[mou] Upper Gunflint Trail Birds

[Naturalist]

There have been a lot of interesting bird sightings lately on the upper
Gunflint Trail.  Many of the winter birds have come in, and a few of the
summer birds still remain.

The most interesting sighting has been at the feeders outside the
naturalist office of Gunflint Lodge where I have seen an immature
red-winged blackbird for each of the last three days.  It had very
different plumage from either the male or female adults.  I was able to
make the identification from the orange-red coverts that showed only
when flying, the light superciliary line above the eye, the upward tail
flick which is used as a common response to human presence, and the
single note call.  The feathers were darker than the adult female, and
lighter than the adult male.  There were lighter lines going down the
back, and it was almost speckled on the breast.  I had another local
birder view this bird for confirmation.  It is the only bird of that
species that I have recently seen in the area.

Some of the other birds that have been regular visitors to the feeders
outside my office are; the pine grosbeak, evening grosbeak, black-capped
chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay,
gray jay, snow bunting, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, song
sparrow, and chipping sparrow.  I have also had frequent sighting of the
common raven flying over the south shore of Gunflint Lake.  About a week
and a half ago, I also had some pine siskins at my feeders.

A few days ago, I saw a black-backed woodpecker on the nearby Magnetic
Rock trail.  This trail seems to be the most consistant place to find
black-backed woodpeckers in the area.  Also, watch for moose and moose
sign on that trail, as I had one walk across the trail about sixty yards
in front of me relatively recently.

John Silliman
Gunflint Lodge Naturalist