Minnesota Birding Report

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, June 20, 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.

What a soggy week it has been in the northwest! All the low spots are brimming with water, and now the level ground is becoming lakes. Birds are getting about the business of raising young, but must be having problems keeping them warm and dry.

Pat DeWenter reported COMMON GOLDENEYE, RED-NECKED GREBE, and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE at Blackduck Lake in Beltrami County on June 17. At the Big Bog north of Waskish she found many nesting species including OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, ALDER FLYCATCHER, GRAY JAY, nine species of warbler including BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, and PALM WARBLER, and also WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.

Here in Pennington County, both a pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS, and a pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are visiting our feeders daily, often in late afternoon. Several days in the past week, a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard in the yard.

Near Erskine in Polk County, Zeann Linder found a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS with four cygnets attempting to cross busy US 59 on June 14. She stayed around until they were safely across. Sandy Aubol visited Tympanuchus WMA on June 17 where she found SORA, SANDHILL CRANES with young, WILSON’S SNIPE, HENSLOW’S SPARROW, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, LE CONTE’S SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD among others.

At Big Bluestem SNA in Clay County, Marshall Howe found SORA, WILSON’S SNIPE, MARBLED GODWIT, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, ALDER FLYCATCHER, LARK SPARROW, BOBOLINK, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. Later in the Felton area, he saw WESTERN KINGBIRD, and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.

Marshall Howe reported a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Park Rapids in Hubbard County on June 13. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was heard singing on June 19.

Thanks to Marshall Howe, Pat DeWenter, Sandy Aubol, and Zeann Linder 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 Thursday, June 27, 2014.