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 Minnesota / Wisconsin Wildlife Viewing Schedule

Bald Eagle, by T.R. Michels Outdoor Photography

Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures offers unique Natural History Eco-Tours, Game Animal, Birding, Wildflower, Scenic & Photography Trips to several state, national and provincial parks and natural areas in the United States and Canada. While you are on your tour with us you will be able to view and photograph the natural scenic areas, trees and wildflowers of the great outdoors. You will also be able to watch and listen to the birds and animals of North America. To help you enjoy your tour nationally recognized game researcher and naturalist T.R. Michels will discuss the biology and behavior of many of the animals; including their calls, mating behavior, habitat requirements and what we need to do conserve the environment and protect the flora and fauna of North America.

Of the 8 most wanted birds on the American Birding Association list, 4 are regularly seen in Minnesota, as are 11 of the top 25 most wanted birds. These birds include the Gyrfalcon, Great Gray Owl, Boreal Owl, Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Spruce Grouse, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Connecticut Warbler and Yellow Rail. The Gyrfalcon, owls, woodpeckers and spruce grouse can be seen along the north shore of Lake Superior in winter. The Yellow Rail and Connecticut Warbler can be seen in St. Louis County, west of Duluth in the summer. The Connecticut Warbler can also be seen along the north shore and in several north central counties. More information near bottom of page.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized wildlife researcher and naturalist, who has spent several years roaming the woodlands, meadows and wetlands of west-central and southeastern Minnesota, and several state and national parks. He is an avid birdwatcher, wild flower enthusiast and outdoor photographer. In his efforts to better understand the big game animals of Minnesota he researched the daily and seasonal activities of white-tailed deer from 1994 to 2001, wild turkeys from 1997 to 2003, and North American elk from 2001 to 2004. View T.R. Michels Outdoor Photography.

T.R.'s passion for the outdoors, and his willingness to share their knowledge of the birds, animals, flowers and plants of North America; has made him one of the top naturalists and outdoor speakers in the country.

T.R.'s daughter Tawnya has been his assistant in all of his studies since 1996, with the result that she knows as much about the animals and birds as he does. Her bubbly personality makes her ideal as a tour guide. In addition Tawnya is an accomplished outdoor photographer. View Tawnya Michels Outdoor Photography.

Why not join T.R. and Tawnya Michels for a Natural History Eco-Tour your, your friends or your whole family will enjoy? 

Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures North American Natural History Eco-Tour Schedule.

Schedule of the best times to see Minnesota / western Wisconsin Birds and Animals.

Schedule of when to view the Wildflower Species of Minnesota / western Wisconsin.

View and listen to the Birds of North America.

View and listen to the Birds of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

View the Mammals of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Trinity Mountain Outdoors Natural History Eco-Tours & Travel Magazine. 

Wisconsin and Minnesota are the #1 and #2 birding destinations in the United States. The Minnesota State Bird List includes 430 species; of those species 312 commonly nest, winter or are seen in Minnesota; 35 of those birds are considered casual, and 80 are considered accidental. On spring "Big Day Bird Counts" held between May 15th and 25th each year Minnesota Birders regularly see 180 species of birds.

The southeast corner of the state, particularly along the Mississippi River, is where many southern wood warblers that you may not find anywhere else in the state: Yellow-Breasted Chat, Cerulean, Prothonotary, Blue-Winged and Black-Throated Blue and Hooded Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, Acadian Flycather, Bells' Vireo, Hensolow's Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse and Loggerhead Shrike can be found during the summer.

It is a also good place to look for migrating birds, including Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, Common and Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead, raptors, and songbirds. Look for wintering Bald and Golden Eagles, and waterfowl. Of Minnesota's 312 commonly seen birds, it is possible to see 135+ species of birds in this area alone. Seeing 80 species in one day is not unheard of.

The northeastern corner of the state is one of the premiere birding areas in the United States, because it is home to many woodland warblers, grouse, woodpeckers and owls that are more common in Canada, and that you are unlikely to see in other parts of the state. In the summer you can see many woodland warblers (including Golden-winged, Tennessee, Nashville, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Pine, Palm, Bay-breasted, Black and White, Connecticut, Mourning Wilson's and Canada Warblers),

You may also see American Black Duck, American Wigeon, Long-tailed Duck, Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, Spruce, Sharp-tailed Grouse and Ruffed Grouse, Horned Grebe, Broad-winged and Sharp-shined Hawks, Northern Goshawk, Merlin, Peregrine, Black-bellied and American Golden Plovers, Whimbrel. Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little, Bonaparte's and Herring Gulls, Caspian, Arctic and Common Terns, American three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Common Raven, Boreal Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Swainson's and Hermit Thrush, Lincoln's and White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finch, Red and White-winged Crossbill, Common and Hoary Redpoll, and Pine Siskin.

During most years you may have a chance to see Northern Hawk, Great Gray, Boreal, Northern Saw-whet Owls. The Boreal and Northern Saw-Whet Owls are difficult to locate anywhere in Minnesota because they are nomadic nocturnal (nighttime) owls. The best time to find them is during an irruption, when they may hunt during daylight hours along roadways hunting in the ditches, or near backyard bird feeders During irruptions you may also see Snowy Owls.

The Sax-Zim bog has long been known as an excellent place to see northern wildlife. The Northern Goshawk, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpie, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and Red-breasted Nuthatch are just a few of the permanent residents found year round in the bog. Birds to look for in the winter include Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, White-winged Crossbill, and both redpolls. Some species breeding here in the summer months are Upland Sandpiper, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Sedge Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, and Bobolink. White-tailed deer and black bears are not uncommon; and pine martens, moose and timber wolves have also been spotted here.

The north shore of Lake Superior, including the port of Duluth, is where you can often see migrating and wintering northern, western and pelagic birds and raptors; plus loons of several species in the spring, fall and winter. In the spring and summer it is possible to see an additional 50 species of birds in this area (not found in the southeastern corner or the state) in one day. Seeing 70 species of birds in one day is not unheard of.

In the northwestern corner of the state you may birds you may not see in other parts of the state: Bufflehead, Greater Prairie-Chicken, Yellow Rail, American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Franklin's Gull and Short-eared Owl. Seeing 60 species in one day is not unheard of.

The western edge of the state is where many shorebirds, waterfowl and western bird species that may not be seen on other parts of the state can be found: Tundra Swan, Clark's, Eared and Western Grebes, Sandhill Crane, Greater Prairie Chicken, American White Pelican, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Wilson's and Red-necked Phalarope, Chestnut-collared Longspur and Western Kingbird. In the spring and summer it is possible to see an additional 15 species of birds in this area (not seen in the southeastern or northeastern corner of the state) in one day. Seeing 60 species of birds in one day is not unheard of.

The southwest corner of the state is where you can see Swainson's Hawk, Foresters Tern, and the only area where you are likely to see Blue Grosbeak. Seeing 60 species of birds in one day is not unheard of.

