Christmas bird count

[Jim Almquist]

From the Duluth News Tribune today.

Sam Cook , Duluth News Tribune

Published: 12/09/2007

Birders will be taking part in annual Christmas Bird Counts across Northeastern Minnesota in coming weeks.

Duluth’s Christmas Bird Count will be held Saturday and the Two Harbors count will be held Dec. 16. In each count, organizers expect 50 to 60 birders to find as many species as possible within a standard 15-mile-diameter circle.

If you would like to join the birders in the field, call Jim Lind at 834-3199. Both beginning and advanced birders are welcome, for all or part of the day.

Feeder watchers again will be a part of the effort. If you live within the designated Duluth or Two Harbors circle, you can count birds at your feeder or in your yard on Saturday or Sunday. Feeder watchers in the Duluth count circle should call in their reports to 724-6357 from 5-7 p.m. Saturday. Feeder watchers in the Two Harbors circle should call in their reports to 834-3199 on Dec. 16.

Lind urges feeder watchers to begin looking for hard-to-find species that often elude counters on CBC day, such as: any hawks or owls, mourning doves, gray jays, boreal chickadees, brown creepers, American robins, cedar waxwings, any sparrows (other than house sparrows), snow buntings, any blackbirds, any finches (other than house finches), grosbeaks (especially evening grosbeaks) or crossbills. If you see any of these species between now and Dec. 15, call Lind or leave a message on the Duluth Birding Report, 834-2858.

Other counts and contacts:

* Grand Marais, Saturday: Jeff Kern([email protected]) or (218) 387-9879.

* Virginia, Saturday: [email protected].

* Cloquet/Carlton, Dec. 16: Larry Weber, 384-3851.

* Fredenberg, Dec. 16: Fredenberg Bird Club, Celeste Kawulok, (218) 591-6076.

* Grand Rapids, Dec. 16: Meet at 7 a.m., Cohasset SuperAmerica.

* Sax-Zim, Dec. 17: Sparky Stensaas, (sparkystensaas@hotmail (Contact Us Please) com)

* Aurora, Dec. 29: Cathy Leece, (218) 741-6324.

* Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Dec. 29: Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the School House Cafe in McGregor. Call Michelle McDowell at (218) 768-2402 to sign up.

* Isabella, Dec. 30: Steve Wilson, (wils@frontiernet (Contact Us Please) net)

[Steve Foss]

Thanks man. Ely's is Dec. 23 and you can contact Bill Tefft (don't have his number handy but he's in the phone book/information.)