Explore Minnesota Birding Update, Sept. 8, 2014
Autumn highlights include spectacular fall color, the disappearance of mosquitoes, and the amazing fall bird migration. One of the most notable migrations is the large number of birds of prey traveling south along the Lake Superior shoreline due to their reluctance to cross large bodies of water. Hawk Ridge in Duluth is an excellent spot to observe these birds, with peak migration occurring mid-September to late October.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On August 31st, a Parasitic Jaeger was seen off Park Point in Duluth.
A Common Gallinule has been near Long Prairie in Todd County for at least a week. It is being seen in the small wetland on the south side of Imperial Road just west of street number 25396. This is about three miles from Long Prairie.
A Snowy Egret was at the Bass Ponds in Bloomington, Hennepin County, on the 2nd.
On the 1st, Herb Dingmann found an American Avocet at the Isanti sewage ponds in Isanti County.
On August 31st, as many as eight Short-Eared Owls were seen in Roseau County along 440th Avenue, five miles east and about two and a half miles north of the town of Roseau.
Fall migration is in full swing and most of the expected species have been seen across much of the state. Recent observations include Horned Grebe, Northern Goshawk, Buff-Breasted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Nighthawk, Olive-Sided Flycatcher, Swainson's Thrush, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, and Pine Siskin.
Birding events and weekend outings just around the corner include:
Hawk Ridge Weekend Festival 2014 -Sept. 19-21, Duluth
Lowry Nature Center Fall Bird Banding -Sept. 20, Victoria
Information in this statewide birding report is provided by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. View photographs of recent sightings at the MOU website. To submit a bird sighting, email the MOU birding report compiler at rba@moumn.org.
