-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*January 17, 2017
*MNDU1701.17

-Birds mentioned
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Spruce Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Red-necked Grebe
Black-backed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
Varied Thrush
Curve-billed Thrasher
Hoary Redpoll
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: January 17, 2017
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind ([log in to unmask])

This is the Duluth Birding Report for January 17th, 2017 sponsored by
the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

The CURVE-BILLED THRASHER at 605 NE 11th Street in Grand Rapids in
Itasca County was still present as of the 17th. The bird has apparently
been present for a month or so and was seen (and heard singing) as
recently as the 9th. The homeowners welcome birders but ask to not park
in front of the white house next door on the corner, and only visit
between 8 am and 5 pm.

The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at 44th Avenue East and Regent Street
continues to be seen daily as recently as the 15th, with the most
consistent time being at about 7:30 in the morning. A LONG-TAILED DUCK
continues to be seen at Canal Park as recently as the 16th, as well as a
late-lingering GREATER SCAUP. I have a second-hand report of a VARIED
THRUSH at the WLSSD composting site at 27th Avenue West on the weekend
of the 14th, but I don't have any other details. A BREWER’S BLACKBIRD,
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW have also been seen
by several observers in recent days at the WLSSD site.

Harley Hanson briefly saw a male VARIED THRUSH on the 16th on Otsego
Street in the Lakeside neighborhood of Duluth. A female VARIED THRUSH
was seen on the 17th in Grand Marais at West 10th Avenue and 2nd Street.
A late-lingering WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD were also seen in the same area. An immature
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen on the 15th at 2nd Avenue and 3rd Street
in Two Harbors.

Josh Watson saw a HARLEQUIN DUCK on the 17th at East Bay in Grand
Marais. 130 LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen at Good Harbor Bay west of Grand
Marais on the 17th, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was seen at Taconite Harbor.
The RED-NECKED GREBE at Agate Bay in Two Harbors was still present on
the 15th.

Small numbers of SPRUCE GROUSE were reported by several observers
between the 13th and 16th along Lake County Road 2 about a quarter mile
north of the Sand River and a mile south of MN Highway 1. Craig Mandel
and others saw two SPRUCE GROUSE and a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on the
13th along the Tomahawk Trail, about 1.5 miles east of MN 1. Clinton
Neinhaus also saw two SPRUCE GROUSE on the 15th along the Tomahawk Trail
around FR 1484. Craig's group saw a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on the 15th
along MN 1, 0.7 mile south of the Tomahawk Trail, and another along Lake
County Road 2, 3.1 miles south of the Sand River. They also found BOREAL
CHICKADEES along Lake CR 2 near the Greenwood Lake access. Frank
Nicoletti saw a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER at Greenwood Lake on the 15th.

Ryan Brady saw two BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS in the Sax-Zim Bog on the
17th along the McDavitt Road (CR 213) near the south logging road. He
also saw a HOARY REDPOLL along Owl Avenue south of the welcome center.
Craig Mandel and others saw seven SHARP-TAILED GROUSE along the east
side of CR 229, north of the Racek Road. BOREAL CHICKADEES continue to
be seen occasionally at the Admiral Road (CR 788) feeders.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on or about Monday,
January 23rd.

This report is compiled from MOU-net postings, local eBird checklists,
various Facebook group pages (some of which may require joining), and
personal contacts. Please follow the links below for the most up-to-date
information:

MOU-net: [log in to unmask]" target="_blank">http:[log in to unmask]
eBird: http://ebird.org/ebird/places
Facebook group pages:
Minnesota Ornithologists Union:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/moumn.group/
Minnesota Birding: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mnbirding/
Minnesota Rare Bird Alert:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1570731239835376/
Northeast Minnesota Birding:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/177159692431348/
Sax-Zim Bog: https://www.facebook.com/groups/saxzimbog/
Duluth Phenology: https://www.facebook.com/groups/duluthphenology/

Information about bird sightings may be sent to the Duluth Rare Bird
Alert at [log in to unmask]

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, write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at
[log in to unmask], or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.