This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Friday, October 28, 2016 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.
The stragglers are moving through the northwest at this time, but there are pockets where there are still many of the migrating sparrows such as white-throated, Harris's, and white-crowned sparrows. Dark-eyed juncos are still with us, but starting to be reduced in numbers in some localities. A few SNOW BUNTINGS are showing up, and RED-TAILED HAWKS can be seen as they perch in their quest for food. A hard freeze has occurred so most of the vegetation is brown, and leaves are all but a memory, except in the form of yard work. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was reported along CR 1 in Lake of the Woods County on October 23. GRAY JAYS and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES can be found near Baudette. SNOW BUNTINGS were reported in Beltrami County near Blackduck by Candice Cameron on October 26. Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge staff reported a LONG-TAILED DUCK on Headquarters Pool on October 24 and 25. I checked for it on October 26 but did not find it. I do not know if anyone has seen it since Tuesday. While on the way to look for this bird, I found five BALD EAGLES along Marshall CR 12 about 1.5 miles south of CR 7. Also there were several COMMON RAVENS, and five or six BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES. Two more BALD EAGLES were seen inside the refuge boundaries and three SNOW BUNTINGS flew up as I drove by. In Polk County, Sandy Aubol reported that the variety has greatly decreased in her yard, but she still has a few WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and many DARK-EYED JUNCOS. A HERMIT THRUSH was seen there today. Marshall Howe in Hubbard County reported BUFFLEHEAD, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, and PURPLE FINCH on October 21. On October 24, he observed COMMON LOON, RED CROSSBILL, and DARK-EYED JUNCO. Charlene Nelson reported a WOOD THRUSH at the North Ottawa impoundment in Grant County on October 22; on the 23rd, she found the first SNOW BUNTINGS, and AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS there. Thanks to all who sent in their sightings this week. Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjop...@mncable.net <mailto:ajjop...@mncable.net> 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 Friday, November 3, 2016 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
