Tom’s ‘Big Year’ – Summer Edition
Contributed by Tom Andersen, Landmark Board Member
The Siskiwit River here is a series of scenic falls and glides
Board Member Tom Andersen is an enthusiastic birder but doesn’t count his sightings unless he’s captured a photo, and he has been diligently cataloguing photos for Landmark Conservancy over the years.
Tom has a goal of birding as many properties protected by Landmark as he can during 2026. This summer, we’re highlighting his visits to Siskiwit River Preserve and Wert Family Nature Preserve. His spring post is available here.
Board Member Tom Andersen.
Click any image in this post to enlarge.
Siskiwit River Preserve four visits during May-June
Siskiwit River Preserve is a beautiful birding & hiking spot in northern Wisconsin, close to the shore of Lake Superior and situated on the edge of the town of Cornucopia.
With a little effort and birding at the right time of day (7 – 11 am) you could easily see 8 or 10 species of warblers and a dozen other songbirds.
The Ojibwe used the Siskiwit Bay area as a temporary camp on their way to Mooniingwanekaaning (Madeline Island). The word “siskiwit” comes from an Ojibwe word for a subspecies of lake trout known in English as “fat trout” due to its higher fat content than other lake trout. European immigrants settled in the area at the end of the nineteenth century and practiced logging, commercial fishing, and farming.
Watch birds or sit and contemplate on this hiking trail along river east
Catch a glimpse of the black-throated green warbler in the balsam trees and possibly the mourning warbler (a “lifer” for this birder).
Black-throated Green Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Indigo Bunting
Nesting Eastern Bluebird
Find the chestnut-sided warbler and maybe it will sing for you!
Sandhill cranes can sometimes be seen in the field by the east parking lot.
Wait for me, Mom!
Cape May Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
There are two convenient parking areas on either side of the bridge over the Siskiwit River. The east lot has a swell picnic spot.
Yes, that’s the iconic Lake Superior smoked lake trout, some fine Swiss, and Swedish crackers!
Wert Family Nature Preserve, 10 visits during May-June
Great hiking trails and in most cases very open woods make for great birding.
The 450-acre Wert Family Nature Preserve is an amazing property. A short walk from the parking lot and busy Hwy. 87 and you are in another world. Adjacent to the St. Croix River and the city of St. Croix Falls, with a section of the Ice Age Trail running through it, this place offers some of the best birding around.
Warblers and Flycatchers frequent these woods.
Blue-winged Warbler
Great-crested Flycatcher
Expect to find the gray catbird and even the scarlet tanager.
Gray Catbird
Scarlet Tanager
One of my best finds at Wert was the Louisiana waterthrush. While it has “thrush” in its name, it is really one of the warblers. Landmark’s protected properties are important for this bird. Look at any modern bird book and you’ll see something very interesting. If you look at the northernmost breeding territory for this bird, you will see that it coincides with the northwest region that Landmark serves but not the rest of Wisconsin!
Louisiana Waterthrush
This Louisiana waterthrush sang his heart out for me for over a half hour. The Wert Family Nature Preserve provides perfect habitat for the Louisiana waterthrush. The hilly terrain includes many small springs originating on the property.
Step down to one of the small cold rivulets, turn over a rock, and you’ll likely find small snails and caddis larvae. This is exactly what the Louisiana waterthrush needs!
One of the many small springs on the property.
I finally added the elusive wood thrush to my life list (because I finally got the picture). Getting a nice picture has always been a goal. For me, at least, it hasn’t been easy.
The wood thrush has one of the most beautiful songs in the early morning woods.
The habitat at Wert is very important for this bird, and it is designated as a species of greatest conservation need in Wisconsin.
