The rejuvenation of the St. Louis River continues! Early last summer (2025) the City of Duluth, in conjunction with the EPA finished the reclamation of a large point of land that had been part of the US Steel EPA Cleanup Site. Many tons of dirt/slag were removed, the hiking trail along the St. Louis River was extended, and native land / water plants were planted. In the year since wildlife has voted loud and clear; the end result is fantastic! The birding at this location will only get better year over year as the site continues to recover and birds discover this great habitat. While Slag Point is worthy of a visit at any time of year, during migration is when the location shines, particularly with migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. (GPS Location for Slag Point … will be added to my list of Northland Birding Locations … download a PDF copy at no charge).

Should you desire to visit Slag Point, the walk with the loop along the mud flats is just under two miles from the parking area (very easy). However, be prepared for whatever Lake Superior may throw your way. Although the spot is not to far upriver from the harbor, the big lake still rules! Visiting in late July yields a walk with thousands and thousands of Black-Eyed Susans.

A few days ago Ma and Pa Killdeer welcomed their chicks into the world. I was present to enjoy the experience.

Count the Killdeers in this image!

You may need to maximize the image. It was just as hard to spot all the chicks in real life as it is in this photograph.

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The answer is five!