As in Lakewood Elementary (GPS Google Maps Link) … just north of Duluth in Lakewood Township. If you park behind the school, and walk down the stairs behind the playground there are delightful wetlands with a nature trail. If you can handle the bugs, you will enjoy all the birds. There trail snakes its way through the woods as it circles part of the wetlands. However, while the trail is not difficult in terms of elevation or distance, it should NOT be hiked by anyone who has balance issues. There are some unusual wooden bridges on the trail that have short, but very steep decks. Having said that these wetlands have great birding. I only wish I could have photographed even 1/10th of all the warblers, waterbirds, and songbirds I saw. Sometimes birds just won’t perch still long enough to give me a chance to press the shutter!

I waited till today to post this information, as school is now out for the summer. During the school year … spring and fall … one should only bird this location during NON SCHOOL HOURS. Given all the young children that may be present, you don’t want to alarm staff, particularly if you carry cameras with long reaches. (Google Maps Link to Lakewood Elementary)

Map: Lakewood Elementary School Region

Some pics of the wetlands …

Standing in the middle of the bridge … pics show both directions. In the final wetlands image you can observe the school in the upper left hand corner of the photograph. It shows how close these wetlands are to the school and its parking lots.

Great Crested Flycatcher

Northern Flicker

It may seem like the dead of winter, and even though today is February 18th and a ton of snow is on the ground, spring migration is officially in progress! While Owl Quest 2023 was a complete and total bust (in terms of finding owls), I saw hundreds and hundreds of Snow Buntings. These beautiful little birds are already working their way through northern Minnesota back to the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Snow Buntings have learned to find farm fields with less snow, or where plows have cleared the shoulder of snow … which means seeds for food.

The other bird which is busy migrating is the Bald Eagle. While some eagle stay in the Northland year round, many head south. The eagles that migrated are also now working their way north. Look for Bald Eagles to arrive on location as soon as there is any open water (think streams, rivers, and where same empties in lakes and ponds)

I found some Bald Eagles this morning not to long after sunrise … enjoying the warmth of the rising sun till crows took exception to their presence.

Some Talons!

Some friends of mine went up to Sax-Zim Bog this morning at sunrise. I decided the forecast seemed to indicate heavy fog inland, but clear skie for the morning hours next to Lake Superior. I was right. When birding I pay extremely close attention to the actual percentage of expected clouds. These images resulted from my working the shoreline along Scenic 61 between Duluth and Two Harbors this morning.

Two Bald Eagles

Ma and Pa Pine Grosbeak