This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, December 18, 2014  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 gone back into the cold this week, but it hasn’t hampered the birding – in fact it seems to have improved.

Olaf Danielson, a visitor from South Dakota, went to northern Roseau County on December 17, and sent in the following list of species seen along the Sprague Creek road north of Roseau:  7 SPRUCE GROUSE, BALD EAGLE, GOLDEN EAGLE, 2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS,  three NORTHERN HAWK OWLS, NORTHERN SHRIKE,  BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, COMMON REDPOLLS, and four WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS.

In Marshall County, Olaf reported 40 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS east of Agassiz NWR on CR 7. The Agassiz CBC was held today, December 18, and the preliminary tally includes SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, RUFFED GROUSE, WILD TURKEY, BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, two SNOWY OWLS,  many COMMON RAVENS, NORTHERN SHRIKE, PILEATED WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, andCOMMON REDPOLLS. I personally saw 30 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, 25 of which were in a single group. A NORTHERN HAWK OWLwas seen in late afternoon at the intersection of CR 12 and 350th St. NE .

On December 14, Randy Horien saw a SNOWY OWL  along MN 1 in Pennington County about 5 miles east of Thief River Falls.

Sandy Martens in East Grand Forks , Polk County reported 30 PINE SISKINS and many DARK-EYED JUNCOS at the feeders on December 13th. Sandy Aubol found a COOPER’S HAWK along the Red River in East Grand Forks on December 12th, and on the 13th reported aGREAT HORNED OWL  hooting near her house. On the 18th, she reported that many birds had returned to the feeders after it turned cold , including the resident SHARP-SHINNED HAWK! The Grand Forks/East Grand Forks CBC on December 14 found 45 species in all.  Species of interest on the Minnesota side of the river included CACKLING GOOSE, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RUDDY DUCK, GRAY PARTRIDGE, a few SNOW BUNTINGS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and PINE SISKINS.

Judy Clayton in Alexandria, Douglas County observed two common ravens in her yard in Alexandria on December 14th.

Thanks to Judy Clayton, Olaf Danielson, Randy Horien, Dave Lambeth, Sandy Aubol, and Sandy Martens for their reports.

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 Friday, December 26, 2014 .