The feeders on Old Vermilion Trail have been replaced by the ones I now maintain on Ryan Road near McQuade Harbor on the North Shore, extremely near Lake Superior.
After exploring many back roads just north of Duluth, during the winter of 2014/15 I established a winter birding feed station on Old Vermilion Trail Road. The attached graphic may be used to find the feeders. Old Vermilion Trail Road is 10.8 miles from the intersection of Jean Duluth Road and Glenwood Avenue. You will find both this road and Fox Farm Road have great bird habitat including wetlands, streams, deciduous forest and pine forest. The bird feeders are also the trailhead of the classic ski trails I maintain … right across the road.
Here in northern Minnesota we have one of the premier winter birding spots in the lower 48, the Sax-Zim Bog. I often work at the Bog as a volunteer host. However, given the Bog is 40 miles from my home, I decided with all the great bird habitat in the Duluth area, it was important to work on enhancing the nearby winter birding opportunities.
We will be up in your area this Thursday , the 10th to check out the Old Vermilion trail. Do you really have enough snow for skiing? Also is the ski trail very hilly or mostly flat?
Thanks
Kevin
Had five days of good cross-country skiing, but there have been just too many warm days. Nordic skiing is at a end till we get more snow. Having said that the trails are not too difficult. The terrain rolls but nothing too challenging.
Hi, Rich –
I remember your post about this feeder trail last winter. Haven’t been back your way yet, but am looking forward to more posts of your sightings. Best of luck! -Ken Archambault, Birmingham, Alabama