Explore Minnesota Birding Report: December 12, 2008
Bald eagle on the Mississippi River. This is the Explore Minnesota Birding Report Newsletter as of Friday, December 12, with information provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union, and brought to you by Explore Minnesota Tourism.
In general, a drive along Highway 61, from Hastings to La Crescent, offers birders a chance to see numerous Bald Eagles, especially at Read’s Landing.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On December 9, eight species of gull were on Black Dog Lake in Dakota County. Among them were Bonaparte’s Gull, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Great Black-Backed Gull, and Thayer’s Gull.
In St. Louis County, a Great Gray Owl was on the east side of Young Lake on December 9, roughly six miles northeast of the town of Cotton. A Northern Hawk Owl is still being seen along U.S. Highway 53, roughly two miles south of Cotton. In
Aitkin County, a Northern Hawk Owl was along County Road 47, one mile north of the town of Malmo, on December 5.
A Varied Thrush is still in Ely, in St. Louis County, along the 1200 block of Main Street.
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.”
