2011 - 2010 - 2009 North Shore MBWeekends
Note: There have been several other North Shore MBWs since the 1980s; for additional information about these, contact eckertkr@gmail.com.
Mille Lacs pre-MBW & North Shore MBW Summary / November 4-5-6, 2011
Just as it had been almost all fall, the weather continued mild and people-pleasing for most of our MBW, but nice weather isn't what birders hope for during fall migration. Most of the boreal specialties and waterfowl had yet to arrive from Canada as of this weekend, and the moderate-strong S winds that prevailed most of the time kicked up the waves and hampered our spotting abilities on Mille Lacs and Lake Superior.
Still, there were some nice highlights during our day around Mille Lacs: a nice comparison of that juvenile Trumpeter Swan with the group of Tundras, several good looks at Common Loons and Bonaparte's Gulls, a few nice-sized Snow Bunting flocks, and that impressive late-afternoon flock of several hundred (probably a few thousand) grackles and other blackbirds near Walkon.
Then, on the main MBW up the North Shore, there were even more highlights: the Snow and Cackling geese at the golf course in Two Harbors, all three scoters seen by all at Taconite Harbor (Surf & White-winged) and Paradise Beach (Black), a few distant Long-tailed Ducks seen briefly by a few, Red-necked Grebes along with the Horneds, 2 Rough-legged Hawks in Two Harbors, a surprising Merlin harassing crows in Grand Marais, both Glaucous and Thayer's gulls spotted just before we left Grand Marais (the Glaucous was more cooperative), a Northern Shrike near Stoney Point, a consolation Gray Jay turned up by the unsuccessful Spruce Grouse searchers, some modest Bohemian Waxwing flocks, the Northern Cardinal family in Beaver Bay, the especially obliging Pine Grosbeaks along Croftville Rd, and the posing-in-the-scopes White-winged Crossbills in Two Harbors.
As always I thank Craig for his assistance in not only finding birds but also keeping our logistics efficient and manageable. As always, we both thank all of you for coming along on this always-popular MBW – especially Rachel, who was along on her very first MBW. And, of course, Dorothy, who thinks this might have been her last MBW. I hope she is wrong about that, because I'm not sure we could get along without her. -Kim
BIRD LIST (63 species: 37 on Mille Lacs pre-MBW; 49 on North Shore MBW)
M = Mille Lacs Lake (Nov 4: Mille Lacs, Crow Wing, Aitkin Co's)
S = St Louis County (Nov 5)
L = Lake County (Nov 5)
C = Cook County (Nov 5-6)
Snow Goose L
Cackling Goose L
Canada Goose MSLC
Trumpeter Swan M
Tundra Swan M
Mallard MSLC
Northern Shoveler M
Green-winged Teal L
Surf Scoter C
White-winged Scoter C
Black Scoter C
Long-tailed Duck C
Bufflehead MC
Common Goldeneye MSC
Hooded Merganser M
Common Merganser MSC
Red-breasted Merganser MLC
Ring-necked Pheasant M
Common Loon M
Horned Grebe MLC
Red-necked Grebe LC
Bald Eagle MSLC
Rough-legged Hawk L
Merlin C
Bonaparte's Gull M
Ring-billed Gull MSL
Herring Gull MSLC
Thayer's Gull C
Glaucous Gull C
Rock Pigeon LC
Mourning Dove C
Red-bellied Woodpecker M
Downy Woodpecker MSLC
Hairy Woodpecker MSLC
Pileated Woodpecker M
Northern Shrike S
Gray Jay C
Blue Jay MSLC
American Crow MSLC
Common Raven MSLC
Horned Lark C
Black-capped Chickadee MSLC
Red-breasted Nuthatch SLC
White-breasted Nuthatch ML
American Robin C
European Starling MLC
Bohemian Waxwing C
Cedar Waxwing LC
Snow Bunting MSLC
American Tree Sparrow M
White-crowned Sparrow L
Dark-eyed Junco MLC
Northern Cardinal L
Red-winged Blackbird MLC
Rusty Blackbird M
Brewer's Blackbird M
Common Grackle M
Pine Grosbeak LC
House Finch M
White-winged Crossbill L
Common Redpoll LC
American Goldfinch MSL
House Sparrow MSL
* * *
DULUTH & NORTH SHORE MBW SUMMARY ~ November 5-6-7, 2010
Townsend's Solitaire, Two Harbors
If there were ever a MBW that gave real meaning to the term "composite list", it was this one. While we had a remarkable list of significant sightings, I have to admit too many of them eluded part – at times even most – of our group, so that our total of 60 species represents a clear composite of our efforts, and not what every member of the group saw.
