|
Web Links
| |
|
Birding in
Rochester, MN
(Olmsted County) |
|
by Bob Ekblad
|
| 1 |
Silver Lake |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: North from the city center area
on Broadway (Hwy 63). Right on 7th st and then left on West Silver Lake
Dr. Turn into the parking lot right after passing the fire station
. |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
|
| Primary Species: Canada Goose and other waterfowl |
|
|
|
Silver Lake is excellent in winter and early spring for viewing waterfowl.
The lake stays open all winter and is about the only place in the county
that early migrants can find open water. In early spring the lake can be
loaded with several species of puddle and diving ducks in addition to grebes
and an occasional Common Loon. You may have to look around or sort through
the multitudes of Canada Geese (they peak at about 30,000 in the fall and
several thousand will stay through the winter) or you can time your visit
when the geese are out feeding in the local countryside. During migration
both phases of the Snow Goose and an occasional White-fronted Goose or Tundra
Swan will stop in. Once in a while the more rare Ross's Goose will also make
an appearance. In 1995 a family of unbanded Trumpeter Swans made an
appearance on the lake.
In the winter you can expect to find Common Goldeneye in addition
to the regular contingent of Mallards. In the summer just about the
only duck you will find is Mallard. You may be able to pick out a
Black Duck or two in any season, but they are becoming more difficult to
find. Other migratory duck species include most of the regular Minnesota
species (exceptions are Cinnamon Teal, Harlequin Duck, Oldsquaw, and the
scoters).
|
| 2 |
Quarry Hill Park
(& Nature Center) |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: East from Rochester on Hwy 14.
Left (north) onto East Circle Drive (Cty 22). Straight (crossing Cty
9) at the stoplight and then left into the park after crossing the railroad
tracks. |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
-- |
| Primary Species: Warblers, thrushes, sparrows |
.
|
|
|
Quarry Hill Park and the Nature Center are located on
the eastern edge of Rochester. The park is excellent for migrating sparrows,
warblers, thrushes, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, and most of
the usual birds that frequent the feeders, often including winter appearances
by Purple Finches and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Cedar Waxwings can be
found year round. Barred Owls can often be seen in the area around
the nature center. Occassionally a Northern Saw-whet Owl might also
be spotted in the winter in the planted evergreen area to the north and east
of the park. |
|
The west side access to Quarry Hill park can be reached
by taking 9th St NE going east off 11th Avenue. There is a parking
area and picnic shelter (with restrooms) at this location. There are
several trails that offer good access to varied habitat, including through
the old quarry area. A paved trail that connects the two entrances to the
park is a good spot to bird, but you will also want to walk some of the other
trails that head north from the Nature Center or go up into and north of
the quarry. |
.
|
|
|
| 3 |
DNR Headquarters |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: East from Rochester on Hwy 14.
Left (north) onto East Circle Drive (Cty 22). Left onto Cty 9 at the
stoplight. Take the first right (just before the soccer fields) and then turn
right again to enter the DNR SE Region headquarters parking area. |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
-- |
| Primary Species: Sparrows |
.
|
|
|
The land east of the DNR headquarters buildings includes a grassy
field that is good for sparrows - including White-crowned and Harris's.
In 1996, a Great Gray Owl was found here that was one of several birds that
invaded well south of their range due to iced over snowcover up north.
The area is also accessible from East Circle Drive but parking is probably
safer at the DNR. |
| 4 |
Downtown |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: From the city center of Broadway
(Hwy 63) and 2nd St SW proceed a whole block to the Mayo Clinic and Plummer
buildings. |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
-- |
| Primary Species: Peregrin Falcon |
|
|
|
The downtown City Center may not sound like a premier birding location,
but it can be if you look up high in the sky around the taller buildings
in the area. You may only see pigeons and starlings, but, if you are lucky,
you may spot one of the Peregrine Falcons that hang around in this area.
There is a hack box located high up on the south side of the Plummer building
(the older ornate one to the east of the big white Mayo Clinic building).
Peregrines were released here for several years until the population got
on a bit more secure footing. If you are here in the spring, you might even
want to stop in at the subway level of the Mayo building or the lobby of
the Methodist Hospital and check out the TV monitor to watch the peregrines
taking advantage of the hack box (maybe with some young). |
| 5 |
Plummer House |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: South from the city center on Broadway.
Turn right onto 4th St SW (after the fire station) and proceed west.
Left on 10th Ave SW (don't drive into the St Marys Hospital campus).
Then right on 6th St SW at the stop sign. Make a left on 12th Ave
and then proceed straight through the 5way intersection onto Plummer Circle.
Take Plummer Lane to the Plummer House about half way around the loop |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
-- |
| Primary Species: Warblers, kinglets, thrushes,
sparrows |
|
|
|
The Plummer House is located at the top of the hill just north of
Apache Mall. The gardens around the Plummer House are excellent for migrants,
including Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets as well as sparrows, thrushes
(Hermit, Swainson's, Gray-cheeked, and Veery) and warblers. You can wander
the trails that take you through the garden areas as well as the more
natural areas on the hillside. A Black-throated Blue Warbler was found
here in the fall of 1998. |
| 6 |
2nd St Ponds |
Go To Top
|
|
| Directions: From the city center of Broadway
(Hwy 63) and 2nd St SW proceed west on 2nd St. Cross over Hwy 52 and
continue west to the Mayo Clinic employee's parking area (on the right).
The ponds are viewable from this area. |
Seasonal Ratings:
| Spring |
|
|
| Summer |
|
|
| Fall |
|
|
| Winter |
|
|
-- |
| Primary Species: Waterfowl |
. |
|
|
The gravel pit ponds north of 2nd Street (County 34) and south of
Hwy 52 are good for waterfowl in the spring and fall. There are several different
ponds and each has a different access. One pond is best viewed from
the Mayo Clinic Employees surface parking lot on 2nd street. The pond further
west can be viewed from the shoulder of 2nd street or from the housing developments
on the east and west sides of the pond. A third (and largest) pond can
be viewed from the street that runs along its northern edge (accessed via
West Circle Drive - go east and then north). The pond on the north side
of the gravel pit complex is only viewable from Hwy 14 as you head east toward
Rochester from the business area where TradeMart is located. You can
pull off of the road near the east end of the pond but you will need to walk
over to the shoreline in order to view the west end of this pond. This
pond is usually the best of all of them because there appears to be food
available in it (the others tend to be resting locations with minimal food
source). Several species of waterfowl were present here during the
Christmas Bird Count in 2001, including a pair of Long-tailed Ducks (very
rare for the county). There are also a few additional ponds along the
south and east part of the gravel pit complex that can be viewed by driving
north of the large condos and retirement centers. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
BOC
Home |
BOC
NW |
BOC
SW |
GoTo
Top |
BOC
NE |
BOC
SE |
|
