-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*April 1, 2010
*MNDL1004.01

-Birds mentioned
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Shrike
Brown Creeper
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark
White-winged Crossbill
American Goldfinch
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 1, 2010
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 1,
2010 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.

A week of warm calm weather has brought all sorts of migrants back to
the northwest. Ice has vanished from most rivers, and many shallow
lakes, so waterfowl are streaming in. All species of geese, and many
species of ducks have made an appearance, along with several species of
raptors, killdeer, American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos, and red-winged
blackbirds.

Larry Wilebski reported SHARP-TAILED GROUSE dancing on leks in northern
Kittson County on March 28.

In Pennington County, on April 1, I had huge flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS,
DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES stop in the yard to refuel .
This morning the noise was almost deafening from all the birds. On the
Red Lake River, we have seen WOOD DUCKS, COMMON MERGANSER, COMMON
GOLDENEYE, and HOODED MERGANSERS this week.

Sandy Aubol near East Grand Forks in Polk County reported AMERICAN
KESTREL on March 27. She observed a pair of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at
Northwest Technical College in East Grand Forks also. On March 29, she
observed a substantial migration of large waterfowl, mostly SNOW GEESE
in the Red River valley.

Shelley Steva and I took a trip to Norman County on March 27 , where we
found over 6000 waterfowl in flooded fields in the western part of the
county. Present were GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, CANADA GEESE, CACKLING
GEESE, SNOW GEESE, ROSS'S GEESE, and a few species of ducks including
BUFFLEHEADS. Other species seen that day in Norman County included
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, HERRING GULL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, and WESTERN
MEADOWLARK.

In Otter Tail County, Alma Ronningen reported SANDHILL CRANE, and
KILLDEER on March 27, EASTERN BLUEBIRD on March 28, and BROWN CREEPER,
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO on April 1. Brad and Dee
Ehlers saw a MERLIN northeast of Fergus Falls on March 29, and a pair of
SANDHILL CRANES on territory three miles south of the town of Otter Tail
on March 30. Dan and Sandy Thimgan observed a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK on
March 28, RING-BILLED GULL, FOX SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW on March
30,and TURKEY VULTURE, GREAT BLUE HERON and many waterfowl on March 31.

In Douglas County on March 31, Dan and Sandy saw a small raft of
AMERICAN COOTS on newly opened Lake Christina.

Thanks to Alma Ronningen, Brad and Dee Ehlers, Dan and Sandy Thimgan,
Dave and Betty Hochhalter, Larry Wilebski, and Sandy Aubol 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 8,
2010.

Jeanie Joppru
Pennington County, MN