All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Two Harbors Highlands Birding Drive

Year 12

The wind is blowing strongly out of the northwest, which means fall migration is upon us. Actually, birds have been migrating south since July, but strong NW winds in September and October mean birds being pushed against Lake Superior on their southward journey. As most birds don’t want to head out over the lake, birding near the lakeshore can bee excellent. Remember … think migration highways!

This morning I took one of my favorite autumn birding drives, which I document here for you. This route is excellent because of the birds, natural beauty, and low traffic volumes. In late September one gets to add Autumn colors into the equation. Here are two screenshots of my route, and  GPS way points:

All links in these directions are Google Maps waypoints. Make CERTAIN you take this birding drive IN THIS DIRECTION! The sun will be behind you in the early morning.

As I drive back to Duluth, I like to drive past Stony Point (exit Two Harbors Expressway at Alseth Road), and then I take Scenic 61 back to Duluth. Get onto Stoney Point Drive at its northern end. Drive the short distance back to Alseth Road. Turn back (uphill) towards Scenic 61. With the right wave conditions, watch for surfers at Stoney Point.

This morning, I found this Sandhill Crane family on Lake County 3. I ALWAYS love birding freshly mowed hay fields in the fall. There was also a huge flock of Canada Geese feeding in the same field, but with no unusual additions to the flock (i.e. snow geese, etc.)

Broad-Winged Hawk Sibling Rivalry on Northstar Lake

Year 12

Labor Day Weekend is gorgeous so far up near Minnesota’s border with Canada. Molly and I have owned our small northwoods cabin for 35 years. We lease the land from the Chippewa National Forest, but own the cabin. Our landlord, the forest service controls the land and rules that cabins may not be larger than 600 square feet, and NOT year round structures (we pump water our of the lake). We love these rules. Northstar Lake is the southernmost lake of the Hudson Bay Watershed. It’s 1,100 acres, and over 90 feet deep in places with 12+ miles of shoreline. The Forest Service owns most of the lakeshore. The end result is our lake is not very developed. I recharge my personal batteries up here!

Shortly after sunrise this morning I found these two juvenile Broad-Winged Hawks having a sibling disagreement. I actually saw quite a few other hawks right after dawn. The first year youngsters are increasingly having to do their own hunting. Thus sightings are easier. Within 2 to 3 weeks Broad-Wings will start their southern migration, with thousands kettling on warm afternoons at Hawk Ridge’s thermals. I actually live at the base of Hawk Ridge in Duluth (105 miles distant from my cabin).

Immediately following are the Broad-Winged Hawk photos from this morning, and after the raptor images you will find some drone pics I took over the past few days at my cabin on Northstar Lake.

Broad-Winged Hawk Disagreement!

Drone Photos of Northstar Lake Taken from my Cabin

  1. My cabin’s dock … on the left
  2. Looking up the point (access to multiple bays and the other main section)
  3. Looking down the narrows (access to the lower lake bays)

Looking across the lake from my cabin

  • United States Forest Service Campground
  • My cabin’s roof in foreground
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The Zen Zone of Birding

Year 12

Do you experience the Zen Zone of Birding? While some folks claim they are able to multi task, I think not for me. When I head out birding, the radio is silent and Spotify is not playing a favorite song list. Instead my eyes scan the surrounding forest, often without my even knowing my brain is analyzing the input. It is not unusual for me to spot birds that I did not even think were in my direct field of view. If competing sounds like the radio, or even conversation in the car compete for my brain’s attention, I know I miss sightings … and the Zen Zone.

The longer each day I am away from home on a birding excursion, the more into the Zen Zone I enter. During my mid 40’s, each spring before fising season would open, I took solo canoe trips into the BWCA. These three day journeys were marked by the fact that at the beginning of each trip it took 5 to 6 hours for my brain to calm down, and not think about the complexities of modern life. I needed to just immerse myself in nature with an almost blank mind. It was important to me to take these trips in early May when the BWCA was mine alone. I would sometimes even talk aloud to nearby loons, but I don’t believe I was loony!

This morning as I drove north from my cabin to bird Pine Island State Forest via Toomey Williams Forest Road, I could tell I was entering the Zen Zone. The birding was not good, but it did not matter.

A sunrise pic from a prior Toomey Williams sunrise … the Zen Zone.