North Dakota Birding Hotline Reports
February 2009
The North Dakota Birding Hotline is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Birding Society. To access the telephone birding hotline, call 701-355-8554.
Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, February 24, 2009.
It's "waxwing week," or--perhaps more appropriately--"lack of waxwings week."
Keith Corliss started it all off when he noted that he hadn't seen any waxwings in the Fargo-Moorhead area since November, the first time he remembered that happening. Keith did say that he had been receiving daily visits from a female SHARP-SHINNED HAWK for the past 10 days, but no waxwings. You can reach him at koolhand@juno.com.
A flock of about 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS showed up in Bob Scarlett's yard southeast of Bismarck on February 20, just before Keith's message. Bob reports the birds spent some time in crab apple trees. Contact him at bobkat@btinet.net.
Corey Ellingson has also noted a shortage of waxwings this winter. He recalled seeing a flock of about 15 AMERICAN ROBINS with a few CEDAR WAXWINGS on the Capitol Grounds in Bismarck in mid-February. Corey has also been watching a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK that has been patrolling his yard. Contact him at tcellingson@juno.com.
From Horace, Linda Gregg had CEDAR WAXWINGS in her yard on February 20. The February 21 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at her feeder was the first since late fall, and the MERLIN that visited on February 19 was the first-ever for her yard. She's at lgregg@far.midco.net.
Mark Gonzalez watched a flock of about 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS in northwest Bismarck during November and early December, before they disappeared. Since Christmas, he has seen a flock of 15-20 in about one-week increments. Mark adds the waxwings seem to be hanging out with about 20 AMERICAN ROBINS. You can reach him at 701-250-4443, extension 106.
Mo O'Mara was walking along the Yellowstone River near Sidney, Montana, on February 22 when she saw a flock of more than 200 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on a small island. Mo reports the birds came from the Montana side, stopped on the sandbar, and then flew into North Dakota. She describes the location as east of Richland Park or Montana County Road 128. For more information, try mo1_omara@yahoo.com.
No waxwings for Ron Martin and Corey Ellingson on February 22, but they did discover quite a few other species in an outing to the Stanton area and Garrison Dam. They saw two GADWALLS in the marsh below the fish hatchery, a LONG-TAILED DUCK and two BUFFLEHEADS at the tailrace, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK southeast of the dam, a GOLDEN EAGLE above the boat landing and another south of Minot, 12 AMERICAN ROBINS at the boat landing, four AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS in Stanton, plus three RED CROSSBILLS, 700 COMMON REDPOLLS and two HOARY REDPOLLS in a sunflower field southeast of the dam. Contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.
Another eagle sighting for Kay Buri. She saw a BALD EAGLE between Balfour and Bergen on February 19. She's at kayaktheprairie@srt.com.
That concludes this week's report from the North Dakota Birding Society.
Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.
Lots of golden eagle sightings all of a sudden, but there are other good reports, too.
An adult GOLDEN EAGLE flew over Corey Ellingson as he walked the Mandan experiment station grounds on February 14. He reports few other birds at that location, but did see a flock of 10 PURPLE FINCHES in the cedars. Back home in Bismarck, Corey observed at least 10 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES on a wire across the street, and two COMMON GRACKLES perched on spruce trees. For details on those sightings, contact Corey at tcellingson@juno.com.
Cathy Clayton and John Hoganson watched a GOLDEN EAGLE in flight just north of Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge on February 15. They also recorded a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in the town of McKenzie. You can reach Cathy at parula349@yahoo.com.
Lillian Crook saw a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES south of New England on February 13. Contact her at lilliancrook@hotmail.com.
Eve Freeberg discovered a GOLDEN EAGLE west and south of Grand Forks on February 15. Her other sightings that day included two HORNED LARKS, a GRAY PARTRIDGE pair, and four EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. On the following day, she added a NORTHERN SHRIKE. You can reach Eve at 701-741-8105.
