-RBA
*Minnesota
*Detroit Lakes
*March 12, 2020
*MNDL2003.12

-Birds mentioned
Snow Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Spruce Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Northern Harrier
Rough-legged Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Great Gray Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Black-backed Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Horned Lark
American Robin
Pine Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Western Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
-Transcript

Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: March 12, 2020
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 218-847-5743 or 218-847-9202
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru ([log in to unmask])

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, March 12,
2020 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You
may also see this report on the Chamber of Commerce website:
https://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/birding-report

Spring is slowly coming to the northwest. The slow speed is welcomed by
many as it is slowing the melt of all the snow, and lessening the
chances of flooding in days to come. Birds are coming back, and most
obvious are the horned larks which are now present in large numbers on
almost all the rural roads in open areas. Due to the slow melt, the
roads are by and large still in pretty good condition. That could change
at any time so check the reports before venturing out into the rural
areas.

In Lake of the Woods County, Martin Kehoe sent in a report of sighting
during the week on February 22nd – 29th around his cabin in the Red Lake
WMA. He reported PINE SISKINS everywhere, and I have reports of them in
several other counties in the last days. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS could
be seen throughout the area, and RED CROSSBILLS were present in smaller
numbers. He was seeing up to ten SPRUCE GROUSE daily, also a
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER and an AMERICAN 3-TOED WOODPECKER. PINE
GROSBEAKS were seen in small numbers as well as PURPLE FINCHES;
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE could be found in open areas.

From Kittson County, Anna Wermers reported a NORTHERN HARRIER on March
5th.

On March 7th, Debbie Center reported COMMON MERGANSERS in Nevis in Cass
County.

A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen by Pat Beauzay in Clay County on March 10th.

On March 9th, NORTHERN HARRIER and AMERICAN KESTREL were observed in
Becker County at Hamden Slough. A GREAT HORNED OWL was reported by Lee
Kensinger in Detroit Lakes.

On March 2nd , Marshall Howe sent in a third party report of a
photographed GREAT GRAY OWL near Dorset IN Hubbard County which had been
seen since January 25th. It is unknown if it is still there.

There were several reports from Otter Tail County. Wayne Perala reported
BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, TRUMPETER SWAN, and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in
the Fergus Falls area on March 8th. Chad Tolsma reported BELTED
KINGFISHER, and HOODED MERGANSER there on March 10th. Also on March 10,
Pat Millard found four NORTHERN HARRIERS in the area. Jean King Perryman
reported AMERICAN ROBIN and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Battle Lake on
March 9th.

In Grant County, Wayne Perala reported on March 8th that the North
Ottawa Impoundment was still frozen, but numbers of SNOW GEESE, and
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were flying around the area. Other species
seen in the area included WESTERN MEADOWLARK, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
AMERICAN KESTREL, NORTHERN HARRIER, MERLIN, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and
HORNED LARKS.

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 numbers 218-847-5743 or 218- 847-9202. Please include the
county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this
report is Thursday, March 26, 2020.


Jeanie Joppru
Pennington County, MN