Judd Brink is a local guide and naturalist who provides a weekly birding report during the spring bird migration, the summer nesting season, and the fall bird migration for Visit Brainerd. This is the 11th season Judd has provided birding reports about the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Birds Spotted in the Brainerd Area:

Birds recently spotted in the Brainerd Area include: Black and White Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Pine Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Clay-colored Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Sedge Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Great-blue Heron, Green Heron, Sandhill Crane, Trumpeter Swan, Common Loon, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Woodduck, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Redhead, Ring-billed Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Northern Oriole, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, WIld Turkey, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Great-crested Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Common Raven. Happy Birding! If you want to share a photo or have a unique bird sighting please email them to info@birdminnesota.com.

Summer Birding Locations:
  • French Rapids ( Mississippi River): Waterfowl
  • Kiwanis/Rotary Park (Mississippi River): Waterfowl and Warblers
  • Northland Arboretum: Sparrows, Warblers and Tanagers
  • Crow Wing State Park: Songbirds, Waterfowl and Warbler
  • Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: NOW see migrating Sandhill Cranes.
Tips for Attracting Birds:
Here are a few ideas on what you can do to help attract birds. This is still a good time to think about native plantings that can provide fruits, cover, nesting and shelter. It’s still bear season in the area with numerous reports of them coming to feeders. It’s best to keep your seed inside (garage or shed). Please bring in feeders each evening or possibly leave them empty for a while until the bear leaves the area. Do NOT contact the DNR; they are going to tell you the same thing. You might also start to notice less activity at the feeders, this is common as the birds are now using their natural food sources.
Judd Brink is the owner of MN Backyard Birds and can help make your home and or business more active and attractive for our feathered friends with bird scaping! We hope you can share the joy of watching birds from your home or with others when visiting one of the many great birding areas found in the Brainerd lakes.