March 21, 2011 Explore Minnesota Birding Report
During the month of March, watch for early returning migrants such as Canada geese, bald eagles, and American Kestrels. Also watch for the first eastern bluebirds and wood ducks that arrive in search of nest boxes. And some of the best waterfowl migration activity occurs from mid-March through mid-April. Anyone enamored with loons should check out the Common Loon Migration Page. Click on Loon #55480 to view Saint John's Abbey's summer resident loon "Big John" to view his amazing journey!
The following information has been provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. This report is brought to you by ExploreMinnesota.com.
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The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On March 11, Bill Unzen reported a Clark's Nutcracker which he had seen briefly in northeastern Lac qui Parle County in a spruce stand on the south side of 330th Street. This location is roughly one-quarter of a mile east of State Highway 119. Despite several searches over the next few days, no one has been able to relocate this bird.
Bruce Monson reported that twenty Long-Tailed Ducks remained at Agate Bay in Two Harbors in Lake County on March 17. On the 16th, Kim Eckert reported that a Great Black-Backed Gull was still at Canal Park in Duluth.
On the 11th, Brian Smith reported several migrant Ross's Geese at the Sleepy Eye sewage ponds in Brown County, and the spring's first Turkey Vulture was seen on the 16th by Bob Dunlap near the Gustavus Adolphus campus in St. Peter in Nicollet County.
Other widely reported spring migrants include Tundra Swan, Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Ruddy Duck, Merlin, Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, American Coot, Northern Flicker, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, Brown-Headed Cowbird, and Common Grackle.
Information in this statewide birding report is provided by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU), Minnesota's oldest and largest bird club. To submit a bird sighting, email Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@gmail.com.
