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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *January 20, 1997 *MNST9701.20 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 20, 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 Monday January 20th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. To skip this recording and leave a message you can press 5 on your touch tone phone.
Winter owls are causing quite a stir among birders this week with recent reports of Boreal, Great Gray, Northern Hawk, Snowy, Eastern Screech- and Northern Saw-whet Owls, with most of these birds being reported from Anoka County.
A BOREAL OWL has been seen at the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Anoka County since January 16th. The owl can been seen from inside the visitor's center near the feeders or from the path that leads behind the center. Though the bird appears very tame, please use common sense and keep a respectable distance. This is a wild bird that is obviously somewhat stressed from the harsh winter conditions.
A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL has been seen at the Nature Center as well. Though this bird has been seen with some infrequency, look again near the feeders.
A GREAT GRAY OWL was at Carlos Avery Refuge N.W.R. in Anoka County on the 19th. It was on the west side of Old Game Farm Road about 1.2 miles north of County Road 18th. A second Great Gray Owl was reported from Hopkins on the 15th, but no details were given.
And that NORTHERN HAWK OWL is still being seen along 99th Ave. near Cloverleaf Parkway in Blaine, Anoka County. It was last reported on Sunday the 19th. Jim King discovered another Northern Hawk Owl, this one in Washington County near his home in Cottage Grove. On January 18th the bird was near the intersection of 84th Street and Grospoint Avenue.
A SNOWY OWL was found near the town of Coates in Dakota County on the 18th. The location was about a mile and a half east of U.S. Highway 52 along county road 48. On the 17th, Betsy Beneke reported a SNOWY OWL from Hamden Slough NWR in Becker County. This is near the junction of Becker county roads 13 and 14.
And two pairs of EASTERN SCREECH-OWLS were reported from Wabasha County. Jon Peterson reported them on the 18th. For information to these birds you can call Jon at 612-565-2257.
Otherwise, I have reports that the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen again at the Blue Lake settling ponds in Scott County. The bird first appeared on November 13th and has been seen consistently since then.
A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was at the Old Cedar Ave. Bridge on the 19th; the winter's seventh TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen on the 16th by Clem Naegle at the junction of University Ave and 69th Ave in Fridely, Anoka County; the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE recently reported from Winona County was seen again on the 19th just south of the DNR building in the Whitewater W.M.A. along state highway 74; a WHITE- THROATED SPARROW was at Pat Telfer's feeder in Edina on the 17th; and Tom Lewanski had a HARRIS' SPARROW show up at his feeder in Hastings, Dakota County in the 18th.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday January 23rd.