Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *April 16 1998 *MNDU9804.16 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: April 16, 1998
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525 5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Barb Adams badams@.css.edu
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, April 16, 1998, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. As expected, this week's list of new spring migrants plus other birds of interest reported in Duluth and northeastern Minnesota is longer than it was last week. Among the more interesting sightings since last week's tape were a ROSS'S GOOSE seen by Bill Stauffer and Warren Nelson last weekend in Aitkin County west of Duluth. The location was along County Road 1 about 10 miles north of the town of Aitkin.
OLDSQUAWS last weekend at various locations seen near Grand Marais up the North Shore in Cook County.
Two SPRUCE GROUSE and a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, seen by Jim Lind of Two Harbors along the Spruce Road in Lake County on April 11. The Grouse locations were not given, but the Black-backed was about 0.7 mile up the Spruce Road from Minnesota Highway 1.
Jim Lind also saw a quite unexpected and very early FRANKLIN'S GULL in the main harbor in Two Harbors on April 13.
On the Minnesota side of the Superior entry breakwater at the southern tip of Park Point yesterday, were a first-winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, a first-winter ICELAND GULL, along with a late GLAUCOUS GULL and some THAYER'S GULLS. All identified by Karl Bardon of the Twin Cities. Some of these same species were also at the nearby Superior, Wisconsin landfill.
Very early on April 13, were there the three small and pale sandpipers on the beach at Park Point, which Scott Wolf was unable to identify. The most likely possibility would be BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, which migrate earlier than most other shore birds.
Dan Versaw of Two Harbors found a GREAT GRAY OWL on a nest on April 11 in the general vicinity of Greenwood Lake in Lake County. But to avoid disturbance, the exact location of this nest cannot be given at this time.
Another GREAT GRAY was also seen April 12 in Aitkin County near the intersection of Pietz's Road and County 18. This is four miles east of US highway 169.
A few NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and LONG-EARED OWLS have been heard recently at various locations in Lake and Cook County, but calling BOREAL OWLS continue to be very hard to come by this spring. As of April 10, resesarcher Bill Lane reports hearing only nine calling male Boreal Owls on territory during 300-plus miles of survey.
And an out-of-range FIELD SPARROW was carefully identified and photographed by various Twin Cities observers April 10. It was found at Taconite Harbor in Cook County.
Frank Nicoletti's spring count of raptors and other migrants on West Skyline Parkway near Enger Tower has also resulted in some significant sightings lately. On April 10 his count was 872 raptors including no fewer than 753 RED-TAILED HAWKS. On April 11 his count included two GOLDEN EAGLES, plus the first DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT of the spring in Duluth. The raptor count on April 13 was 450, including no fewer than 158 TURKEY VULTURES, 110 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 12 OSPREYS -- the first report for the season, one BROAD-WINGED HAWK -- also the first arrival in Duluth, and a Harlin's-type RED-TAILED HAWK. Also on the 13th, a minimum of 68 COMMON LOONS, four AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, and five SANDHILL CRANES flew by. On the 14th, the count included another HARLAN'S HAWK, and yesterday, the 15th, Frank was still seeing some late BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.
Finally, among the other newly-arrived spring migrants reported in Duluth since last week's tape were: HORNED GREBE, early BONAPARTE'S GULL on April 13th, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, WINTER WREN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, CEDAR WAXWINGS - - also early on April 13th, CHIPPING SPARROWS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, EASTERN MEADOWLARK and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.
Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime that needs to be reported on immediately, the next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday, April 23rd. And, as always if you have birds to report you may leave a message after the tone.
