Wilkin County, April 2023 (Darcy Pinotti photo)
Minnesota Birding Weekends (MBW) is again offering another season of unique, modestly priced birding trips within Minnesota – our 38th year! After 37 years, we have had a total of more than 450 MBWeekends, 8,750 registrations, and a composite list of 367 species seen in Minnesota.
MBWeekend fees continue to be as modest as they always have been, and this season all will again be set at $20/day (e.g., a standard Saturday-Sunday MBWeekend is $40).
Besides the MBWs listed below, there will also be some "MBWednesdays" scheduled in 2023. These informal one-day trips will not involve any registration, no lodging will be needed by most participants, and they have no MBW fee – more details on these to come later this season.
In addition to our selection of MBWeekends, please visit the MBWEEKS page for information on those longer out-of-state trips.
ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED FOR COVID
(OR HAVE RECENTLY TESTED NEGATIVE)
BEFORE THE TIME OF THE MBW ARE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER.
APRIL 2023 - JANUARY 2024 SCHEDULE
MINNESOTA BIRDING WEEKENDS
• April 13 - 14, 2023 – Rothsay WMA, Wilkin County •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
• April 27, 2023 – Martin County •
• April 28, 2023 – Faribault County •
• April 29, 2023 – Freeborn County •
• April 30, 2023 – Mower County •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
• May 11, 2023 – Sherburne County pre-MBW •
• May 12, 2023 – Benton County pre-MBW •
• May 13 - 14, 2023 – Stearns County •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
• May 26, 2023 – Wabasha County pre-MBW •
• May 27 - 28 - 29, 2023 – Winona & Houston Co's •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
• June 21 - 22 - 23, 2023 – Beltrami County •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
• September 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, 2023 – Northwest Minnesota •
CLICK HERE for summary of this MBW
––––––––––––
• September 28, 2023 (Thu) – Chippewa County pre-MBW •
• September 29, 2023 (Fri) – Swift County pre-MBW •
• Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2023 (Sat-Sun) – Kandiyohi County •
- Base Willmar all 4 nights: Sept. 27, 28, 29, 30
- Limit 11 participants in 3 vehicles each day
- MBW fee $20 per day
- Chippewa STATUS as of Sept. 21: 11 Confirmed, 0 Vacancies, 1 on Waiting List
- Swift STATUS: 11 Confirmed, 0 Vacancies, 1 on Waiting List
- Kandiyohi STATUS: 10 Confirmed, 1 Vacancy, 0 on Waiting List
CLICK HERE for summaries of similar MBWs in previous years
* * *
• October 4, 2023 – Duluth MBWednesday •
- See above for additional information (a combined summary of the MBWednesdays
will be published here in late October).
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 5 Confirmed, 6 Vacancies, 0 on Waiting List
* * *
• October 18, 2023 – Duluth MBWednesday •
- See above for additional information (a combined summary of the MBWednesdays
will be published here in late October).
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 11 Confirmed, 0 Vacancies, 6 on Waiting List
* * *
• October 25, 2023 – Duluth MBWednesday •
- See above for additional information (a combined summary of the MBWednesdays
will be published here in late October).
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 8 Confirmed, 3 Vacancies, 0 on Waiting List
* * *
• November 2 - 3, 2023 (Thu-Fri) – Tofte I & North Shore •
- Base Tofte AmericInn nights of November 1 - 2
- Limit 18 participants in 5 vehicles
- MBW fee $40
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 18 Confirmed, 0 Vacancies, 0 on Waiting List
CLICK HERE for summaries of this MBW in previous years
* * *
• November 4 - 5, 2023 (Sat-Sun) – Tofte II & North Shore •
- Base Tofte AmericInn nights of November 3 - 4
- Limit 18 participants in 5 vehicles
- MBW fee $40
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 18 Confirmed, 0 Vacancies, 1 on Waiting List
CLICK HERE for summaries of this MBW in previous years
* * *
• January 4 - 5, 2024 (Thu-Fri) – Lake County •
- Base Two Harbors nights of January 3 - 4
- Limit 18 participants in 5 vehicles
- MBW fee $40
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 3 Confirmed, 15 Vacancies, 0 on Waiting List
CLICK HERE for summaries of similar Duluth MBWs in previous years
* * *
• January 6 - 7, 2024 (Sat-Sun) – Cook County •
- Base Grand Marais nights of January 5 - 6
- Limit 11 participants in 3 vehicles
- MBW fee $40
- STATUS as of Sept. 21: 3 Confirmed, 8 Vacancies, 0 on Waiting List
CLICK HERE for summaries of similar Duluth MBWs in previous years
Our registration procedure for the 2023-24 MBWeekends
continues as in recent years...
• ALL MBW REGISTRATIONS ARE BY E-MAIL: include the MBWeekend, your
name, and e-mail address (include no MBW fees with registrations).
• ONLY ONE REGISTRATION MAY BE SENT PER DAY: i.e., registration for a
second MBW cannot be sent until the following day. (A pre-MBW can be
included with the registration for its associated MBW.)
• A REGISTRATION E-MAIL MAY INCLUDE ONLY ONE PERSON (except that
a spouse or other person at the same residence can also be included).
• PLEASE NOTE: On some MBWeekends, another MBW or extra leader or a
higher participants limit may be possible to confirm additional persons.
MINNESOTA BIRDING WEEKENDS
APRIL 2023 - JANUARY 2024
~ Our 38th Season ~
DULUTH MBWEDNESDAYS
Five MBWednesdays were recently added to this season's schedule, all based in Duluth and focused on the Duluth & the adjacent North Shore area – easily the best place in Minnesota to find rarities during fall migration. The remaining dates are:
• October 4, 2023 •
• October 18, 2023 •
• October 25, 2023 •
• Each MBWednesday will meet at 8:30 am, so that most participants will be able to drive from home early Wednesday morning to Duluth with no need for lodging on Tuesday night. (It is about a 2 1/2-hour drive from the Twin Cities, And it’s no problem if you’re going to be late; just call or text me about 8:30 to find out where we will be.)
• Birding each day will end about 5:30 pm (or sooner), in time for an optional group dinner, and/or to return home that evening (again, with no need for lodging).
• There will be no fee for these MBWednesdays. Otherwise, they will operate like a usual MBWeekend: i.e., car-pooling will be arranged in advance; two-way radios will be in use to keep everyone in touch; and participants will bring lunch from home (or stop for something in a a Subway-like place or convenience store during the day).
As on the eregular MBWeekends, there is a limit of one emailed registration per day, and a registration may include only one person (OK to include a spouse or other family member at the same address).
CLICK HERE for the summary of the 2022 Duluth MBWednesdays