Juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher, Warroad sewage ponds, 30 August

(Craig Mandel photo)

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ROSEAU & LAKE OF THE WOODS MBW SUMMARY

Aug 30 - Aug 31 - Sept 1 - Sept 2, 2019

Ross’s Goose, near Warroad, 30 August (Craig Mandel photo)

We’ve now had a total of 17 Labor Day MBWs up in this remote part of the state, with a long list of rarities seen over the years – these have even included such unlikely strays as Red Knot, Long-tailed Jaeger, Little Gull, Little Blue Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and Prairie Falcon. While none of our best finds this year can match the calibre of any of those, we still had another successful MBW here. Our composite total of 155 species was nearly exactly at our average (= 156); note that this MBW has varied beween 138 species (our lowest in 2011) to our best-ever total of 171 (in both 2008 and 2010). And among our highlights were... [Spoiler Alert! – the following summary includes three new County Birds for my lists]

Our best waterfowl were the early Ross’s Goose at the Warroad sewage ponds (also photographed by Craig just outside of Warroad early that evening), an equally early Cackling Goose noticed by some as it flew over the Super 8 parking lot (along with 2,000+ Franklin’s Gulls), and the Trump(eter) Swans (a.k.a. Donald Ducks?) at Brown’s Lake – new for my Lake of the Woods list. Unfortunately, the Gray Partridges that I lucked into on Roseau CR 9 weren’t there the next day, but a lone Sharp-tailed Grouse did run across the road in front of my group en route to Roseau River WMA. One lowlight was our total of only 13 shorebirds, which ties our lowest number ever (in 2006) and is far below our best shorebird list in 2008 when we had no fewer than 25 species. This year the Warroad sewage ponds was our only decent shorebirding spot and included a juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher and Red-necked Phalarope (Red-neckeds were also at Badger’s sewage ponds).

After an absence of four years (when too many soybeans were planted), Short-eared Owls once again appeared at dusk NE of Roseau along 350th Street – just like they used to as hayfields and grasslands returned to the landscape. Nearby in Roseau itself earlier that day were an unexpected Red-bellied Woodpecker and Gray-checked Thrush (both new for my Roseau list), at the sewage ponds a cooperative flock of late Bobolinks came down and landed for all to see in the scopes, and a concentration of at least 50 Black-billed Magpies was found in a single field SW of town. Meanwhile, Lake of the Woods County provided us with Western Kingbirds, an Alder Flycatcher was strangely still singing vigorously away (if you could hear it, that is), and Red Crossbills happened by at three places near Norris Camp – as suspected, Matt Young at Cornell confirmed their identity as Type 2.

Besides shorebirds, sparrows were another disappointment since we could only turn up seven species (which has to be our lowest total ever on this MBW), and unfortunately the only LeConte’s was only seen by Craig and a few others early Friday evening just SW of Warroad. But one consolation was our composite list of 20 warbler species, which actually ties the most we’ve ever had on this MBW (we’ve done this about four other times). Although we found warblers at lots of places, we never came across any real concentrations or waves anywhere.

On behalf of everyone, I especially thank Craig for his contributions as co-leader (he again was underpaid, of course, but at least I never had cause to fire him); Gretchen Mehmel for serving as our hostess at Norris Camp (with indoor plumbing!) and taking time to guide us to a couple of nearby birding sites; and 9-year old Cooper who justly earned the coveted JTLMB for coming on his first MBW as the youngest MBWer ever in our 34-year history. –Kim Eckert

Bird List

R = seen in Roseau County

L = seen in Lake of the Woods County

Ross’s Goose R

Cackling Goose R

Canada Goose RL

Trumpeter Swan RL

Wood Duck R

Blue-winged Teal R

Northern Shoveler R

Gadwall R

American Wigeon R

Mallard R

Northern Pintail R

Green-winged Teal R

Canvasback R

Redhead R

Ring-necked Duck RL

Common Goldeneye R

Hooded Merganser RL

Ruddy Duck R

Gray Partridge R (leader-only)

Ruffed Grouse R (heard-only)

