Northwest Birding Report – Thursday, April 30, 2020

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, April 30, 2020 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also see this report on the Chamber of Commerce website: https://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/birding-report

Spring seems to have really arrived in the northwest this time. Temperatures have been pleasant and increasing, birds are coming back, and a light rain has greened things up. Many of the early migrants are already here including horned larks, northern flickers, American robins, dark-eyed juncos, American kestrels and northern harriers. A few warblers are straggling in but the bulk of them are still to come.

In Lake of the Woods County, Gretchen Mehmel observed EASTERN PHOEBE, WINTER WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER  on April 23rd.

Beth Siverhus reported 7 HORNED GREBES at the Warroad WTP, AMERICAN KESTREL, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, COMMON LOON, PIED-BILLED GREBE, EASTERN PHOEBE, HERMIT THRUSH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, SONG SPARROW, FOX SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW  among many others this week.

Michael Gilbertson found AMERICAN AVOCET and DUNLIN at Karlstad in Kittson County on April 28th.

Two CASPIAN TERNS were reported this week. Becca Engdahl found one on Lake Bemidji in Beltrami County on April 22nd, and Tim Lamey reported on at the Walker WTP in Cass County on April 27th.

I found several HORNED GREBES at Agassiz NWR in Marshall County on April 25th. Steve Broten reported two active BALD EAGLE nests. There is one close to the road three miles northwest of Strandquist on private property that is visible from the road, and one along CR 28 just after it turns north from CR 4. Email me if you want directions to the Strandquist nest. Heidi Hughes reported EARED GREBES at The Agassiz Valley impoundment on April 28th. She observed a HUDSONIAN GODWIT on April 27th.

Birds of interest this week at our yard east of Thief River Falls in Pennington County included TURKEY VULTURE on April 25th, EASTERN BLUEBIRD and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT on April 27th, BROWN THRASHER on April 28th, and RED-NECKED GREBE on April 29th. BROWN CREEPERS were seen on several days in the yard. Allyson Engelstad reported WOOD DUCK and a flight of TUNDRA SWANS in southern Pennington County on April 23rd.

In Clay County, Patrick Beauzay found a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER at Swede Grove Lake on April 26th, and a SNOWY EGRET at Maria Lake on April 28th. A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was seen by Tyson Kahler at River Oaks Park on April 27th. SWAINSON’S THRUSH was seen there by Linda Slagter on April 27th.

From Becker County, Michael Valkenburg observed a drumming RUFFED GROUSE near Rochert on April 27th. Lee Kensinger reported NORTHERN HARRIER, BROWN CREEPER and PALM WARBLER at Tamarac NWR on April 27th, and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER at Dunton Locks County Park.

Several folks reported a BLUE-HEADED VIREO in Todd County on April 27th.

Chad Tolsma found a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW near the Orwell Dam in Otter Tail County on April 29th. Ida Fetterer reported WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, COMMON LOON and EASTERN BLUEBIRD in Fergus Falls on April 29th. All of the expected waders have arrived at Grotto Lake in Fergus Falls, and the area is hosting many ducks of all the common species.

The North Ottawa Impoundment in Grant County is once again hosting thousands of waterfowl, waders, and many other species. Chad Tolsma found CLIFF SWALLOWS and WHITE-FACED IBIS  there on April 29th. Charlene Nelson reported HORNED GREBE, AMERICAN AVOCET, WESTERN GREBE, MARBLED GODWIT, a variety of other shorebirds and AMERICAN PIPIT. Monica Bryand found a LITTLE BLUE HERON there on April 26th. Jen French reported YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD on April 26th.

Elsewhere Charlene Nelson  at Elbow Lake reported BROWN THRASHER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW  on April 23rd, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and CHIPPING SPARROW on April 24th, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW  on April 27th, and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER on April 28th. Terry Brokke reported a BALD EAGLE nest with young near Wendell on April 24th.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@mncable.net. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, May 7, 2020.