Gyrfalcon, sporadic in winter (North Shore of Lake Superior, Dakota)

Spruce Grouse (Lake County Road 2, winter)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Kittson, Roseau, Marshall, Pennington, Floodwood to Zim in St. Louis)

Greater Prairie Chicken (Wilkin, Marshall)

Great Gray Owl (Roseau)

Snowy Owl (Duluth in St. Louis)

Boreal owls during eruptions (Gunflint Trail in Cook)

Northern Hawk Owl (Sax-Zim Bog in St. Louis)

American Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers (Cook, Lake)

Gray Jay, Common Raven, Boreal Chickadee, LeContes' Sparrow (Sax-Zim Bog in St. Louis, Lake, Cook)

Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill (Cook, St. Louis, Itasca)

Hoary Redpoll (Cook)

Boreal Chickadee nesting (Sax-Zim Bog in St. Louis), and Lake Superior North Shore Counties

Red-throated Loon, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck; Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters; Whimbrel, Red Knot, Parasitic Jaeger, Little, Thayers and Glaucous Gulls (Lake Superior, often in Duluth Harbor) 

Western bird species found in Minnesota

Horned Grebe (Kittson, Roseau, Marshall, Pennington)

Red-necked Grebe (Agassiz NWR, )

Eared Grebe (Swan Lake in Nicollet, Alberta Stevens, Breckenridge Stevens, Agassiz NWR Rice Lake National Wildlife refuge. 300,000 ring-necked ducks stop here in the fall. On Hwy. 65, 5 miles S of McGregor.)

Western Grebe (French Lake in Hennepin, Swan Lake in Nicollet, Big Stone, Lake Osakis in Todd, Agassiz NWR Rice Lake National Wildlife refuge. 300,000 ring-necked ducks stop here in the fall. On Hwy. 65, 5 miles S of McGregor.)

White-fronted Goose, Cinnamon Teal, Swainson's Hawk (Mower, Dodge, Olmstead, Goodhue)

Ferruginous Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Black-billed Magpie (Kittson, Roseau, Marshall, Pennington)

Mountain Bluebird, Sprague's Pipit, Lark Bunting, Smith's Longspur, Chestnut Collared Longspur (Kittson) western grassland and wetland counties.

Blue Grosbeak (Blue Mounds State Park in Rock )

Black-billed Magpie nesting, (Sax-Zim Bog in St. Louis)

Snowy Egret (Bigstone, Pelican Lake in Grant)

Cattle Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron (Long Lake Island, Long Lake in Kandiyohi)

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Pig's Eye Lake/Mississippi River in St. Paul in Ramsey)

Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Screech Owl, Red-bellied Woodpecker, (Beaver Creek Valley State Park in Houston, Murphy Hanrahan Park in Goodhune/Scott)

Willow Flycatcher, Tufted Titmouse (Houston, Fillmore)

Northern Bobwhite, Common Moorhen, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Dickcissel (Houston, Goodhue)

Field and Henslow's Sparrows (Frontenc State Park in Goodhue)

Orchard Oriole, Bell's Vireo (Goodhue); Blue-winged, Cerulean, Prothonotary, Kentucky and Hooded Warblers; Louisiana Waterthrush (Houston)

Yellow-breasted Chat (Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge in Dakota)

List of areas where you any see some northern species in December. The "percentages" indicate the number of birds seen in relation to the "minimum # count".

Black-Backed Woodpecker (minimum 10 counts) Isabella 71% Beltrami Island 67%

American 3-toed Woodpecker (minimum 5 counts) Beltrami Island 33% Isabella 21%

Common Redpoll (minimum 40 counts) Hibbing 90% St. Paul (Northeast Suburban) 83%

Hoary Redpoll (minimum 15 counts) Duluth 58% Crosby 42%

Evening Grosbeak (minimum 20 counts) Itasca State Park 100% Aurora 100%

Pine Grosbeak (minimum 20 counts) Aurora 100% Sax Zim 100% Isabella 100%

Pine Siskin (minimum 20 counts) Duluth 100% Owatonna 91%

Red Crossbill (minimum 15 counts) Beltrami Island 76% Isabella 75%

White-winged Crossbill (minimum 15 counts) Sax Zim 78% Duluth 77%

Snow Bunting (minimum 20 counts) Warren 97% Fargo 92%

Lapland Longspur (minimum 10 counts) Lamberton 68% Cottonwood 59%

Bohemian Waxwing (minimum 25 counts) Duluth 100% Bemidji 89%

Golden-crowned Kinglet (minimum 20 counts) Excelsior 56% Rochester 47%

Boreal Chickadee (minimum 20 counts) Isabella 96% Sax Zim 91%

Northern Goshawk (minimum 20 counts) Duluth 92% St. Paul (Northeast Suburban) 42%

Northern Hawk Owl (minimum 7 counts) Sax Zim 48% Roseau 42%

Townsend's Solitaire (minimum 5 counts) Grand Marias 43% Duluth 19%

Great Gray Owl (minimum 10 counts) Sax Zim 65% Aurora 50% Baudette 50%

Important Birding Areas (IBA's) in Minnesota

Minnesota River Valley Birding Trail Map

Pine to Prairie Birding Trail Map

Minnesota State Bird List

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Middle River, MN

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Ortonville, MN

Fergus Falls Wetland Management District Fergus Falls, MN

Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge Audubon, MN

Hennepin Parks Plymouth, MN

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Bloomington, MN

Minnesota's Prairie Pothole Region Fergus Falls, MN

Minnesota Waterfowl Production Areas Fergus Falls, MN

Morris Wetland Management District Morris, MN

Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge McGregor, MN

Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge MN

Rydell National Wildlife Refuge Erskine, MN

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Zimmerman, MN

Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge MN

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Rochert, MN

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Winona, MN

Windom Wetland Management District Windom, MN

Common Loon: spring, summer and especially fall migration: Mille Lacs Lake

Trumpeter Swan: November, February, Monticello

Tundra Swan: November, Weaver Bottoms. Some of the best places to view tundra swans during migration are located on the Mississippi River between Pools 4 and 8. One of the best places to view the birds up close, is the platform at Rieck's Lake Park just north of Alma, Wisconsin on highway 35.

Sandhill Cranes: Crex Meadow, Grantsburg, Wisconsin (nesting, fall & summer migration), Norman County, MN, October

Loon, grebe, merganser and gull species: During the spring smelt run, Duluth

Ring-billed Gulls: nesting, Duluth

Franklin's Gulls, many ducks nesting: Agassiz NWR

Western Grebes and Forster's Terns nesting: Lake Osakis, Todd County

American White Pelicans: Marsh Lake, Lac Qui Parle. fall migration, Lake Pepin

Broad-winged Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Peregrine, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Nighthawk: Fall migration Sept. 14 - Oct 25, Hawk Ridge, Duluth

Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings: western Minnesota in April

Gyrfalcon, possible in winter, Duluth harbor; possible in winter near 180th St, east of Hwy. 52, south of Inver Grove Heights.

Northern Saw-whet Owl: spring calling, nesting NE Minnesota, North Shore, Gunflint Trail

Snowy Owl: Rothsay Wildlife Management Area: Co. Rd. 26 W from Rothsay to 300th Ave., drive north to the WMA.

Yellow Rail: McGregor Marsh

Spruce Grouse: Lake: winter, Mille Lacs, McGregor Marsh in Aitkin (County Road 2) all year

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Fall migration North Shore of Lake Superior, Sherburne NWR

Black-backed Woodpecker: Coniferous forests, Sherburne NWR

Connecticut Warbler: Summer, singing, Sax-Zim Bog

LeConte's Sparrow, summer, Sax-Zim Bog

Black-billed Magpie, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Northern Saw-whet Owl: Sax-Zim Bog

For information on where to find birds not listed contact TRMichels@yahoo.com

Gunflint Trail (Cook County) Nowhere else are the Black-backed Woodpecker or Boreal Owl found more often. Other species to watch for include Spruce and Ruffed Grouse, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Boreal Chickadee and Crossbills. Start at Grand Marais and follow Cook County Road 12 north. This 63 mile drive passes through boreal forests. Look for Spruce Good any time of year, but June and July are best.

Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve (Duluth, Saint Louis County) Incredible hawk migration during most of fall. Habitat: Mixed deciduous/coniferous woods around the ridge. When To Go: Go in late September, October or early November. Birds to Look For: Hawk Ridge is at the south end of the North Shore of Lake Superior, which funnels migrants down the shore in fall. Very large (100,000+) movements of Broad-winged Hawks have occurred here, as well as large movements of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks. This is a reliable spot late in the season for Northern Goshawk and Golden Eagle. Passerine migration can be quite good, with large numbers of birds (sometimes including crossbills and Evening Grosbeak) moving through. Early in fall, large numbers of Common Nighthawks pass by as well.

Park Point ([Minnesota Point] Duluth, Saint Louis County, Minnesota) A great migrant trap in fall and spring, both for birds on the lake (Lake Superior), and migrating passerines moving up the shore. Habitat: Open beach, lake, park, parking lot, and a strip of woods down the middle. Best during early spring and late fall migration This is one of the best places in Minnesota to find Red-throated Loon. Shorebirds may turn up on the beach, and on the bay side of the point, and scoters (tough to find in MN) may be found in either the bay on the south side, or on the lakeside. Foggy mornings in spring sometimes cause a fallout of migrating passerines on the point, waiting for better weather to cross the lake, and some mornings have 20+ warblers, and many other passerine birds.

Sax-Zim Bog.(St. Louis County) Some say this is the place to bird in Minnesota. Species that are difficult to find elsewhere are often much easier in "the bog." Upland Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Connecticut Warbler, Black-billed Magpie and LeConte's Sparrow all nest here. Winter birds include Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, crossbills and redpolls. Drive the back roads in this area to see Sharp-tailed Grouse, Upland Sandpiper, Great Gray Owl and Connecticut Warblers. This is a good spot for raptors ion the winter.

Aitkin County Road 18 (Aitkin County) One of the better roads for finding such specialties as Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Boreal Chickadee. According to Mike Hendrickson, yellow-bellied flycatcher may be found along "a snowmobile trail on the south side of 18, opposite of P. Road (that runs north of the snowmobile trail). This trail is the best place to find Boreal Chickadees." Also a good drive in winter for snow buntings and winter finches.

McGregor Marsh (Aitkin County) This is the best known spot in Minnesota for nesting Yellow Rails and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Arrive well after dark and listen for each of their distinctive calls; the sparrow's dry wheezing, and the rail's clicking sounds. Look and listen especially on the east side of Minnesota highway 65. Habitat: Sedge marsh. When To Go: Spring when both of these birds are breeding and calling. This area is probably best known for the fall ring-necked duck migration, but it also has a variety of nesting birds of interest (such as the American bittern, yellow rail, sora, black tern, sandhill crane, 12 species of nesting warblers (including the golden-winged warbler), trumpeter swan, bald eagle, American woodcock, wood thrush, black-billed cuckoo, LeConte's sparrow and bobolink.

Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Aitkin County) Up to 75,000 Ring-necked ducks in the fall. Spring/summer: Tundra Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Common Tern, Caspian Tern, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos; Yellow Warbler, Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Brewers Blackbird.

Roseau Bog (Roseau County) This area, and the Lost River State Forest just to the east, are good birding spots for such species as nesting Wilson's Phalarope and Sharp-tailed Sparrow. In winter look for a possible Gyrfalcon, Northern Hawk Owl, Snowy Owl and winter finches. Resident birds include Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay and Boreal Chickadee.

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (Marshall County) A large, expansive refuge good at all times of the year, this is one of northwestern Minnesota's most interesting birding areas. In spring and summer look for Yellow Rail, Virginia Rail, American bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Franklin's Gull, Sedge Wren and Mourning Warbler, Black-billed Magpie, Le Conte's Sparrow, Nelson's sharp-tailed Sparrow; pied, horned, red-necked, eared and western grebes; 2,000 sandhill cranes. 17 species of ducks with 7200 breeding pairs. Agassiz is also an excellent place to bird during migration, especially for shorebirds. Come between late April and the end of October. These wetlands and tamarack bogs have recorded 280 species. The American Bittern is here. Warbler migration peaks around May 20th.

Felton Prairie (Clay County) Famous for its nesting Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Felton is also a good spot to look for prairie birds such as Swainson's Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike and numerous sparrows.Several tracts owned by the Nature Conservancy are located in this general area as well.

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (Becker County) An interesting area in the northwest to look for woodland and boreal species. Great Gray Owl, Ruffed Grouse, Golden-winged Warbler and Mourning Warbler can be found here.

Itasca State Park (Clearwater and Hubbard counties) While this park is not noted for having specific Minnesota specialties, it is nonetheless a park with a great variety of northern species, and therefore good birding in general. Look for Common Loon, Northern Goshawk, Alder Flycatcher, Winter Wren, warblers and, in winter, finches.

Rothsay Wildlife Management Area (Wilkin County) Greater Prairie-Chickens nest here, and nowhere in the state are they easier to find. Also look for Marbled Godwit, Prairie Falcon and, in migration, flocks of Sandhill Crane and Smith's and Lapland Longspurs. Also an excellent place to find migrating Short-eared Owls.

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle counties) Big Stone has lakes, pools, meadows, fields, woods and marshes. Take the auto tour road (best by bicycle) and you can find water birds, prairie birds and woodland birds. This park is best visited during the spring migration or early summer. Western vagrants are always a good possibility, and there are many good nesting species. Cattle Egret, Swainson's Hawk, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wrens and many Sparrows.

Salt Lake (Lac Qui Parle County) A good place in high water times for migrating grebes and ducks, in low water years it can be exceptional for shorebirds.

The island in Long Lake (Kandiyohi County) One of the largest heron rookeries in Minnesota, 2,300 nests of cormorants, great egrets, cattle egrets, and great blue herons. Scan the lake along its north shore from County Road 27. From Willmar, take Hwy. 71 north and then turn left (west) onto County Road 27. The island is over a mile out into the lake, so consider putting a canoe in at the boat landing on County Road 27 or using a good spotting scope. Regardless of how close you may or may not get, the herons will be constantly on the move and easily seen flying to and from their foraging areas.

Lake Johanna (Pope County) There is a large rookery on the south end of the lake that provides nesting sites for great blue herons, cormorants, great egrets, and black-crowned night herons. Little blue herons and cattle egrets have bred here, too, the first recorded breeding sites for either species in Minnesota. The only real access is at the boat landing on the north end of the lake. Take Minnesota 104 south to County Road 8 and turn left (east). Go 0.9 mile and turn right onto a dirt road with a sign reading Public Water Access. The lake can't be adequately viewed from here, so put a canoe in for a remarkable birding experience. Even though you must stay a good distance away from the rookery, it is very exciting just to be a part of the general hubbub.

Egret Island (Pelican Lake, Grant County) A 34-acre island owned by The Nature Conservancy supports thousands of nesting great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, great egrets, and cormorants. A boat landing on the western shore provides good viewing, though the island is still a mile offshore. From I-94 take Minnesota 78 north 1.7 miles to the boat landing. Additional summer sightings in this area have included snowy egret, cattle egret (which may nest here), little blue heron, tricolored heron, and yellow-crowned night heron.

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area (Grantsburg, Wisconsin) The brush-prairie habitat and nearby wetlands attract a wide variety of species. You may even hear a Yellow Rail in spring (June). Sandhill Cranes are abundant in the fall.

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (Sherburne County) Varied habitat, and a variety of possible species. In summer, look for Sandhill Crane, Eastern Screech Owl, Whip-poor-will and Golden-winged Warbler. In winter Barred Owl, Snow Buntings, crossbills and redpolls are likely.

Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area (Anoka and Chisago counties) Over 2000 acres of marshland, lakes and swamp, Carlos Avery is best visited in spring migration when the shorebirds come through, usually in large numbers. Species usually found in summer include Sandhill Crane, Sedge Wren, and Golden-winged Warbler.

Creek West Regional Trail (Anoka and Pope Counties) Fridley Minnesota. This strip of East-West riparian habitat regularly hosts some of Minnesota's most sought after species of birds - one of the better spots in the metro area to find Connecticut Warblers during migration. Spring and fall migration are the best time to visit and it is not uncommon to see up to twenty species of warblers: Prairie Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Louisiana Waterthrush. Resident breeders include, Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Great-crested Flycatcher, American Redstart, and Yellow-throated Vireo. Trumpeter Swans and a small number of Forster's Terns and Red-shouldered Hawks have been seen.

Pigs Eye Lake in St. Paul has what may be the only rookery of yellow-crowned night herons in Minnesota, as well as the largest colony of black-crowned night-herons. Cormorants, great blue herons, and great egrets also nest here.

Eloise Butler Wildflower Gardens and Bird Sanctuary (Golden Valley, Hennepin County) Black-crowned Night Heron, Virginia Rail, Sora, Black Tern, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-throated, Warbling, Blue-winged and Yellow Warblers; American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Bobolink and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Dakota, Hennepin) Long and urban with many "Units" from Fort Snelling in St. Paul, southwest to the town of Jordan. Wide range of habitats ranging from backwater marshes of the Minnesota River to upland prairies and remnant and restored oak savannah. Over 20 species of wood-warblers, wood ducks, bufflehead, common goldeneye, common mergansers, gadwalls, northern shovelers, blue-winged and green-winged teal can all be found in the swamps under the Cedar Avenue Bridge, on Black dog Road), tundra swans (Louisville Swamp Unit), trumpeter swans (Black Dog Lake) Winter: Gulls of several species, including Minnesota rarities like Iceland Gull, Thayer's Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Bald Eagles near Black Dog Lake. Large concentrations of wintering waterfowl, including Common Merganser, Snow Geese, and Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead.

Fort Snelling State Park Two hundred and forty-four avian species have been recorded, one of the highest totals for any Minnesota state park.

Gun Club Lake Waterfowl congregate by the thousands in the spring and fall. This is a great lake for Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and many speicies of "puddle ducks", such as Northern Pintail, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon. In addition, over 25,000 American Coot gather here in the fall.

Black Dog Lake is best known as a wintering site for water birds such as ducks and gulls, because the Black Dog power plan keeps large areas of water open no matter how low the temperature drops. During November and December, Black Dog's open water attracts many species of gull, including Thayer's, Iceland, Glaucous, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed. The lake's surrounding habitat attracts Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Shrike. During the summer, the habitat on the south side of the lake attracts nesting Willow Flycatcher and sometimes Bell's Vireo. American Woodcock display on the Fens Unit ball fields in April, in the evening. Peregrine falcons nest on the buildings of the power plant.

The Fort Snelling State Park entrance located under the Cedar Avenue Bridge, on Black Dog Road, is an excellent spot for spring, summer, fall and winter waterfowl; American wigeon, northern shoveler, green-winged teal, common goldeneye, common merganser, hooded merganser, bufflehead, gadwall, wood duck, mallard; check all of the ponds east of the bridge, along Black Dog Road. The trail into the park winds through old meadows, old growth forest, along the river's edge, and through several cattail/phragmite swamps. A wide variety of warblers and sparrows, great blue heron, great egret, green heron, belted kingfisher. Fall: American white pelicans, double crested cormorants, trumpeter swans. Winter: bald eagles and diver ducks.

The Bass Ponds are flooded with a long list of spring migrants from late March to early June.

Long Meadow Lake Large rafts of ducks, geese and Tundra Swan congregate to feed and rest here during migration. Spring: A variety of passerine migrants are found here: Winter Wren along the creek and Hermit, Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrush along the wooded paths. Twenty to twenty-five species of warblers, plus vireo, flycatcher, kinglet and woodpecker can be found in the trees and brushy edges in May. Winter: The creek is open and one can find wintering Song and Swamp Sparrow and an occasional Winter Wren or Virginia Rail.

Bush Lake attracts water birds and the surrounding marshes draw a variety of wetland and marsh birds.

Hyland Park Reserve Diverse habitat provides resting and feeding sites for a variety of migrant sparrows, especially Harris's, White-crowned, Lincoln's and White-throated; wrens; thrushes, warblers and vireos. Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting are commonly sighted here during summer and the feeding stations at Richardson Nature Center provide excellent winter bird watching.

Louisville Swamp Unit If you are only able to visit one site in this region this is it. Upland grasslands, oak savannas, riparian habitats, a variety of woodlands, marshes, swamps, lakes including shorebird habitat, and the Minnesota River. Over 250 species including Prothonotary Warbler nesting along Sand Creek. Twenty-five species of warbler, vireo and many other passerine migrants can be found here on in May. In the wet lowland areas, ducks, geese and herons. Clay-colored Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Kingbird and Field Sparrow.

Murphy Hanrehan Park IBA, Burnsville/Lakeville. A number of species whose ranges are generally farther north (Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Chestnut-sided and Mourning Warbler) or farther south (Acadian Flycatcher, Cerulean and Hooded Warbler). Twelve species of warblers have bred in this IBA (Blue-winged, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Cerulean, Mourning, Hooded, Prothonotary, Golden-winged, Kentucky, American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Common Yellowthroat). This is the only known nesting site for Hooded Warbler in Minnesota. The park's grassland trails are good places for Sedge Wren and both species of meadowlark. Marshes have Yellow-headed Blackbird, Marsh Wren and waterfowl. Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, and Alder Flycatcher. Common Loons nest annually, possibly the southernmost breeding in Minnesota.

Red-shouldered Hawk and Henslow's Sparrow. Substantial breeding populations of Black Tern, Wood Thrush, Veery, Dickcissel, Bobolink, Common Yellowthroat, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Wild Turkey. Broad-winged Hawk, Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barred Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Veery, Wood Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Kingbird, Clay-colored Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow and Grasshopper Sparrow. Spring: Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead on the smaller lakes.

Mississippi River IBA This Important Bird Area includes the Mississippi River and its adjacent floodplain forest and uplands extending 38 river miles through four Minnesota counties from Minneapolis to Hastings. The upstream extent is the Washington Avenue bridge in Minneapolis (river mile 852). Downstream its extends through Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as encompassing portions of three townships and ten other riverfront communities to the Highway 61 bridge (river mile 814) at Hastings. The entire portion of Pool 2, which occurs between Lock & Dam 1 (at Minneapolis) and Lock & Dam 2 (at Hastings) is included, as are the lower portion of Pool 1 and the very upper end of Pool 3. The other boundaries of this Important Bird Area are congruent with the boundary of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area-National Park Service between river miles 852 to 814. Within the IBA, there are 3 regional park reserves of at least 1000 acres each, 2 county parks, 3 state-owned Scientific and Natural Areas, a number of city parks, and 2 small, private nature reserves currently managed for their natural attributes.

Situated along the Mississippi Flyway, a migratory corridor for 40% of North America's waterfowl and shorebirds, an estimated 760,00 dabbling ducks use this corridor. Liddell and Cooper estimated 36,493 waterbirds (loons, cormorants, gulls, terns, ducks, geese, swans, herons, egrets, pelicans, coots, grebes, eagles, shorebirds and kingfishers) used Pool 2 in the spring of l997. Waterfowl (mainly diving ducks and Canada geese), gulls (mostly Ring-billed Gulls) and terns were the most abundant species. Six Minnesota threatened and special concern species were seen at ground survey sites during l997. Several other species of interest; Black Tern, American Redhead, Canvasback, and scaup ducks, were observed during spring migration. Bardon observed 75,584 waterbirds and documented gull activity in know roosting locations at Pig's Eye Lake and Spring Lake with 2,000 Bonaparte's Gulls noted in the Lower Grey Cloud Island area in April /May l995.

