Tag Archives: MN North: Hawk Ridge

Indigo and Red Were the Colors of the Day

Late Spring is a time of plenty for us birders. My first stop shortly after sunrise was the Hawk Ridge Ledges where Indigo Buntings were advertising for mates in full force.

Next I walked the woods only 800 yards from my own house. Apparently a pair of Red-Headed Woodpeckers are considering making my forest home their home! (Thanks to Ben Anderson who posted on eBird!) Red-Headed Woodpeckers may be expanding their range into the Duluth area. Each year a few more seem to nest locally, and now near my house!

NE Minnesota Birding Updates

Okay … my owls will have to wait a while before I am willing to visit. The mosquitoes are horrible in the woods. Even though I’ve heard crow attacks, the buzzing monsters have forced me to turn back several times.

Thus, northeast birding (not just Duluth) should be limited to areas somewhat out in the open. This morning I discovered that Sax-Zim Bog has a record number of bzzzzzing bugs. However, there are options …

  • Hawk Ridge is a great for finding Indigo Buntings at sunrise. This little guy shown below was singing his heart out yesterday morning at 6:30 am.
  • The Red-Headed Woodpeckers on the Western Waterfront Trail were also still courting yesterday morning
  • A hike along the railroad tracks out into Mud Lake did NOT yet yield any yellow-headed blackbirds

Nest Selection Time! Red-Headed Woodpeckers

For the second year in a row it appears that Red-Headed Woodpeckers will nest in Duluth, which is at the very extreme edge of this species’ northern range! To keep things fair, the birds seem to be sharing themselves across our fair city … one on the Western Waterfront Trail (this pair), and another looking for a mate inland from Lake Superior along the Lester River (private land). In both instances, these are the same locations as last year’s successful nesting birds.

Making their home selection: Red-Headed Woodpeckers

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Earlier this morning up at Hawk Ridge: Chestnut-Sided Warbler