-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *April 20, 2017 *MNDL1704.20-Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 20, 2017
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 20, 2017 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.
Birds are streaming in now, waterfowl have all been reported, the blackbirds are all here, sparrows are starting to be reported, and once it warms up, we will start to see the insect eaters. Of those, we have only really heard of eastern phoebes , the first swallows, and a few yellow-rumped warblers. Turkey vultures are clearly migrating now as many have been reported in several locations.
In Grant County on April 15, a WHITE-FACED IBIS and a SNOWY EGRET were found at the North Ottawa Impoundment. A good variety of shorebirds were also present including AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, RUDDY TURNSTONE , and DUNLIN. Charlene Nelson reported an EASTERN BLUEBIRD at Elbow Lake on April 14.
On April 17 Marion and Gary Otnes in Otter Tail County reported AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, TURKEY VULTURE, PIED-BILLED GREBE, ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, MARSH WREN, BROWN CREEPER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. Wayne Perala counted five OSPREYS on nests near Star Lake, and on April 19 at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center saw ROSS’S GOOSE,RUDDY DUCK, and HORNED GREBE. On April 19, he reported TREE SWALLOW and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. Jill Meyer observed a MARBLED GODWIT in Otter Tail County near Rothsay. Bradley Lancour saw a GREAT EGRET in Fergus Falls on April 18.
Becca Engdahl observed a LONG-TAILED DUCK at the Akeley WTP in Hubbard County on April 17. Marshall Howe reported YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NORTHERN FLICKER, WOOD DUCK , and an OSPREY on the nest on April 15. On the 17th , he added RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD were seen on April 19.
At Hamden Slough NWR in Becker County on April 16, Sandy Aubol found TRUMPETER SWAN, COOPER'S HAWK, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS. At Tamarac, she added COMMON LOON, RUFFED GROUSE, OSPREY, BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET , and FOX SPARROW among others. A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen at Calloway.
Elissa Gallien found a large flock of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and 61 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS at Felton Prairie in Clay County on April 19. Other species seen included MARBLED GODWITS, VESPER SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, and a lot of WESTERN MEADOWLARKS. HORNED LARKS and GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS were also seen there.
A BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE was seen by Sandy Aubol north of Gary in Norman County on April 16.
In Polk County, Sandy saw two GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN leks near Pankratz Prairie on April 16. Among many other species seen there were MARBLED GODWITS, WILSON'S SNIPE, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and BREWER’S BLACKBIRDS. Along CR 45 she saw over 1000 SANDHILL CRANES. At Cameron Lake near Erskine she found COMMON LOON, and along US 59 south of there she found a BELTED KINGFISHER. I visited the rice paddies in eastern Polk County on April 15 where I found hundreds of TUNDRA SWANS and a variety of ducks.
In Thief River Falls, Pennington County, Zeann Linder reported EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in her neighborhood on April 15. A COOPER'S HAWK visited our yard on April 20. Many waterfowl were seen on April 16 in the Pennington County part of the rice paddies along the Clearwater River.
Larry Wilebski in northern Kittson County reported GREAT EGRET and AMERICAN BITTERN on April 15.
Thanks to all who reported 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 27, 2017.
Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN