Minnesota Statewide RBA
Minnesota Statewide RBA
Minnesota Statewide RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *January 6, 2005 *MNST0501.06 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 6, 2005
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, January 6th.
The irruption of northern owls continues in northeastern Minnesota, with GREAT GRAY OWLS and NORTHERN HAWK OWLS being easy to find in the vicinity of Duluth and along the north shore of Lake Superior. Check especially in the Sax-Zim Bog area along St. Louis County Roads 52 and 7. A Great Gray Owl has been seen north of Chaska, Carver County since December 28th. The owl is at the marsh found at the junction of Bavaria Road and Engler Boulevard, just west of state highway 41. And on January 2nd, a Great Gray Owl was in the Minnesota Valley Refuge north of Blue Lake, Scott County. From the Minnesota Valley Refuge parking lot on state highway 101 east of the Blue Lake sewage treatment plant, walk the trail north to the Minnesota Rive, then follow it upstream for about 800 feet to a small clearing. The owl was in a snag here, ten feet from the path.
And with the colder temperatures and deeper snows, BOREAL OWLS are beginning to show up in the area as well. On the 6th, a roosting Boreal Owl was in Ben Yokel's yard in rural Melrude, St. Louis County. Another Boreal Owl was along Stoney Point Road in eastern St. Louis County on the same day, a tenth of a mile northeast of the intersection with Alseth Road. On January 5th, Mike Hendrickson found a Boreal Owl in west Duluth, St. Louis County. At the junction of Grand and Clyde Avenues, go left on Clyde Avenue and drive to 88th Avenue. Go left for a block and a half to the ravine on the left side of the road. The owl was roosting in a alder bush about five feet off the ground.
On the 4th, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was on the ice of the Minnesota River immediately adjacent to the Black Dog power plant in Dakota County.
Two SPRUCE GROUSE were seen three miles south of Greenwood Lake along Lake County Road 2 on December 31st.
On January 5th, a VARIED THRUSH was seen at Howell and Prior Avenues in St. Paul, Ramsey County. And the Varied Thrush reported in Falcon Heights, Ramsey County was still present on the 6th, as was the Varied Thrush reported in Bloomington at the corner of West 110 Street and Sheridan. On the afternoon of January 5th, a male Varied Thrush was in Mark Junghans yard along Marmoset Street in Ramsey, Anoka County. On the 3rd, there was a Varied Thrush at a home along Devils Track Lake about twelve miles northwest of Grand Marais in Cook County, though I have no specific location.
A CAROLINA WREN was just up the hill from the Old Cedar Avenue bridge parking area in Bloomington on the 1st. The bird was in the grape vines directly across the driveway to the garden center.
Finally, a HOARY REDPOLL was at the Watson home in Grand Marais, Cook County, on December 30th. And two Hoary Redpolls were at the feeding station in Isabella, Lake County, on the 31st.
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 report is Thursday January 13th.
--
Anthony X. Hertzel -- axhertzel@sihope.com
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