3,725 waterbirds were counted during biweekly summer surveys. Gulls were most abundant followed by waterfowl, cormorants, pelicans, egrets, herons, eagles and shorebirds. MN DNR Natural Heritage database indicates that one mixed species heron rookery (Pigs Eye, listed above) totaling 1600+ nesting pairs of 4 species (including 80 nests of Black-crowned Night Herons). Eight Bald Eagle breeding territories and nest sites for 6-8 pairs of Peregrine Falcons are known to occur in the IBA. The fall waterbird population was 3X greater than spring and summer, with an estimated 126,071 birds; mostly gulls and cormorants through mid-October. D Zumeta recorded 157 species of birds (51 breeding) in the Mississippi River Gorge Area at the upstream end of the IBA (Washington Avenue Bridge, Minneapolis). T. Bell reports 207 species observed at the Lower Grey Cloud Island (St. Paul Park) area near the downstream end of the IBA.

Ritter Farm Park (Lakeville, Dakota County) Beautifully mowed trails leading through oak, spruce and pine woods, oak savannah, meadows, marshes and lakes. Indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, cerulean warbler, cedar waxwing, great crested flycatcher.

Lake Byllesby (Cannon Falls, Dakota/Goodhue Counties) In most years, the lowered lake level results in exposing extensive alluvial mudflats and adjacent shallow water areas that are preferred habitat for an impressive diversity of migratory bird species including shorebirds, ducks, geese, swans, herons, pelicans, gulls, and terns. Shorebirds annually are represented at Lake Byllesby in numbers and diversity of species not found elsewhere in eastern Minnesota.

Upper Mississippi River Valley National Wildlife Refuge From the Iowa border to the town of Read's Landing. The National Eagle Center is located in Wabasha, where captive Bald Eagles can be seem, and several Bald eagle nest along the river. Also common mergansers, common goldeneye, bufflehead, and other waterfowl on Lake Pepin in the fall, winter and spring. Several hundred tundra swans stop off in the fall (on migration), and dozens of bald eagles winter here.

Frontenac State Park and Hok-Si-La City Park (Frontenac, Goodhue County) 24 migrant spring warblers, and LeContes' sparrows. Summer: Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-belied Sapsucker, Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Bobolink, Dickcissel. Fall: American White Pelican. Year round Pileated and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Whitewater Wildlife Management Area (Winona County) Simply a beautiful area with steep ravine walls, groves of eastern red cedar, and a winding gravel road, Whitewater is promising any time of year. In winter one can usually find a soaring Golden Eagle overhead or a Red-shouldered Hawk in the nearby trees.

Blue Mounds State Park (Rock County) A habitat unlike the rest of Minnesota, the park has cactus, a herd of buffalo and a feel to it more like states found farther west. Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Western Kingbird, Say's Phoebe and Mountain Bluebird have all been seen here. And nowhere in the state is Blue Grosbeak easier to find than here.

Crex Meadows Grantsburg, WI Crex Meadows is part of Wisconsin's scenic Indianhead Country, the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area is located in beautiful Burnett County, just north of the Village of Grantsburg. At 30,000 acres, Crex is the largest state owned wildlife area in Wisconsin. This intensively managed property is home to 270 species of birds and 600 species of plants. A wide variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects also reside here. Originally part of the Northern Wisconsin Pine Barrens, it is now the state's largest remaining portion of this globally endangered ecosystem. The rare sedge marsh and brush prairie habitats make the area a utopia for wildlife which makes Crex a paradise for bird watchers, naturalists and botanists.

Devil's Lake State Park Great scenery and a mix of northern and southern birds can be found here. For worm-eating Warbler, try nearby Baxter's Hollow Preserve. The International Crane Foundation is located just north of here in Baraboo.

Horicon Marsh Roger Tory Peterson once selected this as one of his top dozen birding spots. HUGE staging area for migrating waterfowl.

Several Counties: Gyrfalcon, Snow Bunting, Spruce Grouse, Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk-Owl, Bohemian Waxwing, Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Red and White-winged Crossbills, Common and Hoary Redpolls, American Three-toed Woodpecker.

Grand Marais Harbor: Scoters, harlequin and long-tailed ducks, snowy owls, and Thayer's, Iceland and glaucous gulls.

Rothsay Wildlife Management Area: Snowy Owl, Co. Rd. 26 W from Rothsay to 300th Ave., drive north to the WMA

Great horned and eastern screech owl mating season January through mid-March.

Mississippi River near city of Wabasha: wintering Bald Eagles.

Minnesota River in city of Burnsville, wintering Bald Eagles.

Mississippi River in city of Monticelo. Trumpeter Swans, Late February-Early March

Roseau Bog and Lost River State Forest: Possible Gyrfalcon, Northern Hawk Owl, Snowy Owl and winter finches.

Sax-Zim Bog: Occasional great gray and northern hawk-owls during severe winters. Wintering northern goshawks, boreal, and northern saw-whet owls, gray jays and boreal chickadees. Along Co. Rds. 7 and 52 W, between Duluth and Virginia.

Lake County, Co. Rd. 2, best place to see spruce grouse.

Highway 61 between Red Wing and Wabasha, particularly the pullout areas north of Read's Landing. Wintering bald eagles, diving ducks on the Mississippi River. See live eagles at the National Bald Eagle Center, downtown Wabasha, Minnesota.

Duck migration, swan and duck mating displays, bald eagles on nests.

Early turkey gobbling and mating displays.

Nesting bald eagles & waterfowl migration. Gobbling, spitting, booming and strutting wild turkeys; drumming ruffed grouse; drumming and crowing ring-necked pheasants; dancing and booming prairie chickens; dancing and calling of sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens, mating displays of trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes and turkeys displaying and gobbling.

Migrating Yellow-rumped warbler and other warblers. Peak songbird migration May 10-20. Migrating upland sandpipers, common loons, grebes, mergansers, ring-billed gulls, snow buntings.

Buffalo River State Park: dancing and booming greater prairie chickens. Off Hwy. 10, 11 miles E of Moorhead.

Chippewa Prairie: Dancing and booming greater prairie chickens. Off Hwy. 59, 2 mile S of Appleton.

Felton Prairie: Nesting Chestnut-collared Longspurs. Swainson's Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike and several species of sparrows.

Mille Lacs Lake Area: common loons are abundant during spring migration, and Pacific and red-throated loons may be seen.

Rothsay Wildlife Management Area. Migrating flocks of Sandhill Crane and Smith's and Lapland Longspurs Co. Rd. 16 W from Rothsay to 300th Ave., drive north to the WMA.

Twin Valley Scientific and Natural Area: Dancing and calling sandhill cranes, dancing and booming greater prairie chickens. Twin Valley off Co. Rd. 24, west of Hwy. 32.

Tympanuchus Wildlife Management Area: Dancing and booming greater prairie chickens, whistling upland sandpipers; short-eared owls. Red fox and moose. Buffalo bean, blue gramma, alum root, blanket flower, dense blazing star, western prairie fringed orchid and cordgrass. About 3.5 miles south of Harold, near Hwy. 102.

