Category Archives: Year 12

NE Minnesota 2025 Warbler Fallout!

Year 12, ,

Yesterday songbirds, but mainly migrating warblers were almost falling out of the sky … known as a bird fallout. I spent 90 minutes on a protected St. Louis Bay (Duluth Harbor) beach which had some small mud flats which screamed bugs (i.e. food) to the migrating birds. I saw hundreds and hundreds of warblers and most of the time they were within ten yards of me, if not closer (think a few feet). The warblers would move up and down the beach, and just ignore me … landing two feet in front of me, and then behind me. When birds are extremely hungry, almost starving, a big monster (i.e. me) is not a concern.

I discovered yesterday when I used the term “fallout” with birds many folks did not know what I was talking about. Here is my definition … others might describe a fallout better. The term refers to what happens when birds almost “fall out of the sky” during migration due to weather conditions and often a migration barrier (like a barrier of water … think Lake Superior). Here in Duluth warblers were running into dense fog, and fierce winds out of the NE off Lake Superior. The fog brings warblers out of the treetops towards the ground in their search for bugs, and the wind makes it almost impossible for them to continue their migration northwards. The beach where I was standing was protected from yesterday afternoon’s wind (35 mph as measured by a buoy just off shore), and the lower level of Lake Superior water this year also means there is a small mud flat against the harbor shore (St. Louis River Bay) with bugs. Food!

Here are some of the photographs I took yesterday during the fallout. Make certain to watch the videos! I also spent some time up at the Hartley Nature Center. There is a stream immediately next to the parking lot, and over the years I have discovered that during migration warblers love the large culvert right next to the parking lot. Once again, the protected stream as it flows through the culvert tends to have some of the first bug hatches in the area.

Hartley Nature Center Birds

American Redstart

Black and White Warbler

Veery

Park Point / Minnesota Point Birds

American Redstart

Blackburnian Warbler

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

Palm Warbler

Scarlet Tanager

Tennessee Warbler

And when I got home … this Scarlet Tanager was hanging out within a few feet of our living room windows … next to my feeders, on our deck’s Adirondack chairs and one of the trailcams!

2025 Minnesota Songbird / Warbler Fallout … the Movies! (video links for email subscribers: Scarlet Tanager Video | Blackburnian Warbler Video … speed reduced by a factor of two)

That’s all, folks!

Northeastern Minnesota Forest Fire Update

Year 12

The fires have now grown to 30,000 acres. There is hope that rains will arrive late this afternoon and evening. Here is the official site to obtain the most current fire information. The forest fire is now named the Brimson Complex Fire, which manages these two large fires (Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fires).

This fire is 0% contained, and complicated by almost no forest roads through the affected area, and the native spruce bud worm caterpillar which has resulted in large stands of dead spruce trees (the insect defolliates and kills the trees). The dead trees are perfect fuel for the fires. At this time most of the fire fighting efforts are focused towards saving structures.

Many friends from church are helping to fight the fires (thanks and prayers). Molly made 4 dozen cookies for distribution to the fire fighters … as did many other church members at French River Lutheran. If you wish to help out, join Molly and me by donating to the combined United Ways of Lake and St. Louis Counties. 100% of your financial donation goes to those affected by the fire, not overhead or administrative expense. Send or direct your donation to the Wildfire Relief Fund of the Head of the Lakes United Way.

The Greenwood area is now officially closed by the forest service. Do not visit the feeders or hike the trails. Here is an affected area map from the U.S. Forest Service.

Red-Headed Woodpeckers Mating (Fish Lake Nature Trails)

Year 12

I had an appointment down in the Twin Cities late this morning. Thus, I decided to leave early enough to both hike the Fish Lake Nature Trails (Google Maps GPS Link) in East Bethel (a northern suburb on the fringes of the metro) and look for birds. These trails and their Savannah habitat are noted for Red-Headed Woodpeckers. If you are coming from the north and heading over to Minneapolis (not St. Paul), the detour will not add much time to your drive, but the birding may delay your arrival!  🙂

The University of Minnesota manages this habitat for research, which limits these area one may hike in the Spring & Summer, but a visit is till worth the price of admission (free). Three volunteers were doing a formal bird count for the U of M, but those were the only other folks enjoying the beautiful morning.

I was dumbfounded to actually find a fight taking place over one female Red-Headed Woodpecker, and then to actually get photographs of the couple mating. Enjoy!!

Red-Headed Woodpeckers Mating

The Female Having a Time Out Afterwards!

Red-Headed Woodpecker Take-Off and Flight