Sharp-tailed Grouse R

Pied-billed Grebe RL

Horned Grebe R

Red-necked Grebe RL

Rock Pigeon RL

Mourning Dove RL

Common Nighthawk RL

Ruby-throated Hummingbird RL

Virginia Rail R

Sora R

American Coot R

Sandhill Crane RL

Killdeer R

Semipalmated Plover R

Stilt Sandpiper R

Least Sandpiper RL

Pectoral Sandpiper R

Semipalmated Sandpiper R

Long-billed Dowitcher R

Wilson’s Snipe R

Spotted Sandpiper RL

Solitary Sandpiper R

Lesser Yellowlegs RL

Greater Yellowlegs R

Red-necked Phalarope R

Bonaparte’s Gull RL

Franklin’s Gull RL

Ring-billed Gull RL

Herring Gull RL

Caspian Tern R

Black Tern R

Common Tern L

Forster’s Tern R

Double-crested Cormorant RL

American White Pelican RL

Great Blue Heron R

Green Heron R

Turkey Vulture RL

Northern Harrier RL

Sharp-shinned Hawk RL

Cooper’s Hawk R

Bald Eagle RL

Broad-winged Hawk RL

Red-tailed Hawk RL

Great Horned Owl R (heard-only)

Short-eared Owl R

Belted Kingfisher RL

Red-headed Woodpecker R

Red-bellied Woodpecker R

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker RL

Downy Woodpecker RL

Hairy Woodpecker RL

Northern Flicker RL

Pileated Woodpecker L (heard-only)

American Kestrel RL

Merlin RL

Peregrine Falcon R

Great Crested Flycatcher RL

Western Kingbird L

Eastern Kingbird RL

Olive-sided Flycatcher RL

Eastern Wood-Pewee R

Alder Flycatcher L

Least Flycatcher R

Eastern Phoebe RL

Yellow-throated Vireo L

Blue-headed Vireo L

Philadelphia Vireo RL

Warbling Vireo RL

Red-eyed Vireo RL

Canada Jay RL

Blue Jay RL

Black-billed Magpie RL

American Crow RL

Common Raven RL

Bank Swallow R

Tree Swallow R

Purple Martin R

Barn Swallow RL

Cliff Swallow RL

Black-capped Chickadee RL

Red-breasted Nuthatch RL

White-breasted Nuthatch RL

Brown Creeper L (heard-only)

House Wren RL

Sedge Wren R

Marsh Wren R

Ruby-crowned Kinglet R

Eastern Bluebird R

Gray-cheeked Thrush R

Swainson’s Thrush RL

Hermit Thrush R

American Robin RL

Gray Catbird RL

European Starling RL

Cedar Waxwing RL

House Sparrow RL

House Finch R

Purple Finch RL

Red Crossbill L

Pine Siskin RL

American Goldfinch RL

Chipping Sparrow RL

Clay-colored Sparrow R

White-throated Sparrow RL

LeConte’s Sparrow R

Savannah Sparrow RL

Song Sparrow RL

Swamp Sparrow RL

Bobolink R

Baltimore Oriole R

Red-winged Blackbird RL

Common Grackle RL

Ovenbird R

Northern Waterthrush RL

Golden-winged Warbler RL

Black-and-white Warbler RL

Tennessee Warbler RL

Nashville Warbler RL

Common Yellowthroat RL

American Redstart RL

Cape May Warbler R

Northern Parula R

Magnolia Warbler RL

Bay-breasted Warbler R

Blackburnian Warbler R

Yellow Warbler RL

Chestnut-sided Warbler RL

Blackpoll Warbler RL

Yellow-rumped Warbler RL

Black-throated Green Warbler L

Canada Warbler R

Wilson’s Warbler RL

Scarlet Tanager L

Rose-breasted Grosbeak RL

Thanks to Wayne Johnson of Thief River Falls public works

for his continuing hospitality in permitting access to birders.

(Sherry Gray photo)

We sort of suspected our 19th Labor Day Weekend MBW in northwestern Minnesota would be challenge. Drought conditions were perhaps worse in this part of the state than any other, and the recent bird reports there were few in number and not very encouraging. And it didn’t help that it was on the windy side much of the time, especially Monday when the winds were up to 25 mph. As a result, we managed to come up with a modest total of 147 species in all, including the 8 found only on Friday’s pre-MBW in Polk Co (which also ventured a bit into Marshall). As expected, this was below the average of 155 species for this MBW, which has ranged between a high of 171 and a low of 138.

Probably the main reason this MBW’s total was on the low side was the relative lack of water birds due to many dried-up wetlands areas. This was most noticeable in the lack of shorebirds, as we could only find 13 species, just one more than our lowest-ever total of 12 (our best-ever total was 25 shorebirds). But at least our composite total of 19 warbler species was about as good as we ever do, since 20 is the most we’ve ever come up with (and we’ve done that several times). One interesting aspect of this was the general lack of warblers in the wooded areas Craig et al. tried in Polk Co on Friday, while they found the most in the sunflower fields they stopped at – including a Northern Waterthrush and Wilson’s Warbler perched on power lines over these fields.

