North Dakota Birding Hotline Reports
January 2008
Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, January 29, 2008.
It's been a slow time for birders, but there are some exceptions.
Dave Lambeth and Magnus Elfwing scored 27 species during a day of Pembina County birding on January 26. Highlights included a CANADA GOOSE on open water in Icelandic State Park, nine SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, an adult BALD EAGLE, two adult GOLDEN EAGLES, 35 COMMON RAVENS--most east of the Little Pembina Gorge, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in the Park, 20 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, three RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 10 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 10 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, five PINE GROSBEAKS, a PURPLE FINCH, 50 HOUSE FINCHES, a lone COMMON REDPOLL, 1,500 PINE SISKINS, and 10 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. For more information, contact Dave at davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.
Dean Riemer and Keith Corliss birded Fargo and West Fargo on January 26. They found a NORTHERN CARDINAL pair near the Fargo Country Club, and 30 COMMON REDPOLLS and a NORTHERN SHRIKE in West Fargo. You can reach Dean at driemer@kwh.com.
Mark Otnes came up with 19 species in Stutsman and Barnes counties on January 25. Starting off early in the Pipestem Dam area of Stutsman County, Mark didn't find much. However, in the Parkhurst area, he saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE chasing a CEDAR WAXWING, and later a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE. Near the dam headquarters building, Mark added another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and a few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, and BLUE JAYS. Moving on to Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, he found a SNOWY OWL southeast of the refuge, and three RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at a farmstead on the southwest corner of the refuge. In Barnes County, Mark saw two small flocks of HORNED LARKS and three WESTERN MEADOWLARKS in some CRP land about 10 miles north of Tower City. He counted a total of 14 flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS in the two counties. For more information, try Mark at markotnes@cableone.net or 701-241-4194.
Dan Buchanan observed an adult male yellow-shafted NORTHERN FLICKER in a northeast Jamestown backyard on January 26. Other feeder regulars have been a pair of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and he has also seen DOWNY WOODPECKER, PINE SISKINS and a few DARK-EYED JUNCOS. You can reach Dan at bulaw@daktel.com or 701-252-6604.
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, January 22, 2008.
This week...some belated Christmas Bird Count results, a very late swan, and more.
Some record highs were reported in the December 18 Christmas Bird Count at Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge. Paulette Scherr says records were set with 30 BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS, 14 GREAT HORNED OWLS, 677 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, and 46 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. The total of 31 species included only three HORNED LARKS, 196 SNOW BUNTINGS, and no Lapland longspurs. For more information on that count, contact Paulette at 701-285-3341.
Jeff Essler saw a TUNDRA SWAN feeding with CANADA GEESE near Washburn on January 16. He says the birds were very near the highway, and describes the location as south of Washburn, west of Highway 83, but north of the River Road entry. You can reach Jeff at jessler@ducks.org.
Ron Martin found two SHORT-EARED OWLS in the northern part of Sheridan County on January 19. For more information, it's jrmartin@srt.com.
Jean Legge discovered a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE about four miles north of Valley City on January 20. She also heard two GREAT HORNED OWLS calling from her yard near Valley City. For details, Jean is at jlegge@daktel.com or 701-845-4762.
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, January 15, 2008.
There's a "summer" bird to go along with all the "winter" birds this week.
Eve Freeberg found a WESTERN MEADOWLARK west-southwest of Grand Forks on January 11. She believes it is the same bird that turned up on the Christmas Bird Count last month. Eve's other recent sightings have included PINE SISKINS, NORTHERN SHRIKES, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, and WILD TURKEYS. You can reach her at 701-741-8105.
Dave Lambeth birded north of Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Grand Forks County on January 14. In addition to four SNOWY OWLS, he saw more than 50 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE--most either facing-off or dancing--five GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS, 20 GRAY PARTRIDGE, an AMERICAN KESTREL, two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, a GREAT HORNED OWL, two NORTHERN SHRIKES, 25 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 20 COMMON REDPOLLS, and more than 600 SNOW BUNTINGS swarming around one of the snowy owls as it flew. For more information on those sightings, contact Dave at davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.
