-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *December 29, 2014 *MNDU1412.29 -Birds mentioned Common Eider California Gull Thayer's Gull Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Townsend's Solitaire Bohemian Waxwing Golden-crowned Sparrow -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: December 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 December 29th, 2014 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW found by Jeff Newman at his backyard feeders at 44th Avenue East and Regent Street is still present as of the 28th. It is being seen sporadically in his yard and in the alley above his home, on both sides of 44th Avenue East. Birders are welcome to look for the bird but Jeff asks observers to stand by the corner of his front porch and not in his yard. The COMMON EIDER in Duluth was seen as recently as the 26th near the Aerial Lift Bridge at Canal Park. A first-cycle CALIFORNIA GULL was found by Karl Bardon on the 21st at Canal Park, along with 29 GLAUCOUS GULLS, 15 THAYER'S GULLS, and an ICELAND GULL. A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was found by Tim Bates on the 20th during the Duluth Christmas Bird Count. It was seen along the Nelson Road between fire numbers 4059 and 4066, in front of a blue trailer home. Nelson Road is an east-west road between Howard Gnesen Road and Arnold Road north of Martin Road. Bob Myers found a TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE on the 19th in front of the Silver Bay post office on Shopping Center Road, but I have not heard if it has been relocated. Another was seen in Ely on the 26th along Chapman Street, but I do not have a specific location. A flock of 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS has been seen in recent days along the West Knife River Road (CR 231), a half mile to a mile west of the northern end of the Homestead Road (CR 42). The next scheduled update of this report will be on January 2nd. 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, write us c/o the Bell Museum, e-mail us at [log in to unmask], or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org.