Among our highlights over the four days were Sharp-taiied Grouse walking across a back road in front of half the group, Wild (and not-so-wild) Turkeys for the benefit of Marshall County listers, and Eurasian Collared-Doves in a Thief River Falls neighborhood. Our better shorebirds were a Stilt Sandpiper (seen by Brad), Sanderling at the TRF sewage ponds, and Red-necked Phalaropes there and at Karlstad’s sewage ponds. A Caspian Tern at TRF’s ponds was unexpected, distant Great Egrets were at Agassiz NWR, Merlins were migrating everywhere, a LeConte’s Sparrow near East Park WMA was a good find by half the group, and the best warbler was a Connecticut at Old Mill State Park (but seen only by Craig and Jerry).

Bird List

pre = Polk County pre-MBW (Sept 3)

P = Pennington County (Sept 4, 5, 6)

M = Marshall County (Sept 3, 4, 5)

K = Kittson County (Sept 5)

Canada Goose pre P M K

Trumpeter Swan pre M K

Wood Duck P K

Blue-winged Teal pre P M K

Northern Shoveler pre P M

Gadwall pre M

American Wigeon P M

Mallard pre P M K

American Black Duck M

Northern Pintail M

Green-winged Teal P M K

Canvasback P M

Redhead P M

Ring-necked Duck pre P M K

Common Goldeneye pre P M

Hooded Merganser pre P M

Ruddy Duck P M

Ring-necked Pheasant pre

Ruffed Grouse K

Sharp-tailed Grouse K

Wild Turkey M

Pied-billed Grebe pre P M K

Horned Grebe P M

Red-necked Grebe pre P M

Eared Grebe P M

Rock Pigeon pre P M K

Eurasian Collared-Dove P

Mourning Dove pre P M K

Common Nighthawk pre P M

Ruby-throated Hummingbird pre P M K

Virginia Rail K

American Coot pre P M K

Sandhill Crane pre P M K

Killdeer pre P M K

Semipalmated Plover K

Stilt Sandpiper pre

Sanderling P

Baird’s Sandpiper P M

Least Sandpiper pre P M

Pectoral Sandpiper P

Wilson’s Snipe pre

Spotted Sandpiper pre P M

Solitary Sandpiper P K

Lesser Yellowlegs pre P M K

Greater Yellowlegs pre P M K

Red-necked Phalarope P K

Franklin’s Gull pre P M

Ring-billed Gull pre P M

Caspian Tern P

Black Tern P M

Double-crested Cormorant pre P M K

American White Pelican pre M K

Great Blue Heron P M

Great Egret M

Green Heron M K

Turkey Vulture pre P M K

Northern Harrier pre P M

Sharp-shinned Hawk P M K

Cooper’s Hawk pre P K

Bald Eagle pre P M K

Broad-winged Hawk P M K

Red-tailed Hawk pre P M K

Great Horned Owl M

Belted Kingfisher P M K

Red-headed Woodpecker pre

Red-bellied Woodpecker P

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker pre P M K

Downy Woodpecker pre P M K

Hairy Woodpecker pre P M K

Northern Flicker pre P M K

Pileated Woodpecker P M K

American Kestrel pre P M K

Merlin pre P M

Peregrine Falcon pre

Great Crested Flycatcher pre

Eastern Kingbird pre M

Olive-sided Flycatcher pre K

Eastern Wood-Pewee pre P M K

Alder Flycatcher P

Least Flycatcher pre K

Eastern Phoebe pre M K

Yellow-throated Vireo P M K

Blue-headed Vireo pre P K

Philadelphia Vireo pre P M K

Warbling Vireo pre

Red-eyed Vireo pre P M K

Blue Jay pre P M K

Black-billed Magpie M K

American Crow pre P M K

Common Raven pre P M K

Horned Lark P

Tree Swallow pre P M

Barn Swallow pre P M K

Black-capped Chickadee pre P M K

Red-breasted Nuthatch P M K

White-breasted Nuthatch pre P M K

House Wren pre P

Sedge Wren pre M K

Marsh Wren pre P K

Ruby-crowned Kinglet P K

Eastern Bluebird P K

Swainson’s Thrush pre P M

American Robin pre P M K

Gray Catbird pre P K

Brown Thrasher pre

European Starling pre P M K

Cedar Waxwing pre P M K

House Sparrow P K

Purple Finch P K

Pine Siskin P

American Goldfinch pre P M K

Chipping Sparrow P M K

Clay-colored Sparrow pre P M K

White-throated Sparrow P K

Vesper Sparrow pre P K

Leconte’s Sparrow M

Savannah Sparrow pre P M K

Song Sparrow pre M

Lincoln’s Sparrow pre M K

Swamp Sparrow pre P M

Yellow-headed Blackbird P

Bobolink pre P M

Western Meadowlark pre M

Baltimore Oriole pre P

Red-winged Blackbird pre M

Brewer’s Blackbird pre K

Common Grackle pre M

Ovenbird P

Northern Waterthrush pre P M