Betsy Batstone-Cunningham didn't have to leave her yard to see a NORTHERN SHRIKE on January 11. The bird was sitting atop a fir tree across the street from her house on Elmwood Drive and the Greenway in Grand Forks. You can reach Betsy at 218-791-5079.
Dean Riemer and Keith Corliss birded Cass County for three hours on January 12. They recorded a SNOWY OWL in northeastern Cass County, four EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in Harwood, two GOLDEN EAGLES in western Cass County, and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in Embden. For more information on those sightings, contact Dean at driemer@kwh.com.
Dan and Emily Svingen counted 36 BALD EAGLES--all but one of them at the tailrace and boat ramp--in a January 13 trip to the Garrison Dam area. Other sightings included a male LONG-TAILED DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEALS, HOODED MERGANSERS, GADWALLS and BUFFLEHEADS, but no gulls. Dan says they also found an adult PRAIRIE FALCON near the junction of ND Highway 200 and 1806. You can reach Dan at 701-250-4443, extension 107.
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK checked out Charles Taft's feeder area in west Minot on January 11. Charles says he had seen the bird a couple times this fall and winter. Contact him at cjtaft@mac.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, January 8, 2008.
Still more Christmas Bird Count results, plus some good individual sightings.
The December 18 Christmas Bird Count in Devils Lake turned up 31 species plus one more during count week. Charlie Christianson says the highlights were a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in the cemetery, a MERLIN just south of the cemetery, and a NORTHERN CARDINAL at some feeders south of town. Counters also tallied seven EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. For more information on that count, contact Corey Ellingson at tcellingson@juno.com.
Eve Freeberg found several interesting species during the first week of 2008. She saw an immature GOLDEN EAGLE southwest of Grand Forks, along with a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and a few AMERICAN ROBINS on January 2. She counted 22 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES on the west edge of Grand Forks, about 30 COMMON REDPOLLS at Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge, plus a SNOWY OWL on January 4. Eve also saw individual SNOWY OWLS in Grand Forks County on January 6 and 7, and heard of another SNOWY OWL sighting near Grandin about the same date. She added a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE in Oakville Prairie on January 5, and a NORTHERN SHRIKE on January 7. For details, contact Eve at 701-741-8105.
Corey Ellingson and Clark Talkington birded the "always-open" Nelson Lake in Oliver County on January 5. They saw 10,000 MALLARDS, five NORTHERN PINTAILS, and a WESTERN GREBE. On January 6, Corey was joined by Linda Ellingson for some birding at the Mandan Experiment Station. They discovered a HARRIS SPARROW in a flock of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and a BROWN CREEPER. For details on those sightings, contact Corey at tcellingson@juno.com.
Dan Ackerman spent part of New Years Day in Kidder County watching a male NORTHERN HARRIER buzzing a shallow wetland. He says the harrier flushed a covey of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS. Dan discovered an AMERICAN KESTREL in Elgin on January 6. He says the bird was perched on power lines right in town. For more information, contact Dan at 701-330-5781 or dackman81@gmail.com.
Mark Otnes didn't find a lot of bird life during a January 5 tour of the "sandhills" of northern Richland and Ransom counties. The highlights were seven NORTHERN SHRIKES, BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and an immature or female NORTHERN GOSHAWK about three miles west of Walcott. For details on those sightings, contact Mark at 701-241-4194.
Ron Martin and Sherry Leslie birded Benson County on January 6 and McHenry County the day before. They saw two COMMON RAVENS at Pleasant Lake in Benson County. In McHenry County, they found seven adult BALD EAGLES, PRAIRIE FALCON, 16 COMMON RAVENS, four GOLDEN EAGLES, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, as well as 33 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in Velva. For more information, contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.
From rural New Town, Bernice Houser says she finally saw her first BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE of the winter. Warmer temps in early January also brought out AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, HOUSE FINCH, lots of PINE SISKINS, a few AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, several DOWNY WOODPECKERS, a couple of HAIRY WOODPECKERS, occasional AMERICAN ROBINS, and red-shafted NORTHERN FLICKERS and one WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. For details, it's sanishnd@hotmail.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 Wednesday, January 2, 2008.
Who cares about what's going on in Iowa? We've got more Christmas Bird Count results as well as other great sightings.