Dan Buchanan didn't have to leave his Jamestown yard to find good birds. A juvenile SHARP-SHINNED HAWK stayed for at least half-an-hour on February 15, the day after an adult male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL paid a brief visit. Dan says the crossbill was the third this winter. That same weekend brought appearances by a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and two HOARY REDPOLLS. For more information, call Dan at 701-252-6604.
Also from Jamestown, Larry Igl's feeders had some interesting visitors on February 8: a female RED CROSSBILL, at least 75 COMMON REDPOLLS, six HOARY REDPOLLS, 50-60 PINE SISKINS, and a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. You can reach Larry at 701-253-5511.
Jean Legge saw a flock of 10 HORNED LARKS near the Highway 1 South exit off of I-94 on February 13 and again the following day in the same general area. On February 14, she also saw two AMERICAN CROWS and 10 EUROPEAN STARLINGS on a deer carcass north of Valley City. Contact Jean at 701-845-4762.
Wayne Easley and his wife observed a SNOWY OWL along Highway 3 between Hurdsfield and Harvey on February 15. They're at 701-324-2344.
And, for your long-range planning: the spring meeting of the North Dakota Birding Society has been set for Grafton on May 23-24. Details to follow.
That concludes this week's report from the North Dakota Birding Society.
Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.
Recent warmer temperatures brought out some different birds.
A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW showed up in Mark Gonzalez' backyard in Bismarck on February 4. Mark says it was the first one he'd seen in over two months. He also noted that AMERICAN ROBINS had become more numerous in his neighborhood. Mark counted 14 species in his backyard on February 7, including a COMMON GRACKLE, PURPLE FINCH, and two male plus two female RED CROSSBILLS. For details, contact Mark at 701-250-4443, extension 106.
A February 7 trip into northern Cass County produced a couple good finds for Keith Corliss. He recorded a RUSTY BLACKBIRD in Arthur, several COMMON REDPOLLS, and a HOARY REDPOLL at a feeder in Hunter, and a GOLDEN EAGLE along Highway 18 between the two towns. For more information, Keith is at koolhand@juno.com.
From Grand Forks, Dave Lambeth has been watching an over-wintering RED-TAILED HAWK for the second year. He had thought the hawk was of western origin until he read an article about the species. Now, he realizes the hawk is actually a light-phased Harlan's race. Dave has details at davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.
And, if you want to check out some recent additions to the North Dakota Birding Society website, the address is www.ndbirdingsociety.com.
That concludes this week's report from the North Dakota Birding Society.
Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, February 3, 2009.
The groundhog may have seen his shadow, but not much else was seen this week.
Amy Igl saw a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in her yard in northeast Jamestown on January 31. Larry Igl says the bird had not been seen in the yard earlier this winter, and none turned up in the Jamestown Christmas Bird Count in December. For more information, you can reach Larry at 701-253-5511.
Four-year-old Adrian Gonzalez told his dad, Mark Gonzalez, he wanted to see a SNOWY OWL. So the family packed up and found one in the northeastern corner of McKenzie Slough on February 1. Mark has more information at 701-250-4443, extension 106.
Two more eagle sightings for Kay Buri. On January 27, she found a BALD EAGLE picking up RING-NECKED PHEASANTS where the birds have been congregating just east of Balfour. Then, on February 2, Kay saw a mature BALD EAGLE flying low near the Enderlin Airport. Kay has details on the sightings at kayaktheprairie@srt.com.
Lillian Crook observed an AMERICAN KESTREL just east of Medora on February 2. You can reach her at lilliancrook@hotmail.com.
The EUROPEAN STARLING that Bernice Houser saw in her yard near New Town on January 24 was joined by about a dozen more on January 31. She reports the warmer temperatures also brought out more RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, including some females. You can reach Bernice at sanishnd@hotmail.com.
That concludes this week's report from the North Dakota Birding Society.
