[mou] Lake Superior Boat Trip

[Michael Hendrickson]

Hello:

I am offering a birding boat tour on September 20th on the LL Smith research vessel owned by the University of Wisconsin Superior. This is NOT a money making field trip I am offering but trying to get some birders to board with us as we search the western end of Lake Superior for odd gulls and jaegers.  Last year we cruised near a Parasitic Jaeger and had some nice views of a Greater and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the breakwall of the Superior Entry.  We chum the gulls with popcorn and have them follow us and we look for any odd gulls or terns that fly by us.  Anything is possible on these boat trips as we also had a Red Phalarope about 3 miles out from shore feeding on the water.  

We start in the Duluth harbor at 8am and arrive back in the Duluth harbor at 12pm.  The boat fee is $560.00 for the 4 hour tour and the boat can hold as many 30 birders.  I thought it was 20 in my last post but after talking to Capt. Dan Rau its 30, so that is good news as the cost for each birder will be roughly $19.00 and if we only have 20 the cost will be roughly $30 per birder.  I have to have at least 20 birders for this boat trip or I will have to cancel the boat trip.  So far I have 10 birders and I need 10 more to go. I would prefer to keep the cost down so I would love to get 20 more.

The only items you need is warm clothing and binoculars.

I know there is a WSO field trip that weekend so I am offering any WSO birders a chance to take advantage of this field trip. If the weather is foul the trip will be cancelled. I collect the field trip fee prior to boarding the boat.  I will be offering myself for free to go out and bird Park Pt and Wisc Pt and look from shore any odd gull, tern or jaeger if the weather cancels the field trip.  That way the trip to Duluth isn't a total waste of time as there are birds to be found on rainy days during migration.

Also there is a Hawk Ridge Weekend and I ask that Wisconsin birders make a trip to the ridge to view the raptors and check out all the merchandise for sale.  So a quick boat trip in the morning and hawks in the afternoon or go back and rejoin the field trip at Wisconsin Point.  There are a lot of opportunities for birders on September 20th and with all these birders in the area you know something good will be found.

If you are interested in the boat trips please reply to this email and ask to have your name added to the list.

Mike Hendrickson

Mike Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/


      
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