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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *January 30, 1997 *MNST9701.30 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: January 30, 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 30th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. To skip this recording and leave a message you can press 5 on your touch tone phone.
Again this week winter owls were the predominate species reported by Minnesota birders. Boreal, Northern Saw-whet, Great Gray, Northern Hawk and Snowy Owls are all being reported from a great many locations.
A BOREAL OWL is still being seen at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Anoka County as it has been since January 16th. The owl can quite often be seen from inside the visitor's center near the feeders.
A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was in Linda Getz's yard in Bloomington for one day early in the week.
In Kanabec County, Michael Tarachow found a GREAT GRAY OWL along highway 27 near county road 80 on Jan 29th. A GREAT GRAY OWL was found by Ron Selbitschka on Jan 26th at the southern end of Nerstrand Woods on Rice County road 40. Leslie Peterson found a GREAT GRAY OWL on Jan 24th near her home by Lake Martha in Shoreview, Ramsey County. In Washington County Melanie Henrickson reported a pair of GREAT GRAYS on Jan 26th along 42nd street south in the town of Afton between Trading Post Trail and Paradox Way. Ken LaFond refound a GREAT GRAY OWL on the east side of the Anoka County part of Carlos Avery Refuge. Tom Bell found saw a GREAT GRAY OWL on Jan 30th at Lake Elmo Regional Park in Washington County. The bird was seen along the trails to the east of the park building. Warren Nelson called to report that five GREAT GRAY OWLS can be found in Aitkin County. Two birds were along county road 18 one mile east of its junction with county road 5 and a third was two miles south of here on county road 5; two additional GREAT GRAYS were seen three and a half miles north of state highway 210 on county road 78. And five additional GREAT GRAY OWLS were found by Steve Millard over this past weekend. Birds were located in southwest Koochiching County, northwest Itasca County, and along state highway 72 between the towns of Baudette in Lake of the Woods County and Kellliher in Beltrami County.
Steve also found seven NORTHERN HAWK OWLS along this same stretch of highway. HAWK OWLS have been relatively easy to find in Aitkin County. Warren Nelson reported seven from the following locations: four can be found along county road 1. These owls are from six to ten miles north of the town of Aitkin; one HAWK OWL was about a half mile east of Aitkin County roads 5 and 18 and another was half a mile south of here; and a HAWK OWL was seen 1 and a half miles north of state highway 210 on county road 78.
Paul Budde reported a SNOWY OWL on the afternoon of the 26th along Fischer Road in Dakota County, about a quarter of a mile south of 180th street. What is probably the same bird was also reported from 180th St. and Emery Road. Four SNOWY OWLS can be found along Aitkin Road 1, from between three and nine and a half miles north of the town of Aitkin. Thanks to Warren Nelson for these reports.
What was either a very pale Arctic form or perhaps a partial albino GREAT HORNED OWL was seen by John Lisman near Zion Township in Stearns County on the 14th. And to round out the owls, an EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was seen by Ron Selbitschka on East River Road in St. Paul, one block north of Summit Ave.
An OLDSQUAW was at Colville Park in Red Wing, Goodhue County on the 25th.
NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were reported by Bill Stjern from Woodbury in Washington County on the 25th, and by Ken LaFond from Columbus in Anoka County on the 28th. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were at Carlos Avery Refuge in Anoka County on the 28th, and one was seen in Rice County along county road 26 near 210th street on the 26th.
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE have been very reliable recently in Aitkin County. Several birds have been seen along a private drive which branches off of county road 5 three and a half miles north of state highway 210.
On Jan 26th, Kathy Heidel found a MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD near Jordan, Scott County. Take U.S. 169 to County road 9. Turn right on County road 9 and go to Valley View Drive. Take another right and drive east to the area near fire number 942. The bluebird was in with a flock of over 200 Cedar Waxwings. A BOHEMIAN WAXWING was also seen in the flock.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday February 6th.