Examples: the Ross's Goose on Sunday which flew by Craig and a few others in Two Harbors after the rest of us had already passed through town....that Harlequin Duck found by Chuck Krulas at a site without cell phone coverage (Naniboujou Lodge) after part of the group had already returned to Grand Marais....our only Surf Scoter which decided to fly off just minutes before half the group arrived....a rowboat flushing Friday's only Black Scoter in Duluth just as the scopes are set up....the impromptu but successful Spruce Grouse option up the Gunflint Trail missed by those unable to attend Saturday's meeting when it was scheduled....a classic Thayer's Gull spotted by Conny Brunell in Grand Marais which takes off just before others arrive to view it....another Thayer's and a "mystery" Thayer's / Iceland / hybrid gull appearing at Canal Park Sunday afternoon just as everyone starts heading home....the Summer Tanager which flew by Jeff Stephenson and seen nicely by everyone except the few already lunching at Subway....and our only Pine Grosbeak seen by only four of us who had flipped around (!) to retrieve a lost radio.
But at least that Townsend's Solitaire in Two Harbors cooperated nicely for all who cared to see it on both Friday & Saturday, as did the White-winged & Black Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks in Cook Co, the Bohemian Waxwings in Two Harbors (especially on Friday), those White-winged Crossbills by the former MN DOT garage in Lake Co, and the small but frequent Snow Bunting flocks which brightened some otherwise dull, birdless stops.
As always, I thank you all for coming, with special thanks to Craig (a.k.a. Pancho!), to Marlene (on her very first MBW), and to Angela, A-K, Dave & Jan (attending only their second MBW). Remember the Ides of November! - Kim
BIRD LIST
Fri = seen only on the Nov 5 Duluth option
S = St Louis Co
L = Lake Co
C = Cook Co
Snow Goose LC
Ross's Goose L
Cackling Goose L
Canada Goose SL
American Black Duck Fri S
Mallard SC
Redhead Fri S
Greater Scaup Fri S
Harlequin Duck C
Surf Scoter C
White-winged Scoter C
Black Scoter SC
Long-tailed Duck SLC
Bufflehead Fri SL
Common Goldeneye SLC
Hooded Merganser SL
Red-breasted Merganser SLC
Spruce Grouse C
Common Loon SC
Horned Grebe 11/5 SL
Red-necked Grebe SLC
Bald Eagle SLC
Rough-legged Hawk L
Merlin C
Ring-billed Gull SL
Herring Gull SLC
Thayer's Gull SC
gull, sp.? S
Rock Pigeon SLC
Downy Woodpecker SLC
Hairy Woodpecker LC
Black-backed Woodpecker LC
Pileated Woodpecker C
Northern Shrike L
Gray Jay C
Blue Jay SLC
American Crow SLC
Common Raven SLC
Horned Lark SC
Black-capped Chickadee SLC
Red-breasted Nuthatch SLC
White-breasted Nuthatch L
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Fri L
Townsend's Solitaire L
American Robin L
European Starling SLC
Bohemian Waxwing L
Lapland Longspur SL
Snow Bunting SLC
Savannah Sparrow L
Dark-eyed Junco SL
Summer Tanager L
Northern Cardinal S
Rusty Blackbird SC
Pine Grosbeak C
House Finch Fri L
White-winged Crossbill L
Common Redpoll SL
Pine Siskin L
American Goldfinch L
House Sparrow
* * *
NORTH SHORE MBW SUMMARY / NOVEMBER 7-8, 2009
There are a few things I especially like about the top Black Guillemot photo (more than the other two I took which came out well): the non-standard, non-field-guide pose behind a wave; it's still approaching us while our excitement is still fresh; its ID as a guillemot had just been determined, with the challenge of separating it from Pigeon Guillemot still ahead; and it's still very much alive and appears quite well. The bottom photo (by Scott Meyer) clearly shows the white underwing linings narrowly outlined with black, which clinches the ID (Pigeon Guillemots have all-dark underwings).
Now that the bird is a specimen at the U of M, its age, subspecies, and cause of death can be confirmed. But my initial, amateur judgement is that it will prove to be a juvenile (mostly because of the dusky markings on the white upperwing coverts; winter adults have solid white wing patches), an individual of the Arctic subspecies mandtii (birds from the Atlantic race arcticus would look darker overall), and it almost certainly died from starvation (there's just not enough to eat in Lake Superior, especially for a salt-water bird).
Once MOURC processes the record, it will become species #436 on the Minnesota list. As far as I know, there are no other Black Guillemot records from nearby states, although the species is rare-regular up on Hudson Bay in Ontario, Ohio is the closest state with a record, and I assume there are records from Lakes Erie and Ontario. This marks the first time that we have ever discovered a first state record on a MBW (!), although those first-state-record Fieldfare (1991) and Inca Dove (2007) individuals were observed on MBWs after their discovery, both of them on other November North Shore MBWs.
