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

-Birds mentioned -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