A group of nine individuals from Manhattan, Topeka, Kansas City, and a friendly formerly of the Kansas City areas visited northern Minnesota between May 24th and May 27th. After visiting the area five years earlier and not getting Connecticut Warblers to respond or appear, we tried a bit earlier but actually went too early as Connecticut Warblers were still migrating through and not found reliably on territory in scouting. Weather didn’t cooperate as a cold front came through Thursday night and Friday morning and quieted the woods immensely from the two days previous of scouting.
Friday night went out at dusk trying for Great Gray Owls. They would prove to be a challenge this trip, but eventually our patience paid off. One in the group got to see EVENING GROSBEAKS at some feeders before we got together as a group, but alas that was our only sighting. Still the first night was an awakening for all as PURPLE FINCHES, Veery, and OVENBIRD were still quite vocal even late into the evening. They would be found many times throughout the trip.
 Black-throated Green Warbler |
 Purple Finch |
Saturday morning we scrapped locations that had been scouted since Connecticut Warblers were not found in numbers or with easy viewing. Instead we picked a location where a Connecticut had been reported the day before, hoping it might stick rather than continue further north. We struck out on the Connecticut Warbler but did find many of the breeding northern species. Cool temperatures and wind made it a challenge, but at least VEERY decided to hop on the road multiple times for us to get good looks at them outside of the thickets. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER came in to some light pishing and treetops were abuzz with sounds the Kansas group only generally hears sparingly during migration.
We continued north towards Cook in search of Boreal Chickadees, but struck out on them as they proved too quiet to pick out of the many bog locations we checked. Picnic lunch was enjoyed in Orr Minnesota with a casual stroll along the bog boardwalk. With limited trees the birds that were present were more easily seen than elsewhere. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, AMERICAN REDSTARTs, and cavity of begging HAIRY WOODPECKERS were highlights from this walk. The afternoon walk west of Cook was more successful than the morning walk, as we found a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER and family unit of CANADA JAYs. An evening try for Great Gray Owl was again unsuccessful for the group, but as luck would have it Elliot and Malcolm were the last to leave and ran into someone that told them where one was. They saw the first for the trip at last light, fingers crossed the group would be successful on Sunday.
We spent Sunday with Clinton Nienhaus, the head naturalist at Sax-Zim Bog, and his wonderful wife Kristina. They took us to different habitats in this birding destination and opened the Welcome Center for us to have lunch at away from mosquitoes. Clinton and Kristina are amazing naturalists and a wealth of knowledge. A stroll along the board walk at the welcome center as well as stop to see Hoary Elfins, new to the bog species list, showcased their knowledge of plants and the entire eco system. Their knowledge, kindness, and appreciation of nature is contagious.
 Eastern Pine Elfin |
 Blackburnian Warbler |
A trip in June allowed us to focus on nesting birds that we generally only see in Kansas during migration. This included nesting LECONTES SPARROW, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERs, MOURNING WARBLERs, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERs, and WILSONS SNIPE. The surprise of Sunday was a flock of migrating WHIMBREL. Sunday night yielded the same result as Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday morning, the Great Gray Owls were not showing well for us. For a second night in a row, Elliot and Malcolm found one one the way home after departing from the group. This time it was in the middle of the road in pitch dark conditions, a split second of flight and it was gone.
Monday we focused on what we had missed in previous days. With the reports of Great Grays being seen regularly by others, Kathy Carroll and Malcolm Gold were out searching at first light for the group. Kathy found one shortly after 5am and luckily everyone that tried to see it in the group was able to.
While everyone will take more jaw dropping views of warblers at eye levels, more cooperative behavior of secretive birds, and even more species it was a very enjoyable trip. We ended with twenty-one warbler species and lots of smiles even though we were a couple pounds lighter from the blood donations to mosquitoes and ticks. Photos of other species seen are included in this eBird trip report.
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