February 4, 2011 Explore Minnesota Birding Report
During the months of January and February, keep an eye out for great gray and snowy owls, as well as snow buntings, lapland longspurs, hoary redpolls, and American tree sparrows. Open water areas along rivers are great for viewing Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and mallards - if you look closely, you may also see common goldeneyes, American mergansers, and American black ducks. And the section of the Mississippi River between Red Wing and Wabasha in southeastern Minnesota offers an abundance of sites to view bald eagles. Anyone wanting more information on southeastern Minnesota phenology, should check out the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center blog site.
The following is a list of significant sightings:
A Great Black-Backed Gull was seen by Peder Svingen on January 30 at Canal Park in Duluth. Mike Hendrickson found a Glaucous Gull in the same location on the 29th.
A pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves was seen in Montgomery in Le Sueur County on February 2, although no specific location was given other than that they were seen on the east side of town.
A Varied Thrush is still being seen in Ely in St. Louis County across from the Pillow Rock Historical Marker at the 2100 block of Main Street.
And a Harris's Sparrow is still at Koni Fank's feeder in Dassel in Meeker County along 708th Avenue.
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@gmail.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."
