-RBA
*Minnesota
*Duluth/North Shore
*October 29, 2014
*MNDU1410.29

-Birds mentioned
Ross's Goose
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Ruddy Duck
Spruce Grouse
Parasitic Jaeger
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Snowy Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Western Kingbird
Black-billed Magpie
Townsend's Solitaire
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: October 29, 2014
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 834-2858
Compiler: Jim Lind ([log in to unmask])

This is the Duluth Birding Report for October 29th, 2014 sponsored by
the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was found by Bob Russell on the 24th at Lighthouse
Point in Two Harbors and it was relocated as recently as the 27th. Three
ROSS'S GEESE were at the Two Harbors golf course on the 25th. Clinton
Nienhaus saw a FRANKLIN’S GULL on the 23rd at Agate Bay in Two Harbors
and possibly the same bird on the 24th at the Sky Harbor Airport on Park
Point in Duluth. He also saw a flock of eight RUDDY DUCKS on the 24th at
38th Street on Park Point.

A HARLEQUIN DUCK was found by Shawn Zierman on the 24th along Minnesota
Point. A first cycle CALIFORNIA GULL was last reported on the 22nd on
the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry, but was seen as recently as
the 25th at the first parking lot on Wisconsin Point. Other gulls seen
along Wisconsin Point and at the Superior Entry include LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, ICELAND GULL, THAYER'S GULL,
and GLAUCOUS GULL. A PARASITIC JAEGER was seen as recently as the 28th
at Wisconsin Point. The first SNOWY OWL of the season was reported on
the 28th along US Highway 53 near the Duluth Airport.

BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES are being seen at several locations in northeastern
Minnesota, east of their typical range. Uwe Kausch had one on the 19th
at his home along the Wildwood Road in Duluth Township. One was seen on
the 21st west of Babbitt at CR 21 and the Ely-Virginia Road. Art Larsen
saw two on the 22nd on MN 194 in Saginaw west of the Caribou Lake Road,
and Dave Gilbertson saw one on the 24th along the Ryan Road just north
of MN 61. On the 29th one was seen north of Ely along CR 88, just north
of the Shagawa River.

Denny and Barb Martin found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE on the 26th in Grand
Marais near the East Bay Motel. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen at
Taconite Harbor, Good Harbor Bay, and Paradise Beach in Cook County on
the 25th and 26th. Two BLACK SCOTERS were seen on the 26th near Paradise
Beach. Judd Brink saw two SPRUCE GROUSE on the 24th along the Lima
Mountain Road north of Grand Marais.

Bob Myers saw an AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER on the 26th in Beaver
Bay along the Cove Point Loop Trail which is just inland from Cove Point
Lodge. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen on the 25th along Slater Drive
in Beaver Bay. There have been several other recent reports from Duluth
neighborhoods including Smithville, Woodland, Lakeside, lower Lakewood,
and near the UMD campus. Pete Doran also saw one near Ely on the 24th on
the north side of Shagawa Lake.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on November 6th.

Information about bird sightings may be sent to the Duluth Rare Bird
Alert at [log in to unmask]

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.