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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *April 8, 1997 *MNST9704.08 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide
Date: April 8, 1997
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Anthony Hertzel (tony@mill2.MillComm.COM)
Re-transcriber: David Cahlander (dac@skypoint.com)
This is the Minnesota birding report for Thursday April 3rd sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. As always, to skip this recording and leave a message you can press 5 on your touch tone phone.
It's been a busy week for birders in Minnesota and the large number of sightings that were called in this week prevent me from reporting on them all. Thanks to everyone who contributed this week.
The TRUMPETER SWAN reported recently near Reno in Houston County was still present along highway 26 as recently as March 25th. On the 31st, a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS was seen in Wright County along County road 37 near Halsey Road. Two TRUMPETERS were also reported from west central Washington County. This pair was seen by Cathy Clayton on Lake De Montraville on March 31st.
A total of twenty ROSS' GEESE have been found over the past week. Three ROSS' GEESE were reported by Diane Anderson on March 27th from the East Landfill Reservoir near Rochester in Olmsted County. Fifteen ROSS' GEESE were seen on the 29th in a flooded field about four miles north of Rice Lake State Park on Steele County road 10. On April 2nd Mark Citsay found a ROSS' GOOSE along the St. Croix River at the Bayport marina. Craig Mandel found a ROSS' GOOSE in Renville County in a flooded field at the junction of county roads 11 and 54.
I have a second hand report from March 27th of two CINNAMON TEAL from the Whitewater area of Winona County. The location was given as just NW of the DNR building along state highway 74. The birds have not been seen since this initial sighting.
An early FRANKLIN=D5S GULL was seen at Spring Lake by Tony Hertzel on March 27th. Three immature GLAUCOUS GULLS were reported from near the Bass Ponds area in Bloomington on March 30th and a LESSER BLACK- BACKED GULL was present there on the 31st.
Three very early AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were found by Ray Glassel and Dave Cahlander on March 29th, two miles south of U.S. highway 14 on Dodge County road 1.
Leeann Overman reported that a GREAT GRAY OWL was still along Ravine Circle North in May Township in Washington County on March 28. And a GREAT GRAY OWL was reported from Maple Grove in Hennepin County on the 2nd but no specific location was given by the caller.
Migrant SHORT-EARED OWLS were in Winona and Otter Tail counties, and Bill Marengo found a LONG-EARED OWL at the Blue Mounds State Park campground in Rock County on the 29th. On March 30th, three LONG- EAREDS and a GREAT GRAY OWL were seen in a pine grove near the Louisville swamp area of the Minnesota River in Scott County. And a SNOWY OWL was still at the Hamden Slough near the Tamarac NWR in Becker County on the 27th.
A HOUSE WREN was seen April 1 near St. Olaf College in Northfield, Rice County, and a WINTER WREN was seen by Dave Thurston on the 31st at the Old Cedar Ave bridge area in Bloomington.
Karl Bardon discovered a male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD in Jackson County near Heron Lake. On April 2 the bird was along Jackson County Road 24 about four miles south of highway 60.
A HERMIT THRUSH at the Old Cedar Ave Bridge in Hennepin County on March 29th and again on April 1st.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were in Anoka, Renville and Rice counties, and an early YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen by Oscar Johnson in Maple Grove, Hennepin County on the 29th.
And finally, on March 29th, several RED CROSSBILLS were observed near the town of Jordan, about a half mile east of Scott County Road 9 along county road 57.
Other common sightings now include GREAT EGRET, TUNDRA SWAN, SNOW GOOSE, PEREGRINE FALCON, SANDHILL CRANES returned in good numbers to several Minnesota locations, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in a few locations including two birds near Brainerd, TREE SWALLOW, BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, DARK-EYED JUNCOS have increased noticeably in numbers during the past week and FOX SPARROWS have also recently appeared, often in surprising numbers, and SWAMP SPARROWS.
Thanks to Chuck Meyer, Julie Brophy, Louise Balma, Mike Steffes, Steven Houdek, Betsy Barnes and Roberta Steele.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday April 10th.