Dear Ohio Birdwatchers,



My name is Morris Gevirtz and I am a Birdwatcher living in Muncie, Indiana.
Recently, I decided to try to organize a group of birders to go on a
birdwatching trip to the Duluth area of Minnesota. As some of you may
already know, this is a prime area to "pick-up" sever
otherwise-very-difficult-to-see Boreal bird (and mammal) species. The trip
is patterned on Wings Bird Tours "Minnesota in Winter" tour which runs every
February. I have also used *Birding Minnesota* by Jay Michael Strangis, to
plan the trip.

I would like to invite you all to come along on this adventure. No dates are
set, as I (we) are waiting on gathering a group of 3-7 participants.
Nevertheless, the trip will likely begin on any date between January 4 and
January 10th and last 6-8 day in total. Again, nothing but the birding
destinations around Duluth have been decided upon ...by the birds
themselves.

While one could say that this trip will depart from Muncie, IN, where I
live, the miles between Muncie and Duluth are many. I wholly expect to pick
up trip members along the way –even making some detours. Just about any
arrangement can and will be made to accommodate field trip members. The more
the merrier and the CHEAPER!

Here I repost my most recent message to the IN-BIRD-L list (Indiana
University's Bird Watching Listserv) concerning this trip in response to
several messages of inquiry which I received recently.

I wish you all the very best, a happy holiday season and of course great
birding!



Sincerely,

Morris Gevirtz,

Muncie Birder



----------------------ORIGINAL IN-BIRD-L MESSAGE---------------------


Dear Fellow Birders,

As a response to the replies which I have received in the last couple of
days, I send this message.

This e-mail should bring everyone current with regard to the status and
developments of the birdwatching field trip to the Duluth area of
Minnesota.  Included is a description of the trip and an explanation as to
why anyone would venture to the "frozen North" –in January– to go birding.

*Status:*

As of December 19, 2008, the field trip remains tentative. Several people
have shown interest but have yet to arrange work matters and such. At
present if the field trip were to "go" it would have 3 members.

The cost per person could be as low as $231 per person with three members or
as much as $390 should only two people go.

The price per person will vary greatly should people choose more expensive
accommodations, and/or choose to have a private room.

I myself expect to eat-out once a day and eat sandwiches and cereal the rest
of the time. All told I expect to spend $80 in food costs for the 6 days.

At present it seems likely that the trip will begin on any date between
January 4 and January 10. No dates have been set and their being decided
upon is entirely dependent on prospective trip members. This is YOUR trip.
The goal is to have as many people go as possible; i.e. to bring the
greatest good to a maximum number of participants.

*Trip description:*

This is a cooperative, non-profit field trip opportunity. I would like to
get some birders together to see the boreal, winter specialties of the
Duluth, Minnesota area. Here, rare birds not usually seen in the summer
anywhere south of Canada –even the arctic circle– "hang out" in and around
Duluth. I got the idea of going by perusing the Wings Bird Tours website.
They charge $1820 for their February 2009 trip to the same places –flight to
Minneapolis not included.

*Format:*

Unless members would like to go longer the trip will last six days. Two days
are "lost" in transit to and from Duluth, MN. In reality, there are several
birding "hot spots" that have been reporting excellent birds –which lie on
the way to Duluth– that could produce some good birds.

*Itinerary (no dates)* -The number of days spent at each location is to be
decided by the trip participants.

Duluth would be a "base camp" from which we would then proceed to bird the
area on daily forays. Double occupancy will greatly lower the lodging costs
for each member. In my mind, I do not think anyone will be opposed to
staying at any hotel or motel "fancier" than a *Best Western* or one which
will cost more than $85 per night.

*Duluth itself* –and the surrounding sprawl– offer good birding
opportunities (see
map<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116235875688768550912.00045e6e6fb64b5562b25&ll=47.115,-92.010498&spn=1.308395,3.444214&z=9>).
Rare gulls, Gyrfalcon, Harlequin Duck and Oldsquaw are seen with some
frequency. The Superior Landfill in Wisconsin (across the bay) produces many
rare gulls with some dependability. Redpolls and Bohemian Waxwings are seen
at feeders and ornamental fruit tress in the neighborhoods of Duluth.
Currently, as of December 18, 2008, the Duluth International Airport has had
a resident Northern Hawk Owl and many Snowy Owl sightings.

The woods of various state forests near *Isabella, MN* produce with some
reliability the Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Three-toed
Woodpecker and various winter finches and waxwings. En route to Isabella
good views of Lake Superior to the east might turn up with some ducks and
raptors. The town of Two Harbors might also produce some good feeder birds
as well.

