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to be here at the right time of year are Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Orange-crowned, Pine, Tennessee and Mourning Warblers and American Redstart. A few bog species may be heard or observed as well including Connecticut Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Barred Owl lives in this forested area. Look also for wildflowers including Wild Ginger, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Jewelweed.
6. Twin Lakes are surrounded on three sides by Coniferous Bog. Look for plants like Cotton Grass, Pitcher Plant, Sphagnum mosses and Labrador Tea. Yellow Lady’s-slipper and Stemless Lady’s-slippers are commonly found blooming here in late May. Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, Ring-necked Duck and Canada Goose are the birds most often seen on the water. Look for the American Beaver lodges and for beavers and Otters. In the forest surrounding the picnic area, listen for Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Barred Owl.
7. Rice Lake is the only place on the Refuge to see thousands of ducks in fall. Ring-necked Duck, Mallard and other waterfowl stage on Rice Lake before heading further south. Peak fall waterfowl surveys often count 150,000 individuals or more. During spring migration watch for shorebirds foraging on mats formed of previous years’ Wild Rice straw. Look for Common Yellowthroat, Sedge Wren, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Alder Flycatcher, American Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, LeConte’s Sparrow, Northern Harrier and Bald Eagle. Black Tern, (a common breeder at Rice Lake NWR) nests on floating mats of vegetation on the lake.
8. The West End hosts a mixture of forest openings, beaver swamps and hardwood forests. Some of the common species are American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Bobolink, Savannah Sparrow, and Clay-colored Sparrow. The beaver swamp is a good place to look for Solitary Sandpiper, Gadwall, and Sandhill Crane. Northern Waterthrush have nested in this area, near the bridge.
9. The North Bog Road gives a good look at a variety of habitats. Early successional
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