[mou-net] A few minor notes from northern MN this week
I have a few other sightings made during work trips this week to report, now that I have time: On 2/17, a Black-backed Woodpecker flew across Hwy 2 and landed on a picked-over tamarack in St. Louis County, just south of the Aitkin County line. It was barely north of mile marker 214. Also on 2/17, a pair of adult Trumpeter Swans flew along Hwy 2 between Grand Rapids and Cohasset where the open water of the Mississippi River comes closest to the road. A small flock of White-winged Crossbills (9) are hanging around the Audubon Center of the Northwoods near Sandstone. They were in the dense conifers along CR 17 (Fox Rd) between the stone pillars at the entrance road to the center and where the ski trail crosses to the marsh observation blind. Also, one of the Audubon Center staff saw the Northern Goshawk I reported just a few days later on nearby 27, so it may still be hanging out in the area. Shawn Conrad http://users.2z.net/itasca_chippewa_birding/ _ Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_howitworks_022009 Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] [mou-rba] Duluth RBA 2/19/09
-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *February 19, 2009 *MNDU0902.19 -Birds mentioned Mute Swan Barrow's Goldeneye Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Eurasian Collared-Dove Northern Hawk Owl Great Gray Owl Black-backed Woodpecker Boreal Chickadee Hoary Redpoll Evening Grosbeak -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Duluth/North Shore Date: February 19, 2009 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) Reports: (218) 834-2858 Compiler: Jim Lind (jsl...@frontiernet.net) This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, February 19th, 2009 sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was relocated by Peder Svingen on the 14th near Leif Erickson Park in Duluth. A first-year ICELAND GULL, an adult GREAT-BLACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULLS, and THAYERS GULLS were seen by several observers over the weekend at the Canal Park ship canal. The TOWNSENDS SOLITAIRE along the Flynn Road (CR 282) was relocated on the 14th, 0.3 mile east of the McQuade Road (CR 33). An adult MUTE SWAN was seen on 16th and 17th at Burlington Bay and Agate Bay in Two Harbors. Three HOARY REDPOLLS were found by Kim Eckert and others on the 16th along 1st Street in Two Harbors. Most of the species of interest in the Sax-Zim Bog were seen over the weekend during the winter birding festival. NORTHERN HAWK OWLS were seen along CR 7 near the Sax Road (CR 28), along the McDavitt Road (CR 213) and the Admiral Road (CR 788) north of the Sax Road, and along the eastern portion of the Melrude Road (CR 59). A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen along CR 7, 0.5 mile south of CR 28, and another was seen along CR 7, 0.8 mile north of the Nichols Lake Road (CR 232). BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were seen along the McDavitt Road, 3.1 miles north of the Sax Road. BOREAL CHICKADEES and HOARY REDPOLLS were seen at the feeding station along the Admiral Road (CR 788), 3.8 miles north of the Sax Road. EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen at the feeders along the Blue Spruce Road (CR 211) a mile north of CR 133. Several observers reported a NORTHERN HAWK OWL along MN Highway 61 at Knife River on the 15th, and the bird was still present on the 19th. David Alexander relocated the NORTHERN HAWK OWL in Carlton County on the 14th along MN Highway 73 at mile marker 27, just north of Cromwell, and he relocated the one along MN Highway 61 in Silver Bay at the AmericInn on the 16th. He recently found another bird south of Cook at the Ralph Road (CR 912) and the Leander Road (CR 923). Shawn Conrad briefly saw the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Grand Rapids on the 19th at the corner of Willow Lane and 2nd Avenue SE. A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen on the 16th along Aitkin County Road 18, 3.1 miles east of U.S. Highway 169. The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, February 26th. The telephone number of the Duluth Rare Bird Alert is 218-834-2858. Information about bird sightings may be left following the recorded 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, e-mail us at m...@moumn.org, or visit the MOU web site at moumn.org. Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] [mou-rba] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Thursday, February 19, 2009
