Duluth RBA
Duluth RBA
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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *November 30, 2000 *MNDU0011.30 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore
Date: November 30, 2000
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Transcriber: Kim Eckert (kreckert@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, November 30, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Northern owls, especially Great Grays and N Hawk Owls, continue to be reported in good numbers in NE Minnesota this week, but just as interesting are the several other rarities and late-lingering migrants seen recently. Among these rarities are: WESTERN GREBE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, SPRUCE GROUSE at 2 locations, ICELAND GULL, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, 2 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES, an apparent hybrid EASTERN-X-SPOTTED TOWHEE, and FIELD SPARROW.
The W Grebe was found by Jim Lind in Agate Bay in Two Harbors Nov 26, and it was still present the next day. In the Grand Marais harbor a Harlequin Duck was still present Nov 27; this bird was first reported there on the 20th. Spruce Grouse were reported this week at 2 Cook Co locations: on the Sawbill Trail (or Co Rd 2) just S of Co Rd 3, and towards the N end of the Gunflint Trail near the Seagull Forest Guard Station. Peder Svingen found a first-winter Great Black-backed Gull on the Duluth side of the Superior Entry breakwaters Nov 26; he also saw a first-winter Iceland Gull in the Grand Marais harbor on the 27th.
A Three-toed Woodpecker was reported along the Gunflint Tr about 5 mi N of Grand Marais Nov 24. Also on the 24th a Townsend's Solitaire was seen in Grand Marais, and this is possibly the same individual first reported here in late October. Jim Lind found another solitaire in Two Harbors Nov 25, along 4th Ave between 3rd and 4th St. Jim had also found an apparent hybrid Eastern X Spotted Towhee in Two Harbors in the alley between 2nd & 3rd St and 3rd & 4th Ave on Nov 23, which was still present on the 24th. And a Field Sparrow was found in this same alley on the 23rd, and it was still there Nov 25.
Among the late-lingering migrants reported this week were: PIED-BILLED GREBE and HOODED MERGANSER in the Duluth harbor Nov 23, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT in the same area on the 24th, SURF SCOTER in the Grand Marais harbor Nov 24 along with a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER still present on the 27th, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Nov 24 on W Wabasha St in Duluth, a very late COMMON YELLOWTHROAT found dead in downtown Duluth Nov 22, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW Nov 25 in Two Harbors, and an unidentified MEADOWLARK on the 23rd at Park Point.
The number of GREAT GRAY OWLS reported so far this season in NE Minn now stands at 42. Since last week's Birding Report, at least 19 individuals were seen, of which 13 had not been reported previously. These new Great Grays were at the following locations:
2 in Aitkin Co along Co Rd 1, 12-13 mi N of the town of Aitkin; 2 near the jct of Aitkin Co Rd 18 and Pietz's Rd; 2 in the Sax-Zim Bog near the jct of Co Rds 133 and 211; 2 in Sax-Zim on Co Rd 7, 2 mi N of Co Rd 52; also in Sax-Zim on Co Rd 133, 2.7 mi E of Co Rd 7; and another in Sax-Zim on Co Rd 5, 5 mi N of Toivola; 2 in Lake Co along the N end of Co Rd 7; and in Cook Co on the Arrowhead Trail at the Paradise Brook overlook.
The NORTHERN HAWK OWL total for the season is now 23 individuals, with 14 reported since last week's Birding Report. Of these, 11 new hawk owls were reported from these locations:
near the town of Makinen on St Louis Co Rd 16, 4 mi W of Co Rd 4; in Duluth near the jct of N Tischer Rd and W Tischer Rd; 2 in Lake Co along the Stoney River Forest Rd, 11-12 mi N of Forest Rd 11; in Lake Co along the N end of Co Rd 7; another in Lake Co along Minn Hwy 61 near milepost 44, which is just SW of Split Rock Lighthouse; and at 5 locations in the Sax-Zim Bog -- near the jct of Co Rds 7 and 319; on Co Rd 7, 4 mi S of 319; on Co Rd 52, 4 mi W of Co Rd 7; on Co Rd 133, 1.3 mi W of Co Rd 7; and another on 133, 1 mi W of U S Hwy 53.
The only new report of BOREAL OWLS was of 5 additional individuals banded in Duluth late last week, which brings the season total to 34 reported individuals. Oddly enough, however, there were no new Snowy Owls reported this week, so that the season total remains at 13, although it is assumed there is at least one still present in the Duluth-Superior harbor area.
Finally, it's not too early to start thinking about the Duluth and other Christmas Bird Counts coming up in a couple weeks. The Duluth CBC will be on Dec 16 and organized and compiled by Jim Lind (720-4384), the Dec 17 Two Harbors CBC by Frank Nicoletti (724-0758), and the Dec 18 Sax-Zim Bog CBC by Mark Stensaas (590-3703). Contact these compilers for more information about reporting birds seen in these areas either on or before count day, or about joining one of the birding groups out in the field on these dates.
Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime which needs to be reported immediately, this report is normally updated once a week on Thursdays, so that the next scheduled update will be on December 7. The phone number for the Duluth Birding Report is (218) 525-5952, and callers can report bird sightings if they wish after the tone at the end of each tape. Messages can also be left without having to wait for the report to end: to do this, after the tape starts playing push 5 on a touch-tone phone, the tape will stop, the tone will sound, and you can then leave your message.
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 of Natural
History,10 Church Street SE, Minneapolis MN 55455; or send an e-mail to
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