This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, January 27, 2011 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

After a week of very cold weather, temperatures have moderated for the last couple of day. Cold nights have produced  a wonderland of frosted trees, and this morning, a dense fog blanketed the area. We expect more of the same tomorrow before the temperatures dip again this weekend.

From Otter Tail County, Brad and Dee Ehlers reported a  NORTHERN FLICKER on January 25. Alma Ronningen observed COMMON RAVENS near Dent, and at her feeder a WILD TURKEY  has been cleaning up the leavings.  A few COMMON REDPOLLS also showed up.

Sandy Aubol in East Grand Forks , Polk County,  saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK fly over the  Greenway on the east side of the river on January 23.

Shelley Steva and I found several flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS scattered throughout Thief River Falls in Pennington County on January 23. These birds have been seen throughout the winter this year. One AMERICAN ROBIN was also found.

Maggie Anderson reported from Agassiz NWR in Marshall County that SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, PINE GROSBEAKS, and PINE SISKINS are being seen in and around the headquarters feeders.

In Kittson County, Larry Wilebski reported two SHORT-EARED OWLS northwest of Lancaster on January 22. At the cabin, he saw GRAY JAYS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, PINE GROSBEAKS, COMMON REDPOLLS, HOARY REDPOLLS, and SNOW BUNTINGS.

Gretchen Mehmel, reporting from Norris Camp  in Lake of the Woods County, observed both COMMON REDPOLLS and HOARY REDPOLLS at the camp feeders.

Thanks to Alma Ronningen, Brad and Dee Ehlers, Gretchen Mehmel, Larry Wilebski, Maggie Anderson, and Sandy Aubol for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@q.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, February 3, 2011.

Have you counted our bird houses? Your kids have. In the past, the bird house scavenger hunt is a hit among our younger guests. Here are a couple pics of our famous East Silent Resort bird houses (Most of these delightful houses are made by Grandpa Donnelly of Independence, IA…painted by Grandma Donnelly J). Enjoy!

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, January 20, 2011 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

The cold is really settling in as the full moon brightly shines over the fresh white snow. The mercury is dropping fast tonight as I compose this report. The temperatures the last few days has kept many folks inside and the birds seem to be hunkering down also.

Beth Siverhus in Roseau County reported PILEATED WOODPECKER, CEDAR WAXWINGS, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS,  PINE SISKINS,  and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS this week in Warroad, and at the home of Carol Parker there was one DARK-EYED JUNCO and some COMMON REDPOLLS. 

Connie Cox, reporting from southern Clearwater County, observed RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, NORTHERN SHRIKE, PINE GROSBEAKS, and a flock of 30 EVENING GROSBEAKS at her feeders five miles north of Itasca State Park this week.

Thanks to Beth Siverhus , Carol Parker, and Connie Cox for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@q.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, January 27, 2011.

We thought our guests may get a good laugh from this photo. See, even the birds enjoy our water toys at East Silent Resort. So birders…if you want photos of birds swimming, water skiing, snorkeling, and sun bathing…come spend a weekend with us at East Silent Resort J.

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, January 13, 2011 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

It has been a pleasant week in the northwest with little of the stormy weather that has hit other parts of the country. There is now a complete white sparkling blanket covering the ground and the snow continues to float down. Bird feeders are busy as the birds look for easy pickings.

Brad and Dee Ehlers in Otter Tail County reported a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Godel Prairie in Fergus Falls on January 7. Also on that date two COMMON REDPOLLS visited their feeder.

Barb and Dennis Martin found 100 COMMON REDPOLLS in Becker County, along CR 54 just west of CR 29, and also some in Detroit Lakes. They also reported PINE GROSBEAKS at Tamarac NWR on the refuge service road 1.5 miles north of CR 26.

In Clay County, Barb and Dennis found  BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS  at the intersection of CR 1 and CR 93 north of Moorhead.

Karen Suldahl observed a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES at the feeder in Climax, Polk County, on January 7. Shelley Steva saw 100 SNOW BUNTINGS and two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES south of Sherack on January 9, and also a SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in Polk County 4 miles west of CR 10 along CR21. Sandy Aubol reported SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, PILEATED WOODPECKER, CEDAR WAXWINGS, and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS near her home in East Grand Forks on January 9.

In Pennington County, Shelley Steva saw 10 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in Thief River Falls on January 9. Maggie Anderson had a visit from a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in Thief River Falls on January 11.

At Agassiz NWR in Marshall County, Maggie Anderson reported RUFFED GROUSE, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, COMMON REDPOLLS, and PINE GROSBEAKS around the headquarters this week.

Connie Cox reported that the Itasca CBC held on December 19 tallied 28 species including one NORTHERN CARDINAL, one WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, a HOARY REDPOLL, and 14 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

Thanks to Barb and Dennis Martin, Brad and Dee Ehlers, Connie Cox, Karen Suldahl, Maggie Anderson, Sandy Aubol, and Shelley Steva for their reports.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@q.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, January 20, 2011.

This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, January 6, 2011 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.

The weekend started with a snowstorm, cold and wind, but settled down by Saturday so that  it was almost pleasant to be outside. Birds were more active after the storm making the remaining CBC's more interesting.

The Beltrami Island CBC in Lake of the Woods County was held on January 3, and 27 species were tallied. They included a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, two NORTHERN HAWK OWLS, two THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS, 4 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS,  a NORTHERN SHRIKE, 11 BOREAL CHICKADEES, GRAY JAYS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, BROWN CREEPER, PINE GROSBEAKS, RED CROSSBILLS, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, COMMON REDPOLLS, HOARY REDPOLL, and PINE SISKIN. There was also a count week SPRUCE GROUSE, and a count week SNOWY OWL found by Dan and Barbara Williams on the west side of CR 3 between CR 35 and the junction of CR 1 and CR 3 on January 4.

From Roseau County, Beth Siverhus reported BOHEMIAN WAXWING, PINE GROSBEAKS, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in Warroad on January 2. The Roseau CBC was held on January 1 and found a near record 32 species including SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, at least 2 NORTHERN HAWK OWLS, NORTHERN SHRIKE, COMMON RAVENS, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, SNOW BUNTINGS, PINE GROSBEAK,  COMMON REDPOLLS, and PURPLE FINCH.

Larry Wilebski reported that on January 1, the VARIED THRUSH was still in Lancaster , Kittson County. To get to the location of the bird, follow main street past the Family Food Store over the tracks to the second house on the left. The bird was coming to a crabapple tree with feeders at that house.

Diana Morkassel reported a pure white BLUE JAY  coming to her feeders northeast of Warren, Marshall County on January 4. A PILEATED WOODPECKER was also seen there.

Shelley Steva reported a BALD EAGLE, and 50 LAPLAND LONGSPURS along Polk County Road 252 on January 2.

Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at ajjoppru@q.com OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, January 13, 2011.