Black-and-white Warbler pre P M K

Tennessee Warbler pre P M K

Orange-crowned Warbler P

Nashville Warbler pre P M K

Connecticut Warbler M

Common Yellowthroat pre P M K

American Redstart pre P M K

Cape May Warbler M K

Magnolia Warbler pre K

Bay-breasted Warbler K

Blackburnian Warbler P

Yellow Warbler pre P M K

Chestnut-sided Warbler pre P M K

Blackpoll Warbler M K

Palm Warbler pre M K

Yellow-rumped Warbler P M K

Wilson’s Warbler pre P

Rose-breasted Grosbeak pre P M

PHOTO GALLERY

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Northwestern Minn. MBW / Polk pre-MBW Summary

September 3 - 4 - 5 - 6, 2021

(Rose Shea photo)

Solitary Sandpiper – one of only 13 species on this MBW

(Jeff Stephenson photo)

One of many migrating Merlins

(Jeff Stephenson photo)

(Jerry Pruett photo)

(Rose Shea photo)

Bay-breasted Warbler – not a Blackpoll for a change

(Jerry Pruett photo)

Polk County warbler habitat

(Jerry Pruett photo)

Also see the 2021 and 2019 MBW summaries

following the summary of the 2022 MBWeekend.

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LAKE OF THE WOODS & ROSEAU MBW SUMMARY

September 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5, 2022

This was our 20th consecutive MBW on Labor Day weekend to relatively remote northwestern Minnesota, and, as always, we came up with an interesting assortment of birds. The weather mostly cooperated, with light to moderate winds on all five days, and there was no rain to slow us down. It may have been too warm in the 80s on Thursday afternoon, but temperatures moderated nicely the rest of the weekend, although it was somewhat disappointing that Friday’s cold front failed to produce much migration – so maybe some rain showers might have grounded some migrants and would have been welcome.

Our composite species total of 163 was only 8 shy of this MBW’s all-time record of 171, but this was primarily the result of having an extra day of birding this year. This MBW is normally 3 or 4 days long, not 5, and the average species total is 155 – so remove the extra day, and we would probably have been in the 150s.

Our target every year is to find both 20 shorebirds and 20 warblers, but we have never quite managed to do both on this MBW. We came up with 19 warbler species this time, which is probably close to average (an even 20 is the most we’ve had, and we’ve done that several times). We found no real significant waves of warblers and other migrants this year, save for the few miles worth of non-stop passerine activity along Pitt Grade Forest Road on Thursday morning. Indeed, our usually dependable sites for migrants at Zippel Bay State Park, Warroad, Springsteel Island, and Roseau City Park were mostly disappointing.

Meanwhile, our total of 17 shorebirds was quite respectable, given that none of the sewage ponds we checked in these counties or the drawn-down pools at Agassiz held more than a few species. But we chanced upon the pair of flooded fields at South Shore WMA on Friday afternoon, plus the mudflats in fields along MN Hwy 310 on Saturday and on 360th Ave the next day. These combined to give us a total of 12 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, both American Golden- and Black-bellied plovers, as well as Stilt, Baird’s, Solitary, and other sandpipers.

Some of our other highlights included unseasonal Snow and Cackling geese, a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Roseau (a rarity in northwest MN), lots of Sandhill Cranes, Great Egrets at Roseau River WMA (also rare this far north), an unexpected Black-backed Woodpecker along MN 310, a Peregrine Falcon at Agassiz, and two concentrations of Black-billed Magpies: about 40 or so just east of Roseau River WMA, and at least 30 going to roost near the Roseau sewage ponds.

Bird List

• L = Lake of the Woods County, Sept 1-2 (121 species)

• R = Roseau County, Sept 3-4 (126 species)

• Mon = Monday only (mostly at Agassiz NWR, Marshall Co.)