Duluth Park Point: Shorebirds may turn up on the beach, and on the bay side of the point, and scoters (tough to find in MN) may be found in either the bay or on the south side or the lake side. Foggy mornings in spring sometimes cause a buildup of migrating passerines on the point, waiting for better weather to cross the lake, and some mornings have 20+ warblers (including Mourning, Golden-winged, and Connecticut), and many other passerine birds: Loons, grebes, mergansers and gulls during the spring smelt run; Ring-billed Gulls nesting.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Spring migration, over 20 species of warbler migrations, nesting bald eagles and Cooper's hawks, Prothonotary Warbler, Virginia Rail, Least Bittern, Scarlet Tanager, Dickcissel, Peregrine Falcon.

During the spring American woodcocks perform aerial mating displays at the Fens Unit ball fields on the south side of Black dog Lake. The State Park marshes east of the Cedar Avenue bridge on Black Dog Road has wood ducks, green-winged teal, great blue and little green herons, and great egrets. Nesting prothonotary warblers may be found at the Bass Ponds Unit. The Refuge contains several Units along the river from Fort Snelling to the town of Jordan. The Visitor Center is off 1-94 in Bloomington, where you can pick up maps of each area.

Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings.

Salt Lake Management Area: From mid to late April look for plovers, sandpipers, godwits, phalaropes, eared grebes and American avocets. In late April look for Smith's longspurs. 23 miles S of Marieta on Co. Rd. 7, then 1 mile N on gravel road.

Weaver Bottoms: Spring waterfowl migration. On Hwy. 61, 1.5 miles S of Weaver.

Whitewater Wildlife Management Area: 237 species of birds including red-shouldered hawk, Louisiana waterthrush. In spring and early summer look for cerulean and prothonotary warblers. In April and May look for and listen to mating wild turkeys. 42 species of mammals. On Hwy. 74, between Elba and St Charles.

Oronoco: Captive elk calves being born, over 700 elk. 1/2 mile north of Oronoco on Hwy. 52.

Crex Meadows' Spring Bird Festival in Grantsburg, Wis., 1-715- 463-2739, www.crexmeadows.org.

Kickapoo Valley Reserve near La Farge, Wis.1-608-625-2960, http://kvr.state.wi.us.

Yellow Rail, Connecticut Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, American Redstart, Eastern Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Bobolink, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird. Eared and Western Grebes, Forster's Terns and Franklin's Gulls nesting. Herons, egrets and cormorants on rookeries.

Late August is when many migrating northern/boreal forest Warblers, and Nighthawks and Wading birds begin showing up in Minnesota and Wisconsin. You may see as many as 20 species of Warblers at this time.

Aggasiz National Wildlife Refuge. 61,500 acres with 280 species of birds, 49 mammals12 amphibians and 9 reptiles. Appoximately 25,000 breeding pairs of Franklin's gulls, redheads, canvasbacks, ruddy ducks, sandhill cranes, American bitterns, and eared and red-necked grebes. Approximately 17 species of ducks with 7,200 breeding pairs. Two wolf packs, moose. On Co. Rd. 7, 11 miles east of Holt.

Big Bog State Recreation Area. 300 bird species including Connecticut, mourning, gold-winged and blackburnian warblers, boreal chickadees, great gray and short-eared owls, yellow rails, spruce and sharp-tailed grouse, and LeConte's and Neslon's sharp-tailed sparrow. On Hwy. 72, 9.5 miles north of Wakish.

Blazing Star Scientific and Natural Area: Threatened logger-head shrike, endangered chestnut-collared longspur, Sprague's pipit ad Baird's sparrow. Pasque flowers, and small white lady 's slippers. 5 miles SE of Felton,

Blue Stem Prairie Scientific Area: Upland sandpiper, marbled godwit, loggerhead shrike and greater prairie chicken. 3 miles from Glyndon.

Buffalo River State Park. Bobolinks, grassland sparrows, marbled godwits, upland sandpipers, Dakota skippers, powesheik and fritillary butterflies, jackrabbits and coyotes. Off Hwy. 10, 11 miles east of Moorhead.

Glendlough State Park. Common loons, nesting bald eagles, northern harriers, red-tailed hawks, eastern screech owls, red-headed woodpeckers, scarlet tanagers, white-tailed deer, beaver, red fox, coyotes and river otters. On Co. Rd. 16 about 3.5 miles NE of Battle Lake.

Lake of the Woods. 65,000 miles of shoreline and extensive marshland. Breeding bald eagles, American white pelicans, Wilson's phalarope, Franklin's gulls, double-crested cormorants, sandhill cranes, and Franklin's, black and common terns. Short-eared owls, Bonaparte's gulls, piping plover and other migrating shore birds. Black bears, gray wolves, coyotes, pine martens, fishers and moose.

Plover Prairie: Short-eared owls, loggerhead shrike and Wilson's phalarope. 4 miles N of Bellingham.

Rothsay Wildlife Management Area. Greater prairie chickens, short-eared owls, Marbled Godwit, Prairie Falcon. Co. Rd. 16 W from Rothsay to 300th Ave., drive north to the WMA. Migrating flocks of Sandhill Crane and Smith's and Lapland Longspurs.

Roseau Bog and Lost River State Forest: Nesting Wilson's Phalarope and Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Resident birds include Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay and Boreal Chickadee.

Tamarac National Wildlife Area: Common loons, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, red-shouldered hawks, ovenbirds, scarlet tanagers, black-throated green, chestnut-sided and golden-winged warblers. Bobcats, badgers, river otters and mink. On Co. Rd. 26, 18 miles NE of Detroit Lakes.

Twin Valley Scientific and Natural Area: American bittern, Virginia rail, Wilson's Phalarope, marbled godwit and northern harrier. Twin Valley off Co. Rd. 24, west of Hwy. 32.

Duluth's Park Point: Migrating songbirds. Best on days with drizzle or fog when the warblers are grounded in May. Minnesota Avenue to Park Point.

Gunflint Trail. Boreal owls (during eruptions), bald eagles, common loons, read and white-winged crossbills, spruce grouse, black-backed and American three-toed woodpeckers, redpolls, boreal chickadees, and at least 15 species of wood warblers. Moose, gray wolves, pine marten, black bears, Canada lynx and river otters. Co. Rd. 12 from Grand Marais to Sea Gull Lake.

Kimberley Wildlife Management Area. Sharp-tailed grouse. Aitkin

Lake Vermilion: In 2003 this area was home to 298 common loons, 18 breeding pairs of bald eagles, and 24 breeding pairs of osprey. American white pelicans, great blue herons. Black bears. North of Tower on Co. Rd. 1.

McGregor Marsh: Best place for yellow rails. McGregor

Rice Lake National Wildlife refuge. 300,000 ring-necked ducks stop here in the fall. On Hwy. 65, 5 miles S of McGregor.

Sax-Zim Bog: Sharp-tailed grouse, Connecticut, golden-winged and pine warblers, yellow-bellied flycatchers, yellow rails, black-billed cuckoos, black-backed woodpeckers and Le Conte's sparrows. Along Co. Rds. 7 and 52 W, between Duluth and Virginia.

Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary: Black bears, open Tuesday -Sunday from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 5PM to dusk. Co. Rd. 23, about 13 miles west of Hwy. 53, ear Orr.

Voyageurs National Park: National Geographic's Traveler magazine called Voyageurs one of the 50 places in the world to see. Best explored by boat. Over 240 species of birds. Gray wolves, black bears, moose and Canada lynx. Off Hwy. 53 or 11, east of International Falls.

Suomi Hills Recreation Area: Ruffed grouse and American woodcock, warblers, great-horned, barred, long -eared and eastern screech-owls. Gray wolves, river otters and beavers. Hwy. 38, 13 miles N of Grand Rapids.

