Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *January 22 1998 *MNDU9801.22 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: January 22, 1998
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525 5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Blaine Seeliger (bcsbijou@aol.com)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth birding report for Thurs, Jan, 22 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' union.
A large UNIDENTIFIED FALCON which was reported in the Duluth harbor, a SPRUCE GROUSE from Lake Co. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL and ICELAND GULLS still at the Superior landfill. Two SNOWY OWLS in the Duluth harbor area. Two GREAT GRAY OWLS in the Sax-Zim bog, one of which appears to be staying in the same place for more than a day. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL in Duluth, both THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS in Lake Co. plus another BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in the Sax-Zim bog. A BOREAL CHICKADEE is still being seen just outside of Duluth, BOHEMIAN WAXWING flocks at four locations, HARRIS' SPARROWS, and a flock of SNOW BUNTINGS at the Sax-Zim bog. RED CROSSBILLS at three locations, and a well marked HOARY REDPOLL still at a feeder near Duluth.
There have now been two or three credible sightings of a LARGE FALCON being reported by the grain elevators at the Duluth harbor. It is possible this may be a PEREGRINE FALCON which has over wintered here in past years. But it is hope this bird can be relocated and identified, and might turn out to be a GYRFALCON. Be aware there are a couple of RED-TAILED HAWKS wintering in the harbor. No recent luck finding SPRUCE GROUSE along Lake Co. Rd 2, but a lone individual was seen last weekend along the Spruce Road, which turns north off of MN highway 1, 14 miles northwest of the Co. Rd 2 intersection. It was not reported how far up the Spruce Road the bird was seen.
Several hundred GULLS were reported from the Superior Wisconsin landfill at the south end of Wisconsin point. This week a first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL and a second winter ICELAND GULL where seen again along with a few THAYER'S GULL, and several GLAUCOUS GULL, however the BLACK-BACKED and ICELAND are only being seen intermittently.
There are now two SNOWY OWLS in the Duluth harbor, one of the is a banded 4 year old female and is wing tagged # 27 and is usually seen around the grain elevators on the Duluth side or on the bay ice between the port terminal and park point. The other SNOWY OWL is a unbanded female which is usually seen in the vicinity of the Duluth convention center.
For the first time this winter, it looks like there may be a reliable GREAT GRAY OWL remaining in one location. It was seen Jan 18th in the Sax-Zim bog area, northwest of Duluth, on St. Louis Co. Rd 319 or the Stone Lake Rd, which turns east off of Co. Rd 7. 1.5 miles south of Zim. This bird was seen again today. Look for it especially between 1/2 and 1 mile east of 7. Another GREAT GRAY was also seen near here on the 18th on Co. Rd 7, 2.2 miles north of Sax. It has not been relocated.
Don Kienholz reports that a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL unexpectedly appeared in his yard And one was still there on the 18th. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was also reported from the same location. And another BLACK-BACKED was also found on the 18th about a 1/4 mile beyond the plowed end of the Spruce Road which is 4 miles from highway 1. And another BLACK-BACKED was also seen on the 19th in the Sax-Zim bog on St. Louis Co. Rd 211, 1.4 miles north of Co. Rd 133. 211 turns north off of 133, 3 miles east of Meadowlands.
A BOREAL CHICKADEE was relocated last weekend, just northeast of Duluth at the end of the (Mace Rd ?) which turns west off the Ryan Rd about 1/2 mile north of MN highway 61. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS may be getting more common in St. Louis Co. The most recent sighting was today in Hibbing just north of the community college. Other sightings since last weekend include flocks in Aurora especially on the west side of town near the high school, and at 2 locations just north of Duluth, on the Rice Lake Rd 1/2 mile south of Beyer Rd. And along west Fischer Rd between the Arnold and Jean Duluth Rd. Besides the HARRIS' SPARROW which are still at the feeders of the Wild Birds Unlimited Store in Duluth and at Lief Brush's yard on the 2900 block of Jefferson St. another HARRIS' SPARROW was reported today by Lisa Messer from her yard on the 2800 block of west 8th St. It was first seen on Jan 17th. A flock of SNOW BUNTINGS was seen in the Sax-Zim bog last weekend along St. Louis Co. Rd 5, 2 and 1/2 miles west and 5 miles north of Meadowlands.
RED CROSSBILLS were reported recently in the towns of Babbitt and Aurora in St. Louis Co. And along Highway 1 north west of Lake Co.. Rd 2 however WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS seem to be getting scarcer lately with only isolated reports of small groups on Aitkin Co. Rd 18, on Owl Avenue in the Sax-Zim bog, and near Duluth on the Mace Rd.
And finally a classic and easily identified HOARY REDPOLL is still at a feeder on Park Drive on the east side of Eagle Lake just north of Duluth. To reach this location go north on Jean Duluth Rd., or 8 miles from the Glenwood St. intersection and turn west on Emerson Rd to Eagle Lake.
The next scheduled update of this tape will be on Jan 29th. If you have birds to report leave a message after the tone.