-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *February 19, 2009 *MNDL0902.19 -Birds mentioned Trumpeter Swan Mallard Common Goldeneye Bald Eagle Snowy Owl Northern Hawk Owl Great Gray Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Gray Jay Black-billed Magpie American Crow Horned Lark Red-breasted Nuthatch American Robin Varied Thrush Dark-eyed Junco Snow Bunting Pine Grosbeak House Finch White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Pine Siskin American Goldfinch -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes Date: February 19, 2009 Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours) Compiler: Jeanie Joppru (ajjop...@q.com) This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, February 19, 2009 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. Spring must be coming - we alternating between +30 degree temperatures and -20 degrees. The weather will settle into a pattern soon, but for now it doesn't seem to be able to make up its mind whether it's winter or spring! In the north we still have a good cover of snow in most places, but the strong sun will change all that as soon as the temperatures warm to the 20's. Best news this week is that, on a trip from Thief River Falls to Fergus Falls on the weekend, Shelley Steva and I saw HORNED LARKS in every county we went through. Jeff Birchem in Lake of the Woods County saw the NORTHERN HAWK OWL on the Roosevelt Road a couple of miles north of the Faunce-Butterfield Road on February 18. This bird has been there most of the winter. A PILEATED WOODPECKER was also seen there. At the Norris Camp feeder they are seeing GRAY JAYS, PINE GROSBEAKS, and COMMON REDPOLLS. Dave and Cec Lambeth were in Roseau County on February 13 where they found two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS and one GREAT GRAY OWL along MN 310 north of Roseau. There were also six PINE GROSBEAKS seen along that road, and 20 more were seen south of Roosevelt. Ben Wieland reported a VARIED THRUSH at Pleasant Lake near Hackensack in Cass County, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER near Leader on February 15. Diana Morkassel north of Warren in Marshall County observed a BALD EAGLE and an AMERICAN CROW a half mile north of the Warren airport on February 13, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and a HOUSE FINCH at her feeder nearby. In Polk County, Donna and Leon Thoreson saw a SNOWY OWL four miles east of Climax on CR 41 on February 14, and along the same road were 15 HORNED LARKS and 10 SNOW BUNTINGS. Along MN 220 north of Climax were two BALD EAGLES and two BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES. John Loegering reported a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL in Crookston, on February 15. Mike Christopherson, also in Crookston, reported RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, PINE SISKINS, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, and HOUSE FINCH. Diana Morkassel saw 4 AMERICAN CROWS, 12 HORNED LARKS, and SNOW BUNTINGS on February 15 along US 75 north of Crookston on February 15. Craig Coleman reported an AMERICAN ROBIN along CR 22 in Becker County on February 6. About 75 COMMON REDPOLLS are visiting his backyard feeder. In Otter Tail County, Shelley Steva and I saw a lot of TRUMPETER SWANS at the "levee" in Fergus Falls , along with some MALLARDS and COMMON GOLDENEYES on February 15. Thanks to Ben Wieland, Craig Coleman, Dave and Cec Lambeth, Diana Morkassel, Jeff Birchem, John Loegering, Mike Christopherson, and Donna and Leon Thoreson for their reports. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjop...@q.com 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, February 26, 2009. Jeanie Joppru Pennington County, MN Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] [mou-rba] MOU RBA 19 February 2009
-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *February 19, 2009 *MNST0902.19 -Birds mentioned Mute Swan Barrow's Goldeneye Wilson's Snipe American Woodcock Varied Thrush -Transcript Hotline: Minnesota Statewide Date: February 19, 2009 Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU) http://moumn.org Reports: (763) 780-8890 Compiler: Anthony Hertzel (axhert...@sihope.com) This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, February 19th 2009. In Duluth, the male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen again at Canal Park on the 17th. In Two Harbors, Lake County, a MUTE SWAN was at Burlington Bay of Lake Superior along 1st Street on the 16th. A very early AMERICAN WOODCOCK was photographed on the 16th in downtown Minneapolis, and a WILSON'S SNIPE was on the shore of Snelling Lake in Eagan, Dakota County on the 19th. A VARIED THRUSH has been in St. Paul since the 6th at the northwest corner of the intersection of Merrill Street and Ramsey County Road C2. It is most often seen in mid-morning. Another VARIED THRUSH was reported on the 15th from Cass County at a feeder on Pleasant Lake, near Hackensack but I have no specific details. The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, February 26th 2009. Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] EC Dove - Grand Rapids
