-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *May 7, 2017 *MNDU1705.07 -Birds mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Surf Scoter Smew Western Grebe Eurasian Collared-Dove Virginia Rail American Avocet Marbled Godwit Sanderling Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Lesser Black-backed Gull Caspian Tern Common Tern Red-throated Loon Northern Fulmar Blue-headed Vireo Purple Martin Sedge Wren Northern Mockingbird Eurasian Tree Sparrow Northern Waterthrush Nashville Warbler Eastern Towhee Clay-colored Sparrow Lark Sparrow Harris's Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Western Meadowlark -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: May 7, 2017 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind ([log in to unmask]) This is the Duluth Birding Report for May 7th, 2017 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. An apparent SMEW was reported at 16th Street on the bay side of Park Point on the 3rd, but it could not be relocated. A freshly-killed NORTHERN FULMAR was found by John Richardson on April 27th on the beach at the Park Point Recreation Area. If accepted, this would be the first record for Minnesota. John also saw four RED-THROATED LOONS and a WESTERN GREBE at the same location. Art Larsen found an AMERICAN AVOCET on the 3rd at the Sky Harbor Airport, and it was seen again on the 4th at 36th Street. Laura Erickson saw six SURF SCOTERS on the 4th at 19th Street on Park Point. Larry and Jan Kraemer found an EASTERN TOWHEE on the 5th at Southworth Marsh on Park Point and it was still present on the 7th. John Richardson saw an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on the 1st at the Park Point Recreation Area. The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at the Park Point Recreation Area was last reported on the 4th. The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at the 6800 block of East Superior Street was relocated on April 27th at Brighton Beach. The EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE is still being seen between 11th Street and 36th Street on Park Point. Josh Watson found a LARK SPARROW in Grand Marais on the 27th at 5th Avenue West and 1st Street. The EURASIAN TREE SPARROW in Two Harbors was relocated by Earl Orf on the 5th at the ground feeder at South Avenue and Waterfront Drive near the Do North pizzeria. Elissa Gallien and Butch Ukura found three AMERICAN AVOCETS on the 30th northeast of the town of Aitkin on the rice paddies along 430th Street, about 1.5 miles east of CR 1. Cindy Risen found 70 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE on the 30th along Osprey Avenue northeast of Aitkin. Recent spring arrivals include SOLITARY SANDPIPER on the 25th, LESSER YELLOWLEGS and MARBLED GODWIT on the 27th, BLUE-HEADED VIREO on the 28th, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and HARRIS'S SPARROW on the 29th, WILLET, SANDERLING, PURPLE MARTIN, and SEDGE WREN on the 2nd, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, VIRGINIA RAIL, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK on the 3rd, COMMON TERN, CASPIAN TERN, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, and NASHVILLE WARBLER on the 4th, WILSON’S WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW on the 5th, and LECONTE’S SPARROW on the 6th. The next scheduled update of this report will be on or about Monday, May 15th. This report is compiled from MOU-net postings, local eBird checklists, various Facebook group pages (some of which may require joining), and personal contacts. Please follow the links below for the most up-to-date information: MOU-net: http:[log in to unmask] eBird: http://ebird.org/ebird/places Facebook group pages: Minnesota Ornithologists Union: https://www.facebook.com/groups/moumn.group/ Minnesota Birding: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mnbirding/ Minnesota Rare Bird Alert: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1570731239835376/ Northeast Minnesota Birding: https://www.facebook.com/groups/177159692431348/ Sax-Zim Bog: https://www.facebook.com/groups/saxzimbog/ Duluth Phenology: https://www.facebook.com/groups/duluthphenology/ 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.