* * *
ITASCA & KOOCHICHING COUNTIES MBW SUMMARY
JUNE 16 - 17 - 18, 2017
Yes, I suppose there were too many mosquitoes at times, the cool and overcast weather may have discouraged some bird song activity (though we never really got rained on), and we learned you can get along just fine in Koochiching without any offers of hospitality from the Int'l Falls Chamber of Commerce – or from their local chapter of the ASPCA (Anti Sewage Pond County-listers Access).
Anyway, I'd have to say we did quite well on this MBWeekend, which was focused on Koochiching County with some worthwhile birding stops in Itasca County along the way. In all, we came up with a surprising composite total of 133 species, even though we did relatively little wetlands and grasslands birding.
Most of Friday was spent in Itasca County where we listed an even 100 species, as we concentrated our efforts at Scenic State Park. Our best finds here included relatively cooperative Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Connecticut and Canada warblers, along with an elusive Black-backed Woodpecker that only a few were able to see. In addition, we had our best views of Golden-winged Warbler en route to the park, plus our only Black-billed Cuckoo sighting of the MBW (there was also a heard-only, leader-only bird at Littlefork's sewage ponds). And before we crossed into Koochiching, we came up with two quite unexpected Dickcissels, our only Eastern Meadowlark, and a community of Black-billed Magpies along Priem Road near Bigfork (little seen at its sewage ponds).
After entering Koochiching County, about the only birding we had time for on Friday was at the Big Falls sewage ponds (not much) and a brief visit by a few to the Int'l Falls sewage ponds (Gadwall and Peregrine Falcon added to the list). Of course, it was on Saturday when we found most of Koochiching's specialties. While co-leader Dave Benson's group was getting nice looks at Connecticut Warbler on CR 1, my group found a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers on CR 77. Both groups then concentrated on CR 13 north of Big Falls where there was another pair of Black-backeds plus a frustratingly brief encounter with an uncooperative American Three-toed. CR 13 also gave us good looks at a Boreal Chickadee, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied flycatchers, Mourning Warbler, and more.
On Saturday afternoon both groups worked along the Twomey-Williams Forest Road west of Big Falls, where a somewhat more cooperative American Three-toed Woodpecker first appeared for my group and then reappeared for Dave's. Wilson's Warblers (scarce and local in summer in Minnnesota) were also found at two spots along this forest road, and a bit later Dave's group spotted a surprising Red-shouldered Hawk along the Pine Island Forest Road.
Before returning to Itasca County on Sunday, we had one more morning in Koochiching County, and, just after we met, a pair of Red Crossbills suddenly and unexpectedly appeared in "downtown" Littlefork. After this nice start, we again split into two groups, both had excellent views of Le Conte's Sparrows, at one of these meadows on CR 31 there was yet another out-of-range Dickcissel, and a most cooperative Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was also seen. Both groups later met in Northome (not much at the rice paddies west of town or the sewage ponds) and finished up at Tuefer Lake where Trumpeter Swans, Red-necked Grebe, Green Heron, and a Northern Waterthrush (warbler species #20) brought our final MBW total up to 133, with 126 of these in Koochiching.
(And in case you're wondering, none of the MBWers who tried to confirm that possible Townsend's Warbler report near Northome saw anything, but Roy et al. who left early on Sunday did manage to see that King Rail at North Ottawa impoundment in the afternoon.)
Bird List
I = seen/heard June 16 in Itasca Co (100 species)
K = seen/heard June 16-17-18 in Koochiching Co (126 species)
Canada Goose K
Trumpeter Swan I K (best at Tuefer L)
Wood Duck I K
Gadwall K (Int'l Falls sewage ponds)
Mallard I K
Green-winged Teal K
Ring-necked Duck K
Common Goldeneye K
Hooded Merganser I K
Common Merganser I
Ruffed Grouse K
Pied-billed Grebe K
Red-necked Grebe K (best at Tuefer L)
Rock Pigeon I K
Mourning Dove I K
Black-billed Cuckoo I K (seen on Itasca CR 60; heard-only in Littlefork)
Common Nighthawk I K
Chimney Swift I K
Ruby-throated Hummingbird K
Sora K (uncommon in NE Minn)
Sandhill Crane K
Killdeer I K
Wilson's Snipe K
Spotted Sandpiper K
Ring-billed Gull I K
Common Loon I K
Double-crested Cormorant K
American White Pelican K
American Bittern I
Great Blue Heron I K
Green Heron K (Tuefer L; scarce this far north)
Turkey Vulture I K
Bald Eagle I K
Northern Harrier I K
Red-shouldered Hawk K (Pine Island FR; much farther north than normal!)
