are currently being contacted to participate. If you would like to take part either as a feeder watcher or as an observer out in the field that day give me a call.

It is also not too early to start watching for some of those birds which are often difficult to find on count day. Besides obvious rarities these include any water birds except for 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, Varied Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Cardinal, any sparrows except for House Sparrow, Snow Buntings, any blackbirds which would include Common Grackle, Purple Finch, either Red or White-winged Crossbills, Hoary Redpolls, and American Goldfinch.

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