-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 26, 2009
*MNDL0903.26

-Birds mentioned
Trumpeter Swan
Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Common Loon
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Snowy Owl
Barred Owl
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
Hoary Redpoll
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 26, 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, March 26,
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.

Weather has been the main topic in the northwest this week, as the
latest spring storm drags its way across the area, causing havoc
everywhere. There is hardly a spot in the whole northwest where high
water and icy roads are not an issue as I write this. This latest
weather event has not stopped the bird migration however. There are now
reports from most regions of all the common raptors - BALD EAGLES,
NORTHERN HARRIERS, RED-TAILED HAWKS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, AMERICAN
KESTRELS, and MERLINS are returning to the area daily. Other species
reported frequently include AMERICAN CROW, and COMMON GRACKLE.

A HOARY REDPOLL visited the backyard of Dan and Sandy Thimgan in Otter
Tail County on March 23, a KILLDEER on March 24, and both SONG SPARROW
and FOX SPARROW on March 25. On March 20, Tom Smith reported RED-TAILED
HAWK, and NORTHERN HARRIER near Otter Tail Lake, and AMERICAN TREE
SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and COMMON GRACKLE in Fergus Falls. Alma
Ronningen reported 4-5 FOX SPARROWS and two RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on March
22. On the 24th, she saw a MERLIN, the first SANDHILL CRANES,
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, and PURPLE FINCH, while a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
showed up in the yard on March 26. Brad and Dee Ehlers added COMMON
LOON, 8 COMMON MERGANSERS, and CHIPPING SPARROW on March 25.

Dave Lambeth saw an adult RED-TAILED HAWK in Polk County south of East
Grand Forks on March 21. Shelley Steva and I observed SHARP-TAILED
GROUSE, MALLARDS and 15 AMERICAN ROBINS in Polk County on March 22, in
addition to the raptors reported by nearly everyone.

Shelley Steva had an AMERICAN WOODCOCK fly over the road two miles east
of Plummer in Red Lake County on March 23. On March 24, she saw a BELTED
KINGFISHER near Oklee.

On March 22, Shelley and I noticed AMERICAN CROW numbers have increased
in Pennington County. Shelley saw three immature BALD EAGLES and one
RING-BILLED GULL in Pennington County on March 23.

Maggie Anderson reported from Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on March
26. Representatives of the following species have returned to the
refuge: TRUMPETER SWAN, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
LESSER SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, HOODED MERGANSER,
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS.

On March 22, Shelley and I saw an AMERICAN KESTREL in Clearwater County.
Kelly Larson on March 24 saw a RED-TAILED HAWK south of Shevlin. A BALD
EAGLE, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK were also seen. At the farm south of
Bagley, Kelly reported three BARRED OWLS, AMERICAN ROBIN, and DARK-EYED
JUNCO among others on March 26.

In Beltrami County on March 24, Kelly Larson reported WOOD DUCK, COMMON
GRACKLE, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

Larry Wilebski in Kittson County, reported that one SNOWY OWL remained
on March 20 between Orleans and Humboldt. Other raptors such as NORTHERN
HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and MERLIN have reached
Kittson County this week.

Thanks to Brad and Dee Ehlers, Dave Lambeth, Kelly Larson, Larry
Wilebski, Maggie Anderson, Alma Ronningen, Shelley Steva, Dan and Sandy
Thimgan, and Tom Smith 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 2,
2009.



Jeanie Joppru
Pennington County, MN