This is the Explore Minnesota Birding Report Newsletter as of Friday, April 11, with information provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union, and brought to you by Explore Minnesota Tourism.Click here to subscribe to any of our reports by email or RSS/news feed.

In general, the month of April is an excellent time to view waterfowl migration, and to visit observation blinds to observe prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse at their booming grounds. Mid- to late-April is best for observing shorebird migration, with yellowlegs, willets, dunlins and other sandpipers visible at shallow wetlands and mudflats throughout the state. And, the last week of April is typically best for viewing the first wave of early returning songbirds, such as yellow-rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet and palm warbler.

The following is a list of recent, significant sightings:

On April 7, a Cinnamon Teal was at the Bass Ponds area of Bloomington, in Hennepin County. By late afternoon it had moved on to Long Meadow Lake, and was seen departing late in the evening. It has not been reported since.

On April 9, a Say’s Phoebe was discovered in Sauk Rapids, in Benton County. It was just north of the new Mississippi River bridge in a strip of vegetation between the road and the river.

Ten White-Winged Scoters were at Big Stone Lake, in Big Stone County, on April 5.

A Townsend’s Solitaire was in Duluth along Park Point at 37th Street South on April 7. On the 9th, it had moved on to the recreational area. Other recent spring arrivals include Tundra Swan, Osprey, Red-Necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Cattle Egret, Black-Crowned Night-Heron, Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Bonaparte’s Gull, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Towhee, and Chipping Sparrow.

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Information in this statewide birding report is provided by and financially supported by the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union (MOU), Minnesota’s oldest and largest bird club. The report is composed from reports submitted by MOU members and other birders throughout the state. You can support this weekly birding update by submitting your bird reports to Anthony Hertzel at axhertzel@sihope.com or by calling the hotline directly at 763-780-8890 and leaving a detailed message. MOU members receive the organization’s quarterly journal “The Loon,” and the bi-monthly magazine, “Minnesota Birding.” For membership information, send an e-mail message to our membership secretary at moumembers@yahoo.com.Please Note: Explore Minnesota Tourism grants you permission to distribute this information freely to friends, family and others for personal use. However, any republication of the materials, full or partial, in electronic, print or other format, must prominently include the following statement: “The information in this report is provided courtesy of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union and Explore Minnesota Tourism.”

Posted by Chris Lawton / Birding Report