Fall 2023 DULUTH MBWednesdays Summary
(September 20 - October 4 - October 18 - October 25)
We eventually completed four Duluth-based MBWednesdays this fall, and (to put it kindly) I suppose it’s fair to say we had mixed success. We managed to compile a composite list of 94 species for these MBWs, which was nearly the same as the 97 on the fall 2022 MBWednesdays – although note there were only three MBWs then contributing to this total. Note as well that the individual species totals in 2022 were 55, 63, and 56 (an average of 58), while this year we could only manage totals of 40, 57, 36, and 50 species (for a disappointing average of 46).
Here are the species totals and weather for each of this fall’s MBWednesdays:
• MBW I on Sept. 20 = 40 species
weather = high 73, clear, light E winds
• MBW II on Oct. 4 = 57 species (with 19 of these not seen on any of the other MBWs)
weather = mid 60s, partly cloudy w/some rain, moderate WSW winds
• MBW III on Oct. 18 = 36 species
weather = low 50s, cloudy w/ some rain, moderate E winds
• MBW IV on Oct. 25 = 50 sp (incl. 17 of these not seen on the other MBWs)
weather = low 50s, cloudy, light E winds
Unfortunately, these four MBW days were consistent overall with the rest of this fall in Duluth & the North Shore: i.e., generally warm with prevailing east winds (hardly any days with a westerly and more favorable component), and almost no cold fronts to stir up the migration. Indeed, the birding has generally been about as dull as it ever gets here in the fall, with very few rarities discovered (almost no Casuals/Accidentals), and low numbers for most of the more regular migrants.
On the positive side, though, there were several interesting highlights:
• 4 Ross’s Geese in Two Harbors (on MBWednesdays III & IV);
• Surf and Black Scoters (MBW I in Duluth and MBW III at Stony Point, respectively);
• Long-tailed Ducks in both Two Harbors & Duluth (MBW IV);
• Red-throated Loon (MBW IV, though it flew off just after being spotted out from the Lester River);
• a decent raptor flight with 9 species (MBW II; our only MBWednesday with non-east winds);
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (!) and a Black-billed Magpie (new for my Lake county list), both on MBW IV;
• and 2 very late Gray-cheeked Thrushes in Two Harbors (MBW III).
Bird List
• I = seen on Sept 20 MBWednesday I
• II = seen on Oct 4 MBWednesday II
• III = seen on Oct 18 MBWednesday III
• IV = seen on Oct 25 MBWednesday IV
Ross’s Goose III, IV
Cackling Goose IV
Canada Goose I, II, III, IV
Northern Shoveler II
Mallard I, II, III, IV
American Black Duck I, IV
Green-winged Teal IV
Redhead I, II, IV
Ring-necked Duck IV
Greater Scaup II, IV
Lesser Scaup II, IV
Surf Scoter I
Black Scoter III
Long-tailed Duck IV
Common Goldeneye IV
Hooded Merganser I, III, IV
Common Merganser I, II, III, IV
Red-breasted Merganser IV
Horned Grebe IV
Red-necked Grebe IV
Rock Pigeon I, II, III, IV
Mourning Dove I, II, III, IV
Sanderling I
Wilson’s Snipe IV
Ring-billed Gull I, II, III, IV
Herring Gull I, III, IV
Red-throated Loon IV
Common Loon III, IV
Double-crested Cormorant I, II
Osprey II
Northern Harrier II
Sharp-shinned Hawk II
Bald Eagle II, III, IV
Broad-winged Hawk II
Red-tailed Hawk II
raptor, sp. III
Belted Kingfisher I, II, IV
Red-bellied Woodpecker II
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker II
Downy Woodpecker I, II, III, IV
Hairy Woodpecker II, IV
Northern Flicker I, II, III
American Kestrel I, II
Merlin I, II, IV
Peregrine Falcon II
Least Flycatcher I
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher IV
Blue-headed Vireo II
Northern Shrike III, IV
Blue Jay I, II, III, IV
Black-billed Magpie IV
American Crow I, II, III, IV
Common Raven I, II, III, IV
Black-capped Chickadee I, II, III, IV
Horned Lark I, II, III, IV
Barn Swallow II
Ruby-crowned Kinglet I, II
Golden-crowned Kinglet II, III
Cedar Waxwing I
Red-breasted Nuthatch I, II, III
White-breasted Nuthatch I, II, III
Brown Creeper II
Gray Catbird II
European Starling I, II, III, IV
Eastern Bluebird IV
Gray-cheeked Thrush III
Swainson’s Thrush I, II
Hermit Thrush II
American Robin I, II, III, IV
House Sparrow III, IV
American Pipit II
Purple Finch II
Common Redpoll IV
Pine Siskin IV
American Goldfinch I, IV
Lapland Longspur III
Snow Bunting IV
Chipping Sparrow I
Fox Sparrow III
American Tree Sparrow III, IV
Dark-eyed Junco II, III, IV
White-crowned Sparrow I, II, III
White-throated Sparrow I, II, III
Savannah Sparrow I
Song Sparrow II, IV
Swamp Sparrow III
Red-winged Blackbird II, IV
Rusty Blackbird IV
Common Grackle II
Tennessee Warbler II
Orange-crowned Warbler II
Nashville Warbler I, II
Palm Warbler I, II
Yellow-rumped Warbler I, II, IIII
Scarlet Tanager
* * *
FALL 2022 DULUTH MBWEDNESDAYS SUMMARY
Composite Species List (97 species)
Snow Goose
Ross’s Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
American Black Duck
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruffed Grouse
