Category Archives: Year 3

Townsend Solitaire and Other Stuff!

Year 3, ,

I went looking for Bohemian Waxwings today. A few flocks of these northern birds had been reported in the local fruit trees. Instead, I found something much more unusual for northern Minnesota, a Townsend Solitaire. This grey bird was enjoying an afternoon feed in some fruit trees with temperatures that were 50 degrees warmer than Sunday morning (from -21F to +35F). Welcome to winter in the Arrowhead. I never did find the Bohemians, but they tend to be my nemesis bird!

Townsend Solitaire Eating Frozen Berries!

After some fun with the local rarity it was out to Old Vermilion Trail where I needed to refill my public bird feeders. While the northern finches have not appeared in the feeders, I do not have a hen pheasant enjoying sloppy seconds from all the local chickadees. Pheasant are rather usual in the northern Boreal Forest. Just the normal visitors out on Old Vermilion Trail!

Finally, here is a video I forgot to post of the pine grosbeaks from a few days ago!

Frozen Hotspot Birding Map: Duluth Area

Year 3,

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:

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)

Sea Smoke Deep Freeze Birding on the Arctic Riviera!

Year 3, ,

The temperature fell to -7 last night with a HUGE wind to create dangerous windchills and Sea Smoke on Lake Superior. Thus, what’s a photographer to do? Enjoy the weather!

In my first image, the ore boat / freighter … the Great Lakes Trader arrives at Canal Park in Duluth this morning surrounded by Sea Smoke. After my Sea Smoke sunrise photo, I’ve included a pic taken a few moments later with seagulls. The birds are not scared by the freighter … rather the immense engines and propellers suck up and kill fish … free food for gulls to snatch out of the ship’s wake.

This image was my final photograph at Canal Park. I had to run with my gear to change my perspective and capture the ore boat showing the other lighthouse at Canal Park and the ice encrusted bow of the Great Lakes Trader.

This cold has finally driven some northern birds down to the Arctic Riviera. Pine Grosbeaks consider our northern Minnesota climate balmy compared to the northern Boreal forests in Canada. We are the southern Boreal forests! In addition, many northern eagles have now flown down to our area courtesy of strong northwest winds. Finally goldeneyes are making their winter home in the Duluth area now that Lake Superior is the only open water around.