A GORP Content Partner
Adapted from
Birding Minnesota
by Jay Michael Strangis
Birding the Twin Cities
Habitat around urban Minnesota
"While our way of life has changed, there is within us a feel for the land and what it used to be . . . "
-- Sigurd Olson, Minnesota Conservationist
Few cities can claim the rich habitats or abundance of bird life seen in Minneapolis and St. Paul. With the exception of the regional parks, it would be generous to say that farsighted planning accounts entirely for this phenomenon. In truth, the nature of the Twin Cities lakes, marshes, and river floodplains has denied easy development of many parcels, preserving thousands of acres of "wild islands" that support not only birds, but also a wide variety of mammals such as deer, fox, raccoon, coyote, badger, beaver, mink, muskrat, skunk, and many more.
It is not just marginal land, however, that attracts birds to the metropolitan area. Some of the best birding areas were set aside for other purposes. Golf courses, wildflower gardens, parkways, and even Native American burial mounds contribute to the urban "wilderness" that makes the Twin Cities such a wonderful place to live or visit.
Examples of some of the country's best metropolitan area planning can be found in the Hennepin County Park Reserve System, where six large parks, from 1,000 to 5,300 acres in size, are managed to preserve 80 percent of the total acreage in its natural state. Large preserves or set-asides can also be found in the other seven metropolitan counties, in addition to three state parks and one national wildlife refuge.
Twin Cities Northwest
Habitats: Urban, agricultural, big woods, oak savannah, old field, lake, marsh, riparian
Key birds: Western Grebe, Trumpeter Swan, Cooper's Hawk, Whip-poor-will, Bobolink, Clay-colored and Lark Sparrows
Best times to bird: April-May; August-September
Don't miss: Eloise Butler Wildflower Gardens, Wolsfeld WoodsGeneral information:
Hennepin County was named to honor Louis Hennepin (or Father Hennepin, as he has become known), a Franciscan missionary and one of the first European explorers to visit the area. In 1680, Hennepin named the broad St. Anthony waterfalls of the Mississippi River, on the north side of what is now downtown Minneapolis, in honor of his patron saint, St. Anthony of Padua.Actually, the falls Hennepin saw were about a mile farther downstream, but a slow, upstream erosion of the soft limestone riverbed moved the falls (at a rate of about 4 feet per year) to their present location, extending the beautiful, wooded river gorge that winds down to Fort Snelling and separates south Minneapolis from St. Paul. The University of Minnesota/Minneapolis campus straddles this part of the river. During settlement, the falls were diverted and modified to power lumber and flour mills, so that today they scarcely resemble the wild and beautiful vista Hennepin witnessed, although you can still see them where Hennepin Avenue crosses the river downtown.
The southern portion of the Twin Cities Northwest contains hills and pockets of lakes formed by glacial ice during the Pleistocene, or Ice Age, a little more than ten thousand years ago--truly some of the most picturesque land in Minnesota. Examples of these landforms can be seen north of State Highway 12, west of the village of Wayzata. Lake Rebecca Park Reserve, Baker Park Reserve, and the Wolsfeld Woods areas are prime examples of this glacial moraine. The rich, black topsoil of this area supported the maple/basswood forest of the "big woods" before settlers realized the soil's value and cleared most of the woodlands for agriculture.
The relatively flat Osseo, Brooklyn Park, and Champlin areas bear the influence of the ancient outwash of the Mississippi River, where potatoes have been grown; more recently sod farms and housing tracts have claimed the land. A distinct feature of this glacial outwash is the Anoka Sand Plain, a large area whose eastern edge surrounds the Mississippi River near the town of Anoka and extends toward the St. Croix River. The poor, dry soils of the sand plain offer scant support for vegetation, producing scrub grassland and stunted oak forests. Bunker Hills Regional Park provides a prime example of sand plain habitat, and the patterns of dunes can be seen surrounding Bunker Lake.
Birding information:
The northwestern portion of the Twin Cities offers the best birding during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Spring offers the highest number of species, including abundant waterfowl about the time when the ice leaves local lakes (the first week of April in most years), and excellent warbler migrations in May. Summer features resident nesting birds, including Trumpeter Swans in western Hennepin County; good southward migrations of shorebirds begin as early as late July and continue into September. Early fall witnesses many southward migrants and spectacular colors, particularly in the sugar maple woods of southwestern Hennepin County.Twin Cities residents love to feed winter birds, attracting common visitors such as Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, and Pine Siskin, and occasionally such interesting species as Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Redpoll, House Finch, and the opportunistic Northern Shrikes, which prey on the smaller birds. The feeders maintained by metropolitan county parks are good places for birders to drop in.
Hennepin County claims more species than any of the seven metro area counties, with some 335 regulars, casuals, and accidentals; unusual birds such as Swallow-tailed Kite, Clark's Nutcracker, and Kirtland's Warbler have been sighted over the years.
One of the gems of the Minneapolis Park System, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary's mature hardwoods attract a dependable crop of migrating warblers each early May. Trails are short and comfortable in the 20-acre park named for its former curator, and the array of native plants is spectacular, especially in spring. Be sure to check the exhibits at the cabin known as the Crone Shelter, and the bird feeders outside the cabin for a good selection of common woodland bird species. The park rests in the larger, semi-wooded Wirth Parkway, which includes beautiful stands of mature woodlands and good birding.
A few miles west and northwest is Clifton E. French Regional Park, a 362-acre parcel at the north end of Medicine Lake. Unusual species such as the Yellow-breasted Chat have been observed here. The park primarily serves swimmers, boaters, and picnickers, but hiking trails are available. A sizable inlet of the lake invades the park's boundaries and wooded areas seem to attract a number of interesting birds. Check the marshes for Great Egret, American and Least Bittern, and waterfowl, and the woodlands for any number of common resident forest species. Medicine Lake itself is large enough to attract unusual gulls and waterfowl.
