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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 27, 1997 *MNST9702.27 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: February 27, 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 27th sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. As always, to skip this recording and leave a message you can press 5 on your touch tone phone.
Recent waterfowl reports include REDHEAD and LESSER SCAUP, seen Feb. 11 in Golden Valley in Hennepin County.
Nancy Overcott reported a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK on Feb. 20th near her home in Fillmore County, and she heard the first KILLDEER of the spring season on the 26th.
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were found by Craig Menze along Kanabec County road 20, 1/2 mile north of St. Johns church in the town of Kroschel.
BOREAL OWLS have suddenly turned up in several locations. The Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley is still hosting a BOREAL OWL near the visitor's center. Brett Lehman reports that on Feb. 23rd a BOREAL OWL roosted in his yard in Maple Grove, Hennepin County. Also on Feb. 23rd a BOREAL OWL was seen roosting in a Cottage Grove yard in Washington County. And in Shoreview, Ramsey County, Lori Hanley found a BOREAL OWL just south of Interstate 694 and east of Lexington Ave. on Feb. 14th.
A GREAT GRAY OWL was reported by Carol Schumacher near Richmond Township in southern Winona County. Directions are to go south along U.S. 61 from its junction with county road 3. Turn west at the Twin Bluffs bar and drive 1 1/4 miles to Miller Valley Road. The owl has been seen along this road for several days.
A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen briefly at Villa Maria near the town of Frontenac in Goodhue County on Feb. 6th. The specific location is northeast of the junction of County road 2 and U.S. highway 61 near the river.
A GREAT GRAY OWL has been seen near the Minnesota Lake farm of Larry Swenson in Faribault County. This location is 1 1/2 miles south of county road 20 on Faribault county road 19.
A McCleod County GREAT GRAY OWL was reportedly seen along the Luce Line Trail about two miles east of the town of Hutchinson, but the bird has not been seen since the 7th of February.
I have received two Ramsey County GREAT GRAY OWL reports in the past week. One bird was seen in North Oaks just off North Mallard Road and the other was found on Feb. 25th by Jennifer Kaisers in Arden Hills along highway 96 near U.S. highway 10.
Leeann Overman reports that at least one GREAT GRAY OWL can still be seen along state highway 95 just south of the town of Marine on St. Croix in Washington County, and there is now a minimum of five GREAT GRAYS at the 42nd street location in Afton, Washington County between Trading Post Trail and Paradox Way.
On Feb. 19th a SNOWY OWL was seen a yard along 52nd Street in Minneapolis. Four SNOWY OWLS were reported by Cole Foster on Feb. 23rd near Rockwell Township in southern Norman County. Also on the 23rd Terry Brashear found a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL along the west River Road at its intersection with east 27th street in Minneapolis, and Craig Mandel reports that on Feb. 23rd a SAW-WHET OWL was discovered on the south side of the U.S. 169 river bridge in a grove of pines along highway 101. And Ken LaFond reports that as recently as Feb. 25th, the NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still along 99th Ave at Cloverleaf Parkway in Blaine, Anoka County.
HORNED LARKS and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS reached Becker County on the 19th, and many birds were reported near the Tamarac NWR by Betsy Beneke.
A probable EASTERN BLUEBIRD was found in McCleod County on the 22nd along state highway 261 two miles north of U.S. highway 212. CEDAR WAXWINGS are becoming more conspicuous in several Twin Cities suburbs; Rick Pertilly saw a COOPER'S HAWK in Hennepin County near I-394 and Penn Ave on Feb. 23rd; Val Cunningham has an occasional COOPER'S HAWK plus two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at her feeder in St. Paul, and Manley Olson reports that as many as seven WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS are overwintering near the government center in downtown Minneapolis.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday March 7th.