Explore Minnesota Birding Report as of January 11
In general, the month of January is an excellent time to view Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River. These birds are abundant from Hastings all the way to the Iowa border. And, Trumpeter Swans can be seen at Mississippi Drive Park in Monticello. At the time of this report, there were 1200 swans, with numbers to potentially increase to 1500.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
An IVORY GULL was seen in Duluth on January 7, but it departed in the afternoon and has not been seen since. The bird had been roosting on the ice behind the Canal Park Inn.
At least one BARROW'S GOLDENEYE is still being seen on the Mississippi River near Point Douglas, in Washington County, as is the adult male HARLEQUIN DUCK.
On January 4, a pair of MUTE SWANS was on the Mississippi River, south of Winona, at the junction of U.S. Highway 61 and Winona County Road 15.
A SNOWY OWL was seen on January 4 along Helberg Drive at the Duluth Port Terminal, between Garfield Avenue and Port Terminal Drive.
Three GREAT GRAY OWLS were along the Lake Nichols Road in the Sax Zim Bog, in St. Louis County, on January 6. Two were roughly one-half mile east of County Road 7, and the other was about two miles east of County Road 7. Another Great Gray Owl was along McDavitt Road, 3.2 miles north of County Road 28. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen at about the same time along County Road 7 near County Road 28, and another was along County Road 7 at Stone Lake Road. And, a Northern Hawk Owl was also seen in Duluth, near the corner of Blackman Avenue and MacFarlane Road, on the morning of January 5.
Dale Yerger reported two BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and one AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER in Aitkin County on January 4. The location was three-quarters of a mile west of Mile Marker 183 along State Highway 200.
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Information in this statewide birding report is provided by and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from reports submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly birding update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive the organization's quarterly journal "The Loon," and the bi-monthly magazine, "Minnesota Birding." For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.
"The information in this report is provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union and Explore Minnesota Tourism."
