This is the Explore Minnesota Birding Report Newsletter as of Friday, April 4, 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:

A female-plumaged Black Scoter was seen on April 2 behind the sewage treatment plant in Duluth on Lake Superior. It was visible from outside the gate at the end of 27th Avenue West.

There was a very early report of a Semipalmated Plover on March 30. The bird was seen at the 180th Street marsh in Dakota County. This is more than three weeks earlier than their typical arrival date.

Even more extraordinary was the March 27 report of a Whimbrel seen by a visiting birder at the Brown’s Creek marina on the St. Croix River, located on the north side of Stillwater in Washington County. The median arrival date for this species in Minnesota is May 17.

A Varied Thrush was reported on March 29 in Wayzata, in Hennepin County. The bird was apparently a migrant and was present for only a few minutes.

Recent reports include Great Egret, Common Loon, Pied-Billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Snipe, American Woodcock, Franklin’s Gull, Loggerhead Shrike, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Pipit, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Great-Tailed Grackle, and Rusty Blackbird.

===============================================
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