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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 1, 1996 *MNST9602.01 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: February 1, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@mill2.MillComm.COM)
This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday February 1st sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. At any time you can bypass this recording to leave a message by pressing 5 on your touch tone phone.
Though it has been cold, and calls to this hotline have been few, there are still some birds of interest to report.
A GYRFALCON is being reported infrequently from Duluth. The bird has been seen in downtown Duluth as well as in the harbor near or atop the grain elevators. For more information on this and other birds in the Duluth area, you can call the Duluth Birding Report at 218-525-5952.
SPRUCE GROUSE were along Lake County Road 2 on the 26th, and on Highway 1 at mile marker 305 on the 27th.
Al Batt reports that a SNOWY OWL can be seen just east of the town of Albert Lea in Freeborn County. Look along the road that leads to Myre Big Island State Park, just south of highway 91.
A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen on January 31st in the town of Coon Rapids. The best place to look for this bird may be in the fields or near the railroad tracks on the east side of the Highway 610 bridge. Another GREAT GRAY OWL has been seen for the last two days near Stillwater in Washington County by Kevin Manley. Look especially along the railroad tracks between Big and Little Carnelian Lakes. In Duluth, GREAT GRAYS have been seen along Alseth Road just NE of Duluth, and one was along highway 1 in Lake County near mile post 299.
A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen by Mark Ochs on January 27th along the Spruce Road in Lake County, about 60 miles north of Two Harbors. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was also seen near here.
SNOW BUNTINGS were along Chisago county road 12 near Wild River State Park on the 26th, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was reported from Minneapolis, and a SAVANNAH SPARROW continues to visit Oscar Johnson's feeder in Brooklyn Park.
RED CROSSBILLS were seen three miles north of highway 1 along the Mittewan Road in Lake County, and also at Carlos Avery Refuge in Anoka County just north of the cemetery, and Craig Menze has a HOARY REDPOLL in among the COMMON REDPOLLS at his feeder in the town of Mora.
Finally, I have a very belated report of two WILLOW PTARMIGAN, which were seen in mid-November by deer hunters in St. Louis County. The birds were seen near Fraizer Bay on Lake Vermillion. The description was very good, and this would be the first Ptarmigan record in Minnesota since 1964.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday February 8th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a brief but specific message.