Red-necked Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Killdeer
Pectoral Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
Turkey Vulture
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Cedar Waxwing
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Eastern Bluebird
Townsend’s Solitaire
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
American Pipit
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Fox Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris’s Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Ovenbird
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Summer Tanager
Indigo Bunting
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[ Duluth MBW I – September 14 – canceled due to Covid ]
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Duluth MBWednesday II – September 28, 2022
BIRD LIST (55 species)
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck (unexpected group of 12 at Park Point)
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruffed Grouse
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (later than normal)
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Cedar Waxwing
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren (also later than normal)
Gray Catbird
European Starling
American Robin
American Pipit
American Goldfinch
Lapland Longspur
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris’s Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Cape May Warbler (nice looks at Stony Point)
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
WEATHER
Clear, cool, calm, and about as pleasant as it gets in Duluth in late September! The light & variable winds were not conducive to migration, but we found birds (especially Yellow-rumped Warblers) at almost every stop.
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Duluth MBWednesday III – October 5, 2022
BIRD LIST (63 species)
• S = St. Louis County only
• L = Lake County only
• species not annotated S or L = seen in both counties
Snow Goose L (juv blue-morph)
Ross’s Goose L (juv; could easily be a hybrid)
Cackling Goose L
Canada Goose
Surf Scoter L (3 fly-bys at Lighthouse Pt)
Red-breasted Merganser L
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Loon
Turkey Vulture L
Northern Harrier L
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Bald Eagle
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel S
Merlin
Yellow-throated Vireo S (at our secret Alseth Rd “hotspot”)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee S (at the secret hotspot)
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Cedar Waxwing S
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
European Starling S
Eastern Bluebird L
Townsend’s Solitaire S (also at our secret spot)
Swainson’s Thrush L
Hermit Thrush L
American Robin
American Pipit
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Lapland Longspur L
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris’s Sparrow S (just after we adjourned)
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow L
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird L
Rusty Blackbird S (several migrant flocks)
Ovenbird L
Tennessee Warbler L
Orange-crowned Warbler L
Common Yellowthroat L
American Redstart S
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (by the 100s?)
Indigo Bunting S (guess where!)
WEATHER
Despite the nice weather (it reached 70+ degrees in the afternoon), we saw a strong movement of migrants most of the day, with birds around at almost every stop (especially Yellow-rumpeds); usually SW winds are not conducive to much migration.
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Duluth MBWednesday IV – October 19, 2022
BIRD LIST (56 species)
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan (lone adult unexpectedly on the lake)
Mallard
American Black Duck
Redhead
Greater Scaup
White-winged Scoter (bayside of Park Point)
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-necked Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Pectoral Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher (quite unexpected with a Pectoral at Two Harbors golf course)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Loon
Turkey Vulture
Golden Eagle (adult moving with vultures over McQuade Rd)
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Peregrine Falcon (Two Harbors ore docks)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
European Starling
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
American Pipit
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Summer Tanager (mostly obscured & brief views of female at Lighthouse Point)
WEATHER
A bit too windy and cold in the morning, but sunny all day and warming into the high 40s in the afternoon. NW winds resulted in a decent showing of hawks and other migrants.
The summary of the 2022 MBWednesdays follows the 2023 summary.
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