Explore Minnesota Birding Report Update February 19, 2013
The month of March kicks off with a couple of popular birding events. The International Festival of Owls will be held March 1-3 in the town of Houston, located in southeastern Minnesota. Immerse yourself in owls at the only annual, full-weekend, all-owl festival in North America. Highlights include seven species of live owls, an outdoor photography session with the owls, and owl prowls to call in wild owls. Families can build an owl nest box, make a variety of owl crafts, search for the medallion, and have a hoot eating owl-themed food. More serious owl aficionados will enjoy presentations by internationally renowned owl experts. And don't miss SOAR with the Eagles held Saturdays and Sundays, March 2-17 in Wabasha. SOAR with the Eagles offers special events, guest presenters, artists, exhibitors, a raffle and more. Come see an abundance of eagles soaring, catching fish, nesting, and chattering.
Information in this report 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:
An adult Black-Legged Kittiwake was seen by Kim Risen on February 10th at Flood Bay located east of Two Harbors in Lake County. This was probably the same individual found on the 3rd at Burlington Bay in Two Harbors by Chris Wood. The Barrow's Goldeneye was seen again on the 16th in Duluth out from Leif Erikson Park around 12th Avenue East. And Bruce and Susan Fall had a brief look at an immature King Eider on the 9th along Scenic Highway 61, a quarter of a mile east of Lakewood Road, but it has not been seen since.
A few Boreal Owls continue to be found along the North Shore, especially along Scenic Highway 61 between Duluth and Knife River. Recent sightings have been near Alseth Road. And on the 16th, four Great Gray Owls were reported along the highway between Duluth and Two Harbors.
An amazing report of 59 Great Gray Owls in Roseau County was provided by Steve and Diane Millard on the 16th. Most of these owls were northeast and east of State Highway 310, with 34 of these birds along Sprague Creek Road. Also counted were nine Northern Hawk Owls in this same general area.
A previously seen immature Black-Crowned Night-Heron was still along Shive Road in Winona on the 15th.
A Snowy Owl was south of Greenwald along Stearns County Road 4 on the 15th.
A Townsend's Solitaire was found on the 15th by Milt Blomberg along Stearns County Road 143 at the north end of Fuller Lake. This is about a mile northwest of the town of Clearwater.
And a Varied Thrush is still in the Lakeside neighborhood of Duluth where it was first discovered on December 15th. It's being seen just east of the intersection of 47th Avenue and Oakley Street.
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.
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