Winter Birding

Winter is often overlooked as a good time to observe birds, because in most people’s minds the majority of the birds have flown south to escape the harsh conditions that lay ahead. This notion couldn’t be any further from the truth. Despite the cold, winter can host some extraordinary birds that would not typically be found in the Upper Midwest. Two well known areas in the state for birding are Duluth and the Sax-Zim Bog.

Situated on the shore of Lake Superior, Duluth attracts all types of winter raptors, songbirds and seabirds that are not normally found in the summer months and you don’t have to go far to find them. Canal park is a good starting point to look for wayward gull species and waterfowl. On the lake side of the point out in the open water look for scooters, long tailed ducks, red throated loons and on the harbor side along the shipping docks a snow owl or two may be spotted. If birding in the city doesn’t sound very appealing, a quick trip up Hwy 61 ending in Two Harbors and back could result in a variety of winter songbirds like bohemian waxwings, pine grosbeaks and crossbills. For rare and unusual birds in the area the Minnesota Ornithological Union post rare bird alerts. http://moumn.org/