Long-billed Murrelet in November 2008....Black Guillemot in November 2009....my prediction: Thick-billed Murre (another alcid which strays to Great Lakes states/provinces) due in November 2010.
Any other highlights on our MBW, of course, paled by comparison. But most impressive of these had to be Saturday's September-like weather, with temperatures in the low 60s being some 20 degrees above normal. (Even Sunday wasn't bad, with light winds and temperatures still in the 50s.) Although the birding was quite uneventful and quiet on Saturday (until we got to Taconite Harbor), we were mostly enjoying the weather too much to notice, and at least some of us had good looks at N Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Bohemian Waxwing, and White-winged Crossbill.
Then on Sunday there were White-winged Scoters at Paradise Beach, several good looks at Long-tailed Ducks, an adult Thayer's and 2 first-winter Glaucous gulls in Grand Marais, and lots of crossbills and redpolls (including an apparent Hoary!) migrating down the shore. And those still birding back in Duluth-Superior on Sunday afternoon added Black Scoters plus another White-winged at Park Point, and the gull-watchers at the Superior Entry/Wisconsin Point had an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Minnesota side, close looks at first-winter Iceland and Thayer's gulls on the Wisconsin side, plus some late Dunlins seen by Craig on the beach.
Surprisingly, our composite list eventually added up to a respectable total of 62 species. As always, my thanks to all of you for coming, especially to Craig for his assistance: without his presence, only 19 of you instead of 30 would have been along to see that guillemot (or would we have gone there at all?!). Special thanks as well to Jeanne for her quick reflexes and death-defying driving skills at Taconite Harbor; to Cyndi for first spotting the guillemot while it was still just a distant speck; and to the 5 of those who were along on their first MBW (Cyndi, Linda C, Lois, Gary, and Leanne). Kim
Bird List
S = St Louis Co
L = Lake Co
C = Cook Co
Snow Goose S
Cackling Goose L (Two Harbors golf course)
Canada Goose SL
American Black Duck S (late Sunday at Park Point)
Mallard SLC
Ring-necked Duck C (Grand Marais)
White-winged Scoter SC (Paradise Beach, plus late Sunday at Park Point)
Black Scoter S (seen by some late Sunday at Park Point)
Long-tailed Duck LC (much better looks in Cook Co than in Two Harbors)
Common Goldeneye SC
Common Merganser C
Red-breasted Merganser SC
Common Loon SC
Horned Grebe L
Red-necked Grebe C
Bald Eagle SLC
Northern Goshawk L (brief but close view of adult at Bayside Marina)
Red-tailed Hawk SL
Rough-legged Hawk L (best along Hwy 61 in Lake Co)
Golden Eagle L (nice look at a juvenile over Beaver Bay)
(Dunlin / Wisconsin Point only)
Ring-billed Gull SL
Herring Gull SLC
Thayer's Gull LC (adults in Two Harbors and Grand Marais; also Wis side of Superior Entry)
(Iceland Gull / Wis side of Superior Entry only)
Lesser Black-backed Gull S (adult on the Minn side of the Superior Entry)
Glaucous Gull C (2 first-winters in Grand Marais at lunchtime)
BLACK GUILLEMOT C
Rock Pigeon SLC
Mourning Dove L
Downy Woodpecker SLC
Hairy Woodpecker SLC
Pileated Woodpecker LC
Northern Shrike L
Blue Jay SLC
American Crow SLC
Common Raven LC
Black-capped Chickadee SLC
Red-breasted Nuthatch SLC (lots of them)
White-breasted Nuthatch SL
Brown Creeper L
American Robin L
European Starling SLC
Bohemian Waxwing L (finally seen by all in Knife River)
Cedar Waxwing SLC
American Tree Sparrow C (only 1)
White-throated Sparrow C (only 1)
Dark-eyed Junco SL (hardly any)
Lapland Longspur C (nice looks in Grand Marais)
Snow Bunting SC (fewer than normal)
Red-winged Blackbird L
Rusty Blackbird S
Common Grackle L
Pine Grosbeak LC (only a few brief fly-bys)
Purple Finch S
Red Crossbill LC (a few fly-by flocks)
White-winged Crossbill SLC (some perched birds eventually seen by all)
Common Redpoll C (lots of migrant flocks on Sunday)
Hoary Redpoll C (with pure white undertail coverts in Grand Marais)
Pine Siskin SLC
American Goldfinch L
House Sparrow S