The bogs of *Aitkin County*, MN, about 50 miles west of Duluth are home to
Ruffed and Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Grey Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, Snowy
Owls, various desirable woodpeckers and finches. As of December 18, 2008, a
Northern Hawk Owl has been "hanging around" the *Sax-Zim Bog*, a definite
"hot-spot" for many good birds (see
map<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116235875688768550912.00045e6e6fb64b5562b25&ll=47.115,-92.010498&spn=1.308395,3.444214&z=9>).
Incidentally, Both Sax-Zim Bog and the forests near Isabella, MN are listed
on *Thayer's 250 American Birding Hot-Spots.*

All told, there are about *26 Boreal* species to be seen –all of which would
"light up" the IN-BIRD-L list were they to be seen on Hoosier soil (see
list). By analyzing the bird reports, I found out that we can expect to see
(at a bare minimum) 80% of this number. There are then at least 15 more
birds that are infrequently seen in Indiana or are just the sort of bird one
might not have on a life list. Furthermore, as winter progresses in Canada
and in the mountains west, species counts and individual counts increase.
Historically, rare birds like Varied Thrushes, Black-billed Magpies, and
Townsend's solitaire have been "blown in". Remember, these birds do not read
the same bird field guides as we do.

It is also possible that we will see various not-so-often seen mammals such
as the Grey Wolf, Fisher Cat, American Marten and Canadian Lynx –some "cool
dudes" if you ask me.

*Why?*

Why would one traipse into the cold North any time after September and
before June? Because it is beautiful –and birdy. Unless one is prepared to
schlep all the way to the arctic circle or thereabouts during the summer
–which means renting a puddle-jumper– the Duluth area is the surest and most
comfortable way to see the specialties of a far colder and inhospitable
"North." Remember, millions of people live at those latitudes, including
(again) millions of Americans and Canadians
(46°47′12.98″N<http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Duluth,_Minnesota&params=46_47_12.98_N_92_5_53.5_W_type:city>).
I personally have been birding at 59°N and survived.

Even if your interest weren't in birds and were say, in photography, you
would still want to go visit. The sort of vistas and photo opportunities
that this region offers have been splayed on magazines, calendars and in
coffee-table books since such existed – and have won many awards too.

One – we – you will not encounter anything that a good coat, warm pants,
gloves and a hat cannot contend with. The only difficulties might be
choosing which syrup to pour on pancakes –after a good morning of birding–
and dealing with friends' jealousies at the sight of your life list and trip
photos.

*I hope* that this is enough to convince you to come along for memories of a
lifetime.



--Below are related links including a Google Map of the area.

*Map of Minnesota 2009 Cooperative Birdwatching Field
Trip<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116235875688768550912.00045e6e6fb64b5562b25&ll=47.115,-92.010498&spn=1.299026,3.444214&z=9>
*

Flickr album of Wings Birds Tours February 2008 Trip to the
area.<http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinicola/sets/72157603867899290/>

Thayer's Top 250 American Birdwatching
Hot-Spots<http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=383288>

--Wikipedia links:

American Marten <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Marten>

Fisher <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_%28animal%29>

Canadian Lynx <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Lynx>

Gray Wolf <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf>





Sincerely,

Morris A. Gevirtz,

Muncie Birder





P.S.

Below is a list of the target birds for the Minnesota Field Trip. Bold-faced
entries represent birds which I consider to be rare or of note.

1.    *Harlequin Duck*

2.    *Long-tailed Duck*

3.    Ring-necked Pheasant

4.    *Ruffed Grouse*

5.    *Spruce Grouse*

6.    *Sharp-tailed Grouse*

7.    Bald Eagle

8.    Northern Goshawk

9.    Rough-legged Hawk

10.  *Merlin*

11.  *Gyrfalcon*

12.  *Thayer's Gull*

13.  *Glaucous Gull*

14.  Great Black-backed Gull

15.  *Kumlien's [Iceland] Gull*

16.  *Slaty-backed Gull*

17.  Great Horned Owl

18.  *Snowy Owl*

19.  *Northern Hawk Owl*

20.  Barred Owl

21.  *Great Gray Owl*

22.  Northern Saw-whet Owl

23.  Hairy Woodpecker

24.  *American Three-toed Woodpecker*

25.  *Black-backed Woodpecker*

26.  Pileated Woodpecker

27.  Northern Shrike

28.  *Gray Jay*

29.  Common Raven

30.  *Boreal Chickadee*

31.  Red-breasted Nuthatch

32.  *Bohemian Waxwing*

33.  Snow Bunting

34.  *Pine Grosbeak*

35.  *Purple Finch*

36.  *Red Crossbill*

37.  *White-winged Crossbill*

38.  *Common Redpoll*

39.  *Hoary Redpoll*

40.  Pine Siskin

41.   *Evening Grosbeak*