A Lovely Spring Morning at Frog Bay Tribal National Park

Photos & narrative provided by Neil Howk.

On Sunday May 11, Ted May from the Chequamegon Audubon Society led a group of ten hikers and birdwatchers on a beautiful walk through the Frog Bay Tribal National Park. The 175-acre park features a large tract of boreal forest, the mouth of Frog Creek, and almost 4000 feet of Lake Superior shoreline. 

Ted started the walk on the footbridge spanning a large ravine where we heard Black-throated green warblers and Ovenbirds singing in the trees.

​Then the group proceeded to the “Easy Trail”, a 0.4 mile walk down an old roadbed leading to the beach. This path through the boreal forest quickly provided a feast for our eyes and ears. 

Ted May kicking off the bird walk.

Look up! What is that bird?

Look down! The Merlin app will ID that birdsong!

We heard white-throated sparrows, black-capped chickadees, blue-headed vireos, black-throated green warblers, black-and-white warblers, a Magnolia warbler, and a special treat, a black-throated blue warbler. 

Since the deciduous trees along the trail were just starting to leaf out, we had some good opportunities to view these colorful little birds. The black-throated blue warbler was kind enough to pose for several minutes in the lower branches of a tree near the trail where even the hikers without binoculars were able to get a good look at him.

Upon reaching the beach, the hikers enjoyed a view of five of the Apostle Islands…Bear, Oak, Stockton, Hermit, and Michigan. They also saw a pair of bald eagles and a sharp-shinned hawk. ​

People of all ages can enjoy birding!

Lake Superior forms a barrier to hawks flying north on their spring migration. Upon reaching the lake, hawks follow the shoreline to the west end of the lake before continuing their journey to the north. 

After walking the beach, a few of the hikers hung out longer on the beach and returned to their cars on the Easy Trail, while Ted led the others on the longer trail back to the trailhead. 
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The one-mile Ravine Trail provided a bit more challenging hike through the park’s forests and ravines filled with large hemlock and a mix of birch, pine, cedar and other trees through the ravines.

By the end of the hike, the group saw and/or heard 20 different species of birds on this fine, early spring day!

Big roots for a BIG TREE!