After work today, I checked a street near the original Eurasian Collared-dove sightings and had one fly by at the corner of Willow Lane and 2nd Avenue SE heading toward Ha-Car Place. Shawn Conrad Bovey _ Stay up to date on your PC, the Web, and your mobile phone with Windows Live. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093185mrt/direct/01/ Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Back from the Bog
Hello MN Birders, I got back from the Sax-Zim Bog Birding Festival in Meadowlands, MN last weekend. I have been posting about my weekend on my blog. I got eight life birds including my 300th which was a Boreal Owl! I had a great time and recommend it to anyone wanting to find some northern Minnesota specialties. To read about my trip click on the link below: http://birdingwithtucker.blogspot.com/ Birds of interest include: Great Black-backed Gull-Canal Park, Superior Landfill near Duluth Boreal Owl-NE of Duluth Black-backed Woodpecker-2-Sax Zim Bog Boreal Chickadee-Sax Zim Bog Hoary Redpoll-Sax Zim Bog & Duluth Area Good Birding, Tucker J. Lutter Bronson, IA Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Another MOU Field Trip
This year we are again teaming up with the folks at Saint John's Abbey and University for an event on May 9th in Stearns County. Their portion of the day starts at 5:30am and goes until about 1:00pm with breaks for breakfast and lunch. They will be exploring the campus with different groups led by experienced birders. The cost is $16 and you can get more information at http://www.csbsju.edu/arboretum/arb_highlights/spring/spring_birding.htm . The MOU portion of the day will be in the afternoon with Milt Blomberg. He will start from the campus and head to the Avon Hills area to look for migrant passerines and shorebirds. Possibilities include Gray-cheeked and Wood Thrush, Cerulean and Mourning Warbler, Red-shouldered Hawk, Scarlet and Summer Tanager and a number of shorebirds. Contact Milt at mjbflw...@msn.com or at 320-656-5272. The afternoon trip is free and open to MOU members and is in collaboration with the Arboretum Avon Hills Initiative. Bob Williams, MOU Field Trip Coordinator Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] The Sax-Zim Winter Birding Festival
The Sax-Zim Winter Birding Festival headquartered out of Meadowlands was a delight. Helen & Dave Abramson and Mike Hendrickson are to be commended for working so hard to bring about this fantastic celebration of birds. All the volunteers who toiled there did as volunteers do--they made life better. The leaders and the vendors were great. A bus I was in had a minor mechanical problem as it toured the bog, but it set us back only slightly because help came like the cavalry. Vans and a tow truck made sure we were back on course in two shakes of a gray jay's tail. A birder lost the memory card from his camera. He wasn't sure where it had deserted him. Birders travel not only for life birds, but for life photos as well. The loss of the memory card filled with once-in-a-lifetime photographs was a great loss. The bus driver took it upon himself to search the areas where that bus had stopped, found the tiny memory card and returned it to the grateful birder. Tucker Lutter, a 15-year old birder with enthusiasm worth emulating , saw his 300th bird--a Boreal Owl. My only suggestion for the Festival is that they sell sweatshirts with mustard stains already on them so that we don't have to do that part ourselves. My thanks to everyone involved with The Sax-Zim Winter Birding Festival for making me one happy birder. There is nothing like having a Boreal Chickadee three feet away from me to drive away those winter blahs. Al Batt _http://albatt.net/_ (http://albatt.net/) **A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] bird survey positions with the DNR
Please pass this announcement on to anyone who you know is interested and available. If you have any questions, contact me. --Pam Perry, Brainerd * MN Department of Natural Resources - Bird Survey Specialist Positions (3) Three part-time temporary Natural Resource Specialists will be hired to conduct bird surveys as part of the Sensitive Lakeshore Project in Cass County. Specialists may also assist with frog surveys. All surveys are conducted on lakes from a motorboat. The bird surveys are auditory point counts and call playbacks (for marsh birds), recording all species heard and seen. The bird surveys are conducted early in the morning (point counts) or in the evening (call playbacks). Frog surveys are conducted after sunset. Responsibilities will include trailering and operating a motorboat, reading maps and GPS units, identifying bird and frog species, accurately recording field data and possibly data entry. Applicants must be able to identify birds by song/call. A Bachelor’s degree in a natural resources related field is required. Prior experience with boats and bird surveys is preferred. Work will begin in mid-May and continue into July. The number of hours of work per week will vary (likely ranging from 20-35) depending on weather conditions and survey plans. Positions are based in Brainerd or Cass County. The pay rate is $16.97/hr. For more information about the Sensitive Lakeshore Project go to http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/sli/index.html 2009 Positions: LocationDates Contact Deadline Brainerd (3)May-JulyPam Perry, 218-833-8728March 10 pam.pe...