Snow Goose R

Cackling Goose R

Canada Goose LR

Trumpeter Swan LR

Wood Duck LR

Blue-winged Teal LR

Northern Shoveler LR

Gadwall LR

American Wigeon LR

Mallard LR

American Black Duck R

Northern Pintail LR

Green-winged Teal LR

Canvasback R

Redhead LR

Ring-necked Duck LR

Lesser Scaup R

Bufflehead LR

Common Goldeneye LR

Hooded Merganser LR

Ruddy Duck R

Wild Turkey Mon

Ruffed Grouse L

Gray Partridge R

Pied-billed Grebe LR

Horned Grebe R

Red-necked Grebe LR

Eared Grebe R

Western Grebe Mon

Rock Pigeon LR

Eurasian Collared-Dove R

Mourning Dove LR

Black-billed Cuckoo Mon

Ruby-throated Hummingbird LR

Virginia Rail R

Sora R

American Coot LR

Sandhill Crane LR

Black-bellied Plover R

American Golden-Plover LR

Killdeer LR

Semipalmated Plover LR

Stilt Sandpiper LR

Baird’s Sandpiper L

Least Sandpiper LR

Buff-breasted Sandpiper LR

Pectoral Sandpiper LR

Short-billed Dowitcher L

American Woodcock R

Wilson’s Snipe R

Spotted Sandpiper LR

Solitary Sandpiper LR

Lesser Yellowlegs LR

Greater Yellowlegs LR

Red-necked Phalarope R

Bonaparte’s Gull LR

Franklin’s Gull LR

Ring-billed Gull LR

Herring Gull LR

Caspian Tern L

Forster’s Tern LR

Common Loon L

Double-crested Cormorant LR

American White Pelican LR

American Bittern R

Great Blue Heron LR

Great Egret R

Green Heron LR

Turkey Vulture LR

Northern Harrier LR

Sharp-shinned Hawk LR

Cooper’s Hawk LR

Bald Eagle LR

Broad-winged Hawk L

Red-tailed Hawk LR

Great Horned Owl R

Belted Kingfisher LR

Red-headed Woodpecker R

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker LR

Black-backed Woodpecker R

Downy Woodpecker LR

Hairy Woodpecker LR

Northern Flicker LR

Pileated Woodpecker LR

American Kestrel LR

Merlin LR

Peregrine Falcon Mon

Eastern Kingbird LR

Olive-sided Flycatcher L

Eastern Wood-Pewee LR

Least Flycatcher LR

Eastern Phoebe LR

Yellow-throated Vireo Mon

Blue-headed Vireo L

Philadelphia Vireo LR

Warbling Vireo LR

Red-eyed Vireo LR

Blue Jay LR

Black-billed Magpie LR

American Crow LR

Common Raven LR

Black-capped Chickadee LR

Bank Swallow L

Tree Swallow LR

Purple Martin L

Barn Swallow LR

Cliff Swallow LR

Ruby-crowned Kinglet LR

Golden-crowned Kinglet LR

Cedar Waxwing LR

Red-breasted Nuthatch LR

White-breasted Nuthatch LR

Brown Creeper LR

House Wren LR

Sedge Wren LR

Marsh Wren LR

Gray Catbird LR

Brown Thrasher Mon

European Starling LR

Veery L

Swainson’s Thrush L

American Robin LR

House Sparrow LR

Purple Finch LR

Pine Siskin LR

American Goldfinch LR

Chipping Sparrow LR

Clay-colored Sparrow L

White-throated Sparrow LR

Vesper Sparrow LR

Savannah Sparrow LR

Song Sparrow LR

Lincoln’s Sparrow LR

Swamp Sparrow LR

Yellow-headed Blackbird L

Bobolink LR

Western Meadowlark R

Baltimore Oriole L

Red-winged Blackbird LR

Brown-headed Cowbird L

Brewer’s Blackbird Mon

Common Grackle LR

Ovenbird LR

Northern Waterthrush LR

Golden-winged Warbler L

Black-and-white Warbler LR

Tennessee Warbler LR

Nashville Warbler LR

Common Yellowthroat LR

American Redstart LR

Cape May Warbler R

Magnolia Warbler LR

Bay-breasted Warbler LR

Blackburnian Warbler L

Yellow Warbler LR

Chestnut-sided Warbler LR

Blackpoll Warbler R

Palm Warbler LR

Yellow-rumped Warbler LR

Black-throated Green Warbler R

Wilson’s Warbler L

Scarlet Tanager L

Rose-breasted Grosbeak LR