June 18, 2012 Explore Minnesota Birding Report Update
The City of Duluth and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory have joined efforts to present the 7th Annual Peregrine Watch, with informal interpretation at Lake Place Park, above the ?corner? of the Lakewalk in downtown Duluth. Naturalists will be on-site with spotting scopes and binoculars Tuesdays through Saturdays (weather permitting) through approximately July 4th to teach about a pair of rare Peregrine Falcons that nest in a man-made nestbox atop the historic Greysolon Plaza Building in downtown Duluth. There are three chicks in the nest this year, and they are expected to take their first flight beginning as early as tomorrow, June 19. Please note that once the birds fledge they become very mobile--if the fledglings move to a nearby area to feed, the naturalists will follow, leaving a sign at Lake Place Park directing visitors to their new nearby location . 218/428-8722
The following information has been provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union and their affiliates. This report is brought to you by ExploreMinnesota.com.
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The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:
On June 12th, Ron Lawrenz reported a Barn Owl along the Long Meadow Lake Trail in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington in Hennepin County. This location was roughly one and one-half miles down the trail from the visitors center.
A Sprague's Pipit has been seen consistently at the Felton Prairie in Clay County since June 8th. From the junction of State Highway 9 and Clay County Road 26, travel east for about three miles to 170th Street. Turn north and drive the dirt road to the first fence north of the windmills. Park and walk east along the fence line to a metal pipeline post. Listen here for the bird's skylarking song.
On the 14th, John Schladweiler discovered a male Lark Bunting in Jackson County. To view this bird, take I-90 to State Highway 264 and travel south on 264 toward Round Lake for four and one-half miles to 750th Street. Turn east and drive just over four and one-half miles to the grassland on the north side of the road. Check here for the next half a mile or so.
There was an unusual sighting of two Snowy Owls reported on June 12th. One was near Moorhead in Clay County. It was seen on 90th Avenue South between 14th and 28th Streets. The other was in Vadnais Heights along Ramsey County Road E at Labor Road.
On June 6th, Shawn Conrad and Bob Dunlap found a Northern Mockingbird at the gravel pits at the southeast corner of the intersection of Murray County Road 4 and 15th Avenue in the extreme southwest part of the county.
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 the MOU birding report compiler at rba@moumn.org.
