-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *May 21, 2009 *MNDU0905.21 -Birds mentioned Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Red-throated Loon Western Grebe Swainson's Hawk American Avocet Willet Whimbrel Hudsonian Godwit Marbled Godwit Red Knot Little Gull Black Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Northern Mockingbird Yellow-throated Warbler Eastern Towhee Lark Sparrow Blue Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: May 21, 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, May 21st, 2009 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. An immature male BLUE GROSBEAK was found by Kim Eckert and Barb Akre on the 20th at 1389 Stoney Point Drive in southeastern St. Louis County. This represents the first record for the county. Chris Elmgren found a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER on the 18th in his yard at 6177 Church Road in Gnesen Township. This is only the second record for St. Louis County. Peder Svingen found an ARCTIC TERN, a RED KNOT, and nearly 1,000 COMMON TERNS on the 21st on Park Point at the Sky Harbor Airport. He also found a WESTERN GREBE at the Lafayette Square 31st Street access, and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at the Park Point Recreational Area. Jan and Larry Kraemer found a RED-THROATED LOON on the 21st at the Recreational Area, and Peder Svingen found other singles on Park Point at Lafayette Square and at 43rd Street. On the 19th, Peder found a LARK SPARROW near the boat launch at the Recreational Area, and on the 17th he found 7 RED-THROATED LOONS, 4 SURF SCOTERS, 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and 10 WHIMBRELS at Park Point and Hearding Island Dave and Sarah Grosshuesch found an adult LITTLE GULL, an AMERICAN AVOCET, and several WHIMBRELS on the 17th at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area in Duluth. Jan and Larry Kraemer found 10 BLACK TERNS and 9 WILLETS at 40th Avenue West on the 18th. Sparky Stensaas found a HUDSONIAN GODWIT and a flyover SWAINSON'S HAWK here on the 21st and Peder Svingen found 2 MARBLED GODWITS and a WILLET. Jan Green had an EASTERN TOWHEE in her yard on the 15th along the Old North Shore Road in Duluth Township. Dee Kuder found a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD on the 16th at Handberg's Marine in Crane Lake in northern St. Louis County. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on the 17th along MN Highway 61 in Lake County, 0.4 mile west of the Iona's Beach SNA. Another NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on the 20th at Agate Bay in Two Harbors. Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen on the 20th at Agate Bay. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, May 28th. 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.