Minnesota Birding Report Friday, August 15
In general, August is an excellent time to view families of sandhill cranes emerging from their nesting marshes to relocate to adjacent hayfields and grasslands. And, birders can still see large numbers of American white pelicans at the Minnesota River dam in Granite Falls, the dam near Watson, and the spillway on Marsh Lake near Appleton.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On August 13, a Great Gray Owl was seen along State Highway 65, roughly one mile north of Aitkin County Road 36.
In Yellow Medicine County, a basic-plumaged Western Tanager has been seen since August 2. Directions to view this bird are to travel south from County Road 4 on County Road 15, which is one-half mile east of the South Dakota border. Continue one mile to the “T,” and turn left. The bird was seen on the south side of the road in the next stand of vegetation to the east. A Lark Bunting was also reported one mile south of this location just last week.
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 membership@moumn.org
“The information in this report is provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union and Explore Minnesota Tourism.”
