[mou-net] Northwest Minnesota Birding Report- Thursday, March 12, 2020

[Jeanie Joppru]

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 B LACKBIRD, 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 ajjop...@mncable.net 
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
 


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[mou-net] Brant (Olmstead Co.)—belated eBird report

[Alyssa DeRubeis]

Here’s an eBird report that was recently reported of a Brant trio, from two 
days ago. Birds were only observed in flight so who knows where they are by now?

Brant (Branta bernicla) (3)
- Reported Mar 10, 2020 08:00 by Neil Christianson
- Foster Arend Park, Olmsted, Minnesota

- Map: 
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8=p=13=44.0631973,-92.4624395=44.0631973,-92.4624395
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S65691398

- Comments: "Atlantic variant - three flew overhead, distinct from the many 
Canada Goose in the area by both sight and sound. Immediately apparent was the 
clear line between their light bellies and dark black chest. They vocalized in 
flight, producing soft throaty tones instead of loud honking. The nearby water 
treatment facility produces warmer waters at this section of the Zumbro River, 
making it attractive to a wide variety of birds, especially in colder seasons."

Alyssa DeRubeis
Montreal, QC

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[mou-net] Iowa report of a Smew

[Kim R Eckert]

Just received an e-mail from Ric Zarwell about his sighting yesterday of an 
adult male Smew on the Mississippi River at Lock & Dam #9 in Allamakee County, 
Iowa. Following is the link to his report on the Iowa listserv:

http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=1645801=IA=Iowa 


This is only about a 23-mile drive south of Minnesota, so perhaps it’s 
something Minnesota birders would be interested in. Note, however, that the 
possibility exists that this bird is an escape or release from captivity, as 
was the case with at least two sightings in MN. Minnesota’s only accepted 
record is from 1999 in Jackson County (interestingly enough, also in March), 
but that record is qualified as origin unknown – i.e., the possibilities of 
wild vs. escape were considered about equal.  

Kim Eckert, Duluth 



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