Broad-winged Hawk I K
Red-tailed Hawk I K
Barred Owl K (heard-only)
Belted Kingfisher I K
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I K
Downy Woodpecker I K
Hairy Woodpecker I K
American Three-toed Woodpecker K (2 sightings = 2 more than normal!: CR 13 and
Twomey-Williams FR)
Black-backed Woodpecker I K (3 sightings: Scenic State Park, CR 77, and CR 13)
Northern Flicker I K
Pileated Woodpecker I K
American Kestrel I K
Merlin I K
Peregrine Falcon K (Int'l Falls sewage ponds)
Olive-sided Flycatcher K (CR 13)
Eastern Wood-Pewee I K
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher I K
Alder Flycatcher I K
Least Flycatcher I K
Eastern Phoebe I K
Great Crested Flycatcher I
Eastern Kingbird I K
Yellow-throated Vireo I (uncommon in NE Minn)
Blue-headed Vireo I K
Warbling Vireo I K
Red-eyed Vireo I K
Gray Jay I K
Blue Jay I K
Black-billed Magpie I K (best on Priem Rd)
American Crow I K
Common Raven I K
Tree Swallow I K
Northern Rough-winged Swallow I K
Bank Swallow I K
Cliff Swallow I K
Barn Swallow I K
Black-capped Chickadee I K
Boreal Chickadee K (CR 13)
Red-breasted Nuthatch I K
White-breasted Nuthatch I K
Brown Creeper I K
House Wren I K
Winter Wren I K
Sedge Wren I K
Golden-crowned Kinglet I K
Ruby-crowned Kinglet I K
Eastern Bluebird I K
Veery I K
Hermit Thrush I K
American Robin I K
Gray Catbird I K
Brown Thrasher I
European Starling I K
Cedar Waxwing I K
House Sparrow I K
House Finch K (Northome)
Purple Finch I K
Red Crossbill K (unexpected pair in Littlefork)
American Goldfinch I K
Ovenbird I K
Northern Waterthrush K (warbler #20 for the MBW)
Golden-winged Warbler I K (uncommon this far north)
Black-and-white Warbler I K
Nashville Warbler I K
Connecticut Warbler I K (best at Scenic State Park and on CR 1)
Mourning Warbler I K
Common Yellowthroat I K
American Redstart I K
Northern Parula I K
Magnolia Warbler I K
Blackburnian Warbler I K
Yellow Warbler I K
Chestnut-sided Warbler I K
Palm Warbler K (uncommon and local in summer)
Pine Warbler K
Yellow-rumped Warbler I K
Black-throated Green Warbler I K
Canada Warbler I (Scenic State Park)
Wilson's Warbler K (2 on Twomey-Williams FR; rare and local in summer)
Chipping Sparrow I K
Clay-colored Sparrow I K
Savannah Sparrow I K
Le Conte's Sparrow K (nice views on CR 31 and CR 79)
Song Sparrow I K
Lincoln's Sparrow K
Swamp Sparrow I K
White-throated Sparrow I K
Dark-eyed Junco K
Rose-breasted Grosbeak I K
Indigo Bunting K (Pine Island FR; uncommon this far north)
Dickcissel I K (much farther north than normal; 2 sites on Priem Rd, 1 on CR 31)
Bobolink I K
Red-winged Blackbird I K
Eastern Meadowlark I (Priem Rd)
Brewer's Blackbird I K
Common Grackle I K
Brown-headed Cowbird I K
Baltimore Oriole I K
* * *
ITASCA - KOOCHICHING COUNTY I and II MBWs SUMMARY
June 14-15-16-17 and June 21-22-23-24, 2013
ITASCA-KOOCHICHING I
Except for much of Monday morning, we mostly managed to avoid the rain during our four-day MBW in the wilds of Itasca and Koochiching counties. However, the same cannot be said for the mosquitoes – they were especially memorable at that impromptu roadside pit stop on Sunday afternoon. Still, no one fainted from loss of blood, none of the cars got lost or stuck on those remote forest roads, our logistics and itinerary worked well overall, and we even saw more birds than I thought we would.
