Sax-Zim bog (Duluth) and Chicago

 Duluth and Chicago, Jan 18th - 24th

The only previous time I birded Sax-Zim bog in winter was in December 2004 - an invasion year for Great Gray Owl.  Sax-Zim is also a good location for winter finches, so an obvious if frigid destination for winter.  I tacked on some Chicago birding for introduced species (European Goldfinch and Eurasian Tree Sparrow).  Nine year birds in IL/WI and ten year birds in MN.

This turned out to be somewhat of a fight with the weather - the day after I landed in Chicago a cold front with 6 F highs and 20 mph winds was forecast, so after a half-day of failing to find Euro Goldfinch I drove south to Peoria, which had slightly better conditions (12 F, 15 mph).  First stop was south-east of Peoria at Mackinaw River SFWA where there had been a report of 100 Eurasian Tree Sparrows in one flock.  The flock I found had at least 100 birds, but most were American Tree Sparrows and it took quite a while to find Eurasian Tree Sparrow (US life bird 754, introduced species) amongst them despite the fact that I could hear their House Sparrow-like cheeping from the other side of the hedge.  That saved me a drive all the way down to St. Louis MO where they are rather easier to find.  A visit to Chautauqua NWR was less productive - the Illinois River and associated lakes were mostly frozen, although I did add Northern Flicker to the year list.  The goose and swan flocks turned out to be mostly on the west side of the Illinois River with thousands of Greater White-fronted Geese with some Snow Geese and Tundra/Trumpeter Swans mixed in.  The swan ambiguity comes from the subtle ID difference mixed with difficult field conditions and the birds being at range.  Back up to Chicago for the following day in slightly better conditions (less cold, less windy).

Failed to find Lapland Longspur on the first pass in a farm field early in the day, but did easily find a cooperative Snowy Owl in southern Milwaukee and four Iceland Gulls (2 Thayer's, 2 kumleini) at North Point Marina/Winthrop Harbor.  Last half-day in Chicago yielded Lapland Longspur (30+ in that same farm field, with better luck), Red-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadee and Northern Shrike as a strong finish to the sub-trip before an evening flight to Minneapolis.

More winter weather greeted the Duluth part of the trip - after swapping the rental car due to a window issue (Budget being particularly inept at MSP) the drive north to Duluth and Sax-Zim bog was associated with more strong winds and a passing cold front that dropped temperatures from 15 F in Minnesota to -16 F in Duluth by the end of the day.  Mainly chickadees at the feeders that dot the bog but in the mid-afternoon chickadees and Downy/Hairy Woodpeckers were pretty much it.  Common Raven was the only year bird.  Following morning, absolutely frigid (-24 F in Duluth, -30 F in Sax-Zim) but actually quite productive - three Ruffed Grouse on the pre-dawn drive in along Co-133, Boreal Chickadee, Pine Grosbeak, Redpoll, Canada Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch all at the Admiral Road community feeders along with the large numbers of the common theme of Black-capped Chickadees and Downy+Hairy Woodpeckers.  On the parallel McDavitt Road, the "Zabin" feeders had a large flock of Evening Grosbeaks.  I had most of my Sax-Zim targets by 9am !!  A short distance south of Co-133 a Northern Hawk Owl was perched right above a residence so I did not linger to 'scope it - back to more feeders.  Friends of Sax-Zim bog, in addition to their conservation efforts, have made a very nice welcome center with multiple feeders and a warm place to watch them from, plus a great deal of helpful information - plus more Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Redpolls and a large number of chickadees.  The deer carcass as part of the feeder array isn't something I've seen outside of MN.  Only open in winter and summer and not present in 2004 when I was last here in winter.  They also have a bird report which is a useful summary.  Back to the Northern Hawk Owl to see if it was perched more conveniently (scoping people's houses is a no-no) and it was roadside, attracting a lot of photographer attention, but apparently unconcerned as it hunted right in front of everyone.  Never seen a Northern Hawk Owl actively hunting before - another tame Arctic bird.  I visited Winterberry Bog boardwalk, also with feeders (Pine Grosbeak, Redpoll, chickadees and common woodpeckers) but not the target Black-backed Woodpecker.  On the drive down to Duluth another Ruffed Grouse flew across US-53 - four in one day being notable in that I had only ever seen one previously.

There had been no Great Gray Owl sighting in 2 weeks to the prospects for that were minimal.  Last year was the invasion year.

The impending East Coast winter storm (snowing as I write this) led to United canceling my flight on the 25th - so having found most of my targets I shortened the Duluth trip and rebooked for the 24th.  The last day started with another Ruffed Grouse along 133 at dawn (-34 F at sunrise), and a quick start at Sax-Zim at Admiral Rd and McDavitt Rd (Evening Grosbeaks again) and Winterberry Bog (Pine Grosbeaks, Redpoll and some obviously cold chickadees) and then off to interior St Louis Co to look for a Black-backed Woodpecker at a burn site.  I found two - I saw an eBird report suggesting as many as 20 from someone that walked the entire burn - along with larger numbers of Hairy and Downy, although even with only light breeze the roadside birding in -20 F was a painful experience.  Then back to Minneapolis/MSP for more Budget ineptitude and the flight home - the 3 hour drive enlivened by two separate pale morph Rough-legged Hawks hunting along the I-35 median strip.

263 species in the year list as of Jan 24th.