Counters endured windy conditions for the December 21 Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge event. The highlight among the 30 species, according to Ron Martin, was a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Other sightings included 323 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE and 1,057 SNOW BUNTINGS. For more information, contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.
Ron also led the Minot count on December 23. Counters there ended up with 39 species, including newcomers COOPER'S HAWK and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL. New highs were recorded for EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE and MOURNING DOVE with 31 apiece, and DARK-EYED JUNCO with 368. Previous records were tied for MERLIN with five and NORTHERN SHRIKE with seven. VARIED THRUSH and HARRIS' SPARROW were each observed for only the fifth time. For details on the Minot count, it's jrmartin@srt.com.
Ron Martin closed out 2007 with a December 30 visit to Wells County. He saw two NORTHERN GOSHAWKS northeast of Harvey, a GOLDEN EAGLE north of Hurdsfield, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in Fessenden, and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD at the grain elevator in Hurdsfield. Ron ended up with 254 species in a McHenry County "big year." His efforts produced six new county species as well as the first county record of a PILEATED WOODPECKER back on April 29 at J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.
Mark Otnes counted 211 species in a Barnes County "big year." That is despite not doing much before June, and then only visiting 23 times. Call him at 701-241-4194 or e-mail markotnes@cableone.net.
Connie Norheim adds some interesting details from the December 15 Fargo-Moorhead count, which we reported on last week. New records set during that event included four NORTHERN PINTAILS, which eclipsed the previous record of two in 2002; 51 WILD TURKEYS, erasing the old record of 36 in 2006; 10 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, besting the previous record of 36 in 2006; and 5,260 EUROPEAN STARLINGS, topping the 4,714 from 2005. Previous records were tied for COMMON GOLDENEYE with four, BUFFLEHEAD with one, and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK with one. You can reach Connie at 701-232-4386.
Jeff Essler has been watching a pair of very late WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS at the area south of Bismarck known as "the desert." Jeff got within 60 yards of the pair on December 26, and says they typically feed on the east shoreline of the Missouri River and then head off to the northwest at sundown. For more information, you can contact Jeff at jessler@ducks.org.
On January 1, Corey Ellingson re-traced some of Ron Martin's December 30 footsteps in Wells County and found some of the same birds. He saw a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in Fessenden, plus YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, COMMON GRACKLE, and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Hurdsfield. Closer to home, he added four COMMON GOLDENEYES and two COMMON MERGANSERS at the "desert" boat landing, an adult BALD EAGLE over the Missouri River, juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK at McKenzie Slough, three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in Kidder County, 32 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES, and at least one MOURNING DOVE at the grain elevator in Steele, plus a very white SNOWY OWL near McKenzie Slough. For more information, try tcellingson@juno.com.
An immature YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER has been visiting a feeder at the home of Russ and Pat Wilber in Grand Forks. Betsy Batsham-Cunningham saw the bird on January 1, and was told it first showed up on December 23. For details, call Betsy at 218-791-5079 or e-mail batsham@gra.midco.net.
Jesse Kolar closed out the year with a pheasant hunting outing near New England. He reports seeing several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, two gray-phase GYRFALCONS, a PRAIRIE FALCON, and two adult GOLDEN EAGLES. On December 27, Jesse observed an adult male KESTREL just southwest of Dickinson. In the Badlands on December 22, he recorded an adult BALD EAGLE west of Fairfield, several flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS in the cedar draws, plus BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, and several male NORTHERN HARRIERS near the "breaks" of the Badlands. For details, contact Jesse at jekolar@hotmail.com.
A female NORTHERN CARDINAL rang out the old year and rang in the new in Devils Lake. Kitty Overbo says the bird has been showing up at her feeders and in her yard since November 23, and was there as recently as January 2. She notes that a pair were fairly regular visitors for about five months in early 2004. Kitty also saw a pair of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES on January 1. For more information, contact her at 701-662-3485 or kathlyn.overbo@sendit.nodak.edu.
And, Corey Ellingson wants your information. Please contact him if you want your life list, county list, big year, county big year, or monthly big day posted on the North Dakota Birding Society website. Again, it's tcellingson@juno.com.
That concludes this week’s report from the North Dakota Birding Society.
North Dakota Field Office Home Page