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-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*July 17, 2003
*MNST0307.17

-Birds mentioned

• Little Blue Heron
• Yellow Rail
• Semipalmated Plover
• American Avocet
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Solitary Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Short-billed Dowitcher
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Black-throated Blue Warbler
• Eastern Towhee
• Henslow's Sparrow
• Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: July 17, 2003
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://biosci.umn.edu/~mou/
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (ahertzel@uswest.net)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday July 17th.

On July 12th, Oscar Johnson found a LITTLE BLUE HERON at French Lake near Dayton in northwestern Hennepin County. The bird was seen along the west edge of the lake from East French Lake Road and it is quite possible that it is still in the area.

The July 12th shorebird survey at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County recorded 1707 birds of about 17 species at various ponds and feeding areas within the refuge. Birds recorded included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, AMERICAN AVOCET, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and several probable and very early LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Also on the 12th, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER were in Meeker County feeding in the flooded fields one mile west of Cedar Mills at the junction of state highway 7 and 610th Avenue.

As many as twelve BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were heard singing on or west of Moose Mountain near Lutsen in Cook County on July 12th. This species typically can be found in this area into mid-August.

Both YELLOW RAILS and NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS were found singing at two locations on July 13th. The first location was the Neal WMA in southeastern Norman County east of highway 32 on county road 39. This is the same area where more than 50 Yellow Rails were heard last May 23rd. Birds were also calling at the Waubun WMA in southwestern Mahnomen County. Go one mile west of highway 59 on county road 113, then two miles south, then west on the dead end road.

On July 13th a potential first county record HENSLOW'S SPARROW was found in Todd County in a field east of Cedar Lake. Cedar Lake is south of Long Prairie on highway 71. To get to the field take the road on the north side of Cedar Lake going east from highway 71 for a few miles to 231st Avenue. The bird was at this intersection in the northwestern field.

And finally, a very out of range bird was the July 13th EASTERN TOWHEE heard singing at the Bonanza Unit of Big Stone State Park in Big Stone County.

This state-wide birding report is brought to you and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU). The MOU is Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club.

The report is composed from observations generously submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message.

MOU members receive this report directly on MOU-net, the club's free e-mail listservice, which is available to anyone interested. For information contact David Cahlander at .

MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon" and the bimonthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding". For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.

In cooperation with the Minnesota Office of Tourism, highlights of this hotline can be now heard at a toll free number which is available to callers outside the Twin Cities area. The number is 1-800-657-3700.

The MOU is pleased to offer this service. Thank you, and good birding.

The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, July 24th.

-- Anthony Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com _______________________________________________ mou-net mailing list mou-net@cbs.umn.edu http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net

Send your rare and unusual Minnesota sightings to our electronic hotline: MOU-net@biosci.umn.edu. To learn more, send a message (the message being these two words: info mou-net) to majordomo@biosci.umn.edu.

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