birding MN, rare bird sightings on peaceful Dixon lake

Innkeepers
Kathryn & Lyle Wallentine
50917 East Dixon Lake Rd.
Squaw Lake, MN. 56681
218-659-4797
stay@mylakeome.com
www.mylakeome.com

Loons on Dixon Lake

Our treasure...
Dixon Lake is home to three Loon families, we always have one pair and hopefully their young swimming in our bay.
In the spring and fall we treasure our visiting Trumpeter Swans here on the north end of Dixon Lake. Last fall we had 60 or more swans that showed up in September and stayed until December.

Our other pride is of course the Bald Eagle which can be seen just by sitting on our dock. Dixon lake has three eagles nests, two of which have been active with twins born in both nests in 2010. & 2011. In 2012 we had no chicks born on the lake, but the nest in the ski area had a pair of twins.

Innkeepers
Kathryn & Lyle Wallentine
50917 East Dixon Lake Rd.
Squaw Lake, MN. 56681
218-659-4797
stay@mylakeome.com
www.mylakeome.com

My Lake Home Bed and Breakfast | a Northern Minnesota Lakeside Inn.

NORTHERN MN BIRDING

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Chippewa NF eagles` A My Lake home Bed&Breakfast mascot

Eagles Nesting Photos 2013

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(3/21/13) I told my husband the eagles were nesting, He said" no way it's too early and cold, not to mention all the snow" Well I decided to prove it! I had been seeing eagles out on the Eagles nest trail for a couple weeks, so today I brought the camera out because yesterday they were sticking very close to the nest. What a show of great pictures I got. I am estimating that the eggs were laid on Thursday March 21st sometime after I skied. Yesterday I forgot the camera but they weren't leaving the area. Today I spent 2 hours out hiding under a tree photographing (they knew I was there) I have been staying off the Eagles nest trail as it goes directly under the tree with the nest. I do not want to take a chance on disturbing them to the point of abandonment.
It just doesn' get any better than this!

The best bird viewing is always in the early spring here at My lake Home B&B in Squaw Lake MN.

The last 2 summers we were very excited about our twin chicks (loons) in our secluded bay of Dixon Lake.
The Loon nest is very near the inn so more often than not the loons are out in front of the inn.

We also have 2 other pairs of loons on the lake. These loons did not produce any chicks last summer so we are feeling very lucky up on the north end of the lake.

indigo bunting

happy ending.
I heard a loud thump and it was that familiar sound of a bird hitting the window. Later I notice a beautiful bird crouched in my ferns. I put on my gloves and went to see if it was alive. He let me get close and even pick him up. He was a beautiful fellow with grey to brown body with white spots similar to a loon, he had yellow on his tail feathers and a beautiful red triangle on the nape of his neck. He had sort of a black beard and a very long pointed beak. I see these birds all the time flying away on roads especially in fall, but never close up and didn't realize how beautiful they really are. He survived the night in a cooler on our deck table ( safe from the dogs). In the morning when I went to check on him, he looked up at me with a thankful glance. When I came a little closer he flew off and there was that familiar white rump. Do you know who I'm describing?

Waterfowl...

Common Loon
Trumpeter Swans
Canada Goose
Northern Pintail
American Black Duck
Bufflehead
Common & Hoary Redpoll
Common Merganser
Grebe
Canvas Back
Redhead
Wood Duck
Teal
Mallard
Meganser

This is our Current list of sitings...

Common Loon
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Ring Billed & Herring Gulls
Downy Woodpecker
Verry
House Wren
Chipping Sparrow
Hairy Woodpecker
Cedar Waxwing
White-throated Sparrow
Common Goldeneye
Red Headed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Nashville Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco
Scarlet Tanager
Coopers Hawk
Shark Shinned Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Alder Flycatcher
Yellow Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
Blue Jay
Northern Parula
Red-winged Blackbird
Broad-winged Hawk
Gray Jay
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Evening Grosbeak
Common Raven
Black and White Warbler
American Gold Finch
Black-capped Chickadee
American Redstart
Pine Siskin
White-breasted Nuthatch
Common Yellowthroat
Purple Finch
Belted Kingfisher
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Wilson's Warbler
Northern Shrike
Merlin
Indigo Bunting
Snow Bunting
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Pileated Woodpecker
Double-crested Cormorant
Purple Martin
Eastern Bluebird
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Crow
Great Grey Owl
Yellow Headed Blackbird
Cowbird
Brown Creeper
Chimney Swift
Song Sparrow
Sandhill Crane

Ruffled Grouse