Minnesota's Northwoods - May 2025
Dates: May 29 - June 3, 2025
Leader: Erik Bruhnke
E-bird
Total Species: 122 birds
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Overall Summary
Our Minnesota Northwoods tour was a thrilling experience, with exciting birding and delicious cuisine from our home-sweet-home lakeside hotel. There was so much to cherish every day! After meeting and greeting each other on the opening afternoon of the tour, we birded our way along the beautiful waters of Lake Superior. It was fun to see birds like Eastern Kingbirds and an American Redstart migrating through the area. A Northern Flicker flew past us, and Chimney Swifts were enjoyed, too. To set foot on the world’s longest freshwater sandbar was a treat. It was a fun start to the tour, with some birding followed by a wonderful opening dinner.
We had the legendary Sax-Zim Bog lined up for our first full day of the tour. While entering the Bog vicinity, we enjoyed views of a perched Broad-winged Hawk and a displaying Wilson’s Snipe winnowing overhead. A sneaky Sedge Wren chattered nearby, and although it was heard-only at the time, we scored some amazing views of this little grassland sprite later in the trip. After all, we were just beginning our morning. We made our way into the beautiful old-growth spruce and tamarack forest. Before we knew it, we were locking our binoculars onto a spectacular Great Gray Owl! This large and gentle giant of the woods could not have been more relaxed, perching on branches along the roadside and keeping an eye out for food for both itself and its young tucked somewhere deep in the woods beyond our view. What a thrill it was to see this incredible bird on our first morning.
As the morning progressed in that part of the Bog, we enjoyed birds like Purple Finch, chatty Chestnut-sided Warblers among the willows, Nashville Warblers among the evergreens, and a male Golden-winged Warbler. A little later, we found ourselves looking at three Black-billed Magpies, a very special bird to see locally (Sax-Zim Bog is home to the easternmost population of this species within its range). Up another road, we found ourselves looking at yet another Great Gray Owl, certainly a different bird based on the distance from the original Great Gray Owl we had found. It was hard to comprehend seeing two different Great Gray Owls in one morning. A casual walk on the forest road had us directing our focus to a singing Connecticut Warbler. The bird’s song was coming from quite a way into the dense green foliage, and we prepared ourselves for the walk. After walking through beautiful forest, we locked our sights on the singing male Connecticut Warbler. It was surreal and magical, following two Great Gray Owls, all on our first morning! After a hearty lunch, we enjoyed scope views of Trumpeter Swans and a breeding-plumage Common Loon. What a fun day, topped with a tasty dinner!
The next morning we headed north, into even deeper forests and to do some exploring along the shore. The cool air was refreshing as we enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning and a meandering river surrounded by woods, with singing Red-eyed Vireo and Black-and-white Warbler nearby. Hearing a Red-bellied Woodpecker was a treat, as this species is quite uncommon this far north in the state. A bit of birding along the scenic shoreline had us looking at a breeding-plumage Red-throated Loon paddling around on the calm waters of Lake Superior. The surface of Lake Superior was ethereal and glass-like, and we had fantastic scope views of this exciting bird, another uncommon treat seen only in migration. We enjoyed pleasant views of a Mourning Warbler that was singing behind us, as well as a chatty Magnolia Warbler. Another daily delight on this tour is that every warbler we come across is in peak breeding plumage, a treat to the eyes…and their frequently given songs, a treat to our ears. At stop after stop throughout the northern forests, we were delighted to see and hear such amazing birds. A Northern Parula was seen and heard singing in the trees above us. One of the highlights, and a target bird of the morning, was a Tennessee Warbler. We observed at least ten of this far northern-nesting species, each on territory! Cape May Warblers sang nearby, and a Northern Waterthrush also sang from its thicket overlooking a peaceful pond. One of the most unusual birds of the morning was a Mourning Dove feeding alongside the forest highway on our way to Lake Superior. It was a surprise to see this Mourning Dove out in the wilderness, typically more expected in people’s backyards where birdfeeders are present. We enjoyed fifteen warbler species that morning, all before our picnic lunch. We were serenaded by a Black-throated Green Warbler during our picnic. The views of Lake Superior were spectacular that afternoon, with calm lake conditions continuing and sunny skies like icing on a cake. An array of beautiful waterfowl was seen on the drive down to Duluth, as were several delightful Franklin’s Ground Squirrels. We also took some time to enjoy the cascading waterfalls.
