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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 21, 1996 *MNST9603.21 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: March 21, 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 March 21st sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. At any time you can bypass this report to leave a message of your own by pressing 5 on any touch tone phone.
Migrants continue to push into the state, though at a generally slower pace than last week. Commonly reported species include GREAT BLUE HERON, KILLDEER, BALD EAGLE, NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, MOURNING DOVE, BELTED KINGFISHER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and COMMON GRACKLE. Lingering winter species include RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, NORTHERN SHRIKE, COMMON REDPOLL and PINE SISKIN.
A pair of unbanded TRUMPETER SWANS was seen at the Rice Creek Regional Park in Anoka County.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were in Carver County, in a flooded field southwest of New Germany on the 17th. A ROSS' GOOSE was in with several SNOW GEESE at Lake Hanska in southeastern Brown County on the 20th. To get to this location, take county road 11 south to Lake Hanska County Park.
The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still at the Blue Lake sewage Ponds east of Shakopee as recently as the 20th. Other waterfowl seen around the state include NORTHERN PINTAIL, CANVASBACK, GREATER AND LESSER SCAUP, RING- NECKED DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and HOODED MERGANSER.
SANDHILL CRANES were at the Coon Rapids Regional Dam in Brooklyn Park on the 16th, and in Osseo at the junction of highway 10 and Main Street on the 18th.
Dave Sovereign found a GREAT GRAY OWL at the northeast end of George Watch Lake near Centerville in Anoka County, 3.5 miles NE of the junction of I-35 and state highway 49 on Mar 15th. I have another report of a GREAT GRAY OWL seen in Hyland Park in Bloomington, but the caller did not leave a specific location or directions.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was reported from Veteran's Memorial Park in Richfield on the 16th.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were in Brown County on the 20th. The birds were at the junction of County road 29 and U.S. highway 14. A HOARY REDPOLL was reported by Helen Boeing in Plymouth near I-394 and I-494 on Mar 16, and another was reported by Doug Johnson in his yard in Bemidji on Mar 17th.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday March 28th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, location, phone number and a brief but specific message.