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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 6, 1997 *MNST9701.06 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: February 6, 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 February 6th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. To skip this recording and leave a message you can press 5 on your touch tone phone.
Again, as with most of the recent updates of this tape, winter owls are the most frequently reported bird. Great Gray, Boreal, Snowy and Northern Hawk Owls are being found in surprising numbers in the southern half of the state.
On Jan 30th and again on Feb 4th, Jay Hamernick found GREAT GRAY OWL at the northern end of North Oaks in Ramsey County along Sherwood Road near box number 145. John Ekfeldt found a GREAT GRAY at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Hennepin County on the 2nd. To get to this location drive west from the town of Osseo on county road 81 and turn on to territorial road. Go 2/10s of a mile past the entrance to the park to a hiking trail. The bird was seen about 3/10ths of a mile down this hiking trail. Please do not walk on the nearby ski trails. Two GREAT GRAYS were seen at Lake Elmo Park Regional Park in Washington County on the 2nd. The birds were seen along the trails to the east of the park building. Also on the 2nd another GREAT GRAY was spotted by Harlen Hustager in Goodhue County near the town of Belle Creek along county road 8 at its junction with 362nd street. At least one of the two GREAT GRAYS reported last week is still being seen in the town of Afton in Washington County. Look along 42nd street south between Trading Post Trail and Paradox Way. And still another GREAT GRAY was seen on Washington County Road 95 near the town of Marine on St. Croix on Feb 4th. Doug Johnson called from Bemidji to report a GREAT GRAY OWL seen along a county road just southeast of the town of Tenstrike in Beltrami County. Drive east of Tenstrike about 1/4 mile and turn south for about about a mile to a large spruce bog. The owl was seen here on Feb 2nd. And finally on Feb 6th Joe Green reported a GREAT GRAY from interstate 35W near 175th street south in Dakota County.
A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was found in Kandiyohi County by Randy Frederickson. He reports that on Feb 1st, the owl was near the town of New London two miles north of state highway 9 on county road 5. Karl Bardon refound a NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Washington County which was reported on here several weeks ago. He found it Feb 6th at the junction of U.S. highway 61 and 80th street in Cottage Grove.
Steve Millard reported that on Feb 2nd he found as many as twelve SNOWY OWLS in numerous locations in the counties of Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin and Clay.
The 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=D5s center near the feeders.
I have a second hand but apparently reliable report of a GYRFALCON from Freeborn County. The bird was seen just south of county road 15 on highway 34. The status of this bird remains uncertain.
The male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD found by Kathy Heidel near the town of Jordan in Scott County was seen again on Friday Jan 31st. The bird was in the vicinity of Mendoza Ave and Circle Dr. This area is reached by driving north on county road 9 from U.S. 169 in the town of Jordan. Turn right onto Valley View Drive and go about a mile to Circle Drive. Turn left here and drive to Mendoza Ave. The Bluebird has been seen in this general area but some exploration may be necessary as it does tend to move around quite a bit. On Monday the 3rd Tony Hertzel located a female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD here.
Other birds of note include the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE which is still at Blue Lake settling ponds in Scott County, where it has been for more than two months. A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK has been seen in and around the northern part of Willmar, Kandiyohi County, and Cathy Clayton had a RED- SHOULDERED HAWK in her yard in Lake Elmo, Washington County on the 4th. In Fillmore County Nancy Overcott found a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Feb 1st along Fillmore Co. 12 near Amherst Township. Four COMMON SNIPE were seen on Jan 28th at the Bass Ponds in southern Hennepin County and another was at Nicols Fen in Dakota County on the 5th. Craig Menze reports the at least two VARIED THRUSHES can be found in Mora, Kanabec County. And NORTHERN SHRIKES seem to be increasing in numbers. I have several reports from Wabasha, as well as Anoka, Dakota and Hennepin counties.
Very unusual is the PARASITIC JAEGER reported from Park Point in Duluth. There are no winter records of this species anywhere near Minnesota and certainly this would be an unprecedented observation.
Thanks to Steve Westen, Mary Brown, Jim Rataczek, Ken LaFond, Manley Olson and Craig Mandel for their updates.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday February 13th.