The overnight low in Duluth was -21F (-29.5C). Although the official start of winter is a few days away, here in northern Minnesota I have always considered Thanksgiving as the approximate start to winter. Birding in these extreme conditions can be a challenge, but it is fun to find Canadian sub-Arctic birds which spend the cold weather months on Lake Superior’s Arctic Riviera (Duluth!).

Key winter birding facts are:

• Find the fruit … find the birds (mountain ash and crab apple trees)
• Pine forests loaded with cones
• Forests protected from the Northwind

Over the past few days, some of my top winter birding spots yielded Pine Grosbeaks, and even a Townsend Solitaire (rare for our area)!  In addition to my winter birding map I’ve included for the Duluth area at the bottom of this post, remember these other great cold season birding opportunities in our area:

• Canal Park in Duluth: Last open water with gulls and ducks
• Old Vermilion Trail Bird Feeders
• Sax-Zim Bog (Great Grey Owls & Black Backed Woodpeckers)

Pine Grosbeaks Feeding Near Korkki Nordic

A Townsend Solitaire in the Riley Road berry trees

Trumpeter Swans on a -19F Mississippi River morning (Taken this morning in Monticello which although not northeastern Minnesota, certainly qualifies as a frozen hotspot)

Duluth Area Winter Birding Map (right click to download)