Friday morning on the pre-MBW started off nicely in the marshes and bogs near Wawina, which is where we had our one of three Great Grays, several warblers (including a Canada singing endlessly atop a 40-foot snag and a Pine standing in the road), and our best Le Conte's Sparrow views. Later we found a collared-dove in Grand Rapids after a one-minute search, and White Oak Lake produced 3 unexpected Western Grebes. About the only disappointing part of the day came as we tried to listen after dinner for woodcock and whip-poor-will but came up empty.
Though billed as a Koochiching County MBW on Saturday through Monday morning, we spent a very productive Saturday morning in Itasca County, especially birding the Alder Road and Scenic State Park. Black-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, and a host of warblers were on the Alder Rd, while at Scenic there were 2 baby woodcocks in the trail, the most cooperative of our 4 Black-backed Woodpeckers, the first of many Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and responsive Connecticut Warblers.
We finally made it to Koochiching County on Saturday afternoon, when we primarily birded around Big Falls and Littlefork; Sunday's loop included CR 9, CR 1, CR 13, Twomey-Williams, Fiero, and Sandsmark forest roads; and there was time to bird along CR 8, CR 31, and Hwy 71 en route to our return to Grand Rapids on Monday. A field with Upland Sandpipers, 2 more Great Grays, 3 more Black-backed Woodpecker spots, Boreal Chickadees along CR 13, and still more warblers (including our best Connecticut) were some of this county's highlights. In addition, there was a Wild(?) Turkey that acted wary enough to suggest natural origins and "countability", and a Nelson's Sparrow that was briefly heard by some before it fell silent and remained invisible as the rain began.
A partial list of the birds we did better with on I than they did on II (when they were missed): Trumpeter Swan (my favorite starling!), Sharp-tailed Grouse, Western Grebe, Upland Sandpiper, American Woodcock (with babies), Franklin's Gull, Common Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Black-billed Cuckoo, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Scarlet Tanager. In addition, one of our 3 Great Gray Owls was seen surprisingly well by all of us on Fiero Rd, while I understand that the Great Gray on II was unfortunately only seen by some.
On the other hand, Craig and Shawn's group found the following which we missed on I: Ruffed Grouse, Northern Goshawk, Caspian Tern, Marsh Wren, Swainson's and Wood thrushes, Northern Waterthrush, and Indigo Bunting. This group also had better views than we did of American Bittern and Black-backed Woodpecker, both which posed for photos.
And, by the numbers, for those who like to keep score, here are some species totals on I:
- pre-MBW in Itasca Co (June 14) = 114
- Itasca Co total (incl June 15 a.m.) = 127
- Koochiching Co total (June 15 p.m.-June 16-17) = 121
- main "Koochiching Co" MBW (June 15-16-17, incl June 15 a.m. in Itasca Co) = 131
- pre-MBW + main MBW (June 14-15-16-17) = 147
Thanks to all of you for coming, with special thanks, of course, to Shawn for his leadership in Itasca Co – which pretty much gave me the day off on Friday!
– Kim Eckert
ITASCA-KOOCHICHING II
I would like to thank everyone for joining myself and Shawn on this MBW. While we started a few of the mornings with an early rain shower, the afternoons turned very pleasant as we missed a couple of storms that appeared to be headed our way. I would also like to thank all the drivers and those who have shared their photos.