Itasca State Park, headwaters of the Mississippi River. 130 nesting bird species including common Loons, northern parula and Connecticut warblers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, gray jays, black-backed and pileated woodpeckers, Bohemian waxwings, evening grosbeaks. Gray wolves, river otters and black bears. Hwy. 71, 20 miles north of Park Rapids.

Long Lake, Kandiyohi County: One of the largest heron rookeries in Minnesota, 2,300 nests of cormorants, great egrets, cattle egrets, and great blue herons. Scan the lake along its north shore from County Road 27. From Willmar, take Hwy. 71 north and then turn left (west) onto County Road 27. The island is over a mile out into the lake, so consider putting a canoe in at the boat landing on County Road 27 or using a good spotting scope. Regardless of how close you may or may not get, the herons will be constantly on the move and easily seen flying to and from their foraging areas.

Lake Johanna in Pope County: A large heron rookery on the south end of the lake that provides nesting sites for great blue herons, cormorants, great egrets, and black-crowned night herons. Little blue herons and cattle egrets have bred here, too, the first recorded breeding sites for either species in Minnesota. The only real access is at the boat landing on the north end of the lake. Take Minnesota 104 south to County Road 8 and turn left (east). Go 0.9 mile and turn right onto a dirt road with a sign reading Public Water Access. The lake can't be adequately viewed from here, so put a canoe in for a remarkable birding experience. Even though you must stay a good distance away from the rookery, it is very exciting just to be a part of the general hubbub.

Egret Island on Pelican Lake, Grant County: Thousands of nesting great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, great egrets, and cormorants. A boat landing on the western shore provides good viewing, though the island is still a mile offshore. From I-94 take Minnesota 78 north 1.7 miles to the boat landing. Additional summer sightings in this area have included snowy egret, cattle egret (which may nest here), little blue heron, tricolored heron, and yellow-crowned night heron.

Lake Bemidji State Park. 200 bird species including black-backed woodpeckers, boreal chickadees, scarlet tanagers, brown creepers, veery, common loons, osprey, bald eagles, Nashville and chestnut -sided warblers. Porcupine, fishers, black bears. Pitcher plants, sundews, and lady's slippers orchids. Co. Rd. 20, 6 miles E of Alexandria.

Lake Osakis. 6000 acre 11 mile long on lake has the largest population of nesting western grebes in the state; nesting Forster's Terns; red-necked grebes, American white pelicans and Caspian terns. Co Rd. 27, 12 miles E of Alexandria.

Mille Lacs Lake. Indigo buntings, American redstarts, several species of forest songbirds. Two small islands near the south shore have breeding colonies of common terns. Hwy. 169 bordering the SW corner of Mille Lacs Lake.

Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area. Great crested flycatchers, broad-winged hawks, White-tailed deer, painted turtles, beavers, porcupines. Co. Rd. 16, between

Cross Lake and Pequot Lakes.

Big Stone Lake Wildlife Refuge: American white pelicans, herons, egrets, grebes, waterfowl and shorebirds in the spring. Upland sandpipers and Henslow's sparrow breed here. Short-eared owls, gray partridge, hooded mergansers, loggerhead shrikes. Beavers and river otters. Co. Rd. 19 a half mile W of Odessa.

Blue Mounds State Park: The only place in Minnesota where a Brewer's sparrow has been seen. Other notable birds include broad-winged, Swainson's and rough-legged hawks, merlin, peregrine and prairie falcon; American avocet and several species of sandpipers. Occasional burrowing owl, Say's phoebe, and blue grosbeak. American bison. Co. Rd. 20, 5 miles north of Luverne.

Hole-in-the-Mountain Prairie: Bobolinks, vesper and clay-colored sparrows, dickcissels, Blanding's turtles and 25 species of butterflies including Dakota, ottoe and uncas skippers. Hwy. 75, 1.5 miles S of Lake Benton.

Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area / State Park: 1700 breeding pairs of American white pelicans, the largest colony in North America. During spring migration look for Canada and snow geese, sandhill cranes, golden plovers, tundra swans. Greater prairie chickens, short-eared owls and marbled godwits. Off Hwys. 59 and 7, about 5 miles NW of Watson.

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park: Migrating ovenbirds, cerulean warblers, American redstarts. Pileated, red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers, barred owls. Coyotes, Blanding's turtles and timber rattler snakes. Off Hwy. 16 between Spring Valley and Preston.

Frontenac StatePark: 261 species of birds including cuckoos, orchard orioles, eastern towhees. May is the best time to see the park's 32 species of warblers, and grasshopper, LeConte's white-throated, clay-colored, white-crowned, Harris' and Henslow's sparrows. Fox snakes, red foxes, beavers, coyotes, opossums, and nine species of frogs. Off Hwy. 61, 10 miles E of Red Wing.

Afton State Park: field and savannah sparrows, eastern and western meadowlarks, indigo buntings, wood thrush, eastern bluebirds, Baltimore orioles, wild turkeys, scarlet tanagers and pileated woodpeckers. Warblers during migration. Deer, gray and red fox, coyotes. At Afton on Co. Rd. 20, 3 miles E of Hwy. 95.

Carlos Avery Game Refuge: Nesting bald eagles, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, belted kingfishers, American bitterns and green herons. Woodland and march songbirds and sparrows. Deer, coyotes, river otters, and occasional black bears. Take Co. Rd. 2, which turns into Co. Rd. 18, 8 miles W of Forest Lake.

Carver Park Reserve: Waterfowl, shorebirds, hummingbirds, nesting osprey pileated woodpeckers and trumpeter swans. Deer, raccoon. Co. Rd. 11 in Victoria.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Spring and Fall warbler migrations. During the spring American woodcocks perform aerial mating displays on the ball fields at the Fens Unit on the south side of Black dog Lake. The State Park marshes east of the Cedar Avenue bridge on Black Dog Road has wood ducks, blue-winged teal, great blue and little green herons and great egrets The Refuge contains several Units along the river from Fort Snelling to the town of Jordan. The Visitor Center is off 1-94 in Bloomington, where you can pick up maps of each area.

Pigs Eye Lake, St. Paul: This may be the only rookery of yellow-crowned night herons in Minnesota as well as the largest colony of black-crowned night herons. Nesting cormorants, great blue herons, and great egrets.

Rice Creek West Regional Trail: Anoka County Parks system. One of the best spots to find Connecticut Warblers during migration. During spring and fall migration you may see up to twenty species of warbler. Prairie Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Louisiana Waterthrush. Nesting Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Great-crested Flycatcher, American Redstart, and Yellow-throated Vireo.

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: Nesting bald eagles, wild turkeys, lark sparrows, northern harriers, sandhill cranes, eastern bluebirds, indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers; migrating double -crested cormorants; wintering rough-legged hawks. Tiger and blue spotted salamanders, Blanding's turtles, gopher snakes, river otters, beavers, foxes and coyotes. Abundant prairie and wetland wildlflowers. Off Hwy. 169 on Co. Rd. 9 N of Zimmerman.

University of Minnesota Raptor Center: The center treats more than 800 eagles, hawks , owls and falcons a year. Those that cannot be returned to the wild are on display at the center. 1920 Fitch Ave. University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Wildlife Science Center: Over 30 gray wolves, red wolves, gray and redo fox, black bear, Canadian lynx, hawks and falcons. Behind the headquarters building of Carlos Avery Game Refuge on Co. Rd. 18. Take Co. Rd. 2 which turns into Co. Rd. 18, 8 miles W of Forest Lake.

