Field Trips
FIELD TRIPS
Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve - Owl Banding Tour
Hawk Ridge annually bands an average of 1,200+ owls each fall migration! Our two most commonly banded owls are Northern Saw-whet and Long-eared Owls. On this trip a small group will visit the Hawk Ridge Owl Banding station at the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve (15 min from hotel). The Hawk Ridge Naturalist-led program will shine a light onto the mysterious nature of the nocturnal migrants flying over Hawk Ridge. Participants will learn about the research methods being used to study owl activity at Hawk Ridge, as well as how to identify many of the species that can be observed in Northern Minnesota by sight and sound. Depending on the night and weather pending, the program will last roughly 1 hour and could involve watching the banding of live owls, their release back to the wild, and certainly the opportunity to learn much more about the owls found in our area, as well as those migrating through. About 15 minutes from downtown Duluth.
Dates: Monday, October 26th; Tuesday, October 27th; Saturday, October 31st
Times: 7-8:45 PM or 8:30-10 PM
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel - be there 10-15 min prior)
Cost: $50
Max participants: 12
Special Notes: The pathway back to the banding station is level and wood chipped, but there still can be a few rocks and roots to be aware of. Be sure to dress in warm layers, as it’s generally cold in late October.
Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve - Hawkwatch & Education
Visit the renowned Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve - the site of the HRBO fall migration count & banding research! Accessible by a well maintained roadway, we will be able to park directly at the overlook area and hawkwatch for several hours. October is a great month for some of the larger migrants, such as Golden and Bald Eagles, Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, and American Goshawks. Hawk Ridge naturalists will be onsite to offer interpretation and education on the migration, as well as a chance to see live raptors during their bird education demonstrations. About 15 minutes from downtown Duluth.
Dates: Tuesday, October 27th; Saturday, October 31st
Times: Shuttle departs hourly from hotel 10am - 3pm; Last shuttle back to the hotel departs at 3:45pm (if full, final pick–up 4:15pm)
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel - be there 10-15 min prior)
Cost: $15
Special Notes: Dress appropriately as late October weather can be cold, especially during northwest winds; however, those winds also tend to promote some of the largest late-season raptor flights! Shuttle schedule will be arranged to have trips to and from the hotel hourly. Departure back to hotel from Hawk Ridge about 15 min after each hour.
Sax-Zim Bog - Birding the Bog Trip
The Sax-Zim Bog is a world-renowned birding location, covering a vast area over 147,000 acres, located approximately 50 miles northwest of Duluth. This ecosystem contains a patchwork of habitats that supports a great diversity of breeding birds in the summer and is important wintering and stopover habitat during migration. Fall in the Sax-Zim Bog showcases the arrival of northern species, like Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, Rough-legged Hawk, and Common Redpolls, along with the ever present Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Boreal Chickadee. This field trip will cover a lot of ground during the day, with much of the birding done from along boardwalks or the side of the road. Other resident species like Canada Jay, Black-billed Magpie, Evening Grosbeak, and Ruffed Grouse are likely, with wintering species like Red and White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, and other migrating raptors possible at this time. Approximately 45 minutes north of Duluth.
Dates: Tuesday, October 27th; Saturday, October 31st
Times: 7:00AM-4:00PM (full-day trip)
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel - be there 10-15 min prior)
Cost: $150 (box lunch provided)
Max participants: 20
Special Notes: Tour in conjunction with Friends of Sax-Zim Bog and their work to preserve the amazing ecosystems in the bog.
In Search of Northern Specialties - North Shore Birding
Northern Minnesota is renowned for a rich variety of diverse boreal forest bird species. On this expedition along the north shore of Lake Superior, we will travel a stretch between Duluth and Two Harbors. A morning stop at Stoney Point along the shore could provide an excellent opportunity to take in visual migration of both raptor and non-raptor bird species, while scans of the lake along this entire route could also yield an interesting mix of migratory waterbirds, from loons to ducks. This trip may also include short jaunts inland, to more forested areas, depending on where certain boreal species of interest have been recently reported. Possible boreal species of interest could include: Bohemian Waxwings, Black-backed Woodpeckers, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Northern Shrike, Red and White-winged Crossbills, Townsend’s Solitaire, Spruce Grouse, and others. Approximately 30 minutes north of Duluth.
Dates: Tuesday, October 27th
Times: 7:00AM-12:00PM (half-day trip)
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel -
be there 10-15min prior)
Cost: $100
Max. Participants: 10-12
Special Notes: Dress appropriately, as late October weather can be cold
The Arctic Riviera - Wisconsin & Minnesota Points
The presence of Lake Superior provides a ready stop-off or wintering locations for a number of Arctic water dwellers. Formed by the nearby St. Louis River, the combined Wisconsin and Minnesota Points are a ten mile natural sandpit (the longest freshwater bay sandbar in the world!) separated by Superior Entry - the only natural opening through it. Over the morning, there will be several opportunities to stop and scan Lake Superior, Duluth Harbor, and Allouez Bay while enjoying scenic vistas of the Duluth cityscape and historic Wisconsin Point Lighthouse (built in 1913). This unique topography provides both stopover and wintering habitat for a diverse array of migrant birds, including migratory Arctic-dwelling waterbirds and large mixed gull flocks later into the fall. At this time of year, there are exciting opportunities to search for high-latitude visitors finding refuge on the bays and lake that could include: a mix of loon species (Red-throated, Pacific, and Yellow-billed), several scoter (White-winged, Surf, and Black) and duck (Harlequin, Long-tailed, Common Eider) species, as well as scanning large gull flocks for other interesting species (Glaucous, Iceland, Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, Black-legged Kittiwake) that could potentially be mixed in. With diverse forested habitat along the Point as well, there will be opportunities to search for other interesting late fall migrants that may still be lingering.
Date: Saturday, October 31st
Times: 7:00AM-12:00PM (half-day trip)
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel - be there 10-15 min prior)
Cost: $100
Max participants: 10-12
Special Notes: For this trip, we will begin with a brief drive across the bridge from Duluth into Superior, Wisconsin and work our way towards the northern end of Wisconsin Point. This will likely be a mix of birding from a parked vehicle on paved roadway, as well as opportunities to park and walk on well established boardwalks along the lakeside of the Point, providing access to scan the waters throughout the entire three mile stretch.
Learn to Curl - Duluth Curling Club
Come to one of America’s premier curling facilities (home to 2018 Olympic gold medal men’s curling team and 2026 Olympic Mixed Doubles silver medalists Cory and Korey) and learn a unique and fun winter sport. The Duluth Curling Club is a full service curling facility located in downtown Duluth at the DECC in North Pioneer Hall. Less than 1 mile from hotel - 15 min walk/Skywalk or transportation provided leaving from the hotel.
Date: Saturday, October 31st
Times: 10:45AM-1:00PM
Transportation: Shuttle Bus (departs from hotel - be there 10-15 min prior)
Cost: $50
Max participants: 16
Special Notes: Indoor ice, bring clean pair of shoes, comfortable clothing (stretchy pants like joggers/leggings are helpful)
