-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*March 13, 2009
*MNDU0903.13

-Birds mentioned -Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: March 13, 2009
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind ([log in to unmask])

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, March 12th, 2009 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

An impressive flock of 232 LONG-TAILED DUCKS was found by Peder Svingen on the 6th at Stoney Point. Small groups of Long-tails have also been seen among the shifting ice between Two Harbors and Duluth during the past week. Peder relocated the male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on the 6th and the 8th at the Superior Entry at Wisconsin Point. Peder also relocated the forth-cycle GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL and the first-cycle ICELAND GULL at Canal Park over the weekend. He reported the season’s first TRUMPETER SWAN at Canal Park on the 9th, and the first CANADA GOOSE on the 8th.

The Western Skyline Hawk Count began on the 1st of March, and a few spring migrants are beginning to trickle in. Karl Bardon saw a COOPER'S HAWK on the 6th, and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and 59 BALD EAGLES on the 7th. A flock of 40-50 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS has been seen for the past week along the West Knife River Road (CR 231), about a half mile west of the Homestead Road (CR 42) in Duluth Township. Gordy Martinson has recently had a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a HOARY REDPOLL at his feeders in Lakewood Township near Oak and Maxwell Street.

Shawn Conrad and Don Brown watched a BOREAL OWL on the 6th at the yard of Gine Meissner near Grand Marais in Cook County. The NORTHERN HAWK OWL that was reported along MN Highway 61 at Knife River for several weeks was found dead on the 8th. Bill Stjern relocated the NORTHERN HAWK OWL along Highway 61 in Silver Bay on the 8th at the AmericInn.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, March 19th.

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.