-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *April 12, 2012 *MNDL1204.12-Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 12, 2012
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 12, 2012 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.
After a pleasant Saturday, this week the weather turned cold, but today the temperatures rebounded to pleasant levels, and the sunshine was warm. Migration is ongoing again after a short slowdown.
Ron Erpelding was in Kittson County on April 5 where he saw COMMON MERGANSER, BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, and FOX SPARROW.
In Kittson County, Ron found seven HERMIT THRUSHES at Lake Bronson State Park on April 6. Paul Clay saw a WILD TURKEY on April 6 along US 59 south of Karlstad.
Marshall County sightings by Bill Blackburn included a COMMON LOON and several AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS at Agassiz NWR on April 7. Lynda Knutsen at the refuge also reported RUFFED GROUSE drumming, RED-NECKED GREBE, AMERICAN BITTERN, FRANKLIN'S GULL, BELTED KINGFISHER, and SWAMP SPARROW on April 11. Lisa Newton saw a NORTHERN CARDINAL in Warren near the NRCS district office on April 11. On April 7, Jim Graham saw an albino AMERICAN ROBIN in his yard five miles north of Goodridge on the east side of Agassiz NWR.
On April 7, Bill Blackburn found FRANKLIN'S GULLS, RING-BILLED GULLS, and a HERRING GULL at the Thief River Falls wastewater treatment ponds. Gary Tischer saw four TURKEY VULTURES over Thief River Falls on April 8. This morning, April 12, a COOPER'S HAWK visited our bird feeder, much to the consternation of a PILEATED WOODPECKER on his way to the feeder also.
Bill Blackburn reported a PEREGRINE FALCON just west of the Audubon Center in Polk County on April 6. On April 12, Bette Olson reported a gathering of SANDHILL CRANES along US 2 east of Crookston in the vicinity of Glacial Ridge NWR. Sandy Aubol reported a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in East Grand Forks on April 12.
An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was found by Ron Erpelding three miles north of Bejou in Mahnomen County on April 6.
In Clay County, Kathy Bresee reported a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in a Moorhead yard on April 10. Ron Erpelding found a COMMON RAVEN near the entrance to Buffalo River State Park on April 7, and both SNOW GOOSE and ROSS'S GOOSE at the Crystal Sugar settling ponds north of Moorhead.
Cleone Stewart reported on April 6 that the TRUMPETER SWANS are back at Tamarac NWR. Beau Shroyer observed a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in a yard along Loring Ave in Detroit Lakes on April 6. The bird was seen a few blocks away on April 7. Steve Midthune found a MARBLED GODWIT at Bisson Lake at Hamden Slough NWR on April 9, and HERMIT THRUSH and FOX SPARROW at Tamarac NWR. On April 12, he reported two WILD TURKEYS mating at Hamden Slough NWR, and at Tamarac NWR , a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER among other species.
From Otter Tail County, Gary and Marion Otnes found the following species near Fergus Falls on April 10: GREAT EGRET, MERLIN, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S SNIPE, FRANKLIN'S GULL, BONAPARTE'S GULL, FORSTER'S TERN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOWS, two flocks of SMITH'S LONGSPURS, and LAPLAND LONGSPURS.
Thanks to all who sent in sightings this week.
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 19, 2012.
Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN