Explore Minnesota Birding Report as of Friday, January 9, 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:
A Northern Hawk Owl was still near the Duluth International Airport on January 8 at the junction of Rice Lake Road and Airport Road. Another was seen on the 6th at the junction of Jean-Duluth Road and Beyer Road. A Northern Hawk Owl was reported on January 2 along Scenic Highway 61 at the Larsmont Cottages near Two Harbors, in Lake County. There have been several Northern Hawk Owls reported along St. Louis County Road 7 within one-half mile of Sax Road.
Four Great Gray Owls were seen on January 7 in the Sax-Zim Bog. They were along McDavitt Road, four miles north of St. Louis County Road 28. At least one Snowy Owl is being seen daily at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. It is most often seen on the west side along Cargo Road.
A Townsend’s Solitaire was found in Duluth on January 3 at the junction of London Road and Superior Street.
Also of note are the numerous reports of Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. These birds have been seen in Minneapolis, Rice County, and three different individuals were reported from St. Paul.
