-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *March 23, 2012 *MNST1203.23 -Birds mentioned Wood Duck Harlequin Duck White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common Loon Purple Sandpiper Eastern Phoebe Tree Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Carolina Wren House Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: March 23, 2012 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel ([log in to unmask]) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for March 22nd, 2012. In Lake County, a PURPLE SANDPIPER was discovered by Heidi Pinkerton on March 17th on the beach at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, but it has not been seen since. From the main park entrance, follow the signs to the campground and take the trail from the campground parking lot east toward Lake Superior. The bird was seen at the base of the small island southwest of the lighthouse. In Cook County, a HARLEQUIN DUCK was found on the 15th in the Grand Marais harbor and it was still present on the 20th. On the 18th, two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen along state highway 61 at Five Mile Rock of Lake Superior, and two LONG-TAILED DUCKS were at Agate Bay in Two Harbors on the same day. On the 17th, the CAROLINA WREN was still at the Wild River State Park Visitor Center feeders in Chisago County where it has been since December 10th. Recent spring arrivals now include WOOD DUCK, COMMON LOON, EASTERN PHOEBE, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, HOUSE WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, CHIPPING SPARROW, and FIELD SPARROW. The next scheduled update of this tape is March 30th, 2012.