Our day in Itasca County was memorable with an immature Northern Goshawk, several cooperative Le Conte's Sparrows, and good looks at 17 species of warblers.
Our trip to Koochiching County also produced many highlights. We enjoyed great looks at many more warblers, enjoyed that very vocal and visible Winter Wren, and the only cooperative Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was in Scenic State Park. Our time spent on the Toumey-Williams and Fiero roads was great, with most of the boreal species observed, including a Great Gray Owl, Boreal Chickadees, and Lincoln's Sparrows. The Wood and Swainson's thrushes along the Fiero Road were some of the great additions to the bird list, and the Black-backed Woodpecker was one of the birds observed by Kim's group that we were able to relocate. Monday morning also had a few highlights, including very nice looks at that American Bittern, and those baby Common Loons hopping up on the adults were very cute.
Thanks again to Shawn for all his help as a co-leader on this trip and to all the participants for putting up with lots of late long drives and late lunches.
– Craig Mandel
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Composite List = 155 species
Itasca I = June 14-15 in Itasca Co
Kooch I = June 15-16-17 in Koochiching Co
Itasca II = June 21-22 in Itasca Co
Kooch II = June 22-23-24 in Koochiching Co
Canada Goose Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Trumpeter Swan Itasca I, Kooch I (near Wawina, Big Falls sewage ponds, Tufer L)
Wood Duck Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Gadwall Kooch I / Kooch II
American Wigeon Kooch I / Kooch II
American Black Duck Kooch I / Kooch II
Mallard Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Blue-winged Teal Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Northern Shoveler Kooch I / Kooch II
Green-winged Teal Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II
Ring-necked Duck Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Lesser Scaup Kooch I / Kooch II
Common Goldeneye Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Hooded Merganser Itasca I / Itasca II
Common Merganser Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Ruffed Grouse Itasca II, Kooch II
Sharp-tailed Grouse Kooch I (crossing the road on CR 1)
"Wild" Turkey Kooch I (a wary, wild-looking bird of unknown origins along Hwy 11)
Common Loon Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II (incl babies on II – aw!)
Pied-billed Grebe Kooch I
Red-necked Grebe Itasca I / Itasca II
Western Grebe Itasca I (#250 on Shawn's Itasca Co list at White Oak L)
Double-crested Cormorant Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American White Pelican Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II
American Bittern Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II (much better looks on II)
Great Blue Heron Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Green Heron Itasca I / Itasca II
Turkey Vulture Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Osprey Kooch I / Itasca II
Bald Eagle Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Northern Harrier Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II
Sharp-shinned Hawk Itasca I / Kooch II
Northern Goshawk Itasca II
Broad-winged Hawk Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Red-tailed Hawk Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Virginia Rail Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Sora Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Sandhill Crane Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II
Killdeer Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Spotted Sandpiper Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II
Upland Sandpiper Kooch I (3 along CR 9 just S of Hwy 11)
Wilson's Snipe Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American Woodcock Itasca I, Kooch I (incl babies at Scenic State Park on I – aw!)
