Explore Minnesota Birding Report Update November 1, 2012
Avid backyard birders will want to consider participation in Project FeederWatch, beginning November 10. Just count the numbers and kinds of birds at your feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to support their research. For a small fee, participants will receive the FeederWatcher?s Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report Winter Bird Highlights. To learn more, visit Project FeederWatch, or dial 1-800-843-2473
The following information has been provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union and their affiliates. This report is brought to you by ExploreMinnesota.com.
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The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On October 30th, Tammy Holmer found a Clark's Nutcracker along Ramsey County Road I at its intersection with St. Albans Street in northeastern Shoreview, and the bird has been at this location all day today. Look for it in the grassy area between County Road I and the bike path to the north.
On the 27th, a first state record Cassin's Kingbird was identified in Grand Marais, Cook County and it was still being seen yesterday, October 31st. It was originally found in the mountain ash tree behind the East Bay Hotel, but more recently it's been frequenting the area around the court house building. And check near the corner of 3rd Avenue West and 2nd Street where a Northern Mockingbird has also been seen. On the 29th, Drew Smith found a Townsend's Solitaire in a mountain ash tree next to the Trading Post in downtown Grand Marais.
In Sherburne County, two Townsend's Solitaires were at the Ann Lake campground parking lot on the 30th. And on the 26th, Barb Kull reported a partially albinistic Sandhill Crane in a wetland on Sherburne County Road 1, north of County Road 4.
Two Harlequin Ducks, five White-Winged Scoters, and about a dozen Long-Tailed Ducks were seen by Anthony Hertzel and Peder Svingen at Paradise Beach in Cook County on the 27th.
A Carolina Wren was reported on the 24th by Janice Bergstrom along the 17,000 block of 40th Street NW in South Haven, Wright County.
Other birds reported recently include Thayer's Gull, Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, Pine Grosbeak, and Evening Grosbeak.
Information in this statewide birding report is provided by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. To submit a bird sighting, email the MOU birding report compiler at rba@moumn.org.
