Category Archives: Uncategorized

I’m not a Black-capped Chickadee! I only migrate through Minnesota on my way to my breeding grounds in Canada. Look at my pretty bright orange feet and legs – that’s a distinctive field mark in the spring. Next fall I … Continue reading →

The songbirds are coming back in droves now! The White-throated Sparrows showed up yesterday, and this morning, the air is filled with their beautiful song. I like to say that this bird is ubiquitous to Crane Lake – they are … Continue reading →

The Eastern Phoebe is the first “flycatcher” to arrive at Crane Lake. The flycatcher family is a large one and as their name indicates, they mainly eat insects. Phoebes are pretty common at Crane Lake and they stay for the … Continue reading →

Right behind the Fox Sparrows and Juncos, the Song Sparrow makes an appearance. They have a pretty little song, and in my opinion, a good name! The Song Sparrow has a highly variable song that depends on their location – … Continue reading →

The Fox Sparrow is a rather large Sparrow and unfortunately, this bird only visits Crane Lake on its’ way to Canada for the summer. This bird is a beautiful reddish brown, like a Red Fox, and they also have a … Continue reading →

Juncos have moved into the neighborhood. Most Juncos will move through the area on their way to their breeding grounds in Canada. A few Juncos do stay to nest here, they can be found out in the boreal forest near … Continue reading →

The pair that nests at the Voyageur statue pond have returned from their southern wintering grounds. They are late this year – usually they have returned by April 15th. They will have to get busy!  

Many waterfowl are anxiously awaiting open water. One bird that can’t wait for open water is the Trumpeter Swan. The Trumpeters will return to defend their nesting site. Often times the water will still be frozen ice and the mated … Continue reading →

Another early arriver is the Common Grackle. Their raucous behavior is exemplified in the Spring when love is in the air. Their iridescent feathers stand out in the right lighting conditions. An interesting tidbit about the Common Grackle is that … Continue reading →

One of the first songbirds to return to the north is the Red-winged Blackbird. Many will come in to feeders when they first get back. This year, not many insects have hatched out and many of their ponds and sloughs … Continue reading →