There is always more to see in Sax-Zim Bog, with this landscape covering about three hundred square miles. On the drive up the next morning, we enjoyed views of an Osprey and a Merlin (which flew by at what seemed to be the speed of light). As we meandered our way into Sax-Zim Bog proper, we enjoyed wonderful views of Sandhill Cranes and Bobolinks among the fields. A LeConte’s Sparrow teased us with its thin and distant song. As the morning progressed, we found ourselves looking at a flock of White-winged Crossbills in the woods, an often-scarce species to note this time of year. We tallied 25 of them in a single flock. As they fed in front of us, a Hermit Thrush sang through the wall of lush vegetation while Yellow-bellied Flycatchers gave their brief songs. At one point, we had a low-angle view of a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher still singing, contrary to the typical treetop-singing behavior for which they are known. A Lincoln’s Sparrow serenaded us on the roadside. As the morning progressed, we found ourselves looking at a Great Gray Owl along the wooded edge. What an experience to have three sightings of this regal and beautiful bird. A Blue-headed Vireo and Red-eyed Vireo sang simultaneously, and it was fun to tell them apart by their songs. Before lunch, we got on a gorgeous Black-backed Woodpecker drumming and calling on the edge of the road, as well as a treetop-singing Olive-sided Flycatcher. It was fun to watch the Black-backed Woodpecker flake bark off the older trees. The birding that morning felt like “boreal fireworks,” in a peaceful yet high-energy way. In the afternoon, we saw a very busy mother Hooded Merganser herding her nine tiny ducklings in a river—adorable chaos, if you will. Yellow-throated Vireos sang overhead while we watched them. An obligatory walk around the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center and trails followed, as we enjoyed the many beautiful bog plants. The air was fresh and beautifully fragrant. VENT is proud to make a donation to the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog every time this tour takes place. We saw several “bouquets” of Pink Lady’s Slippers before leaving the Bog.
The last day of our tour always comes too soon. We headed up to Sax-Zim Bog one more time to look for a few birds we hadn’t yet seen. Early in the morning, we experienced another Wilson’s Snipe winnowing right over us, as a Least Flycatcher chattered in the woods. Gorgeous American Kestrels kept watch from the power lines overlooking the fields. One of the birds we were still looking for from earlier in the tour was a Sedge Wren. We scanned one of the field edges on this last morning and found ourselves surrounded by three Sedge Wrens (one came out and sang for us, well seen through the scope as well). It was thrilling. Upon returning to the bog habitat, we were welcomed by a family of Canada Jays and refound the flock of White-winged Crossbills still roaming around. We found ourselves looking at another Black-backed Woodpecker that morning, too, a treat to the senses. With a little patience, we enjoyed views of a handsome Canada Warbler singing in all of his breeding-plumage glory. The Canada Warbler was the twentieth species of warbler we saw on this year’s tour, seen and appreciated well. Part of the charm of this tour is its remarkable warbler diversity (among many other songbirds). Both Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned kinglets were noted as the morning continued. We made our way back to Duluth to enjoy some local sightseeing, including the renowned Hawk Ridge. It was fun to experience this beautiful overlook, learning about the incredible magnitude of migration that pours through the area later in the year. The expanse of Lake Superior was as beautiful as ever.
We ended the tour at one of my favorite restaurants in Duluth, reflecting on so much fun had over the past few days of birding together, among such a strong sense of place. Cheers to coming together to bird this special part of northern Minnesota. I’m already looking forward to next year's tour!
Day-by-Day Summary
May 29 - We met in Duluth and began our tour with birding along the shores of Lake Superior, enjoying early migrants such as Eastern Kingbird, American Redstart, Northern Flicker, and Chimney Swift, along with a visit to the world’s longest freshwater sandbar before our welcome dinner.
May 30 - Our first full day was spent in Sax-Zim Bog, highlighted by Great Gray Owl sightings, Sedge Wren (heard), Golden-winged Warbler, Black-billed Magpie, Connecticut Warbler, and a strong mix of boreal songbirds and waterfowl.
May 31 - We explored northern forests and the Lake Superior shoreline, recording Red-throated Loon and an impressive diversity of warblers in peak breeding plumage, including Tennessee, Magnolia, Northern Parula, and Mourning Warbler, along with scenic waterfalls and wildlife.
June 1 - A second day in the Bog brought White-winged Crossbills, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Sandhill Crane, Bobolink, and another Great Gray Owl, along with Hooded Merganser and other boreal specialties.
June 2 - Our final morning featured Sedge Wrens, Canada Warbler, Canada Jay, and additional crossbills and woodpeckers before returning to Duluth, with a stop at Hawk Ridge overlooking Lake Superior.
June 3 - After breakfast, the tour concluded in Duluth with departures home following a successful Minnesota Northwoods birding adventure.
Wildlife Seen:
MAMMALS:
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Franklin’s Ground Squirrel
Eastern Cottontail
Snowshoe Hare
White-tailed Deer
Tracks – Moose
Scat – Gray Wolf
AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES:
Boreal Chorus Frog
Painted Turtle
BUTTERFLIES:
Monarch
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Comma
MOTHS:
Pale Alder Moth