-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 2, 2009
*MNDL0904.02

-Birds mentioned
Trumpeter Swan
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Sandhill Crane
American Woodcock
Great Horned Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Barred Owl
Great Gray Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 2, 2009
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru ([log in to unmask])

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, April 2,
2009 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.

Spring migration is definitely well underway, but the weatherman seems
to have other ideas. The weather this week has not been of the spring
variety, unless you count it's fickleness. The result is that most if
not all the smaller township roads are impassible either due to water or
mud. For any who hope to bird in the northwest, it would be well to stay
on paved roads, and even then to watch carefully for road closings. All
the common raptors especially BALD EAGLES, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and
NORTHERN HARRIERS are being reported , more and more each day.

Gretchen Mehmel in the Beltrami Island State Forest in Lake of the Woods
County reported 12 SHARP-TAILE GROUSE, BALD EAGLES, and a ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK on the Roosevelt Road this week. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL and a GREAT
GRAY OWL were both seen south of Faunce on the range line road; a GREAT
GRAY OWL was seen along Dick's Parkway just north of 7-mile corner on
March 30. From that corner to Norris Camp, Gretchen got 2 GREAT HORNED
OWLS, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, and a BARRED OWL on an early owl route
this week.

Larry Wilebski in Kittson County reported a COOPER'S HAWK this week.

Doug Johnson in Beltrami County had a female NORTHERN CARDINAL visit his
feeder on March 27. Other species being seen in Bemidji included COMMON
GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, and LESSER SCAUP.

From Clearwater County, Kelly Larson reported an AMERICAN KESTREL and an
AMERICAN WOODCOCK on March 27.

Maggie Anderson at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County reported a pair of
SANDHILL CRANES on March 27. Shelley Steva saw a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK,
over 20 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and 5 NORTHERN HARRIERS there on March 28.

John Braastad in Pennington County on April 1, observed an AMERICAN
KESTREL and a CHIPPING SPARROW. A huge flock of AMERICAN ROBINS and
several CEDAR WAXWINGS came to our yard on March 28 to feast on the
remaining crabapples.

Bruce Flaig reported TRUMPETER SWANS, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, and WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS in Polk County on March 29.

In Red Lake County, there were several reports of BALD EAGLES feeding on
dead deer this week as the melting snow revealed the carcasses. Shelley
Steva found 4 HOODED MERGANSERS north of Oklee on March 27.

Mike Cary observed a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK in Becker County on March 29
north of Audubon near Hamden NWR. Cleone Stewart reported a flock of
about 150 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS that visited her yard at Frazee on March
26.

Thanks to Bruce Flaig, Cleone Stewart, Doug Johnson, Gretchen Mehmel,
John Braastad, Kelly Larson, Larry Wilebski, Maggie Anderson, Mike Cary,
and Shelley Steva for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than
Thursday each week, at [log in to unmask] 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 9,
2009.



Jeanie Joppru
Pennington County, MN