Franklin's Gull Kooch I (on a lawn in Int'l Falls)
Ring-billed Gull Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Herring Gull Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Caspian Tern Itasca II
Black Tern Itasca I / Itasca II
Common Tern Kooch I
Rock Pigeon Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Eurasian Collared-Dove Itasca I (a few blocks from McDonald's)
Mourning Dove Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Black-billed Cuckoo Itasca I
Great Gray Owl Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II (one of the 3 seen on I was cooperative)
Common Nighthawk Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Chimney Swift Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Itasca I / Itasca II
Belted Kingfisher Itasca I / Itasca II
Red-bellied Woodpecker Itasca I
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Downy Woodpecker Itasca I
Hairy Woodpecker Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Black-backed Woodpecker Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II (at 4 locations on I, but more
cooperative on II)
Northern Flicker Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Pileated Woodpecker Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American Kestrel Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Merlin Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Peregrine Falcon Itasca I / Itasca II (cooperatively perched at the power plant on I and II)
Olive-sided Flycatcher Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II
Eastern Wood-Pewee Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Alder Flycatcher Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Least Flycatcher Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Eastern Phoebe Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Great Crested Flycatcher Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Eastern Kingbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Yellow-throated Vireo Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Blue-headed Vireo Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Warbling Vireo Itasca I / Itasca II
Red-eyed Vireo Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Gray Jay Kooch I / Kooch II
Blue Jay Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Black-billed Magpie Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American Crow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Common Raven Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Purple Martin Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Tree Swallow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
N. Rough-winged Swallow Kooch I / Kooch II
Bank Swallow Itasca I / Itasca II
Cliff Swallow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Barn Swallow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Black-capped Chickadee Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Boreal Chickadee Itasca I, Kooch I / Kooch II
Red-breasted Nuthatch Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Brown Creeper Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II
House Wren Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Winter Wren Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II (seen well & photographed on II)
Sedge Wren Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Marsh Wren Kooch II
Golden-crowned Kinglet Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Eastern Bluebird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II
Veery Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Swainson's Thrush Kooch II
Hermit Thrush Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Wood Thrush Kooch II
American Robin Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Gray Catbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II
Brown Thrasher Itasca I / Itasca II
European Starling Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Cedar Waxwing Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Ovenbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Northern Waterthrush Itasca II, Kooch II
Golden-winged Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II
Black-and-white Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Nashville Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Connecticut Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II (great looks on both I and II)
Mourning Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Common Yellowthroat Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American Redstart Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Northern Parula Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Magnolia Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Blackburnian Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Yellow Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Chestnut-sided Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Palm Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Pine Warbler Itasca I / Itasca II (standing in the road on I!)
Yellow-rumped Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Black-throated Green Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Canada Warbler Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II (= 18 warblers on I; 19 species on II)
Chipping Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Clay-colored Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Savannah Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Le Conte's Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II (also great looks on both I and II)
Nelson's Sparrow Kooch I (heard-only by Barb & Denny along CR 8)
Song Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Lincoln's Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Swamp Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
White-throated Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Dark-eyed Junco Itasca I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Scarlet Tanager Itasca I
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Indigo Bunting Itasca II
Bobolink Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Red-winged Blackbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Eastern Meadowlark Itasca I / Itasca II
Yellow-headed Blackbird Itasca I / Itasca II
Brewer's Blackbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Common Grackle Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Brown-headed Cowbird Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Baltimore Oriole Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Purple Finch Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
House Finch Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
American Goldfinch Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
House Sparrow Itasca I, Kooch I / Itasca II, Kooch II
Le Conte's Sparrow ~ Koochiching Co Rd 31
(Jeff Stephenson photo)
Red Crossbill ~ Littlefork, Koochiching Co.
(Gerry Hoekstra photo)
Black-backed Woodpecker ~ Koochiching Co Rd 13
(Gerry Hoekstra photo)
Dickcissel ~ Priem Rd, Itasca Co. (Jeff Stephenson photo)
Blackburnian Warbler (Gerry Hoekstra photo)
Also see the 2017 and 2013 MBWs summaries
following the summary of the 2022 MBWeekend.
__________
KOOCHICHING COUNTY I and II MBWs SUMMARY
June 15 - 16 - 17 and June 18 - 19, 2022
juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl ~ Koochiching County Road 13 ~ Darcy Pinotti photo
Koochiching County I – summary by Craig Mandel (with minor edits by KRE)...
The weather on this trip was cool with lows in the high 40s and highs in the low 70s, and winds of 20 mph+ on our second day were unexpected for a summer birding tour in northern Minnesota. But the one advantage with the wind on the second day... it did keep the hordes of mosquitoes at bay most of the time.
Our species count of 123 (plus another with ID?) was not bad for three days in the county, more than on Koochiching II. But a number of the better birding roads were inaccessible due to recent flooding in the area, and we missed many of the boreal species the area is noted for. While we saw or heard 18 or 19 species of warblers, we missed Connecticut and a few other difficult to see species . Another unexpected miss was the Blue-headed Vireo.
But we did well with a first county record Lark Sparrow (!) simultaneously spotted first by Linda and Don along CR 32. Other birds enjoyed by the group were an American Bittern in flight and Marsh Wrens in several locations (which can be difficult to find in this county). We also had wonderful looks at a female Black-backed Woodpecker, plus Olive-sided Flycatchers in a number of locations.
