Tag Archives: MN North: Duluth Harbor

Migration Surprises

Year 8,

Don’t like the weather in northeast Minnesota, just wait a few hours and Lake Superior will throw something different at you. In the past three days we have had 1. cold (38F at sunrise), wet foggy conditions 2. hot warm (85F) and sunny with 25 mph winds out of the southwest 3. finally this morning a strong NW wind and temperatures at 46F. All this weather actually makes for neat bird migration activity if you understand the weather’s implications. The fog and NE winds yielded a warbler fallout. The strong winds out of the SW pushed migrants against Lake Superior as the birds tried to ride the wind north.

Yesterday I had fun viewing two bird species which normally do not grace our area, even during migration … an Orchard Oriole and an American Avocet. Here are a few of my pics:

American Avocet

Orchard Oriole (immature male)

Sea Smoke Sunrise (pre dawn)

Year 7

It was 13F below zero (actual, not windchill) this morning. Thus I decided it was a great day to head out and catch the pre-dawn light over Lake Superior. I normally find the most vibrant colors are 30 to 40 minutes before actually sunrise. I definitely needed a full thermal layer in addition to normal clothes and outerwear! The slight wind out of the SW blew the seasmoke offshore revealing these freighters at anchor. I did eventually go owling, but away from the warming waters of Lake Superior, the temperature was -20F. I know from experience birding is poor when it is that cold, and in fact the birding was poor. Everyone and everything is just trying to stay warm!

The more dramatic sky colors are the result of my taking a hike to better line up with the approaching sun beneath the horizon.

Shorebird Bonanza

Year 7
Seems like the number of Shorebirds in the Duluth area has been slow this migration. However, that now appears to have changed. These two photographs were taken Saturday on some mudflats near the Duluth Harbor. Needed some time to work through all my images to get what I hope are correct ID’s:
  1. A Least Sandpiper
  2. A pair of Semi-Palmated Plovers
  3. A Long-Billed Dowitcher

Shorebirds are tough with all their different plumage versions … breeding vs. non breeding … and then add in juveniles. Uff dah!
And some more images from my Shorebird bonanza!
Semi-Palmated Plover Pair

Pectoral Sandpiper

Long-Billed Dowitcher and a pair of Semi-Palmated Plovers

Lesser Yellowlegs

Least Sandpiper and Long-Billed Dowitcher

Least Sandpiper and a pair of Semi-Palmated Plovers

Long-Billed Dowitcher and a Semi-Palmated Plover