This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, October 8, 2015  sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

Fall has definitely come now. Leaves are starting to pile up in the yards, and in the northwest trees are getting yellower. A few reds here and there sparkle in the woods. The mixture of species is changing : the warblers and flycatchers are gone and the late migrants are appearing.

From Grant County in the southernmost part of my area, Charlene Nelson reported two pairs of SNOW BUNTINGS  in Elbow Lake on October 4.  I hope that isn’t an omen of much cold to come.

Marshall Howe in Hubbard County reported HARRIS’S SPARROW, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, and SWAMP SPARROW  on October 4, and a PEREGRINE FALCON  in Park Rapids on October 5. On October 6, he had DARK-EYED JUNCOS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and PIED-BILLED GREBE. On October 7, he saw a GOLDEN EAGLE and several  BALD EAGLES  feeding on a deer carcass.

Here in Pennington County, the first WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and HARRIS’S SPARROW  joined the WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS  and PURPLE FINCHES  feeding under our feeder on October 8.

Dana Jenkins reported BALD EAGLES  feeding on a deer carcass along CR 7 in Marshall County on October 8.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@mncable.net OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber’s toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, October 15, 2015