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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 20, 1997 *MNST9703.20 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: March 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 Thursday March 20th 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.
The TRUMPETER SWAN reported on last week's tape at Reno in Houston County was still present as recently as March 12th. According to the Department of Natural Resources, this is not a released bird from the Minnesota stock but rather a wild bird which was hatched in 1992 in central Alaska. Betsy Beneke reports that TRUMPETER SWANS were seen on Buffalo Lake in Becker County on March 13th.
Near Brownsville in Houston County Fred Lesher reports finding KILLDEER on March 12th.
Michael Tarachow discovered a very early SWAINSON'S HAWK at the eastern end of Black Dog Lake in Dakota County, on Thursday, March 20th.
Also on March 20th a BOREAL OWL was in a yard in the town of Dayton in western Hennepin County, but I have no further details at this time.
An EASTERN SCREECH-OWL has been investigating possible nesting sites in John Kroll's yard in Todd County.
Bob Janssen and Ray Glassel birded Sibley County on March 20th and found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE along county road 6, one mile west of the Carver County line.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was at Highland Park in Bloomington on March 20th.
To update on birds mentioned on several previous tapes, the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE is still at the Blue Lake settling ponds in northern Scott County. Steve Westen found it there on March 16th. The NORTHERN HAWK OWL seen recently in Blaine in Anoka County was still present as of March 16th, though it had moved slightly west and was seen near 99th Ave and Fillmore. The GREAT GRAY OWL reported from Eden Prairie near Crosstown Blvd. was still present on March 20th. The owl has moved somewhat from where it had been previously reported to Duck Lake Road, which is about two and a half miles west of Interstate 494. The SPOTTED TOWHEE is still at the Assisi Heights Convent in Rochester, Olmsted County where it has been for several months.
As the spring migration continue, I am seeing increasing reports of NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP and CANVASBACK. Blaine Seeliger reported GREATER SCAUP from the Mississippi River in St. Paul on the 17th. RING-BILLED GULLS have been reported from south St. Paul, Brooklyn Center and the Winona area. A PEREGRINE FALCON stopped for lunch in a south Minneapolis yard on the 19th. Chet Meyers reported the first YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER of the year from near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis on March 19th. Nancy Overcott had a FOX SPARROW visit her feeder in Amherst Township in Fillmore County on March 13th and found a WESTERN MEADOWLARK on Fillmore county road 18 on the 16th. Other recent migrants being reported from many locations across the state include GREAT BLUE HERONS, RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, AMERICAN ROBINS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES.
I'd like to thank Craig Mandel, Oscar Johnson, Ole Anderson, Jane Arndt.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday March 27th.