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Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore | Detroit Lakes

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*March 25, 2004
*MNST0403.25

-Birds mentioned

• Pied-billed Grebe
• Tundra Swan
• Ross's Goose
• Brant
• Cinnamon Teal
• Osprey
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• American Golden-Plover
• Dunlin
• American Woodcock
• Ring-billed Gull
• Snowy Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Eastern Phoebe
• Tree Swallow
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Eastern Bluebird
• Hermit Thrush
• Song Sparrow

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: March 25, 2004
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://biosci.umn.edu/~mou/
Reports: (763) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (ahertzel@sihope.com)

This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday March 25th.

Phil Chu discovered a BRANT at the Paynesville sewage ponds on the 21st but the bird has not been seen since the 23rd. The ponds are along Stearns County Road 33 just north of Paynesville. The Brant was associating with a large group of Canada Geese, which were flying back and forth between the dike at the south end of the ponds and the North Fork Crow River.

On March 25th, Paul Pedersen found a CINNAMON TEAL at the East Landfill Reservoir west of Rochester in Olmsted County. From the junction of U.S. Highway 14 and Olmsted County Road 104, go north one mile to 19th Street NW, then west one mile to 70th Avenue. Take 70th Avenue for half a mile to the reservoir on your right.

In Duluth, Frank Nicoletti and Dave Carman counted 822 BALD EAGLES at the West Skyline Drive Hawkwatch on March 23rd. This represents the largest North American daily migration count ever.

A DUNLIN was found at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County. Jim Mattsson found it at the west end of the lake on March 20th. This is more than a month earlier than the typical arrival date for this species, and a full 20 days earlier than the earliest date on record.

Denny Martin found a very early AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and an unidentified Yellowlegs in Wright County on the 24th, one mile west of Montrose on U.S. Highway 12. Several people called to report hearing AMERICAN WOODCOCK calling after dark.

There are still at least two GREAT GRAY OWLS to be seen on Aitkin County Road 18. One is about half a mile west of Pietz's Road, and the other about another half a mile west. A SNOWY OWL was also seen in the county, along Aitkin County Road 1, a mile north of the Mississippi River diversion channel.

A ROSS'S GOOSE was in a field at the junction of Dakota County Road 47 and Goodwin Avenue on the 20th. Another was at Lura Lake in Blue Earth County on the 23rd.

Thanks to Kelly Larson we have the first EASTERN PHOEBE report of the year. She found it on the 24th near the town of Red Wing. I also have recent reports of migrant and returning PIED-BILLED GREBE, TUNDRA SWAN, OSPREY, NORTHERN HARRIER, RING-BILLED GULL, TREE SWALLOW, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, HERMIT THRUSH, and SONG SPARROW.

Thanks also to Tom Bloom, Julie Brophey, Connie Brunell, Bob Dunlap, Barb Kull, Rebecca Martinson, Warren Nelson, and Christine Olson.

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, April 1st.

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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