(Posted by Janet C. Green <jgr...@d.umn.edu> via moumn.org) Weather event of snow, sleet, fog, freezing rain led to a massive reverse migration low and close to shore of Lake Superior at London Rd. 40th Ave. E. Estimate of at least 10, 000 birds per hour from morning thru afternoon. It was too low to be picked up by the radar at the Duluth Airport at the top of the hill. We watched from our apartment (Ecumen Lakeshore) which sits close to the Lake, and the flow of birds past our large picture windows, going from east to west into the fog, was mesmerizing.
We (John, Martha - daughter) guessed about 50 to 100,000 total for the day. Species were mostly blackbirds (Rusty BB and grackles dominate), finches, sparrows, robins, flickers, warblers (YRWA), other passerines. Identification when one bird would perch momentarily in small tree at the water's edge. I have been living and birding the North Shore since the 1960's, and seen lots of reverse migration in the spring but never before at this magnitude. Jan Green ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
