-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*December 23, 2010
*MNDU1012.23

-Birds mentioned
Harlequin Duck
Hooded Merganser
American Kestrel
Thayer's Gull
Iceland Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Snowy Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Great Gray Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Horned Lark
Townsend's Solitaire
Brown Thrasher
White-crowned Sparrow
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: December 23, 2010
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind ([log in to unmask])

This is the Duluth Birding Report for December 23rd, 2010 sponsored by
the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

An adult SLATY-BACKED GULL was found on the 19th by Karl Bardon and
Peder Svingen. It was first seen flying over the Superior landfill and
later seen at Canal Park in Duluth. The only report since the 19th that
I am aware of was by Robin LaFortune on the 22nd at Canal Park. Jan and
Larry Kraemer saw a late HOODED MERGANSER on the 23rd at Canal Park.

Fifty-five species were seen on the Duluth CBC on the 18th, including a
HARLEQUIN DUCK at the mouth of the French River, nine THAYER'S GULLS,
four ICELAND GULLS, two GLAUCOUS GULLS, and three GREAT BLACK-BACKED
GULLS at Canal Park, two SNOWY OWLS in the Duluth Harbor, a late BELTED
KINGFISHER at Hartley Nature Center, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in the
East Hillside, and the first ever HORNED LARK for the count. Numbers of
winter finches were the lowest in 29 years.

Thirty-eight species were found on the Two Harbors CBC on the 19th,
including a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE at 15th Avenue and 8th Street and a
late BROWN THRASHER in Two Harbors. On the Sax-Zim CBC on the 20th a
NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen on the McDavitt Road (CR 233) two miles north
of the Sax Road (CR 28) and another was seen near the Sax Road and the
Admiral Road (CR 788). Two GREAT GRAY OWLS were seen outside of the
count circle on the McDavitt Road about four miles north of the Sax
Road. Seven BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS found, as well as the first
AMERICAN KESTREL for the count.

David Alexander reports that two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS are being seen on
the Stone Lake Road (CR 319) about a mile east of CR 7, and one is along
US Highway 2, 6.3 miles northwest of Floodwood. David also saw two GREAT
GRAY OWLS in Aitkin County along the Hedbom Forest Road (which is
plowed), 2.9 and 5.4 miles west of the Floodwood end of the road.

Nate Popkin photographed a late WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on the 18th at his
feeders near Grand Lake.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, December
30th.

The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858.
Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded
message.

The Duluth Birding Report is sponsored and funded by the Minnesota
Ornithologists' Union (MOU) as a service to its members. For more
information on the MOU, either write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us
at [log in to unmask], or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.