Breeding Bird Inventory of the St. Louis River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, 1999

Abstract

An inventory of breeding birds associated with wetlands and upland habitats in the St. Louis River system from Duluth and Superior to Jay Cooke State Park was completed during the summer of 1999. A total of 39 wetland areas, each a minimum size of 1 hectare, and 9 forest areas consisting of a total of 79 point samples, were inventoried. Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, and Yellow Warbler (in rank order of decreasing abundance) were the most common species observed in the wetlands. Red-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, White-throated Sparrow, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Song Sparrow, Veery, and Yellow Warbler (also in rank order) were the most common species observed in the upland habitats. Colonial nesting birds within the St. Louis River system include the Ring-billed Gull (12,343 nests, Pearson 1999), Herring Gull (13 nests, Pearson 1999), Common Tern (215 nests, Pearson 1999), and Great Blue Heron (14 nests). Species of interest to The Nature Conservancy (Ewert 1999) that were found in the inventory included the following: primary focus species included Peregrine Falcon (1 occasional individual), Bald Eagle (frequently observed, one possible nesting pair in Jay Cooke State Park), Sedge Wren (15), Wood Thrush (2), and Black-and-White Warbler (16). Secondary focus species of interest that were observed include Wood Duck (5), Black-billed Cuckoo (3), Belted Kingfisher (7), Eastern Wood Pewee (14), Least Flycatcher (25), Marsh Wren (18), Veery (72), Brown Thrasher (3), Warbling Vireo (12), Chestnut-sided Warbler (26), Black-throated Green Warbler (14), Mourning Warbler (16), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (8), Clay-colored Sparrow (11), Baltimore Oriole (1 ), and Purple Finch (1 ). The following species of primary focus have historically been found in the area, but none were observed in 1999: American Bittern, Piping Plover, and Black Tern. Of the primary focus species, the Sedge Wren is found in highest densities in the sedge/grass wetlands in Allouez Bay, the Oliver Bridge area, and at Boy Scout Landing. These areas, along with Spirit and Mud Lake would also provide potentially excellent habitat for American Bittern and, especially Allouez Bay, for the Black Tern where the species has historically nested. The primary focus species associated with forests were found in highest abundance in the forested regions on the Wisconsin side of the St. Louis River system and in scattered locations in Fond du Lac. High relative abundance for many of these species would also be found in the Jay Cooke State Park area which was not sampled because of the limited time and it is already a protected area. For the secondary focus species, the Marsh Wren was found in highest abundance in the Spirit and Mud Lake areas where extensive patches of cattail wetlands are found. The forest associated species that were identified as secondary focus species were also found most abundantly in the forested regions on the Wi~consin side of the river, Fond du Lac, and they would also be found commonly at Jay Cooke State Park. Clay-colored Sparrows were found commonly in the brush/grass open areas on the Wisconsin side of the river where the Bong Bridge enters Superior.