Wood Lake Nature Center: Nesting yellow-headed blackbirds, Forester's terns, and common yellowthroats. Migrating spring songbirds; up to 20 warbler species per day. Deer, fox, woodchuck. Lakeshore Drive off 66th St., Richfield.

International Wolf Center: Ely, open daily May - October, weekends the rest of the year. Hwy. 169 on the eastern edge of Ely.

Late August to September is often the best time to see migrating northern/boreal Warblers and Nighthawks. .

Duluth's Park Point: Migrating sparrows, finches, blackbirds, jays, ravens, crows, waxwings, warblers, Minnesota Avenue to Park Point. This is one of the best places in Minnesota to find Red-throated Loon.

Duluth's Park Canal: Migrating ducks, common and red-necked loons, gulls, jaegers and terns. Lake Street S to the Park, check at all observation areas.

Duluth's Hawk Ridge: Northern goshawk, broad-winged, red-tailed, sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks, gyrfalcon, peregrine, osprey, northern saw-whet owl migrating Sept. 14 - Oct 25. 1 mile E of Glenwood Trail on Skyline Parkway. Golden Eagle late fall migration.

Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area. Wild elk bugling. Just north of Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Fall Migration: The Long Lake Meadow area attracts ducks, geese and tundra swans; Black Dog Lake attracts ring -billed gulls, double-crested cormorants and occasional Amerian white pelicans. The State Park marshes east of the Cedar Avenue bridge on Black Dog Road has wood ducks, blue-winged and green-winged teal, great blue and little green herons and great egrets; and in the fall American wigeons, gadwalls, blue-winged teal and northern shovelers. The Refuge contains several Units along the river from Fort Snelling to the town of Jordan. The Visitor Center is off 1-94 in Bloomington, where you can pick up maps of each area.

Oronoco: Captive elk bugling, over 700 elk, including 200+ antlered bulls scoring over 300 points. 1/2 mile north of Oronoco on Hwy. 52.

North Shore: Migrating American three-toed woodpecker.

Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge: Breeding black terns and LeContes sparrows.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Area: The State Park marshes east of the Cedar Avenue bridge on Black Dog Road has fall migratory American wigeons and northern shovelers. During fall migration the Long Lake Meadow area attracts ducks, geese and tundra swans; Black Dog Lake attracts ring -billed gulls, double-crested cormorants and occasional American white pelicans.

Weaver Bottoms: Migrating tundra swans. Hwy. 61, 1.5 miles south of Weaver. Some of the best places are between Pools 4 and 8.

Crex Meadows, Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Sandhill Crane migration. Follow the yellow geese on the road, or the signs leading north through Grantsburg.

Monticello: Hundreds of the once-endangered Trumpeter Swans wintering on the Mississippi River. Off Co. Rd. 39 on Mississippi Drive.

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: Wintering rough-legged hawks.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Area: Gulls of several species, including Minnesota rarities like Iceland, Thayer's, Great Black-backed and Glaucous Gull. Large concentrations of wintering waterfowl, including Common Merganser, Snow Geese, and goldeneye. The Refuge contains several Units along the river from Fort Snelling to the town of Jordan. The Visitor Center is off 1-94 in Bloomington, where you can pick up maps of each area.

Mississippi River: Wintering bald eagles, ducks, Canada and snow geese. Hwy. 61 between Red Wing and Wabasha.

Whitewater Wildlife Refuge: Wintering Golden Eagles.

Statewide: Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Moonlight Owl Mating and Hooting:Nighttime walks (from three days before to three days after the full moon each month, particularly from February to April) to listen to the distinctive hooting of the owls. Eastern screech, great horned, barred, long-eared, short-eared, northern saw-whet owls.

Much of the water in the state was still open as of mid-November, and it hadn't been cold. So, we checked before we went on a trumpeter or tundra swan tour, or a bald eagle tour. There were only 300 tundra swans sighted near Alma, Wisconsin during the second week of November, so we decided to wait. The best time for tundra swans is often the last weekend of November through December; and Late October through February for trumpeter swans and bald eagles. If you wold like to see hundreds of trumpeter or tundra swans, and dozens of bald eagles, these are the trips to go on. These birds are close enough to photograph; and if you come in March you may get to see trumpeter swans mating. .

Between November and March we saw fewer bald eagles between Red Wing and Wabasha, Minnesota than in other years, due to the mild winter, which left lots of open water for the eagles to fish in other parts of the country. But, there were several sightings of golden eagles in the area, and they seem to be becoming more frequent in the winter in this area. There were also sightings of snowy owls and gyrfalcons in southeast Minnesota.

As an aside, between November and mid-March, 2007, we saw more bald eagles regularly, at closer ranges, and got better photos in Minneapolis / St. Paul than we did in southeast Minnesota. We regularly saw 6-13 eagles per day, including a one year old and a 3 year old. And we often got decent photos of them. The above photos were taken with a Canon PowerShot S3 IS, which has a 430mm lens; so you can see that the birds were often within 50 yards of the vehicle. I suggest the metro area tours if you want to see eagles close, and photograph them.

As of late March we have four different bald eagle nesting sites with birds nesting, two of these are within 300 yards of where we can get photos, and I expect by late April we will be able to photograph bald eagle nestlings and their parents feeding them.

Contact us if you want to join us on a bald eagle viewing or photography tour of these magnificent birds.

Between late October and mid-March there were up to 1,500 wintering trumpeter swans in the area, at ranges as close as 30 yards. In Mid-March I photographed and videoed trumpeter swans flying and feeding, and for the experience of a lifetime - saw mating displays and breeding behavior. We will be viewing and photographing trumpeter swans all summer and fall.

We also saw hooded merganser and mallard mating displays.

Contact us if you are interested in joining us on a swan viewing or photography tour.

If you would like to join us e-mail us at TRMichels@yahoo.com. $30 per person; two person minimum.

Birding Optics Blog: A monthly news bulletin that is being distributed through the generous support of Steiner Binoculars as a service to active and concerned birders. http://www.opticsblog.com/

Index of Recent Birding Listserv Traffic (North America) - This site gives you a great look into what birders are talking about across the country right now: http://server1.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/

Index of Current Rare Bird Alerts (RBAs) - Here are RBAs, the regular alerts on the most interesting birds: http://birdingonthe.net/hotmail.html

Index of Birding Festivals - This page from the website run by Bird Watcher's Digest; it can lead you to a birding festival, near or far: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/finderTool/birdFestFinder/birdFestSearch.aspx

Index of Birding Trails - This page is also from Bird Watcher's Digest, with a way to look up exciting birding-routes: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/travel/trails_list.aspx

ABA's Code of Birding Ethics - Here are the essential rules of birding afield: http://www.americanbirding.org/abaethics.htm

Google Maps - This is one of the best ways to help guide you to your next birding site: http://maps.google.com/

Minnesota Bird Conservation http://www.birdconservationminnesota.org/

North American Bird Conservation Initiative - The NABCI site provides you with an essential guide to integrated bird conservation in North America: http://www.nabci-us.org/

Important Bird Area Program - The IBA Program is a land-based conservation program prioritizing important sites year-round: http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/

Bird Observatories in North America - Find all the bird observatories in North America through this site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/OBSERVATORY.html

American Bird Conservancy - This organization is doing important work in a number of different bird-conservation area: http://abcbirds.org/

BirdLife International - BirdLife is a global alliance of organizations working to preserve the world's birds: http://www.birdlife.org/

Birders' Exchange - A fine project of the American Birding Association, designed to get binoculars, field-guides, scopes, and other vital equipment to our counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean: http://www.americanbirding.org/bex/

Visit Owling.com, A Site Dedicated Exclusively to Owls.

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