February 11, 2011 Explore Minnesota Birding Report
During the month of 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 Harlequin Duck was found by Chad Heins on February 6 at the Knife River Marina in Lake County. At Canal Park in Duluth, Mr. Heins also reported a Great Black-Backed Gull, Iceland Gull, and a Thayer's Gull. And at the Sax- Zim Bog along McDavitt Road about two miles north of Sax Road he reported a Black-Backed Woodpecker. Mr. Heins reported a Hoary Redpoll at the feeders two and a half miles north of Sax Road. Also on the 6th, Mike Hendrickson saw a Hoary Redpoll in the bog near the feeders at Arkola Road east of Owl Avenue.
Warren Nelson and Butch Ukura found a Black-Backed Woodpecker on February 9 along Pietz's Road roughly one mile north of Aitkin County Road 18, and another on the 4th along County Road 1, seven and one-quarter miles north of the diversion ditch bridge. They also found a Hoary Redpoll about half a mile south of the town of Swatara on Aitkin County Road 29.
On the 6th, Bob Williams reported a Tufted Titmouse in the town of Elgin in Wabasha County. The bird was visiting the feeders at the corner of 1st Street NW and 1st Avenue NW.
And a Townsend's Solitaire is still being seen at the north end of Lake Vadnais, feeding in the cedars on the west side of Sucker Lake Road about one-third of a mile south of Ramsey County Road F.
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."
