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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *January 16, 1997 *MNST9701.16 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 16, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@mill2.MillComm.COM)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday January 16th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. As always, you can skip this recording and leave a message by pressing 5 on your touch tone phone.
A GREAT GRAY OWL was found by Stuart McKernan at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis on Jan 13th. Look along the western side of the birch pond near the Eloise Butler Wildflower Gardens. GREAT GRAY OWLS can also be found north of the town of Tamarack in Aitkin County, and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was seen along Aitkin County Road 64 about six miles north of Tamarack. Another SAW-WHET OWL was seen by John Kroll in his yard near Long Prairie in Todd County. The owl first appeared on Jan 2 and was seen as recently as the 14th.
Betsy Beneke reported that on Jan 10th a SNOWY OWL was seen in Mahnomen County along highway 59 just south of the town of Mahnomen. A SNOWY OWL was seen by Randy Markl on the 8th, three miles north of the town of Windom in Cottonwood County. On the 15th Jerry McHugh found a SNOWY OWL in the city of Virginia, St. Louis County, near Silver Creek along Hoover Road. And I have a belated report of a SNOWY OWL at Carlos Avery WMA in Anoka County on Jan 3rd near pool number 9. SNOWY OWLS are also being reported from Aitkin and St. Louis counties at numerous locations.
A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen in Dakota County on the 12th. The bird was seen by Jeff Stephenson and Chuck Krulas at the intersection of U.S. highway 52 and state highway 55, but to my knowledge it has not been seen since. The Anoka County NORTHERN HAWK OWL, which has been seen along 99th Ave and Cloverleaf Parkway for the past month, was seen as recently as Jan 16th. And HAWK OWLS are still being seen in at least two locations in the Sax-Zim bog area of St. Louis County.
A TUFTED TITMOUSE has been visiting a feeder in Freeborn, Freeborn County for much of the winter.
At least one TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was still along Wabasha County Road 26, three-tenths of a mile west of state highway 74 on Jan 12th. Another SOLITAIRE can also be seen along the 2900 block of Grayslon Road in Duluth.
On Jan 9th a VARIED THRUSH was seen at Charlie Johnson's feeder in the town of Milaca in Mille Lacs County. That VARIED THRUSH reported recently from Betty Amerman's feeder in Mora, Kanabec County was still present as of the 8th; the BROWN THRASHER reported from Craig Menze's feeder in Mora since December was seen as recently as the 9th. Another BROWN THRASHER is visiting a feeder near Manchester in Freeborn County.
And at the Tamarac NWR in Becker County both WHITE-WINGED and RED CROSSBILLS can be found in good numbers.
Other birds reported include that BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, which was seen again on Jan 10th as it has been all winter at the Blue Lake settling ponds in Scott County; a GREAT BLUE HERON at 66th Street and France in Edina on the 13th; BALD EAGLES apparently moving northward along the Mississippi River and over various Twin City suburbs; a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK in Apple Valley on the 16th; a MERLIN at the junction of 1st Ave and 19th Street in Minneapolis on the 8th; a COMMON SNIPE along the open stream near the Bass Ponds in Hennepin County on the 15th; NORTHERN FLICKERS in Fillmore and Hennepin counties; and that SPOTTED TOWHEE is still being seen at the Assisi Heights Convent along 14th street in Rochester, Olmsted County.
I would like to thank Ruth Andberg, Al Batt, Tom Bloom, Cindy Butler, David Cahlander, Craig Menze, Nancy Overcott, Paul Voigt and Warren Wagner for their reports.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday January 23rd.