This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, October 13, 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 northwest has now had its first killing frost, and leaves are blowing quickly off the trees. Migration is picking up and most areas are reporting the last of the sparrows, and the first of many migrating waterfowl. Yards are full of NORTHERN FLICKERS, AMERICAN ROBINS, HARRIS'S SPARROWS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS. Most of the warblers have left the northwest, but a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, PALM WARBLERS, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS have been reported this week. Mike Thiele in Roseau County reported large numbers of migrants moving through Warroad on October 12. On October 13, he reported an immature WILD TURKEY. Kittson County species reported by Herb Dingmann and Ron Erpelding on October 12 included CHIPPING SPARROW, HARRIS'S SPARROW, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in Lancaster. At the Lancaster WTP, they found a WINTER WREN on the trail into the ponds, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. NORTHERN PINTAIL and GREEN-WINTED TEAL were seen on the ponds. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW were seen near Hallock. AMERICAN PIPIT and BONAPARTE'S GULL were seen at the Kennedy WTP. In Clearwater County on October 13,Herb and Ron found ten AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW at the rice paddies north of Clearwater. At Itasca SP on October 9, Alex Sundvall reported RED CROSSBILLS, SEDGE WREN, and GRAY JAY. In Pennington County, Shelley Steva and I did a Big Sit on October 8 from our deck and tallied 32 species. Best species were a fly over PEREGRINE FALCON, and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. The yard was full of PURPLE FINCHES, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, HARRIS'S SPARROWS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and PALM WARBLERS. We had one FOX SPARROW, and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD came to the bird bath. On October 13, I joined Ron Erpelding and Herb Dingmann at the Thief River Falls WTP where they had found 8 SURF SCOTERS. Other species seen there included CANADA GOOSE, and CACKLING GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, SNOW GOOSE, HORNED GREBE, BUFFLEHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, BONAPARTE'S GULLS, AMERICAN PIPITS, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. In Red Lake County, Herb and Ron found 18 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS in a harvested soy bean field at the intersection of 120 Ave. SW and 250th St SW. Two COMMON LOONS were seen at the old quarry just north of US 2. >From Hubbard County, Rebecca Engdahl this week reported RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, FOX SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO. In Otter Tail County, Charlene Nelson saw a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD fly over the south shore of Otter Tail Lake on October 11. She also reported ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. On October 8, she saw LE CONTE'S SPARROW at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. On October 10, Matt Jacobson observed a HARRIS'S SPARROW at the Learning Center. Gary and Marion Otnes had a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER and a male NORTHERN CARDINAL in their yard in Fergus Falls on October 8. >From Grant County, Charlene Nelson reported thousands of ducks on Flekkefjord Lake north of Elbow Lake on October 9. On the 13th, she found an ibis sp. on the south side of the Ottawa Impoundment. Thanks to all who reported 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 Thursday, October 20, 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