@dnr.state.mn.us Pam Perry NR Supervisor - Ecological Resources Nongame Wildlife Lake Specialist 1601 Minnesota Drive Brainerd, MN 56401 218/833-8728 pam.pe...@dnr.state.mn.us Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] Balck Backed Woodpeckers
Milt Blomberg found another Black Backed Woodpecker in Stearns. Must be a banner year or maybe its because someone is willing to pursue them in some of the most inhabitable areas. Milt and I have found an unusual amount just North of Stearns in Morrison County. The same pattern follows with many totally stripped Larch Trees in confined areas within the woods. Personally, I have found three sites in Morrison with the birds and 4 more sites that has evidence of them, and more to check out. Most of the areas show trees that have been worked over in previous years so the birds have been there in prior years. But, as Milt stated he had to go back 7 times to find his latest woodpecker. A birder I know checked some of the sites and didn't find a bird so he shrugged it off and said they must have returned North already or they were only Hairy Woodpecker scrapings. My suggestion is don't give up because if you find pockets of scraped trees that show a total debarking it is going to be either a Black Backed or an American Three Toed. There is plenty of food for the two species now because of the infestation that has moved into the area, I am looking forward to doing research in the Summer to see if the birds nest in the area. According to Kevin Mauer from Cushing Minnesota he says he has seen them for years in his area. Kevin is one of those people that spend his life in the woods as a deer hunter and a concerned citizen interested in nature preservation. If anyone in the area would be considered an expert at what is out there he lives in the middle of a very remote area within the deep woods of Northern Morrison and he can track anything. I hope there are more people like Milt and Kevin who are not just happy to see the birds from the road but will actively search them out in the deeper environments. Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
Re: [mou-net] Fwd: [BIRDCHAT] Bird seed recall (peanuts)
Let's not get carried away. Scott's recalled the suet cakes because the source of the peanut ingredients in their products came from Peanut Corp. of America. To throw out everything peanut or containing peanuts is ridiculous. Do a little research. Has the company supplying you with peanuts in any form verified their peanut source? Talk to the people you are purchasing from. The store management has a major stake in your birds and they should be checking this out. Finally, note Scott's is not doing this recall as a result of finding salmonella in their suet cakes. Think about how suet cakes or suet dough is made, heat is obviously involved, I know I liquefy mine to easily mix in other ingredients. Is that hot enough to kill salmonella? Good question. John Nelson Good Thunder MN Begin forwarded message: From: Tim Boucher Date: February 18, 2009 4:03:24 PM CST To: birdc...@listserv.arizona.edu Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Bird seed recall (peanuts) Reply-To: Tim Boucher Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., the largest U.S. lawn and garden product maker, recalled some of its five different varieties of wild bird food on Tuesday because of concerns that they may contain salmonella-contaminated peanut meal. One hopes that people had the sense to pitch any feed containing peanuts long before this recall, but Of course, wild birds can carry salmonella, but not necessarily this strain, so it could still be harmful to them, or to mammals that eat the feed. Ellen Paul Chevy Chase MD Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
[mou-net] MRVAC Trumpeter Newsletter
The March/April issue of the Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter (MRVAC) newsletter is now available on line at http://home.comcast.net/~mrvac/Mar2009.pdf Dave Cahlander will be presenting a program with his incredible photos from his recent trip to the secluded kingdom of Bhutan on the slopes of the Himalayan Mountains on March 26th at REI in Bloomington. It is free and you are invited. More information will follow in a couple of days. Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN swest...@comcast.net Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
