Minnesota Birding Report as of January 25
In general, the month of January is an excellent time to view Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River. These birds are abundant from Hastings all the way to the Iowa border. And, Trumpeter Swans can be seen at Mississippi Drive Park in Monticello. At the time of this report, there were 1200 swans, with numbers to potentially increase to 1500.
The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
A BARROW'S GOLDENEYE is still being seen on the Mississippi River near Point Douglas, in Washington County, as is an adult male HARLEQUIN DUCK.
A SNOWY OWL continues to be seen occasionally from the west side of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, but it can be difficult to locate. On January 22, a SNOWY OWL was in Dakota County, roughly one-third of a mile east of Emery Avenue and one-half mile south of 170th Street. On the same day, another SNOWY OWL was along Clay County Road 108 near the Felton Prairie.
A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was found on January 20 along Airport Road, between the Cirrus building and the Natural Resources Research Institute, in Duluth. And a NORTHERN HAWK OWL is still being seen along St. Louis County Road 7 in the Sax-Zim Bog, between half a mile and one mile south of Stone Lake Road.
A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was found over the weekend in Hermantown, in St. Louis County, in a crabapple tree on the north side of Hermantown Road, just west of Haines Road.
A VARIED THRUSH is visiting a feeder in Princeton, along Sherburne County Road 1, roughly one mile north of State Highway 95. To view this bird, take U.S. Highway 169 to Princeton, then travel east on State Highway 95 to 75th Street. Turn north and drive just over a mile. The bird is coming to the house on the west side of the street at Fire Call 2465.
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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 moumembers@yahoo.com.
"The information in this report is provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union and Explore Minnesota Tourism."
