Tag Archives: MN North: Cloverland

Attack of the Bug Snatchers!

Year 11,

The leading edge of the “bug snatching birds” is here! Our leaves next to Lake Superior are finally leafing out, and with it … bugs! I have some favorite spots in the early season for bug snatchers … warblers and grassland birds. All the photos is this post were taken over the past few days.

For warblers, I love Hartley Creek which is only a few feet away from the Hartley Nature Center parking area. No matter where you live, consider these key aspects of this warbler hotspot … protected from with wind with running water, but not to strong a current. After cold nights, by mid morning there will often be a bug hatch. The insects remain in the creek bed area, out of the wind. Migrating warblers figure this out, and they are hungry!

Yellow Warbler

American Redstart

Black & White Warbler

Pileated Woodpecker (a year round resident, but still eating Hartley bugs!)

My other spot, primary for grassland birds is NW Wisconsin near Lake Superior (check my Mn. Birding Locations page … although Wisconsin … learn about the meadows and wetlands). Unlike in NE Minnesota where southerly winds come across Lake Superior (and get cold), these same winds still bring their warmth up from southern regions. The end result is NW Wisconsin “turns on” from a birding vantage point before NE Minnesota because the warmth equates to earlier bug hatches.

Killdeer

Solitary Sandpiper (using a very small farm pond … find the water)

And Yet More Grassland Birds

Year 9,

As I have noted in many posts over the past week or so … it’s heavenly out in the countryside between the wildflowers and birds. If you have the opportunity, drive Scenic 61 between Duluth and Stony Point. The Lupine are at their peak. Purple will rule the day, and I am not even a fan of Prince! 🙂

One early morning stop is the intersection of Stebner and Martin Road. Two Broad-Winged Hawks were sitting within yards of each other … which implies there has to be a nest in the vicinity. The big dead tree upon which one hawk was perched starts an area which was logged a few years back. The logging company left a decent number of deadheads, snags and other trees. This area (Google Maps link) will only get better for birding in the months and years ahead. If you visit, then drive further on Martin Road to Lavaque Road (next intersection in about one mile). Turn right and go visit Steam Shovel Sally (on left about one mile along the road). Finally, notice the American Goldfinch which photobombed the last Broad-Winged Hawk image! A few minutes later I saw a flock of goldfinches take a very large detour around the hawk.

Broad-Winged Hawk

For the past month I have attempted many times to get both good views, and photographs of Meadowlarks. Their melodious song is a beautiful part of driving Wisconsin 13 towards Cloverland. Take any back dirt road, and enjoy their song. I like Windy Lane.

Eastern Meadowlark

Tree Swallow

Cuckoo Craziness!

Year 9

The Summer of 2022 will go down in my book as the “Year of the Cuckoo!”. Cuckoos are late arrivant migrants from South America which seem to be extremely numerous this year. The Wisconsin DNR guys have counted a huge number during their grassland population surveys. One great spot to see grassland birds are the farms along Wisconsin 13 as it winds towards Port Wing. The road starts just a few miles south of Superior on US53/US2. (see an earlier blog post which gives the location of the Johnson Mitigation Wetlands). Most years I am lucky to see even one cuckoo, but this year is different. Here are a few images from my cuckoo morning … right on Balsam Bend Road in the Johnson Mitigation Wetlands. However, most dirt roads that have farmland along side are good grassland birding locations (starting when you reach Poplar River Road).