By following County 9 west to Highway 55, then west again to Pinto Lane, you can make a quick stop at the Hamel Sewage Pond, just a short hike south of Hamel Drive. During spring and early autumn many shorebirds may be sighted, and the opportunity for a rare sighting is always possible.
Farther northeast, just across the Mississippi River in the city of Fridley, you'll find another small Twin Cities gem, Manomin Park, about a mile north of 694 on East River Road where Rice Creek crosses under the roadway. A stop here during spring, summer, or fall is highly recommended. Park at the historic Banfill Tavern lot just south of Rice Creek, or in a small lot on the first street north of the creek. Although the park occupies only 15 acres, the creek, quaint trails, and shoreline of the Mississippi River make it an attractive setting. The park rests within a miles-long belt of riverside residential woodlands, just below a Girl Scout camp (to the north). In addition to songbirds, resident
Osprey can be observed fishing this shallow stretch of river and Bald Eagles can occasionally be seen. The woods host Great Horned, Barred, and Screech-Owls and Pileated Woodpeckers.
By traveling north on East River Road, then turning right on County 11 (Foley Boulevard), you can easily reach Bunker Hills Regional Park, an area of tallgrass prairie and oak savannah typical of the Anoka Sand Plain. Lark Sparrow and Dickcissel can be found here, as well as Whip-poor-will, Upland Sandpiper, and an occasional Sandhill Crane. Wet areas support American Woodcock, and the 61-acre lake hosts a variety of waterfowl species during migration. You may want to start your birding in the woodlands adjacent to the archery range.
Across the Mississippi River, just northwest of the city of Osseo, you'll find Elm Creek Park Reserve, the largest of the Hennepin County reserves, though perhaps not the most scenic of the group. Three streams, five lakes, and a number of wetlands enhance the park's bird populations, supporting a rookery of Great Blue Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, and Great Egrets in the treetops near the intersection of Elm and Rush creeks. The area was intensively farmed at one time, and old fields make up much of the landscape, although the Taylor's Woods area contains a remnant maple/basswood forest. Bobolink and Clay-colored Sparrows nest here, and Acadian Flycatchers have been seen on occasion. Sandhill Cranes nest in the reserve, but their nesting areas are closed to visitors. Start with a visit to the Eastman Nature Center and proceed along any of the almost 15 miles of marked trails, especially those that offer a mix of upland and wetland habitats.
Just down the road from Elm Creek you'll find French Lake and Diamond Lake, two bodies of water that for some reason attract Western Grebes--the farthest east you'll find this species in the United States. The big grebes occur in no small numbers. During a nesting season survey in 1993, 232 Western Grebes were counted on French Lake. Both French and Diamond lakes have also been known to attract Red-necked Grebes and Eared Grebes in addition to some interesting waterfowl during migration periods.
A few miles northwest of the park reserve is the Rogers Sewage Pond, on 137th Avenue, a spot worth checking for migrant shorebirds during April and between mid-July and the end of September.
A few miles west of Rogers, you'll find Crow Hassen Park Reserve, a 2,600-acre preserve bordering the Crow River. One-fourth of the park has been restored to prairie habitat, featuring many of the native grasses, forbs, and wildflowers that brushed the sides of settlers' carts. Crow Hassen hosts some of the region's reintroduced Trumpeter Swans; its marshes, old fields, brushland, and riparian habitats offer a good variety of bird species and extensive viewing trails. Cooper's Hawks are regularly seen here, and the prairies should produce sightings of Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows.
Farther south, Lake Rebecca Park Reserve also rests along the slow-moving Crow River. This may be the most convenient area in the state to view Trumpeter Swans. Check the overlooks on the west side of the lake. The 290-acre lake and its adjoining marshes attract waterfowl, including Double-crested Cormorant, Ruddy Duck, and Green-winged Teal and a variety of wading birds. Osprey have nested here in recent years.
Both the Lake Rebecca area and Baker Park Reserve, to the east, offer good examples of glacial moraine, the hilly terrain dotted with lakes and marshes formed in the last Ice Age. If you visit Baker you may want to take time for a swim at the natural sand beach on Lake Independence after taking a hike around the tamarack bog in the park's southeast corner.
Trumpeter Swans can be seen in Baker, and the many wetlands support rails, bitterns, Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat, and a variety of flycatchers, hawks, and sparrows. While you're in the area, visit the Loretto Sewage Pond just south of the railroad tracks one-fifth mile east of town to check for shorebirds in spring and fall.
One of the best examples of remnant "big woods" in the state can be witnessed at Wolsfeld Woods, at the intersection of Brown Road and County 6. This 185-acre maple/basswood forest was part of farmland settled in 1855 by three brothers of the same name. Maples were spared for the sugar they produced and some of the virgin trees here are among the largest in the state. The site is designated as a Scientific and Natural Area, set aside to protect and perpetuate its exceptional features. Many of the forest plants flower in early spring before the dense forest canopy has grown closed. Summer offers a chance to see and hear resident nesting birds of this climax forest. Park in the northeast corner of the Trinity Lutheran Church parking lot to reach the entrance trail.
Additional Information
Minnesota Highway Map location: J/16; Metro V-w/24-26
Hazards: Mosquitos, poison ivy
Camping: Baker Park Reserve, Bunker Hills Regional Park
Land ownership: City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Anoka County
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days
(Parks may require a daily or seasonal vehicle pass for a nominal fee.)Hennepin Parks
12615 County 9
Plymouth, MN 55441-1248
(612) 559-9000.
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