Previous reports: February 12 19 26 , March 4 12 18 25 , April 1 8 14 .
Other Hotlines: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore | Detroit Lakes

-RBA
*Minnesota
*Minnesota Statewide
*April 17, 2004
*MNST0404.17

-Birds mentioned

• BROWN PELICAN
• White-faced Ibis
• WHOOPING CRANE
• BLACK-NECKED STILT

Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: April 17, 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 Saturday April 17th.

There has been a flurry of unusual sightings in the past four days, but unfortunately none of the birds reported have been relocated as of this evening.

On the 14th, a BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen briefly by Anthony Hertzel in northwestern Ramsey County along the north shore of Spring Lake. After being flushed by traffic noise, the bird circled the area and departed to the west.

On the 16th, Connie Brunell found a WHITE-FACED IBIS at Lake Byllesby in Dakota County. She observed the bird from the cemetery on the northwestern side as it dozed on the shore across the water in neighboring Goodhue County. To get to the lake, take Dakota County Road 56 south about five and a half miles from U.S. Highway 52 to 292nd Street, turn east and look for the small cemetery.

Late on the 16th, a potential first state record BROWN PELICAN was found by Jeff Daines on Lake Bella in Nobles County. For about a half hour. it was present along 330th Street one mile north of the Iowa border. 330th Street runs east through the central portion of the lake about two miles east of U.S. Highway 59.

And today, Rich Schoen reported a pair of WHOOPING CRANES in Meeker County about eight miles north of Litchfield. The birds were along state highway 22 at its junction with 360th street, and both were seen to depart later in the evening. At this point it is not known if these birds were from the release flock in Wisconsin or if they were wild birds migrating north from Texas.

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 22nd.

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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