Minnesota Birding Report

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, April 11, 2013 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.

We have returned to late winter this week, and all are disappointed in the delay of returning warm weather. Snow blankets even the northern parts of the area with even more to our south with the latest winter storm. Still the migrants stream north and many will suffer with the cold weather. I continue to get reports of GREAT GRAY OWLS from Roseau and Lake of the Woods counties, but numbers are, of course, down from their peak. Waterfowl are scarce in the northern part of the region, but where some open water has appeared, some of them have returned. Several folks reported large numbers of COMMON REDPOLLS still hanging around feeders from Fergus Falls to East Grand Forks. BALD EAGLES are being reported by most in the area. Shelley Steva reported that there was a large flight of RED-TAILED HAWKS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS between Thief River Falls and Oklee on April 8.

From Lake Carlos SP in Douglas County on April 9, Benjamin Eckhoff reported SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. On April 10th , it was RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, and SANDHILL CRANES, and on the 11th, FOX SPARROW and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.

On April 10, Steve Aversano observed RED-TAILED HAWK, LONG-EARED OWL, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, COMMON GRACKLE and COMMON REDPOLL in his yard in Fergus Falls in Otter Tail County. Gary and Marion Otnes birded in Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties on April 10th where they found 7 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, GREAT BLUE HERON, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, BELTED KINGFISHER, and CHIPPING SPARROW.

In Wilkin County, Gary and Marion found 11 EURASIAN COLLARED-D0VES at Rothsay on April 10.

Connie Cox reported from Itasca SP on April 9 where there were TRUMPETER SWANS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, MOURNING DOVE, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, PURPLE FINCH, RED CROSSBILLS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

Cleone Stewart saw MOURNING DOVES south of Frazee in Becker County on April 4, many AMERICAN ROBINS on April 8, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on April 9. Dave and Betty Hochhalter reported RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in their yard in Detroit Lakes on the weekend. Steve Midthune saw WESTERN MEADOWLARK and BREWER’S BLACKBIRD at Hamden Slough NWR on April 10. At Richwood, he saw PIED-BILLED GREBE, AMERICAN COOT, and HOODED MERGANSER; SNOW BUNTINGS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were also seen.

Kathy Bresee in Moorhead in Clay County reported many migrants on April 10 including AMERICAN ROBIN , DARK-EYED JUNCO , PURPLE FINCH, and COMMON GRACKLE. The VARIED THRUSH that she has reported for most of the winter still continues to visit her yard.

In Polk County, Sandy Aubol reported on April 5 that there were 800 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and 300 COMMON REDPOLLS visiting the area of her yard in East Grand Forks. At the time a COMMON GRACKLE, and 11 CEDAR WAXWINGS were also seen. On April 10, a flock of 25 TUNDRA SWANS were observed flying over.

In southern Pennington County, Shelley Steva saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE four miles south of Thief River Falls along US 59 on April 8. Ten SNOW BUNTINGS and a pair of SANDHILL CRANES were also seen.

Benjamin Eckhoff saw six GREAT GRAY OWLS over a stretch of seven miles of MN 72 south of Baudette in Lake of the Woods County on April 5. In Roseau county another was seen northeast of Swift, and 5 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE were seen just north of Roosevelt on April 6.

Thanks to all who sent in their sightings this week.

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, April 20, 2013.