Thanks go out to those who drove, and to everyone for sharing their bug spray and their help in finding the many birds on our list.
Koochiching County II – summary by KRE...
This second MBW managed a species list of 112 or so – depending whether you count some sort-of-wild turkeys and that problematic pair of Abert’s Towhees in Grand Rapids on Monday’s post-MBW. While this total is less than on Koochiching I, consider that it was during two days rather than three, since your Spineless, Wishy-washy Tour Leader made the bold preemptive move of canceling the third scheduled day in Koochiching. (The forecast at the time for Monday was for near-100 degree temperatures!)
Also consider that our first day (Saturday) featured a low in the upper 40s at dawn, followed by high winds, a high only around 60, overcast skies, and some rain showers in the afternoon – resulting in very little bird activity or singing. Sunday morning featured brighter skies, temperatures mostly in the 60s and 70s, and more birds in evidence – although shortly after noon that day, we didn’t see or hear that much as the high temperature reached 93. (By the way, this was only 3 degrees shy of the all-time high of 96, recorded on a 2006 MBW in Big Stone Co.)
As those on Koochiching I found, there were way too many mosquitoes around (not to mention black flies), and two of Koochiching’s best birding roads were closed (i.e., Twomey-Williams and Fiero), making it more difficult to find any Connecticut Warblers and other coniferous forest specialties.
But County Road 13 was still passable, and this is where Darcy somehow spotted a juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl hugging a tree trunk at the Black-backed Woodpecker spot! And the next day we turned up a pair of mostly-heard Boreal Chickadees farther south on 13 (we stopped where I had seen this species in previous years – and there they were). Then, a few minutes and a few miles later on 13 we stopped again to find a calling and drumming male American Three-toad Woodpecker – right where this species had appeared on previous MBWs!
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Combining the MBW I and II lists, the two groups came up with a composite total of at least 138 species – or 141, if your listing standards are more liberal. Either way, that’s a lot of birds for this remote northern county with less-than-favorable weather, closed roads, and too many bugs.
Bird List
I = seen/heard only on Koochiching I
II = seen/heard only on Koochiching II
(species not annotated with I or II were found on both)
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal I
Northern Shoveler I
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail I
Green-winged Teal
Redhead II
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead II
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
(Wild Turkey...perhaps not-so-wild birds seen on II)
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse II
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift II
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Virginia Rail I
Sora I
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer I
Wilson’s Snipe
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull I
Common Loon I
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
American Bittern I
Great Blue Heron I
Turkey Vulture
Osprey I
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk II
Cooper’s Hawk II
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Saw-whet Owl II
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
American Three-toed Woodpecker II
Black-backed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker I
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin I
Great Crested Flycatcher I
Eastern Kingbird
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-throated Vireo I
Blue-headed Vireo II
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Canada Jay
Blue Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee II
Bank Swallow I
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow I
Purple Martin I
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet II
Cedar Waxwing
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper I
House Wren
Winter Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren I
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher I
European Starling
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
Purple Finch
crossbill, sp. II
Pine Siskin II
American Goldfinch
Lark Sparrow I
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
(Abert’s Towhee...that intriguing pair in Grand Rapids seen on II)
Bobolink
Baltimore Oriole I
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Brewer’s Blackbird I
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush I
Golden-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler (see photo of bird in aberrant plumage)
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
(Cape May Warbler...heard-only on I...with ID confirmed by Merlin...yeah, right)
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler I
Canada Warbler I
Scarlet Tanager II
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting II
PHOTO GALLERY
Black-backed Woodpecker ~ Koochiching County Road 13 ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
American Three-toed Woodpecker ~ Koochiching County Road 13 ~ Jeff Stephenson photo
Lark Sparrow ~ Koochiching County Road 32 ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
aberrant Black-and-white Warbler ~ Franz Jevne State Park ~ Roy Zimmerman photo
Abert's Towhee ~ Grand Rapids ~ Darcy Pinotti photo
