This annual field trip started in 1999, and offers the best opportunities in the state to see Parasitic Jaegers and other uncommon to rare birds – and really, anything is possible at that time of year on Wisconsin Point! The name, “Jaegerfest,” started out as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the numerous sightings of jaegers that we were getting every year, but it’s really not a festival in any way! Often spotted are Lesser Black-backed, Bonaparte’s and Franklin’s Gulls, but we sometimes see Sabine’s Gulls as well. Other rare gulls have included Laughing, Iceland and Glaucous-winged Gulls, as well as Black-legged Kittiwake. Long-tailed and Pomarine Jaegers are rare, but have been spotted on several occasions. Shorebirds are irregular, but Sanderling, American Golden-Plover, Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone and other sandpipers are possible. Raptors like Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon and Northern Harrier are often observed. The trees along Wisconsin Point often host a nice variety of warblers, sparrows (including Harris’s), vireos, thrushes, etc. We typically begin gathering by around 6:30 or 7:00 am each morning at the first beach parking area (Lot #1) along Moccasin Mike Road, which leads to Wisconsin Point. Weather plays an integral part in birding this area, as does the wind direction. Prepare for the possibility of all types of conditions on Lake Superior– anything from calm, warm and sunny weather to windy, wet and/or cold conditions. Participants often pack a cooler for lunches, and may want to bring old bread, buns, etc. for “chumming” for gulls. If you are staying in a motel, make sure you book your reservation early! Some campgrounds are available in the Superior area.

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