Snow Buntings Herald the start of Winter

Year 10,

Most folks think winter starts on December 21st. People who pay attention to the “meteorological calendar” might say December 1st, but individuals who live in northern Minnesota would be excused if they said about November 1st! Yesterday I was wearing shorts for a hike in the woods (47F and some sun), but today required a heavy jacket gloves and pants. Future weather forecasts have lows in the mid 20’s, and highs in the mid 30’s.

The blast of cold weather with strong NW winds, and even a sprinkling of snow on the ground brought snow buntings south with a vengeance. The number of these small birds hanging around is amazing … from flocks to well over 300 birds to just a few. By the time the snow buntings reach northern Minnesota from their summer homes in the Arctic, they have significantly less white plumage. Hopefully I will see some late this winter on their way back north. They are little white puffballs. When I see snow buntings I know that this season’s migration is over in terms of birds which “pass through”. The only remaining birds to now arrive are those Arctic birds which will winter on the Arctic Riviera (Duluth area)

Anyhow … some pics of buntings from the last two days

Some unexpected sunshine yesterday afternoon

This morning with snow on the ground.

Boreal Forest Bog Tour

Year 10, ,

As noted with yesterday’s post about Surf City USA on Lake Superior, the weather up here in the Northland has been horrible. During these super poor birding conditions, I often go exploring. Sometimes I find my explorations have really bad potential (like yesterday NW of Sax-Zim Bog), but occasionally I find routes where the habitat looks grand even if I don’t see many birds. Two days ago I explored over toward Aitkin and a Boreal Forest Bog Area which Kim Eckert describes in his Birder’s Guide to Minnesota. Before Sax-Zim Bog became famous, this was where folks went in search of Great Gray Owls … County 18 and Pietz’s Road. Obviously I had to first get over to the area, and my mapped route travels along Boreal Forest Bog (County Rd #8) and the Mississippi River  (Great River Road / Hwy 10). In better conditions, I suspect this could be a very good bird outing. One could shorten the drive from the Duluth area a bit by taking US #2, but I have never seen much along the stretch from Hwy 53 to Floodwood. Regardless, here is my map.

I have seen a few birds over the past week, but the pickings have been poor.

Wet Birds (Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Ruffed Grouse, Bald Eagle, Spruce Grouse)

Surf City USA on Lake Superior

Year 10

How many of you knew there are a dedicated cadre of folks who surf on Lake Superior?! This image was taken about lunch time today off the mouth of the Lester River in Duluth (1/2 mile from my house) … 35 mph winds, drizzle and 48F (snow tomorrow). Till ice up, there are folks who are notified whenever the Lake Superior surf is up and travel hundreds of miles for “inland surfing”!